Buying a Travel Trailer

Selection: First of all, it is really hard to find an independent online review source on the web for travel trailers. Roaming Times has a pretty good list of trailer reviews (http://www.roamingtimes.com/consumer/index.aspx). There are many manufacturers each with many brands. How do you know what is good or bad? We learned that it is initially helpful to visit a few larger RV dealers and listen to pros and cons of various models they carry.

Brands: Thor is a giant company that owns most of the brand name trailers. Under Thor is Airstream, Breckenridge, Crossroads, Dutchmen, Keystone, Heartland, and Redwood. Under each of these brands are sub brands. For example, under Dutchmen you have Aerolite, Aspen Trail, Coleman, Denali, Fourwinds, Grand Junction, Infinity, Kodiak, Komfort, Lakewood, Rubicon, and Voltage. Forest River is another large company that owns a pile of brands each with sub-brands. It is mind boggling. And in many cases each sub-sub brand is manufactured

independently from the others. For example, we visited Forest River’s Surveyor/R-Pod factory in Goshen, IN. They not only fiercely compete against Thor’s brands, but other Forest River’s brands.

Tours: The Elkhart, Indiana area is home to most of the trailer manufacturing in the US, but Oregon and California are also home to several brands. In Goshen Indiana we toured three factories recently, Forest River’s Surveyor/R-Pod factory, Thor/Keystone’s Bullet/Cougar/Passport factory, and Thor/Dutchmen’s Aerolite/Kodiak Factory. It was fascinating to see the way RVs are made and variations among the brands we saw. In my next blog I will describe the process and post more pictures.

Ultralight brands we like and why:

Crossroads/Sunset Trail - Well built. Nice design. Wide stance. Good brand.

Evergreen/Everlite - Nice design. Fiberglass roof (vrs EDPM). More environmentally friendly ingredients. Walkable roof.

Northwoods/Artic Fox - Four season. Strong. Built in Oregon.

Airstream - Bulletproof design. Holds resale best.

Forest River/Surveyor - Well built. Lots of aluminum. Good QC program observed. Walkable roof.

Construction: generally, the ones with corrugated steel sides are typically wood framed, while the ones with smooth fiberglass siding are framed with aluminum. Aluminum is much lighter, tighter, and holds together down the road better long-term. The wood ones tend to tweak and tork and as a result, their roofs need to be caulked yearly or they leak. If you are looking at

used ones, I'd avoid the wood framed ones.

Framing: The better aluminum ones tend to have more framing in the walls and roof making them stronger. A good example are the Surveyor by Forest River and the Everlite by Evergreen.

Roofs: A curved roof is usually better than flat for strength and to shed water, most being ma

de with steel trusses. Even better, get one with the EDPM rubber that comes over the edge down the wall a bit, as this would help to prevent leaks in the seam between roof and walls. I would advise that if you can get one advertised with a "walk on roof", do it. Some with flat roofs are walkable, some aren't, and same with arched roofs. An advantage to walkable roofs aside from general strength is if you ever wanted to mount a solar panel, you couldn't get up very easy there to adjust it.

Wheels, axels and brakes:

Make sure you get a spare tire. Most chassis have two 3500# axles. Most have leaf springs but some are putting in torsion arm suspension which is supposed to be a better ride…I dunno. Many brands, such as the Outback and Crossroads are putting the wheels further apart front to back. Supposedly it is to improve towing. All have electric brakes, so your tow vehicle will need a brake controller installed.

Weight: Aluminum is much lighter than wood, so towing is easier and you get better mileage with less weight. Pay attention to the shipping weight of the RV, not load capacity or other weights. Add about 500# for “stuff” to that and you have your towing weight, compared to the capacity of your truck. For example, I have a Tundra Truck with a towing capacity of 6000#. So the heaviest trailer I would consider is around 5000# including the trailer, stuff and a buffer. For example, the Komfort/Dutchmen Pacific Ridge P27RL looks like a really nice RV made by a good company. The ship weight of it is 6700# plus 500#=7200#. That’s pretty heavy requiring one to definitely need a 3/4 ton. Alternately, a Keystone Bullet model 278RLS weighs 4945# plus 500#= 5445#. Look for ultra light models to keep the weight down.

Length: Another thing to consider is size. 30ft is nice and roomy, particularly for a family. But the longer it is, the harder it is to tow with more sway issues. AND, some state, national and forest campgrounds have length limitations of 25 to 30'. Our RV is 26' and we squeak by sometimes.

Slideouts: Travel trailers can have zero, one, two or three slideouts, with travel varying from 18” to 30”. The more and deeper the slideouts, the more expensive the trailer.

Storage: We’ve seen some nice big trailers with ridiculously small outside storage compartments. So small you couldn’t even fit a small grill through the door. While you can pack quite a bit of stuff inside, there are items you’d rather not bring indoors (grills, hoses, firewood, propane, etc). Look for large storage compartments that pass through to the other side, with large doors.

4 vrs 3 season trailers:

Some of the manufacturers advertise 4 season capability. This means you can camp in the freezing termpuratures without fear of freezing and breaking pipes. A good example is Artic Fox, but there are others. They install heating ducts inside the space under the floor and insulate critical parts. Others typically advertise “passive” heating of the under space, meaning the ducts emit some heat while heating the RV.

5th wheels: Nice and roomy, and they don't have the same towability issues of travel trailers. Downsides are that they take up valuable cargo space in the bed of the truck, and they are more difficult to unhitch.

Summary; Honestly, if were just Deb and I, I'd consider something smaller, with a bed big enough for the two of us, a decent kitchen, and a bathroom. We toured the Forest River Surveyor/R-Pod plant in Elkhart.

The R-Pod is really well made and looks pretty cool and retro,

as does the Everlite Element (although very pricy). The Dutchmen Pacific Ridge and Forest River/Surveyor are made in Oregon which is nice. So is Artic Fox which is supposed to be really well made. We also like the Keystone Bullets.

Cross Country Road Trip - June 14 - HOME

We are home, and all is well. What a wonderful trip we had seeing some great country and sights. Time went by so fast and we never got tired of the voyage (or each other).

The final segments from Custer State Park/Black Hills South Dakota took us through Sheridan, WY, Bozeman, MT, and St. Regis, MT. En route to Bozeman, we stopped and toured Little Big Horn (aka Custer's Last Stand). It was quite a place and very interesting to see the failed

strategies of Custer's 7th Cavalry regiment, trying to move the locals elsewhere. There on June 25 and 26 of 1876, 263 soldiers, including Lt. Col. George A. Custer and attached personnel of the U.S. Army, died fighting several thousand Lakota, and Cheyenne warriors.

Some fascinating trip statistics and factoids...

RV miles traveled: 7825 (excludes excursions in the Honda)

Days gone: 72

Campground/RV parks stayed in: 30 (excludes relatives' driveways and bedrooms)

States traveled in/through: 23

RV Gallons of gas purchased: 922

Average mileage: 8.48

Most picturesque states: Kentucky, Louisiana and Montana

Least picturesque states: West Texas, Minnesota, and Illinois

Favorite campgrounds: St. Andrews SP, FL, Fort Wilderness, Disneyworld, Badlands KOA

Least Favorite campgrounds: Parkview RV, Fort Stockton, TX (what a dump!) and Asheville, NC

KOA (terrible Highway noise and unlevel sites

Worst roads: California, Illinois, and Montana

Best roads: Those leaving the repair shops

Most valuable tool: GPS

Some favorite things we did:

~ Swamp tour in Louisiana

~ Carlsbad Caverns

~ Basking in the sun on the white sand beaches and watching dolphins play at St. Andrews, FL

~ Disney World and visiting Animal Kingdom Park

~ Biking around Jekyll Island

~ Castillo de San Marcos and touring St. Augustine, FL

~ Trolley tour of Savannah, GA

~ CD tour of the Amish country in Elkhart, IN

~ Mount Rushmore

What did we learn from this trip:

~ Stuff breaks.

~ When possible, don't make reservations. It just adds to the stress to 'hurry up and gotta get there" when stuff breaks. Only once did we come across a full campground, including Fort Wilderness.

~ Change the belts before you make a long trip.

~ Take more/better tools.

~ Don't pack so many clothes.

~ Turn off the fridge when it is being towed or is up on blocks, otherwise they go bad.

~ Don't bother with a "Ready Brake". Quite a funny story actually ... So we towed the Honda using a Ready Brake which is a surge break device that is in between the RV receiver and the tow bar. The idea is that in an emergency stop, the Ready Brake will apply pressure to the Honda's brakes to help you stop. The problem is that the extra 18" the device adds causes a bit of whiplash effect, so you are constantly correcting the line of the RV, specially when a truck passes you or in side winds, etc. OK, so the funny part is that on the second to last day I decide to take it off to see if it towed any easier. OMG did it. I'

ll never use it again. Could hardly tell the Honda was back there most of the time.

So now we are home. While we had our share of mechanical issues along the way, we traveled over 2900 miles from the Atlantic shore of Charleston, NC to home without one single problem. The RV ran like a top. Needless to say, our (my) frustration during the "events" and decision to "sell the damn thing and buy something without an engine" was an emotional reaction...not logical. So we've decided to keep Bubba Tioga with all of the improvements we've made over the years and we'll be money ahead.

The cabin was in fine shape when we came home, although the grounds had gone somewhat to seed, after an unusually wet spring. The grass was real long.

So now we're cleaning the RV and taking care of the little stuff before our next trip to Pearrygin Lake with Darryl, Cathy, and the boys. In March, we're planning a 1-2 month jaunt to So Cal and Arizona to bask in their sun. Thanks to everyone for watching the blog and keep up with our travels.

Cross Country Road Trip - June 11

We are now in Sheridan, WY after having spend 3 great nights at the Game Lodge campground in

the Black Hills' Custer State Park. The first full day there was almost comical, as we had by then traveled over 7000 miles and upon arriving at Mount Rushmore, it was deep in clouds and the best you could see was George Washington's substantial schnozz. It also rained during a "touring' day, the first time this happened on the whole trip.

Not to be dismayed, we took some scenic drives and saw herds of bison, pronghorns, prairie dogs, and mule deer. At one point while driving the wildlife route, traffic came to a sudden halt. Some jackass was in the middle of the road begging for food, and blocking traffic. People were gawking, taking pictures .. it was a real zoo.

Yesterday, the weather was perfect and we returned to Rushmore for great weather and views.

was named for George Rushmore, some local lawyer before it was ever carved. We also did the 'Darryl and Cathy" tour version of Crazy Horse, and just viewed it from a pullout, rather than pay $22 to drive closer. I was suprized how much work is remaining. It's quite a sight. Interestingly, the mountain

The roads around Custer Park and Black Hills are cool. The needles highway have some tunnels you drive through that are barely wider than 8', that are carved through boulders.

Cross Country Road Trip - June 7

We are now in Badlands National Park, South Dakota. This is an AMAZING place. Georgeous hoodoos, like driving through the bottom of Bryce canyon. We took a 60-mile scenic tour through the park, stopping at waysides, a fossil boardwalk, and stopped at Wall Drug for ice cream and postcards. Bizarre place. The picture above is mountain goats.

Last night we stayed at a great SD State Campground called Lake Vermillion. It has a nice beach/swim area, similar to Pearrygin. The drive here was super windy, with strong gusts coming from the side (southwest). We disconnected the car and drove separately which helped alot. Weather has been pretty hot. Yesterday was a record 99 in Sioux Falls, SD, but today is a mild 92. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 75. Tomorrow we head off to Custer State Park.

Cross Country Road Trip - June 3

Today is our third day in the Elkhart, Indiana area. ...and we stayed this long on purpose! We have had a great time touring the Amish countryside and shops, RV factories, flea market and museums. We toured three RV manufacturers to see how they made their trailers; DutchmanAerolite, Keystone Bullet, and Forest River Surveyor. All are made in a similar way - walls, floors and roofs with aluminum frames with fiberglass and wood sandwiched on each side, foam insulation inside. The differences between the brands are subtle, like some roofs can be walked on, some mfg's put more aluminum into their structure, more insulation, better quality cabinets, etc. We're leaning toward the Surveyer model, although, we're still looking. evergreen RV makes some good ones too, but pricy.

We also visited the RV museum, which was surprisingly interesting. starting with old wagons, with flip-out tents, model T's, the early Airstreams, etc. It was fun to see how they've evolved.

Today we did a 90-mile CD-narrated tour of Amish country including Elkhart, Bristol, Shipshewana, Goshen, Napanee, Wakarusa. We stopped along the way at a old working water-powered mill, several shops, a cheese factory, and the Yoder Popcorn company. On Weds we visited Shipshewana's Huge flea market, the largest in the midwest with 1000's of vendors from typical flea market crap, through handmade pies, jams jellies, furniture made by the Amish. Row after row, after row. On gravel ... with a wheel chair. Grand fun.

Tomorrow we head further west with only overnight stops for four nights until we get to Custer State Park and the Mount Rushmore area.

Cross Country Road Trip - May 30

We are now in Scottsburg, IN, which is apparently the famous home of Yogi and Boo-Boo and Jellystone Park, because that's where we are! There's even a statue of Yogi out front! Weather has been pretty hot, and in Elkhart, our next destination a big storm came through and they had lots of power outages.Today we traveled here from Mt. Vernon, KY

and came through Harrodburg, KY. We stopped at the cool Old Fort Harrod, the first permanent settlement west of the Alleghenies ... whatever those are... Very well done wooden fort with people in various cabins explaining the way people lived back then.

Then we traveled on to the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. Upon arriving into the parking lot, I smiled because I remember coming here with good friend Eric Rosebrock last year, when we went on a very important maintenance conference, then took a hooky day to tour the Bourbon Trail, and apparently, the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. In any event, we took a nice wagon ride and the guide explained the village. Apparently Shakers join the "family" after giving up all possessions (kids, spouses, money, land etc), and become a celibate brother or sister working on the farm. Since no kids are being born and since the civil war, nobody wanted to work that hard, the families eventually left of dies and the village ended in 1910. Now it is a non-profit and universitied and helping to restore the buildings. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill is the largest

restored Shaker community in America. With 3000 acres of bluegrass farmland and 34 restored buildings, this National Historic Landmark is the only living history site where all services are provided in original buildings.

And now we're at Yogi's house!. Tomorrow we're off to Elkhart/Shipshewana lend to RV tours and Amish country.

Cross Country Road Trip - May 28

We are very pleased to be able to report that we are now in Asheville, NC, after having made a successful 4 1/2 hr/250mi drive over significant passes without any engine trouble!:) (knock knock) Asheville it at the base of the Blue ridge mountains and home of the Biltmore Estate, Vanderbilt's massive 'summer home' which is supposed to be the largest home in the US. But it costs $45 each to tour it, so we'll watch the moving instead and move on.

To catch up ... we had the RV at Mick the Mechanic in Charleston for two days. He replaced both fuel pumps, cleaned out the fuel tank, and checked for codes. He never found a "smoking gun" per se, but hoped that one of the fuel pumps were bad, or intermittant. So far, so good.

But the 7 days (3 were planned) in

Charleston gave us a good opportunity to see the city, including touring the historic homes and buildings and waterfront. Charleston was also having record hot weather, which we got to enjoy:( , of temps near 100. We visited Patriots Point and saw the USS Yorktown Carrier, and Clagamore Submarine, the Fort Moultrie which played a significant role in the civil war along with Fort Sumpter across the bay.

We visited Drayton Hall, the oldest preserved plantation building in the country, built in 1765. We remember that homes of that era followed the four B's rule...big, bold boxy and bilateral. We visited Summerville's historic homes, and visited two RV dealers to look at new trailers. In the midst of all that we had some excellent seafood, sampled several home town breakfast/lunch places, and enjoyed the pools and bike trails at the campground.

So, while the RV trouble was a bummer (especially the "paying for it" part), we got to see sights and parts of Charleston we never would have otherwise.

We have abandoned the original plan of visiting Great Smoky Mountain and Mammoth Caves National Parks because our reservations ran out. We are planning on visiting the Amish country of Shipshewanna, IN and will tour at least two RV mfg in Elhart, IN in a few days, which is our next destination.