38 ft. "Park" trailer, any experience with 'em?

[hocker]

Hi, we have the opportunity to purchase a Wildwood 38 ft. trailer in excellent condition for less than the wholesale value. We intend to fulltime workamp in the near future and feel this would be a great live-in trailer. Does anyone out there have any experience with these longer units? Forest River calls it a "Park trailer" as it has a full size fridge and glass patio entry doors, but it looks like any other travel trailer--just longer. Was just wondering how it handles on the road and can it take the abuse of sometimes frequent towing. We would park it for months at a time in one location and probably tow it for a few weeks while traveling between jobs. Any insight on these type of trailers will be appreciated. GVWR is 11,810. Thanks!

 

[Carl L]

Park models are not really intended for frequent travel.  They usually lack tanks, batteries and 12VDC circuitry.  The ones I have seen in  use are professionally moved from one campground to another, at most twice a year.

You are better off with a high qualitity 5er or TT for full time use.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Ditto on Carl's comments. Park models are not intended for towing. Period. The are designed to be delivered to a park and set up once.  I would not consider moving one even annually.

 

[hocker]

Hi, thanks for your comments. This is definitely not one of those park it and leave it type "park models." The unit we are looking at has holding tanks like a regular TT. In fact it looks like a regular trailer with double slide-outs and all the usual stuff, it even has the metal plate on the front of the trailer near the hitch and propane tanks to prevent damage from rocks kicked up from the tow vehicle. A Wilderness dealer (we are buying the unit from a private party) told me the only disadvantage to the unit is the all-electric fridge, it is set up to be towed. (I also understand he is hoping to make a sale...)

 

[Carl L]

I check the Forest River Wildwood Trailers site, and oddly enough they do not seem to make a park model trailer that meets your description? -- for one thing the modesl they list all have gabled roofs.? ?What you describe seems to be their T37BHS, a unit with a 34' box length and a single slide out.? ?A patio door is optional.? ?If that is what you have, it is a standard, tho large,? travel trailer.? ?Its dry weight comes in at a whopping 7820 lbs.? ?That is going to require a truck with a tow rating somewheres in the vicinity of 13,000 lbs.? ?Get a gross vehicle weight rating on it from the seller, it can be found on the trailer's DOT plate.? That should be on the driver's side front of the outside of the unit.? That will permit a closer evaluation of the truck requirements.

In short, it should tow given the right truck.? ?I must admit tho, I have my doubts about those patio doors on the road.?

 

[hocker]

Carl, here's the link to the Wildwood 2006 floorplans  http://www.forestriverinc.com/nd/default22.asp?page=floor&choice=wood&nav=rec
The unit I'm looking at is a 381FKDS. The closest one on the website is the 392FKDS. Their website doesn't seem to show too many photos of the units...
The brochure I have lists the GVWR as 11180, dry ship as 9980.

Thanks.

 

[Carl L]

Carl, here's the link to the Wildwood 2006 floorplans? http://www.forestriverinc.com/nd/default22.asp?page=floor&choice=wood&nav=rec
The unit I'm looking at is a 381FKDS. The closest one on the website is the 392FKDS. Their website doesn't seem to show too many photos of the units...
The brochure I have lists the GVWR as 11180, dry ship as 9980.

Thanks.

Most confusing line of products.  Evidently they have 3 regions with differing product lines in 3 different reagions of the US: East, SW, and NW.

OK based on what I see in the product you sited is a trailer that is definitely a park model, not yet a mobile home but not exactly a travel trailer either.  Its weight would require a tow vehicle with a capacity of around 15,000 lbs in the west.  That would be at a minimum a F-350 Ford with a 6.0L diesel and a 3.73 rear end or the big gasser and a 4.30 rear end.  If I would ever recommend a class V reciever and a Hensly hitch for a rig, it would be this one -- the hitch weight is state at 1500 lbs, laden I would guess it at somewhere around 1750 lbs.  That will be hard to wrestle.

In short, I would have that rig professionally towed.  Maybe twice a year.

For your use, go smaller, lighter and more towable.

Wi

 

[Karl]

I would also be concerned about the exterior height. Some of their models come in at a whopping 13 feet 4 inches!

 

[Carl L]

I would also be concerned about the exterior height. Some of their models come in at a whopping 13 feet 4 inches!

Looks like 11'9".

 

[Karl]

Carl,

Download the brochure PDF from here and take a look. Forest River Sierra Some of the TT's are 12'9"; some 5'ers are 13'4". I was surprised too.

 

[alisalybbert]

Hi,
I saw your post on the rvforum about considering purchasing a Wildwood Park Trailer.  We are about to become workampers, and are interested in these as well.  Did you discover if they were able to be hauled twice a year?

Any info/advice would be appreciated...
Thanks,
Alisa

 

[rjf7g]

There's a difference in a "park model" vs a "park trailer."  I have a "park trailer" - it has holding tanks, a battery and complete 12V system, and is towable.  It does have a sliding glass door (take the screen out before hauling) and a residential refrigerator (not all park trailers do).  It is VERY heavy and mine was installed by my dealer on my seasonal site and will not be moved for a very long time.

 

[gtorick]

We have lived in our 40ft Jayco for a year now and we love it.The patio door is our favorite feature.We have two slides and besides the icebox, we have everything any smaller RVs have. We also have a washer dryer combo unit.The slides are both manual and we purchased it as a full time home and don't plan on towing it very often.....although i don't see why it could not be done especially two or three times a year like you said. Our plans are to buy a 24 ft 5ver for our short trips.