Reccomendations on quality toy haulers

[CAB]

I'm in the market for a used toy hauler and am looking for opinions on quality. What have you guys bought that has withstood the test of time, kids, etc...? I know the Weekend Warrior brand is considered quite good and did have a chance to poke through one recently- very nice and very expensive.

Wife and I also had a chance to see a new Keystone Tailgator 22 ft. and when my wife leaned on the sofa to look at the radio, the sofa ripped right out of the wall (Watch the snide remarks, she weighs 120 lb!). Not very impressive, and the salesman had a hard time selling us on the quality after that.

Also, I have a Chevy 3/4 ton with the 350. What do you think I could comfortably tow (I go to Colo. every summer- 11,000 ft. passes included)

Any other opinions? Thanks.

 

[desert_racer]

I have a 2000 GMC 3/4 Ton 4x4 Extra Cab Longbed with the 6.0 liter in it and tow a 21' Baja Toyhauler quite easily. Never towed up into that elevation though. The Baja has been pretty good to us but I wouldn't say it is a top of the line trailer.

My buddy has been looking at the Sandpipers and they look pretty nice for the money.

You are right about the Weekend Warrior... Very nice but very pricey... I think they are also very heavy.

Good luck..

 

[justql]

My 23'Tailgator has held up well. I have had to replace a battery, an axle spring, and a water pump. All three components are common to RV's. I mean the same brand pump is used in most RV's, etc. We like ours.:)

 

[oldguy]

We like our KZ Sportster 22 footer. It is still pretty new as we have only had it since September. For the money I feel it was a good value in the mid price range. If you want there are a couple of photos in my gallery of the storage area.

 

[amcdaniel]

I have a Terry 26 footer and have had a hand full of little problems with it. The biggest are Fleetwood puts the smallest batteries Trojan makes in them, the d-rings pulled out, cabinet construction is cheep. When buying get two six volt batteries in series, solid wood cabinets, a bow trussed roof, Onan generator and have enough truck to pull the thing. It seams to me that all trailers post a weight that is far below what is true, then add 1000 lbs of bikes, 500 lbs of food, drinks and gear, and 800 lbs of water, it adds up quick. I like Weekend Warrior and Dunes by Baja

 

[desert_racer]

amcdaniel,

I think Curtis Industries is the manufacturer of Dunes and Baja. Baja is just the lower spec'd model of the same trailer. I have a Baja and it has been really good to us.

 

[NVR FNSH]

I've got a Patio Hauler by KIT Mfg - it's a 5th wheel. So far so good. I was reasonably impressed with the Thor Industries trailers - Tahoe & Thor brands. I was not impressed with Weekend Warriors quality.

Brian

 

[Sparky]

I recently purchased new a 24' Ragin RVT made by National RV, they make some high dollar class A's. We've only had it out on one trip so far (800 miles total), but is seems decently built. 100 gal water, 40gallon each on black and grey tanks, and has a generator with a 31 gallon transfer tank. I paid 19k for it.

 

[mxbundy]

I was just looking this weekend at toyhaulers.
I liked the Thor trailers and the Forest River.
Thor seems to have a heavy duty axle setup with 16 inch tires.
The Forest river was cheaper in price buy a couple thousand but had the weeker axcle setup.
The Thor trailers have a one piece floor and the Forest river trailers have tunge and groove flooring.

Was looking at the 32` fifth wheel trailers and the 37`fifth wheel with slide out from both.
Does any one have an opinion on these 2 brands?

later mxbundy

 

[NVR FNSH]

mxbundy,
I have not heard any good things about Forest River. If I was getting an open floor plan 5th wheel the Thor would be it. If you can get a 32' w/slide out I'd go for it instead of the 37'. My trailer is 36' and I definitely know it's back there.

Brian

 

[desert_racer]

Bundy,

With that puney little Ford you got you should be lookin at tent trailers...:p

I'd rather push my Chevy than drive a Ford...:)

 

[mxbundy]

Whuur I`m frum, them there is fightin wurds pardner!:p

Friends dont let friends drive :uh: Ch...... Che.....Chev......Chevy`s:uh:

FOMOCObundy

 

[mxbundy]

Brian, do you know what the dry weight of your trailer is? Do you have a slide out?
The 32`s do not have the slide outs.
The dry weight of the trailers im looking at......Wanderer by THOR and Sierra by Forest River

the 32`s Thor is 8700# , Forest river 6850#
the 37`s (slideouts) Thor is 10520# , Forest River 9300#

The dry weight of the Thor 37 footer is a mute point, it is out of my price range. It is 5600.00 more than the Forest River.
speaking of prices, do these sound good?

Forest River 32`, 18500.00 Thor 32` 21000.00
Forest River 37` 22400.00 Thor 37` 28000.00

All are loaded with Gen, air ( ducted ), etc.

What kind of truck you pullin yours with Brian?
I have a 99 F-250 4x4 Super Duty with the V-10 ( dont say a word DR ) , its rated for 14000# pounds with a 5th wheel trailer.

thanks mxbundy

 

[NVR FNSH]

mxbundy,
My trailer is a '00 Patio Hauler 351F - it has a living room/dinette slide out. I paid $22k for it in June '01. The 320F is the same floor plan w/o slide out. The slide out makes huge difference in livability - adds ~2000lbs to the dry weight of the trailer. Listed dry wt on my trailer is 10,400lbs & GVW is 14,100lbs. My trailer has 16" 8 lug wheels with E rated tires. Frame is 12" I-beam. I tow it with a '00 Dodge 2500 4wd Cummins diesel/6spd stick. The only time I weighed the combo was on the way to Elkins Flat in October and I was at 21,300lb - truck is rated for 20k GCVW. Oops. I'm averaging 10mpg towing. I don't think you'll be real happy towing a 10k trailer with the V-10.

Check http://kitmfg.com/rv_features.asp?rvID=122&rv_name=351F for the details.

If you have kids/plan on throwing as many people as possible in the trailer get an open floor plan like the Thor/Tahoe. We spent 4 days at Dove Springs over New Years and the majority of the socializing was in our friends 34' TailGator 5th wheel (nice trailer BTW - alum frame & has basement storage). The facing couches and open area in the back make for a good gathering area. Our trailer, separate patio & slide out, works better for a few people but not 'movie night' like the open floor plan. We have a couch, dinette & recliner but it's just not a 'party' set-up.

I wouldn't pay the premium for a built in generator. My trailer didn't come with one (it's got all the wiring) so I bought a Honda EU3000 - ~$1650.00. The Honda is extremely quiet and I can use it anywhere. I've got plenty of space to carry it. I use the gen compartment for my toolbox.

Get a hitch with as much angulation as possible - you'll be towing the trailer on some pretty bad roads. The 20K has the most angulation in the Reese product line. The mounting rails make for nice footpeg tie down pts when bikes are in the back of the truck:)

Something else to watch - loading these things can be iffy. The bikes all go in the back - behind the axles for the most part. This makes the pin wt pretty light. I have to fill my fresh water tank in order to get enough pin wt for good towing.

Regarding the prices: Again, I have heard bad things about Forest River and it looks like the pricing reflects the quality/reliability comments that I have heard. The differnce in price and wt between FR & Thor makes me wonder if FR is under built or Thor is over built. Guess which one I'd bet on?

Check with Big Bird about the 30' Thor/Tahoe - he has one.

Hope this helps,
Brian

 

[mxbundy]

Thanks for the info Brian,

Thats what I needed. I was hoping the Forest River was of decent quality because my wife liked the slide out, but I dont want to sacrafice quality on something I intend on having for a long time.
You mentioned the hitch setup. Tell me what you think of this.
All of my buds down in Fla. have converted there trailers to " Goose Neck " type hitching systems. Like what is on horse and cattle trailers. They seem to think they work better, but they allso have livestock trailers, so the big benifit for them is that they dont have to have 2 different hitching systems. Although it is a cool way to go because with a pull of a leaver, the ball that is in the bed of the truck lifts out,( and it only weighs a few pounds ) so there is nothing in the bed when you are not towing.

Looks like if I do manage to swing a slideout model, a call to Gale Banks might be in order.:p

mxbundy

 

[HGilliam]

MXBundy you can profit from my experiences. I'll try to be brief. Had a '94 1500 Suburban and bought a 28' Playmor Sport toyhauler after the dealer assured me they were compatible. First trip to Octoberfest in Daytona the rear end went out in Valdosta, GA. Not in warranty but got it repaired for 1/2 price: $650. Sold the Suburban upon return home and bought a "98 Chevy crewcab dually. Next trip to FL wife says either fix the rough ride or trade it for a 3/4 ton suburban. Fixed the ride with air ride rear and 3/4 ton frt springs. $1500 later it all works good. Used this combo for 18 months before deciding that crawling up and down to a bunk bed in the middle of the night and taking a shower standing over the comode with a shower curtain stuck to my butt sucked! Besides we couldn't stay in the trailer without unloading the bikes since they filled the living quarters when in transit. My dealer sold it for me for the salesman's commision only and we ordered a new fifth wheel since we had a truck that would work. Got our 37' single slide Playmor Sport with 10' separate garage in April 2000. First trip to N GA mountains for a shakedown cruise tells me this truck is working it's butt off to pull , control, and stop this trailer. I continued to use this combo traveling all over the SE until Aug 01. We went on vacation to a dual sport ride in Ducktown TN, then over to the Trials Training Center east of Chatanooga for 2 days and back over to western NC for some street bike riding. All of this was thru the mountains. Dec '01 I bought a used '97 Freightliner 4dr Fl 60 . Went to Croom in Brooksville FL after Christmas and I finally have a combo that is easy and relaxing to drive with no stress or strain on the truck or driver. Bottom line: Don't believe what the salespeople tell you about what will pull what. Don't expect a truck to safely pull a load that's near the max gvw it's rated for. You won't enjoy the trip and your truck won't last long doing it.

Sorry for being so long winded.
Toolman

 

[NVR FNSH]

mxbundy,
I'm not sure of the goose neck conversion on a RV 5th wheel trailer -I've been told/read that the RV trailers are designed for the loads imparted by the goose neck. Haven't been able to convince myself of this yet but I also haven't had any need to use a goose neck. The Reese set-up uses mounting rails bolted to the floor - they stick up ~1" . Both my dad & I have the Reese set-up and neither of us have had any problems caused by the rails sticking up. I throw in a 4x8 sheet of plywood to 'protect' the rails if I'm hauling busted up concrete/gravel/top soil etc - makes it easier to shovel the crap out. Reese has a goose neck hitch that mounts using the same rails as the 5th wheel hitch - best of both worlds IMO.

Check www.reeseprod.com - go to the products page for heavy duty 5th wheel hitches for a description/pics.

For the most part I agree with HGilliam. However, I have never felt uncomfortable towing my trailer with my 3/4 ton Dodge PU - neither has my dad - towing 36 ft double slide full time for 1 1/2 years. No, I can't maintain 65mph up the Grapevine but neither can most semi's. We both have exhaust brakes and that thing is worth every penny.

Brian

 

[Boodac]

Trailer

I was seriously considering the Forest River trailers myself but after spending a lot of time seeing the differences in the manufacturing, I have to say, they are cheap. Take the time to look underneath the trailer and you can see the poor quality workmanship such as the way they route the wires and propane lines. Not to mention the fit and finish of the interior and exterior walls. Another brand to steer clear of are the newer Fleetwood trailers. Fleetwood used to make decent RV's but their quality has gone way down. Try and stand on the roof of a Fleetwood Mallard for example and you will see why. The Thor looks mike a middle of the line decent trailer. Thors did have some finacial problems a few years ago but appear to be over the problem now. When it comes to a quality toyhauler I don't think you can beat the Weekeend Warrior. I can see why this might be out of most of our price range. But they have good resale value. Skyline, which also makes Aljo is another middle of the road trailer manufacturer you might consider. Im not too impressed with the Keystone line of trailers. They seem cheap and flimpsy as well.

 

[Tee]

mxbundy,
I've read more bad then good about goose neck conversions in the rv forums.
It appears that the extra foot or so with the goose neck places too much stress on the trailer.
With a 10k trailer and that extra foot... That's lots of added torque on the mounting area.

I'm looking for a new rig as well. Just bought a 2001.5 Dodge HO Cummins with the 6 speed for the tow rig, but still trying to figure out which trailer.
I've pretty much settled on the Sand Piper 21 or Sierra 21. Both are Forrest River models. I'm not looking for top of the line and I won't use it every weekend, but I don't want something that will break every trip... Wait doesn't every RV do that?? I see the negative comments on the Forrest River trailers, but has anyone really had any trouble with one?
I like the Rag'n 24 (21), but is a little pricey.

 

[Boodac]

Tee the answer to your question is yes I have two friends that both had the Forest River Trailers. One was a Sndpiper and the other was a Wildwood. They both swear that they will never get another one. The Sandpiper had a problem almost within the first month when the door jam became cocked and the door wouldnt shut properly. I believe this was partly do to the rigidity of the walls and the way the door was hung (not sure here). The other friend with the Wildwood had the copper propane lines ripped out when he went to a RV park. I guess the Forest River trailers use a lot of copper lines for their propane when the better manufactureres use solid black steel insulated lines under the trailer. Had the lines been solid pipe and ran under the frame work for protection they probably wouldnt have been even touched. If you look at the same model closely you would see that their are inconsistancies in the manufacturing of the same model trailers. This shouldnt happen if they have solid quality workmanship. Dont get me wrong, there one of the cheaper trailers and might work for some with a low budget but remeber you get what you pay for. I think for a few more bucks you could get a better quality trailer. Just my $.02

 

[NVR FNSH]

Friends had a Sandpiper and when I mentioned I was looking for a trailer they were very adamant about staying away from the Sandpiper/Forest River brand. They had problems from day one and I'm not sure if they ever got them totally resolved.

Brian

 

[94ruck]

I was torn between quality, price and weight when looking for new toy bix trailer. I found a used (1 yr old) 26 foot Tailgator in the paper and bought it. I was really hoping to find a 22 foot model but my wife loves the bigger one.She was adamant about the shower(see post further up). I like the way the trailer pulls with my super duty dsl and it holds 6 bikes but I think Colorado with 6 bikes and gear may be too much for my truck. Probably good to go with 3 men and gear and not put water in until i reach my destination. Quality of this trailer is sound and i have a friend who uses his frequnetly and no problems. both of us use add on generators as they are lighter and removable as opposed to the Onans. I like the tongue pull as i can use the back of the truck to haul stuff too.

 

[KXRider]

Just got my 36.5' Toy Hauler

I just picked-up my toyhauler, got to say for the money I am very happy.
K-Z seems to be good quality.
Take a look at the pictures I made at the dealer yesterday.
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=643762&uid=466218