Mobile Massage and Wonder Emporium

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Jessycaheather

New member
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Posts
1
Hello! My partner and I are looking into living the gypsy dream. We work together to provide massage, reiki, sound healing, and structural integration for people. Our vision is to have a camper van towing a travel trailer with slide outs so that we can live and offer sessions in the trailer. We want to arrive to a region with our trailer and park it for a few months while we take shorter trips out with the campervan. Then move on to a new region. 

I don't see many vans pulling trailers and am not sure if a camper van is capable of pulling a trailer. A van that I like had can tow 5000 lbs and the trailer that I like is 5500 dry weight. I saw somewhere that you can tow beyond the recommended capacity and I want to get more opinions on that.

Is it safe to tow beyond the recommended capacity? (Especially if it's fairly infrequently.)
If so, how much beyond? 500 lbs? 1000 lbs? 1500 lbs?

Do you know of a better option for a main van/truck with livable space that can tow a trailer that will be used as the main home and office?
For example, a truck with a camper shell towing a trailer.
Or a small class c towing a trailer.

Thank you for your help!
 
I saw somewhere that you can tow beyond the recommended capacity and I want to get more opinions on that.
Depends on how risk-adverse you are, I guess. It's never "OK", but a few lbs aren't significant.  As the number climbs it goes from pushing your luck to foolish to suicidal.
The trailer you like is 500 lbs over even before you put any stuff onboard.  And that 5000 lb max tow is a fiction as well, since it has to be decreased to allow for the weight of stuff IN the van, including even the trailer hitch. In short, for get about it.
 
while the towing capacity is one factor the payload of the camper van is usually the limiting factor. The payload capacity of the van can be found on or near the drivers door. It is a required thing on vehicles.
Once you know the payload of the vehicle then we can guide you. But camper vans have a very low payload capacity. The 5000 trailer unloaded will take up about 600 pounds of payload. Now you have to add in the weight of all the things you put into the camper van. I bet you are way over payload capacity
 
I would recommend looking for a mid sized Class C with enough tow capacity for a nice trailer. Never look at dry weight; it is a fiction to get you in trouble. Use only GVWR, the total approved weight, and keep it to that or under. I had a physician?s assistant I met after surgery. We got to talking about camping and trailers. She had a nice toy hauler that her dealer said could,be towed by her Toyota Tundra. As she said, ?After we put the second transmission in the Tundra, we bought a 3/4ton diesel pickup.? That?s the kind of damage overweight towing can bring. Will it happen at 50-100 pounds over? I doubt it, but if you live in a unit all you do is add weight. If you are at limit when you buy it, you will be in trouble.
 
If you plan on going from campground to campground, that could be a problem. Many if not all campgrounds frown on anyone running a business out of their RV. You'd have to call them to check.
 
Welcome to the Forum!

Rene's point is probably the most important:
Where do you plan to park and set up your "practice"? 
How will you meet local business codes, which may take a very dim view on a semi medical practice operating out of a very mobile office? 
How will they feel about your office being your living room?

IF you can figure that part out, you have many options.

As I understand, you want a fun tow vehicle (TV)  (camper van) to tow a Travel Trailer (TT) that will be your home and office.  If this is true, you have many options for a TV, possibly a cargo van, but probably a pick up truck.  Either can be customized to meet your style.

May I suggest a Super C camper, built on a truck chassis, to live in and pull a dedicated office trailer.  The bigger truck could handle a decent size camper.
 
Another issue is licensing and insurance, but I I know people that have considered it buying an rv to use as a mobile office etc. The big issue that they run into is needing a cdl license etc
 
I remember when my back hurt, nothing helped me. I didn't even know what to do, it felt like I had tried everything in this life. Yoga helped me. Every day of yoga for a whole month freed me from pain.
 
My bet is the VAN CANNOT ACTUALLY PULL 5000. What you need to find out is the cargo capacity of your van. The towing capacity put out by most vehicle manufacturers is for a low trailer with a perfect load and no frontal area for wind resistance. So find the cargo capacity of the vaan. It may be on a sticker somewhere near or at the drivers door. Probably either white or yellow
 
Back
Top Bottom