OT: RV Guys Input Appreciated

[Jeffreauxdawg]

So this is our first summer out west and we are starting to realize that all of these amazing places we want to go for weekend getaways or bigger vacations, don't have a lot of hotel/cabin/vrbo options and the ones that do have to be booked 6-18 months in advance. Within 10 hours drive we can hit Glacier, Tahoe, Moab, the Oregon Coast and within 5 is Yellowstone, Tetons, Hell's Canyon, City of Rocks, The Sawtooths, and lots of other cool places for the family. We want/need and RV.

There are lots of rv pad sites at all of these locations, but even more available is dispersed camping in all of the BLM and National Forests in an around, so boondocking is big. Selfishly, I am also within 5 hours of a dozen or so if the best trout fisheries in the country and would not mind spending a few weekends with the guys hitting a few of these legendary fly fishing holes.

View attachment 20431

Due to access in a lot of these and being able to pull it behind a daily driver, we are looking at a 23-26' travel trailer and have ruled out the motorhomes and 5th wheels. So Mrs Socks is on board and we have a little bit of a windfall in the budget as our kids have gotten a little older and we no longer have a $1500 a month childcare bill and have paid off both of our vehicles. So we are looking at going full tilt and getting the a 25' Airstream. They are silly expensive, but also seem to hold their value really well and by all accounts have much lower maintenance costs down the road. Mrs Socks is not thrilled about anything else we have looked at, but loves the Airstream. Looking to pair it with the F150 Hybrid that has a 7.2KW generator so we can boondock for a week off a tank of gas and then just take the truck to fill up another 30 gallons if need be.

Does anyone have any bad experiences? Words of wisdom on why they secretly suck? Any advice on upgrades on an Airstream (3" lift and lithium ion batteries are options that everyone says are a must.) Is there anything comparable?

 

[MagnoliaHunter]

Put a camper shell on your truck. It will pull much better due to less air drag. Have a transmission cooler installed on your truck if it doesn't already have one, its a radiator for the transmission fluid.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

So this is our first summer out west and we are starting to realize that all of these amazing places we want to go for weekend getaways or bigger vacations, don't have a lot of hotel/cabin/vrbo options and the ones that do have to be booked 6-18 months in advance. Within 10 hours drive we can hit Glacier, Tahoe, Moab, the Oregon Coast and within 5 is Yellowstone, Tetons, Hell's Canyon, City of Rocks, The Sawtooths, and lots of other cool places for the family. We want/need and RV.

There are lots of rv pad sites at all of these locations, but even more available is dispersed camping in all of the BLM and National Forests in an around, so boondocking is big. Selfishly, I am also within 5 hours of a dozen or so if the best trout fisheries in the country and would not mind spending a few weekends with the guys hitting a few of these legendary fly fishing holes.

View attachment 20431

Due to access in a lot of these and being able to pull it behind a daily driver, we are looking at a 23-26' travel trailer and have ruled out the motorhomes and 5th wheels. So Mrs Socks is on board and we have a little bit of a windfall in the budget as our kids have gotten a little older and we no longer have a $1500 a month childcare bill and have paid off both of our vehicles. So we are looking at going full tilt and getting the a 25' Airstream. They are silly expensive, but also seem to hold their value really well and by all accounts have much lower maintenance costs down the road. Mrs Socks is not thrilled about anything else we have looked at, but loves the Airstream. Looking to pair it with the F150 Hybrid that has a 7.2KW generator so we can boondock for a week off a tank of gas and then just take the truck to fill up another 30 gallons if need be.

Does anyone have any bad experiences? Words of wisdom on why they secretly suck? Any advice on upgrades on an Airstream (3" lift and lithium ion batteries are options that everyone says are a must.) Is there anything comparable?

Went the bumper pull route a few years ago. It is fine, but towing behind a 1/2 ton truck wears on you quickly (no matter how much within the towing guidelines for the vehicle you are). Also setting up is a major PITA. While not in use you may have to park it at storage facility. After a year or two, I sold mine (for what i had in it).

When I retire in a couple of years, I'm going to buy a motorhome and pull my Jeep. Traveling in a motorhome is much more comfortable.

I know this may be impossible, but I would try to rent one first. If you can't rent one, try to get in to it with as little money as possible, you can always upgrade later. Recreational items are holding value very well.

 

[MtPigsmore]

I have a 28' airstream. Feel free to pm me any specifics.

Bought 3 yrs old for $50 and that really seems to be the sweet spot as they still look brand new in that range.

Any particular reason why the 25'? The lift is not a concern, I'd say a 2nd AC is more of a priority when you get that size.

 

[MS-halfstep]

Welcome to the West my Padawan

Book early or don't book at all

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Since you’re pulling it with a half ton pickup Id definitely install a sway bar and a weight distribution kit. That will be big driving through those windy canyons and valleys.

 

[Dawgbite]

Look into Scamps or Casitas fiberglass travel trailers. There is another one that is factory direct but I can’t think of the name. Much cheaper than Airstreams and very similar appointments.

 

[Yeti]

I’ve been the bumper pull F150 route and the Motorhome pulling a jeep route. I would not want another bumper pull with 1/2 ton. Every 18 wheeler and gust of wind moves you around. It wears you down as stated above. Motorhome was really enjoyable. Just remember either way it has to be stored somewhere

 

[PineGroveBully]

Thread hijack, did y’all ever see that movie where Clint Eastwood chased Kevin Costner around pulling an Airstream. A Perfect World, set in the 60’s. Good movie, remember thinking that thing looked cool. Or maybe the Eastwood effect. Him and Clyde also made shell campers look cool it’s possibly the latter.

 

[turkish]

So this is our first summer out west and we are starting to realize that all of these amazing places we want to go for weekend getaways or bigger vacations, don't have a lot of hotel/cabin/vrbo options and the ones that do have to be booked 6-18 months in advance. Within 10 hours drive we can hit Glacier, Tahoe, Moab, the Oregon Coast and within 5 is Yellowstone, Tetons, Hell's Canyon, City of Rocks, The Sawtooths, and lots of other cool places for the family. We want/need and RV.

There are lots of rv pad sites at all of these locations, but even more available is dispersed camping in all of the BLM and National Forests in an around, so boondocking is big. Selfishly, I am also within 5 hours of a dozen or so if the best trout fisheries in the country and would not mind spending a few weekends with the guys hitting a few of these legendary fly fishing holes.

View attachment 20431

Due to access in a lot of these and being able to pull it behind a daily driver, we are looking at a 23-26' travel trailer and have ruled out the motorhomes and 5th wheels. So Mrs Socks is on board and we have a little bit of a windfall in the budget as our kids have gotten a little older and we no longer have a $1500 a month childcare bill and have paid off both of our vehicles. So we are looking at going full tilt and getting the a 25' Airstream. They are silly expensive, but also seem to hold their value really well and by all accounts have much lower maintenance costs down the road. Mrs Socks is not thrilled about anything else we have looked at, but loves the Airstream. Looking to pair it with the F150 Hybrid that has a 7.2KW generator so we can boondock for a week off a tank of gas and then just take the truck to fill up another 30 gallons if need be.

Does anyone have any bad experiences? Words of wisdom on why they secretly suck? Any advice on upgrades on an Airstream (3" lift and lithium ion batteries are options that everyone says are a must.) Is there anything comparable?

I think you’d be overweight with that setup, and I know it’d be way beyond what I’d consider safe to be hauling my family around in. You need a 3/4 ton for that.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

A 25 foot Airstream has a gross weight rating of -7800 lbs. An F150 can do that.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

I have a 28' airstream. Feel free to pm me any specifics.

Bought 3 yrs old for $50 and that really seems to be the sweet spot as they still look brand new in that range.

Any particular reason why the 25'? The lift is not a concern, I'd say a 2nd AC is more of a priority when you get that size.

I'll second the part about two ACs! Bumper pulls get hot as 17.

 

[Zildjan]

Rear axle gear ratio matters

I have a 29 foot TT and I was driving an F150. It was the V-8 and honestly it struggled a bit at times. I was convinced to purchase a Ram 1500 (also V8 5.7) BUT I had the 3.92 rear axle ratio. This made a large difference in the weight I could tow and the truck just "feels" more comfortable towing the trailer. I also destroyed my daily gas mileage when not towing but I ain't getting a 2500 and one can't have everything. I also have a weight distribution hitch and an anti sway bar. Getting the weight off the tongue makes it much safer to drive. My sway bar cuts down dramatically on the push you get on the highway when a semi passes as well. Also, after towing quite a bit you begin to get used to that fairly normal situation. I've talked to a lot of people who tow TT's regularly and they all say that's kind of part of the game. I also read quite a lot about this very topic before buying and I can tell you the opinions out there are widely varied about this. There are videos out there of people towing very large trailers with 150s just to prove they can. There are people that swear you shouldn't tow anything other than a small flatbed with a 150. I relied on my real world experience and my Ram feels quite comfortable. I should add, stopping the trailer is another concern. Make sure you get a trailer brake controller (not expensive) if one is not already on your truck. You'll be glad you did. Stopping that bad boy will wear your brakes out and your nerves. My Ram has a trailer brake controller built in. Stopping is no issue at all.

 

[turkish]

A 25 foot Airstream has a gross weight rating of -7800 lbs. An F150 can do that.

On paper, probably. Take that rig anywhere other than the Natchez Trace and that parachute behind it will be more of a problem than the weight. Out West in the mountains, multiple times a year, 4-10 hours at a time, with a family? No thanks.

 

[Crazy Cotton]

Anybody towed something this size with any of the 150 diesels that are out there now? In a similar situation and it sounds like there's some issues with this size trailer and a 150 size truck. How's a 250 as a daily driver?

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

I currently have a 17' F-150 with a 3.5 Ecoboost and 3.55 gear ratio. Before I moved, I regularly pulled a 20' enclosed trailer that was set up a spray foam rig. It usually had 3-55 gallon barrel sets and a 35 KW Kubota diesel generator. That sucker weighed a solid 10K lbs when all the barrels were full. My F-150 towed it better than a 2005 F250 with a V-10 could. The 3.5 Ecoboost puts out 470 lbs of torque at 2500 rpm. It stopped fine because of trailer brakes. It handled meh... I didn't like passing or wind. It had a WD hitch. One nice thing about my current truck is the 1870 lbs of stickered payload. You can put 900-1000 lbs of tongue weight, a family of 4, and some goodies in the back and still have room to spare.

One thing I just discovered on the Powerboost is it has terrible payload. I went to the dealership yesterday after starting this post and looked at Lariat Powerboost and it had 12,000 lbs of tow rating (570 lbs of torque, it would pull like a champ), but only 1347 lbs of payload. The AS with propane tanks on front has 830lbs of tongue weight. Add 75 for a weight distributing hitch and I am down to 447 lbs of payload for a family of 4 and gear. That is going to be a non starter. My current truck will work better. But having pulled a heavy trailer before at highway speeds, I know what it can do. It's fine pulling and stopping. I just don't like how it handled in the wind. The AS is probably more aerodynamic and a good bit lighter, but the tongue weight is high and it's windy as 17 in the mountains.

Even though I love the built in generator and I know the 3.5 Hybrid Powerboost has plenty of pull, the lack of payload is a deal-breaker. All in all I think I am heading to 3/4 ton land. No need or want of a diesel. I am thinking a GMC or Chevy 2500 6.6 will do just fine. Double my payload and give up a little ride comfort and a lot of MPG when not towing, but it will be worth it to make sure I am not white knuckling my way up the mountain passes.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

I currently have a 17' F-150 with a 3.5 Ecoboost and 3.55 gear ratio. Before I moved, I regularly pulled a 20' enclosed trailer that was set up a spray foam rig. It usually had 3-55 gallon barrel sets and a 35 KW Kubota diesel generator. That sucker weighed a solid 10K lbs when all the barrels were full. My F-150 towed it better than a 2005 F250 with a V-10 could. The 3.5 Ecoboost puts out 470 lbs of torque at 2500 rpm. It stopped fine because of trailer brakes. It handled meh... I didn't like passing or wind. It had a WD hitch. One nice thing about my current truck is the 1870 lbs of stickered payload. You can put 900-1000 lbs of tongue weight, a family of 4, and some goodies in the back and still have room to spare.

One thing I just discovered on the Powerboost is it has terrible payload. I went to the dealership yesterday after starting this post and looked at Lariat Powerboost and it had 12,000 lbs of tow rating (570 lbs of torque, it would pull like a champ), but only 1347 lbs of payload. The AS with propane tanks on front has 830lbs of tongue weight. Add 75 for a weight distributing hitch and I am down to 447 lbs of payload for a family of 4 and gear. That is going to be a non starter. My current truck will work better. But having pulled a heavy trailer before at highway speeds, I know what it can do. It's fine pulling and stopping. I just don't like how it handled in the wind. The AS is probably more aerodynamic and a good bit lighter, but the tongue weight is high and it's windy as 17 in the mountains.

Even though I love the built in generator and I know the 3.5 Hybrid Powerboost has plenty of pull, the lack of payload is a deal-breaker. All in all I think I am heading to 3/4 ton land. No need or want of a diesel. I am thinking a GMC or Chevy 2500 6.6 will do just fine. Double my payload and give up a little ride comfort and a lot of MPG when not towing, but it will be worth it to make sure I am not white knuckling my way up the mountain passes.

I am glad you are diving into the different numbers rather than just the towing capacity, must people don't do that. Payload, tongue weight, etc., make huge difference. Also, setting up a WDH takes some time and higher level math. Additionally the dry weight of campers doesn't include batteries, any added furniture, spare tires/tools, water/sewer hoses, items in coolers or in the fridge, water (if dry camping), etc. Some use the 25% rule, they don't tow more than 75% what their tow vehicle is rated for.

Drive across the country in the summer and you'll see plenty of campers on the side of rode with flat tires or other mechanical problems. I'm always shocked at the number of people towing a bumper pull with a 1/2 truck at 80 mph. Get the highest ply trailer tires possible.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

Look into Scamps or Casitas fiberglass travel trailers. There is another one that is factory direct but I can’t think of the name. Much cheaper than Airstreams and very similar appointments.

I won't speak about Scamps, but I know Casitas and they don't have anything close to the appointments of an Airstream. It's fine for what it is... A little budget camper thats easy to tow, low maintenance, will go anywhere, but is cramped to the max for a family of 4. Comparing a Casita to a 25' Airstream is like comparing a Piper 6 seater to Gulfstream G5. And the price tags reflect it.

Casita Independence
View attachment 20433

Airstream International
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[turkish]

Good for you, understanding that it’s about more than ‘towing capacity.’

The Ford 7.3 seems well thought of.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

I have ended up with Fords because they always perform a little better for what I need out of a 1/2 ton, but man I don't like the look. I figure bumping up to the 3/4 ton any of the big 3 will get the job done just fine on an 8,000 lbs bumper pull. If it was over 11-12k, I think the 7.3 would be the better choice if not just get the powerstroke. But in this case, I think the little GM 6.6 is plenty for the Airstream and seems to get a little better mileage when not towing.

This is one of those scenarios where the lesser is better for me.... Someone needs to come up with a 5/8 ton.***

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