About to purchase and go full time!

[Blipe27]

Hello all,
My husband, my 1 year old, and I are planning to sell it all and hit the road, going from Philly to Oregon come February.

We are currently debating between buying a brand new 2016 White Hawk 32DSBH and a used 2014 31DSLB Summit Edition. We are towing with a 2014 Ram Crew Cab 1500. Yes, we are fully aware that this is not the most ideal for towing a large TT so we are trying to take all the necessary precautions to reduce sway. Currently looking into a Hensley or ProPride hitch.

Both units have the glacier package.

The biggest difference between these two trailers for us is the newer unit has a 15k btu a/c system, and the 2014 only has one 13k btu. From what I'm hearing neither of these is sufficient. But it sounds like we can't upgrade the amp service to 50 anyhow...so is replacing the 13k to 15k an option? I'd appreciate any feedback or advice in that area!

There's also the business of value retention. The 2014 is listed at $10k less. But it won't have the warranty. We are choosing Jayco because of it's better construction reputation, but I still hear there can be issues the first year. Esp if we are full time and on the road with a trailer not exactly designed for full-timing.

Anyone else who has done this, I'd be thrilled to hear from you!
TIA!

[Tunce the traveler]

There's a lot of road between Philly and Oregon in February and IMHO I'd give that one a little more thought.

[Blipe27]

You didn't actually think we were going to try to make it to Oregon in one month, did you?

[Tunce the traveler]

Or 2 1/2

[Blipe27]

I'm sorry, I should have probably mentioned that I'm looking for valuable input only... But thanks for contributing whatever that was. 😃

[Tex1961]

I think that Tunce was trying to say that driving that distance in possible ice and snow could be dangerous. He really was trying to be helpful. Sort of the good and bad of joining a forum is getting all different kinds of advice. Some you want and some you may not want. But overall most of it is pretty sound..

Anyway.. Since you only want direct answers to your questions.

In my option if your going to go the full time route then your TT is going to be seeing higher than average use. I would go with the newer unit with warranty.

Also you are correct in your tow vehicle assumption.. Your putting yourself at or above your towing capacity and as such could be setting yourself's up for some serious road problems which could be either costly in $$ or health.. I would re-think your choice of tow vehicles for a TT that large and full timing.

[ykcamom]

Well here is my advice. First of all a trailer to full time in is a different animal from one you might do some short camping trips in and Whitehawk trailers, while nice and light, are not one that would be likely be suitable for full-timing in the long run.

I suspect that because you have only a 1/2 ton truck, you are trying to find the largest unit you can potentially safely haul -- hence the Whitehawk line.

I strongly suggest that you consider upgrading your truck to a 3/4 or one ton and then you can choose from a much wider group of trailers that will give you the space and the construction needed for full time living. You are really pushing the numbers with a 32 foot trailer on a half ton truck.

Please keep in mind that when you full time, you will probably be carrying alot more stuff in the trailer than you would for recreational camping. You also have a one year old and so you all the stuff for the baby's needs are also a factor. You should be carefully considering the storage capacity in a full time unit and the layout. That little one is going to need some space to spread out and so you want something with a decent sized "living room". We spent 4 weeks in our 24 foot trailer and believe me, it gets smaller and smaller each day you are in it. Laundry takes up space, shoes, boots, coats for a variety of weather, etc etc. And we don't have any small children anymore.

With regard to the comments about how long it will take to drive across the states, I believe what people may be getting at is the amount of hours you can drive each day will be limited at that time of year due to weather and also of course, I know from my own experience that a toddler will only sit in a car seat for so long....

[Blipe27]

Than you for your responses!

With regard to our route, I'll be clear since everyone seems concerned. We're driving straight down to south Carolina, then through to Florida for the winter months. We have no intention of driving through bad weather.

As far as the truck goes, we initially bought a Durango before we knew we would be going full time. That was in June. When we realized it wouldn't be enough for our needs, my husband did his due diligence and settled on the Ram. (He didn't want 3/4 ton as our only drivable vehicle) That was less than a week ago, so truly, this is the truck. I realize everyone feels strongly about bigger-is-better in this regard, but we plan to make this work as is. I know others have...

Our tow capacity is 10,100. We won't be heavier than 8500-9k.

We are minimalists, even with the baby, so we're confidant that space and over packing won't be an issue.

What I do want to know is, are there any TT's that are considered appropriate for full time, and if so, what makes them different? What are the "fears" associated with fulltiming in a light weight? Are there any appropriate TTs under 8k UVW anyone knows of?

We live on the East coast, and there is limited inventory with regard to four season rigs.

Thanks again for taking the time to help!

[CDavid]

Something else off topic but probably relevant.....I believe that Jaycos warranty is voided if you are using the unit for full time living?? Maybe someone else can confirm this? If that is the case, maybe you should consider the used one? Good luck!

[Blipe27]

I specifically asked that question and the response I received my dealer is "There is no effect on warranty, period, unless you "rent out" your RV."

I didn't call Jayco to confirm this, though.

[Hattie]

As they say - it's all a matter of taste and lifestyle. DH and I agree we could FT in our TT ... so long as we got outside and did adventures (you can go stir-crazy as easily in your stick-and-brick as you could in a RV). When travelling with children - there are two schools of thought ... [1] let the parents drive the agenda or [2] let the kids drive the agenda; for us it was #1 and our son easily adapted! Just make sure you determine how long you can drive before your child needs a potty-break, exercise/fresh-air, and an adventure-along-the-way!

[Blipe27]

Yes, for sure! We don't want to drive too long at a time for her sake, but we want to see a lot and take our time doing it. She'll still be in diapers for a while so she pretty much will have to go with the flow! We are city people presently, but are very active, and she loves nothing more to be outside taking in sights and sounds. As far as we're concerned the TT is a place to eat and sleep....and to close the gap to our next abode on the West Coast. We hope not to spend TOO many rainy days inside!

[TommyAjax]

Be careful taking the "it can tow 10,000 lbs" advertising line because I fell for it as well when I bought my Ram 1500 last year. We had originally planned on buying a 28BHBE this year then I stumbled over the payload limitations on the 1/2 ton. My trucks GVWR (basically the maximum weight that should be on the tires/suspension) is 6,900 lbs. I have a few options on the truck (ie. tonneau cover, side steps, etc) that all add weight and reduce my available payload. To be safe, I went to the CAT scales and weighed the truck empty except for me, the kids car seats, and a full tank of gas - came out to 6,000 lbs. That means that I have 900 lbs capacity to add my wife, kids, weight distribution hitch head, and the tongue weight of the trailer, plus any other cargo in the truck before hitting the engineers recommended maximum. Sure the engine and the brakes can pull and stop 10,000 lbs (horizontal stresses), but the frame, suspension, and the tires can only handle 6,900 lbs (vertical stress).

Long story short, we bought a 26BH because it is about 180 lbs lighter on the tongue weight than the 28BHBE.

Lots of people will say that you will be fine exceeding the GVWR and not to worry about it, but there will also be other people that tell you to hit the scales and stay within your limits - your decision to make.

[Blipe27]

Thanks Tommy. We essentially made the same mistake with the Durango. 😳 Which is why we went with the Ram. My husband crunched all the numbers exhaustively so Im trusting his math, but I know we don't have any extras on the truck and we're planning on towing 1000lbs under to be safe. I do know that there are so many models of the Ram and their capacities all vary. My husband called dodge to be sure. I'll pass along what you said though to make sure the tongue weight isn't an issue. Thanks!

[ecksdude]

Originally Posted by Blipe27

Thanks Tommy. We essentially made the same mistake with the Durango. 😳 Which is why we went with the Ram. My husband crunched all the numbers exhaustively so Im trusting his math, but I know we don't have any extras on the truck and we're planning on towing 1000lbs under to be safe. I do know that there are so many models of the Ram and their capacities all vary. My husband called dodge to be sure. I'll pass along what you said though to make sure the tongue weight isn't an issue. Thanks!

Check the sticker on the driver side door of the truck, that will tell you the actual payload. Then drive over to the nearest CAT scale and get the actual weight of the truck without a trailer (with everyone in the truck when it's weighed).

That will give you an idea of how much payload you have to work with.

Most people around here will tell you that the dry weight listed on the trailer is... well... understated to say the least. Best calculation is to take the GVWR of the trailer and use 12-15% of that value to calculate your actual tongue weight. It will be significantly higher than the manufacturer's listed dry tongue weight.

I towed a 6000 lb TT with my old Ford Expedition across the country the other year. I was completely within specs on paper. But once I weighed the entire setup, we were way over payload on the vehicle, and the driving experience was do-able, but far from relaxing.

The truck you see in my sig was my solution after the Expedition broke down in New Mexico and I had to buy a new vehicle. The towing experience was night and day different.

I'm not saying you absolutely need a different vehicle, but be aware that driving overweight can be quite stressful in the best of circumstances, especially for those of us who are not terribly experienced with towing (including myself in that statement, BTW).

[notaz3]

For starters, $10,000 buys a lot of repaires. If you can get a used unit for $10,000 cheaper over a warranty that forces you to deal with warranty repairs I would opt for the savings, and pay for any repairs. I have had three trailers and one (way over weight) 5th wheel and never used the warranty.

When it comes to full timeing it's all in how you want to live. I started out with a 29ft Komfort TT that my wife and I full timed in for three years. Moved up to a 40ft Teton 5th wheel after our first kid was born. Two years later we decided that big and heavy a trailer didn't work out so well, bought a house and a 29ft TT.

[Blipe27]

Originally Posted by TommyAjax

Be careful taking the "it can tow 10,000 lbs" advertising line because I fell for it as well when I bought my Ram 1500 last year. We had originally planned on buying a 28BHBE this year then I stumbled over the payload limitations on the 1/2 ton. My trucks GVWR (basically the maximum weight that should be on the tires/suspension) is 6,900 lbs. I have a few options on the truck (ie. tonneau cover, side steps, etc) that all add weight and reduce my available payload. To be safe, I went to the CAT scales and weighed the truck empty except for me, the kids car seats, and a full tank of gas - came out to 6,000 lbs. That means that I have 900 lbs capacity to add my wife, kids, weight distribution hitch head, and the tongue weight of the trailer, plus any other cargo in the truck before hitting the engineers recommended maximum. Sure the engine and the brakes can pull and stop 10,000 lbs (horizontal stresses), but the frame, suspension, and the tires can only handle 6,900 lbs (vertical stress).

Long story short, we bought a 26BH because it is about 180 lbs lighter on the tongue weight than the 28BHBE.

Lots of people will say that you will be fine exceeding the GVWR and not to worry about it, but there will also be other people that tell you to hit the scales and stay within your limits - your decision to make.

The payload on our truck is 1460. What year and model was your Ram? I can't believe there could be that big of a difference.

[Blipe27]

Originally Posted by Blipe27

The payload on our truck is 1460. What year and model was your Ram? I can't believe there could be that big of a difference.

Never mind! I know what you meant. OK, so it is the same as our truck. Did you have a weight distributing hitch? It sounds like those are kind of necessary for a light duty truck.

[Blipe27]

Originally Posted by notaz3

For starters, $10,000 buys a lot of repaires. If you can get a used unit for $10,000 cheaper over a warranty that forces you to deal with warranty repairs I would opt for the savings, and pay for any repairs. I have had three trailers and one (way over weight) 5th wheel and never used the warranty.

When it comes to full timeing it's all in how you want to live. I started out with a 29ft Komfort TT that my wife and I full timed in for three years. Moved up to a 40ft Teton 5th wheel after our first kid was born. Two years later we decided that big and heavy a trailer didn't work out so well, bought a house and a 29ft TT.

Excellent point. I wasn't looking at it that way.

[Popcycle]

I completely support the comments by others that your GVWR will be the limiting factor in what size trailer you sellect. Also my personal experience is many RV dealers will not perform warranty work on trailer they did not sell. Often times the factory reimbursement for labor is less than the local going rate. Plus how long would you be willing to wait for the factory to authorize repairs while you are without housing? You should find the best trailer for the money regardless of the warranty status. Finally there are many trailers just as good as Jayco. I chose a Jayco because I liked the floor plan. But frames, axles, brakes, appliances, and fixtures are all about the same from company to company. They all use pretty much the same brands when building a trailer.