Campers 101

[crays]

Neighbors bought a used RV their first trip out a picture essay.

3 Days into trip.



4 Days into trip



5 Days into trip



6 Days into trip.

When we bought our first used RV, we did several short overnight trips before heading out on a vacation. It helped out some, more with familiarity than mechanical, but we never needed a tow truck.
We had probably 700-800 miles on it before our first extended trip.
We experienced some minor mech issues over the several years we ran it, but we were never stranded.
We thought it was a good idea, but YMMV.

[Dave_L]

Dang! That sucks! Better to find it now than while out in the woods though.

[brutal]

They should have bought a tow truck.

Poor bastards.

P.S. My brother let my 77 year old Mom and 83 year old Stepfather (4-24-15 - wow that's super weird now that I wrote it) buy a used big block gas guzzler. Grrr. They all live 1600 miles away so I was conspicuously out of the loop.

[Bailey Guns]

We just picked up a used '03 Forest River 37' 5th wheel. It's in fantastic shape and everything works just fine. It's not for "camping"...we're gonna use it to temporarily live in while we look for a house once we make the move to the NW. We figured we'd stop in a place, check it out, move on if we don't find something we like.

It's our first really large trailer. We had a 28' Trail-Lite before. It was nice but the difference in room (with 3 slides) and creature comforts are like night and day. We've progressed in age to the point our "camper" is more of a base camp for visiting other places...not for out in the woods type camping. We almost always stop at a campground with hook-ups and the modern conveniences. The down side is this rig is heavy. I haven't pulled it yet but I can see where it could be a challenge in some places.

[ruthabagah]

We just picked up a used '03 Forest River 37' 5th wheel. It's in fantastic shape and everything works just fine. It's not for "camping"...we're gonna use it to temporarily live in while we look for a house once we make the move to the NW. We figured we'd stop in a place, check it out, move on if we don't find something we like.

It's our first really large trailer. We had a 28' Trail-Lite before. It was nice but the difference in room (with 3 slides) and creature comforts are like night and day. We've progressed in age to the point our "camper" is more of a base camp for visiting other places...not for out in the woods type camping. We almost always stop at a campground with hook-ups and the modern conveniences. The down side is this rig is heavy. I haven't pulled it yet but I can see where it could be a challenge in some places.

Nice. I have friends who partially retired last year, rented the house here in CO and they have been living in their 5th wheel since then. For him having a good internet connection is all he needs for work. They spend their winter in TX and Florida (where their children live) and are moving back north for the summer. He did mention that pulling a 5th wheel through OK and northern TX with a 40mph counterwind required a LOT of patience!

With the right rig and some patience you will do fine.

[Dave_L]

Bummer, looks like a nice kit at first glance.

[ruthabagah]

Bummer, looks like a nice kit at first glance.

Yep... It's probably great for a boat or an install where it is not exposed to aerodynamic. Going back to Z Bracket.

[rockhound]

i have been pulling large trailers and travel trailers for the better part of 25 years. best advice is to get the biggest tow vehicle you can now (minimum 3/4 ton) if you enjoy it you will inevitably upgrade to a larger trailer, this leads to needing a larger truck, get that truck now and make the expense just once.

[crays]

I will add to my previous post that if they like the cabin layout, and the only issues are drive-train related, the engine swap is likely the most equitable solution.

My opinion, and I'm sure others will vary.

Hope they get it worked out and enjoy their travels.

[sniper7]

How are you guys wiring the panel in? Do you still a hole or keep the wires outside direct to the battery or where does all the rest of the stuff go? Need to figure out the solar stuff as I would like to install a single panel on mine. I have one of those little ones that Is 5w and it keeps one of the batteries topped off if not in use but won't charge, just kind of my tender while it sits and even then the little bit of draw from the camper still pulls it down a little bit.