Advice on Travel Trailer Selection

[gsman]

Been reading information on this forum and it appears there are quite a few knowledgeable folks on this site.? Would appreciate your opinions on quality and workmanship of some of the TTs I have looked at.? My wife and I are in the process of purchasing a light weight TT in the 26ft range.? ?Our plan was to purchase a new trailer after my son graduates from college.? Turns out he wants to live in the trailer this coming fall for a year or so instead of an apartment.? ?I don't have heavy vehicle to pull it with, Chevy 1500 truck with a small V-8.? I am trying to keep the weight around 4000lbs.? We have looked at Jaycos, R-vision, Sunny Brooks and Forest River Surveyor.? So far we have liked the Surveyor the most.? In terms of quality how do you all rate the Surveyor or the overall Forest River quality?? Any other light weight TT I should also look at before I make a decision?? Thanks in advance!

 

[N Smock]

<Turns out he wants to live in the trailer this coming fall for a year or so instead of an apartment.  >

This objective and the lightweight are not consistent, unless you live where the temps are moderate year around. You can find trailers designed to handle the cold but weight is added. If you are not intrested in a new truck then check with this document http://www.trailerlife.com/output.cfm?id=1073737 for your truck to find how much trailer you can tow.

Now that the son is graduating it is time tor you and mom to use the trailer and enjoy your new found fincal freedom. Use the trailer for your enjoyment.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I have heard no feed back on the Surveyor line, but Forest River products in general have been well regarded by their owners.  However, I would choose the Sunnybrook as the quality leader of the group you named.

Low-end price range and light weight are not good choices for full time use. Generally speaking, they won't hold up well under everyday living use because both the design and the materials sacrifice sturdiness for lower weight and price. Naturally, budget has to be factored in and only you can make the trade-offs for quality vs price for your intended use.

Unless your son is  rare exception, I would expect that a year of college living would be a fairly severe test of the trailer's interior quality.  And if he is located north of Florida or south Texas, he will likely freeze his nether regions off during the winter months.

 

[Carl L]

?Our plan was to purchase a new trailer after my son graduates from college.? Turns out he wants to live in the trailer this coming fall for a year or so instead of an apartment.? ?I don't have heavy vehicle to pull it with, Chevy 1500 truck with a small V-8.? I am trying to keep the weight around 4000lbs.?

? ?Lightweight trailers are almost by definition, vacation trailers.? A year of full time living will severly age the the thing - - especially a trailer in the 4000 lb category.? ?

Consider just one thing -- toilet facilities.? ?The way trailer toilets work is that they discharge to a holding tank.? ?That tanks should be operated closed.? If this is done, bacterial action dissolves the solids and liquifies the waste.? When the tank is about 2/3s full, a hose is attached from the external drain pipe to a sewer inlet.? A knife valve is then opened and the wastewater rushes out of the tank, the turbulence sweeping any crud out.? ?If the tank were left open to the sewer full time, the solids would not be properly dissolved and the tank would become plugged with particularly nasty crud.? This is not a good thng,?as Martha might say.

Now consider how your college kid is going to handle the maintenance of this little chore.

Rent the kid a cheap apartment.

 

[gsman]

Thanks for some great responses.  I'm glad I told you all the situation in terms of full time living.  Thought that TT's held up better than that!  Didn't think that was going to be such a big issue. 


Thanks again!

 

[Carl L]

Thanks for some great responses.? I'm glad I told you all the situation in terms of full time living.? Thought that TT's held up better than that!? Didn't think that was going to be such a big issue.?


Thanks again!

Well they do.  Just not the lightweight ones.  Fulltimer trailers, 5th wheel or TT, are heavy.  They have wood cabinetry, heavier construction, beefier frames, et..  You want a travel trailer built like a tank, take a look at a high end Airstream. 

We have a vacation trailer that we use about 6-8 weeks per year -- for the last 10 years.  It is a bit worn but still most liveable.  It is a 4650 lb, 23 foot lightweight Prowler.