Toy Haulers - What To Carry & What To Do With Garage When Camped

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heySkippy

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Joined
May 6, 2018
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9
So, 5th wheels are awesome inside and tow well and have lots of storage, but when I get where we're going, I'm stuck driving a truck that's 2 lanes wide and 3 parking spots long around mountain roads, and I'm probably envying that guy in the next spot with the class A towing a Miata or Jeep.

Then I get to thinking about Toy Haulers and I wonder what all there is to put back there. The #1 choice for me would be a Polaris Slingshot, but sadly it's longer than many garages (not to mention kind of spendy). Still, there are toy haulers with longer garages, it could be done.

But what about all that garage space while we're camped? I'm surprised at the lack of resources online for ideas for outfitting that area or examples from others who've done it. I'm sure there are as many answers as people, but I need ideas. I love the Slingshot - the side by side seating would bring my wife right on board and I'm sure she'd drive it also. Combine that with the truck for when you need an A/C or windows or storage and it sounds like the perfect extended - maybe even full time - RVing combo.

Any pointers on the garage space utilization would be greatly appreciated. Any suggestions for other things to haul in the garage - more than 2 wheels, capable of highway speed - also appreciated.
 
I briefly considered a TH for my Miata before we got our FW.  They make TH with many different length garages.  The garage can haul anything you want within the weight limits.  Bikes, motorcycles, ATV and all sorts of toys are common.  Some TH even gave a "gas station" for the toys.

Once you arrive and thetas are unloaded, use of this space is limited only by your imagination.  Some come with bunks or other bed options.  Some offer sofa and entertainment options.  Some even use the opened garage door as an outside porch, some with a screen enclosure.

As I recall, the manufacturer sites have pictures of many of these options.

P.S.  The truck is only one FULL lane wide and only needs 1 1/2 parking spaces.  However, mine requires 5 or 6 lanes to make a U turn.  :(
 
Im not sure i understand the point of this - a dually truck is like anything else, once you get used to it its no more hard to drive than a civic, i used to make 8-10 sales calls a day in mine no big deal, so you have to walk an extra 100 ft when parking - im sure the exercise wont kill you.
As for the garage we put 3 100 lbs dogs and their kennels back there. No dogs? No problem ive seen bbqs kids play houses, swim pools, sewing rooms, man caves, etc etc etc.
We put grand kids in the bunks lawn chairs for 10, bbq, camp stove, folding tables, you name it, im in the process of trading my 2015 toy hauler on a 2019 toy hauler its so versityle , motorbikes golf carts quads etc etc - garages in toy haulers typically run for 11' to 18 ft in length and will hold 2000 to 4000lbs
 
FWIW, we don't mind walking, we just want something fun to drive and the Slingshot has that in abundance. In years past it was a motorcycle, but my wife won't roll that way any more.

I guess we need to get out and visit a really large dealer. When I look at ads online for toy haulers half the time they don't even include a picture of the garage.
 
Our initial thoughts were fifth wheel with a pup to haul the motorcycles.  But after seriously looking at a pup, backing into spaces, or just making a wrong turn, winding up on narrow roads or god forbid a dead end, we decided on a toy hauler.  The garage to us will be living space for us when we park and unload the bikes.  Most likely the bench seat will be down and my wife may make Jewelry or work on Stained glass, I may tie flies for fishings and of course the patio is a nice bonus.


First year we plan to travel quite a bit, but after that season in places.  First summer will be Alaska, then winter in southern Arizona, the possibly Idaho.  We already have friends and family making reservations to stay with us.  The garage has it own bed, TV, bathroom, patio and entrance and we hope many of our friends/family have an opportunity to use it.


 
Any suggestions for other things to haul in the garage - more than 2 wheels, capable of highway speed

The reason I would like a toy hauler would be to take our Goldwing trike when we travel. 
 

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There are pros and cons to everything. I've never been able to make the case for a toy hauler, but then, I don't need many toys when we travel either.


I did see a fellow one time with a huge Class A and a very large trailer behind loaded with his Cadillac Escalade on the lower level, and two watercraft mounted on top of that. He couldn't make the turn in the campground. To each his own, I guess.


My point is that everyone has their own style of rving. Fortunately, there are RVs for just about everyone. It will depend on what your style is as to what you choose, and what you do with it.
 
Frank B said:
There are pros and cons to everything.

Ain't that the truth?

We drove up to LazyDays in Tampa this morning and spent several hours with a couple very nice salesmen who showed us a few toy haulers along with a couple Class Cs. It's changed my perspective. The short of it is that the garage eats 1/3 of your rig and while you're camped that 1/3 is awkward to reintegrate with your living area.

After that visit and talking with my wife, I'm coming around to the idea of a nice non-toy hauler 5th wheel. It still seems more like 'us' than Class A.
 
And Towables versus motor homes are another discussion unto themselves. :) 


It is so nice, however, to have such a wide field to choose from. And, there is also the fact that what you buy you are not necessarily stuck with. You can always sell and try something else later. We have found that our needs have changed quite a bit over the last 20 years. We have changed our RV three times according to our changing needs.
 
Look at the Grand Design Momentum.  My next unit will be the 351M.  It has a half bath in the garage area, has the pair of benches and bed that lower from the ceiling, has the patio deck and doors, plus its own entry door,air conditioning, television and stereo.  We sometimes like to take another couple with us when we camp, so this will be a huge bonus with a toy hauler.  I can fit two golf carts in the garage, which I currently have to load onto my flatbed when towing my TT.  I would also like to get a kayak and the garage would be a great place to haul that and/or a Jon boat.
 
We have a 2009 Salem 27ft toyhauler. Ours has the 2/3 width door in the rear, the other 1/3 belonging to the bathroom and shower stall. This trailer doesn't have any slides, with the living up front, dining in middle, bed and bath in rear. Technically we could load all the way up into the living room if we wanted to because the carpet rolls up, and the dinette folds flat up against the wall, but so far we've only added 8 feet of E track to the floor in the rear to tie down one atv. This same area is actually where the beds are. They're two beds sized somewhere in between a full and a queen on an electric lift system that can be cranked all the way to the ceiling for loading. When in use you can either lower the bottom one all the way down (somewhere about 2 feet off the floor) and pin the top one up in the ceiling, or lower both and the top one comes down to 5 feet or so off the floor. We can also leave the ramp door down in desired and lower the heavy mylar tinted plastic cover down, which also has screen panels for letting in fresh air. It's a nice feature but honestly I don't use it much because the AC at night is just too good. Also being a toyhauler it came with 2 40 gallon fresh water tanks for extended time in the backwoods, and a 30 gallon fuel station for refilling your toys. With this setup there is no wasted space or unused space. If you seriously look at the toyhauler market today both in trailers and 5ths they've done even more since this trailer came out. Most on them now offer at the very least a rear dinette that's capable of being either to twins or 1 queen, depending on how the manufacture set everything up. Most of the higher end ones have even more than that with beds on electric lifts like mine, or as someone else mentioned the new thing of turning the ramp door into a patio deck via the use of cables, complete with fills railings around, and even nicer screen door designs to cover the open garage door area. I've even seen sliding (as in left to right patio style) screen doors that fold up somehow when not in use but then can be erected in the rear. Other little things also include options where there are stairs to hook on to your suspended garage door with a gate in the patio railing so you can come and go without going through your trailer. Some of the bigger 5ths have an additional drop down suspended door panel on the side that offer just another deck area with an outside kitchenette and grill area. Some of these units are big, heavy, pricey, and require a good truck to tow, but are quite amazing in what they offer.
 
Something I have always wondered about is sharing living space with a garage. Do you not end up with gasoline or oil odors in the living area?


Thanks.
 
Never noticed any. Keep your cap on tight I guess. There is a vent at ground level you can open to vent exhaust, but realistically when the door is open you have 50"x108" of venting capability and all you have to do is turn it on and back out.
 
We've had a 25' toyhauler TT for four years now. We love it.  Some observations:

" the garage eats 1/3 of your rig and while you're camped that 1/3 is awkward to reintegrate with your living area."
I really do not understand why folks buy toyhaulers with separate garage compartments.
Ours is basically a 25' box with a bed at the front.  Inexpensive.  Roll the bikes into the living room and kitchen, strap them down, and go.  Sure we can't open the fridge door if we have five bikes in there, we can live with that.  Roll the bikes out when we get to the destination, and we have our living room back.

We've never had a problem with gas odors or spills.  We had a bike with blown fork seals leak oil onto the floor so we cleaned it up with some paper towels.  Really it's not that  hard.  It was no worse than when the sesame oil bottle fell out of the kitchen cabinet while traveling.  Maintain your machines reasonably, clean up after yourself, nothing new.  Oh, and wheel the bike outside before you fill the gas tank from the jerry can.  Duh...    Once the bikes are unloaded we unroll the rug for the living space, it covers the keyhole fittings for the chocks and any other minor sins.

"what to carry"
Whatever you're into.  We carry up to five two-wheel motorcycles in our 25' toyhauler.  I installed fittings flush with the floor for wheel chocks and tiedown points.  A Can-am or a Polaris Slingshot is cool.  Or ATV's.  Some folks carry golf carts or riding lawnmowers.  Not my idea of fun but hey, whatever works for you.

 






 
All you need is a toy hauler with a garage that is 13' or longer. The Slingshot is 149.6" in total length according to Polaris. It's 6" shorter than my Polaris General.  There are many, many toy haulers out there with a garage that big.
 
I checked, and my Miata will fit in many.  It takes up too much living space for my taste, so we went conventional FW.
 
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