View Full Version : What would you change?
NEVERENOUGH
02/12/06, 8:05 AM
My family currently has a 04 30fs gearbox toyhauler. As is often the case I am wanting to upgrade to a new trailer. AFter owning your current trailer what if anything would you do differant. What options do you like or dislike about your current trailer. The reason I am asking is because our current trailer does what it needs to do and I am just wondering if I will ever be happy. Thanks for your imput.
quote:Originally posted by NEVERENOUGH
My family currently has a 04 30fs gearbox toyhauler. As is often the case I am wanting to upgrade to a new trailer. AFter owning your current trailer what if anything would you do differant. What options do you like or dislike about your current trailer. The reason I am asking is because our current trailer does what it needs to do and I am just wondering if I will ever be happy. Thanks for your imput.
An 04 30fs gearbox sounds like a pretty nice rig. However, it may be that you are looking for more room inside. If that is the case, apparently a fifth wheel is the way to go. (I'm not sure how much longer and heavier you can get and still pull it with a Suburban).
If you go with a fifth wheel, you'll need a different tow vehicle. Everyone on this site seems to like the diesel tow vehicle and fifth wheel setup pretty well.
Personally, I have a 28.5' motorhome pulling and 18' car hauler. We can use the motorhome for all kind of travel....in fact, this summer we are planning a MH trip to Alaska pulling our Jeep Wrangler. I don't think many would take a trip like that pulling a large toyhauler.
You might consider the MH route as well. You don't have to stop for bathroom breaks, to make a meal, etc. Also, there may be less setup time when you get to camp. No gas smell inside the living quarters (although many on this site state they don't have gas smell inside their toyhaulers).
Pros and cons for each rig. Take the pick that fits your wallet, lifestyle, preferences, etc. If you can't find it now, wait a week, someone will make one.
NEVERENOUGH
02/12/06, 9:16 AM
Holy cow guess I should change the sig haha. I am now towing with an 03 chevy duaramx dually 4x4. In the beginning I stayed away from a 5er so I would still have the bed of the truck. It is funny you mention travel because I like the th for the same reason. Two summers ago we spent 12 days in Idaho duneing and it was nice to unhook the trailer and drive the truck to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole. The moho trailer thought has crossed our minds though thanks for bringing that back into the picture lol.
We have a 3612 Raptor. It is what we were looking for at the time but there are a couple of things I would reconsider if I were to do it again.
Size: At 13’6” tall and 38’ long it is nice on extended trips but for shorter weekend outings or my hunting trips it is a little much. I have to pick and choose camp sites a little more carefully.
Bedroom slide: I don’t think I would do this again. The extra room it gives us is nice but the slides are not insulated very well. On the late season trips up north , I could feel the cold coming up through the mattress.
Arizona Griz
02/12/06, 3:47 PM
I ordered my Weekend Warrior and to be honest with you I wouldn't change thing. I got exactly what I wanted. :)
duneflyer
02/12/06, 6:22 PM
My wife and I, too, kicked around the toyhauler/MH thing for several weeks/months, and finally ended up with the motorhome. With the small kids and everything, it just seemed better for us. We do travel a lot and its nice to not stop for bathroom, lunch, and the kids an be occupied easier for travel. Also, leveling it out is a dream, just throw the switch and a few hydralic moves and I'm done. I do agree with the non bedroom slide, you dont spend that much time back there either, get the slide for the living room, thats where all the time is spent. On a trailer, I have heard people to watch where the generator is, case you wanna sleep and its under your bed.
quote:Originally posted by Arizona Griz
I ordered my Weekend Warrior and to be honest with you I wouldn't change thing. I got exactly what I wanted. :)
Thats not what I heard, They couldnt do it all in blue with the three tone-ring symbol[:p]
quote:Originally posted by Cletus
quote:Originally posted by NEVERENOUGH
My family currently has a 04 30fs gearbox toyhauler. As is often the case I am wanting to upgrade to a new trailer. AFter owning your current trailer what if anything would you do differant. What options do you like or dislike about your current trailer. The reason I am asking is because our current trailer does what it needs to do and I am just wondering if I will ever be happy. Thanks for your imput.
An 04 30fs gearbox sounds like a pretty nice rig. However, it may be that you are looking for more room inside. If that is the case, apparently a fifth wheel is the way to go. (I'm not sure how much longer and heavier you can get and still pull it with a Suburban).
If you go with a fifth wheel, you'll need a different tow vehicle. Everyone on this site seems to like the diesel tow vehicle and fifth wheel setup pretty well.
Personally, I have a 28.5' motorhome pulling and 18' car hauler. We can use the motorhome for all kind of travel....in fact, this summer we are planning a MH trip to Alaska pulling our Jeep Wrangler. I don't think many would take a trip like that pulling a large toyhauler.
You might consider the MH route as well. You don't have to stop for bathroom breaks, to make a meal, etc. Also, there may be less setup time when you get to camp. No gas smell inside the living quarters (although many on this site state they don't have gas smell inside their toyhaulers).
Pros and cons for each rig. Take the pick that fits your wallet, lifestyle, preferences, etc. If you can't find it now, wait a week, someone will make one.
I'm with Cletus on this one. I have done Northern Idaho twice in my 34' MH since I bought it new in '02-03. I am sold on doin' it all in the MH. Vacation begins when you turn the key, not [u]after</u> you clean out the vehicle ya just spent the last 6 mos. workin out of...then have to hook it all up.
ahsumtoy
02/14/06, 10:55 AM
Neverenough, good to hear from you again. Say hello to your beautiful wife and kids. I'm on my second hauler and now looking for my third. My current hauler is 29' but will not be long enough for my sandrail and quads. I need one that has 19 feet of cargo space, that would be enough for my rail and one quad. I'll put the other quad in the bed of the truck - that means I can't get a 5th wheel. Things that I will include on this one would be the double beds in the back and the bed in the front along with the 2 side beds. Of course the normal stuff like a generator and fuel station which I currently have. However, my friends W.Warrior has 2 fuels stations, 20 gals for the generator and 40 for the quads. That is a nice feature. It also has a fuel gauge inside which is nice. I would also get the front electric leveler this time. I'm tied of winding it up and down manually. My hauler has tons of room under the front bed but I like the haulers that have the room from the outside that goes all the way through to the otherside. I would also include an outside built in compressor. There have been times I had to deflate my tires due to sand being soft and then later I had to inflate them using my electric compressor and gen going. That takes about 45 minutes just to inflate 4 tires. Hope this helps
NEVERENOUGH
02/14/06, 4:43 PM
Hey Larry give me a call. I like your idea of a trailer but I see some problems. My 30 gearbox is a front bed has all the features you want except the cargo capacity. It will be hard to find a bumper pull with that much cargo to the first cabinet. How long is your rail? I think my long travel and two quads will fit in my trailer if I do it just right anyways call me.
campershelley
02/14/06, 8:37 PM
Really like our Toyhauler, but would get a front sleeper or one of those beds that comes down farther. Don't really like climbing up and down that ladder.
Unless you go with a LONGGG 5er, you're going to be disappointed in the cargo capacity. You lose a LOT of overall length to the bedroom/bathroom "2nd" floor. Very similar situation with front sleeper bumper-pulls, but as I've said before, climbing up and down ladders SUCKS. I haven't even used my "new" 5th wheel yet, but one thing I'm looking forward to is the "walkaround" bed- not having to crawl over each other in/out of bed like we had to in our front-sleeper Weekend Warrior.
We've also done the moho/trailer thing. Got tired of having to tear down camp to go to town for dinner, sightseeing, etc., on non-dunes trips. Also, in case of an emergency, it's nice to have the pickup unhooked and ready to go. ALSO, having one less vehicle to insure and maintain is another nice feature to not having a moho.
As you can see, there's pros and cons to every setup. Good luck finding what works out for ya- hopefully it doesn't cost you $40-50k in buy/sell/depreciation trial and error to find what you like best.
Ride on!
NEVERENOUGH
02/15/06, 4:07 PM
It is funny you mention the cost to figure it all out. This is our second toyhauler and third trailer. It feels like it will never end bigger truck to pull bigger trailer to fit more toys. It is a problem I am glad I have but one that will drive me crazy. We are headed to Pheonix this weekend to do a little window shopping for a new TH. Right now my gearbox is looking a lot better thanks for all of your replies.
Well,
On mine Toyhauler, I don't need bigger, only 2 quads, so our 20'r is fine.
Things I wish I but not a huge deal would be an onboard generator....Hey, it's 20 degrees and i'm done watching TV, run outside and turn off the generator. UGH.
I wish it had a bigger bathroom or maybe just a changing/privacy area.
I would like to have a front bedroom just for laziness.
Central A/C instead of Roof mount vents on the A/C.
Only has 1 Furnace blower under the fridge.
Things That I would like to have that I could do myself.
Electric Tongue....Cranking is for the birds.
Some (Electric or Crank) Stabilizer Support Stands instead of using the completely manual kind.
But, hey, it was inexpensive, it's paid off and does just fine for us.
I would prefer a 30'M/H with 2 slideouts in the living room area, don't care about the bedroom one and just pull a small trailer behind with the quads. Plus you can use the M/H to pull a boat too.