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Old 09-07-2010, 10:11 AM   #1
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Hybrid X17Z

Hello folks, my wife and I are looking at a hybrid trailers to haul with our 2009 Rav 4. It has limited towing capacity, just 3,500lbs and we really like the layout of the X17Z. I am wondering if there are any other owners out there with this model that would have any feedback for us. Are you happy with Jayco? How does it tow, (especially with a smaller vehicle) etc.

We are in Canada but are considering importing it from the US given the price differences. Is there anything I should be aware warranty or otherwise.
Thanks
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Old 09-07-2010, 10:25 AM   #2
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Hi RipCord and Welcome to the Jayco Owners Forum. That's a nice tt and several members here have one. We had a mini-van w/rating of 3500# and the Casita we pulled weighed around 2900# loaded. That was a challenge for the 3500# capacity of the tv. Any chance you could buy a new tv? I'm betting that the Jayco you are considering is too heavy for your current tv.
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Old 09-07-2010, 11:29 AM   #3
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Hi rip-cord welcome to the forum. I purchased a 2011 Export 17Z in late July. We love the camper, moving up to it from a popup. We still get the popup feel without all of the hassle. Plus, unlike the popup we can load it without completely opening it up. Our family of five used it on a 6 day trip in August and it had plenty of room for us. We like the kids to be outside and moving when camping so we were not concerned with having a ton of recreational space inside, though I think we could survive just fine in there on a rainy day.. The trailer has lots of storage for its small size. The bathroom and shower worked great and the shower base is designed to be deep enough we could give our 2 1/2 year old a bath. The trailer tows nicely. I bought it intending to tow with a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan, however I am rethinking this. We are rated at 3800lbs and my 17Z came out of the factory at 3033lbs. I do not carry any water but I'll bet fully loaded with food, supplies, etc we top out at 3500lbs which is the GVWR of the camper. That leaves me almost no wiggle room. I think the Caravan would pull it if properly equipped (weight distribution hitch, trans cooler, air shocks) but it would struggle. I used a Jeep Commander 5.8liter 8400lbs capacity for our August trip and it did well, but I always knew there was a trailer behind me. The trailer tracks very nicely behind the tow vehicle and I had no real noticable sway (I use a Equal-i-zer hitch). It made me realize that towing with the Caravan probably would not be enjoyable so if I can swing it a different tv is in our future. Until then it's good to have family that we can bum a vehicle from when we need it. As far as the Jayco product. The fit and finish of our 17Z is outstanding. We've only had it two months but it seems to be very well built. The interior fabrics and colors do not have that "RV" feel to them and go together nicely. The bunk mattresses are 6" thick which I think is the thickest in the industry for hybrids, they are very comfortable, as is the couch that slides down into a futon bed. The fridge has a good amount of capacity. We liked the layout of the 17Z over the 17C because we did not want to have to crawl over the dinette all of the time to get to one of the bunks. The camper does not shake like our old popup did anytime someone is walking around inside, which is nice with sleeping kids. So far we are extremely happy with Jayco and the 17Z. I would seriously look at your tv situation though. I was convinced that the Caravan would do it but, like I said, I am reconsidering that now. Let me know if you have any other questions about the 17Z or pricing for it. I know from my shopping experience the prices vary greatly from dealer to dealer and online. Good Luck!
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:05 PM   #4
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I would love to get a new tv but right now the budget won't allow for both and I would rather have the trailer. The GVWR as stated is right at the max for the Rav but I will be getting a weight distribution hitch and trans cooler for sure. We won't be climbing any mountains with it but I want to make sure it is safe until we can get a larger tv. I am mechanically inclined so I could put on the bigger shocks if needed.

Thanks for the feedback, we like the 17Z for the same reasons I don't like climbing over a table to get into bed at night.

Any dealers in upstate NY that you would recommend?

Darryl & Jenn
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Old 09-07-2010, 07:22 PM   #5
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I'd look at a pop-up trailer if I were you and had that SUV. Nothing you do to that car will increase the GVWR-- nothing. Nothing you do will extend the short wheel base. No shock (pretty sure that thing has struts anyways) in the world will help you tow more. It's just pushing it too much IMHO-- you gotta remember every thing you put in that trailer propane, batteries, clothes, food, water.

That doesn't mean your hosed though-- have you looked at pop-up trailers? I pulled a Jayco pop up that had a 10' box with our Jeep Wrangler-- it pulled nice. That pop-up slept more people than what we have now. The view out the window was always nice and breezy.

Just food for thought-- from someone that has been there and done that. If you get that 17Z I fore-see a new travel vehicle in your near future.
Just my 2 cents-- and I'm not a part of the GVWR police. It's your $--

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Old 09-08-2010, 03:45 AM   #6
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Ripcord, we bought our 17Z first of June this year. I towed it over 2 hours home from the dealers, with my 2004 GMC Sonoma ext cab ZR5. The towing capacity is 5200#, (dist hitch ect.). Since then i've added a tranny cooler, changed oil full synthetic. The 17Z was all the 4.3 v6 wanted, very slow going uphill, temp would rise a few degrees. We used this set up all summer, we have bought a new Chevy silverado ext cab, we pulled the camper with it once so far and it is sooo much easier with the higher capacity and more horsepower, tow pkg....
The 'little truck' could pull our camper, but it worked hard doing so. Rule of thumb do not tow more than 70-80% of tow capacity of TV. Just my 2cents.

As far as the 17Z, we upgraded from a pop up, and haven't looked back!! We are very pleased with the lay out, and overall fit and finish. It tows nicely, setup is easy, very comfy...wouldn't trade for anything........

You won't go wrong buying the 17Z, but your TV might be too small.
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Old 09-08-2010, 06:17 AM   #7
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The problem with the pop up is the lack of bathroom. For us that is the reason to upgrade to a trailer from a tent. So it sounds like this will be to much trailer for our tv to be able to pull. According to Jayco the unloaded vechile weight is basicly 3,000 lbs so that is 86% right there.
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Old 09-08-2010, 07:28 AM   #8
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Our previous TT was a light weight 18ft. We had a 5000lb TV.
We were told "no problem". Our TV struggled during both our trips and I got soured on towing. We too could not afford the new TT, and a new TV.
I'm sure the TT weighted in around 3500lbs ready to go.
(no water, packed for 2ppl, generally flat terrain).

When towing, the Max weight is nothing you care to flirt with. It's dangerous for your family, and other drivers.
The wear and tear on the TV will put you in a "newer TV" like it or not.
We bought a TT for our TV.
Next time we will buy a TV for our TT.

Good Luck !! And be Safe !
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Old 09-08-2010, 07:56 AM   #9
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Hey rip-cord, when I was researching the 17Z I got an online quote from rvdirect.com . They offered several pickup and delivery options including two in NY, Buffalo and Albany. They had good pricing too, I think it was around $12900.00. I would have had to drive to NY to get it. I found a local wholesale dealer who had basically the same price so I went with them but rvdirect is worth a look. There are some other online dealers as well, rvwholesalers, rv nation. As far as tow vehicles go, we are fortunate to have several family members with large SUV's and trucks that we can borrow when needed until we upgrade the tv. It's not the best situation, but it works. I bought towing equipment that can be moved from vehicle to vehicle. I basically have to reset the equal-i-zer hitch to proper height which does not take long. I bought a new product from Tekonsha, the Prodigy wireless brake controller. It mounts on the trailer and plugs into the 7 way vehicle receptacle. You then plug your trailer cord into the control box. In the cab the brake control plugs into the cigar lighter or power outlet and rests on the dash or console. It functions exactly like an ordinary brake control except it can move from vehicle to vehicle as long as the tv is equipped with 7 way power at the hitch. I was a little wary of getting into the wireless at first but it really performed well once I got the settings zeroed in. I spent about $125 more than a regular brake control but I really had to make it simple. They do make popups with bathrooms but they put you in almost the same weight situation as the 17Z, but at least you would'nt have the frontal area that the 17Z has producing all of that drag.
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Old 09-08-2010, 12:49 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rip-cord View Post

We are in Canada but are considering importing it from the US given the price differences. Is there anything I should be aware warranty or otherwise.
Thanks
You may find you have to get it CSA certified to insure it... that will eat up all the savings and more.
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Old 09-09-2010, 06:19 AM   #11
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Good point on the CSA, I will follow up with the insurance. I found one dealer in the US that will order the Jayco with the Canadian Standards and one that says they can't so I am not sure what to believe. I have e-mailed Jayco to find out. Like you mentioned the pop ups with the bathroom are almost as heavy as the 17Z so that is why we ruled them out.

A TV that is designed to pull 5,000lbs should have no problem pulling 3,500lbs assuming it setup properly. Otherwise all the f150's around would be useless.

The main thing I am worried about is sway, the RAV is a short wheelbase and put a trailer on that you get sway on the highway if you are not setup properly. Are there any good hitch setups that you can recommend?
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Old 09-09-2010, 07:22 AM   #12
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I went with the Equal-i-zer hitch. It is weight distribution and 4 point sway control all in one. Bought it through RV wholesalers.com for about $450 delivered to my house. Easy to setup although on the 17Z I had to buy some shorter bolts to use where it attached to the frame of the trailer. Installation took about 1 1/2 hours. You do need a thin walled socket to attached the ball to the tow bar. Equalizer will sell you one for $70, luckily the maintenance guys at work had one. I think any RV dealer or UHAUL would install the ball part for a small fee (much less that $70 for a socket you'll only use once). I felt little to no sway when pulling the 17Z with the jeep commander. Hensley also makes a "no sway" hitch but its something like $1500.00. If you're in Canada I read alot of material by a guy named Andy Thompson, owner of the Can-Am RV Centre in London ON. If you google his name you'll find a bunch of articles he writes for an RV magazine, I can't remember the name. His dealership sells trailers and specializes in setting up tv's. He tows all kinds of trailers with many different vehicles, including a large airstream pulled by a PT Cruiser (the video of this is also on the Hensley hitch website) which is a bit over the top but the basics of what he says make sense. Might be worth a google search or drive over if you're not too far from London.
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Old 09-09-2010, 01:18 PM   #13
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Hi - I have a 2010 17Z and would not recommend towing it with a RAV. The RAV does not appear to be equipt to tow a trailer that is +18ft long, 9.5 ft tall, and realistically weighs +3300lbs. You'll regret it when faced with a 30 mph side-wind or even mild rolling hills. Agree with the comments on Equalizer WDH and Prodigy controller - great products!
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Old 09-09-2010, 04:44 PM   #14
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A TV that is designed to pull 5,000lbs should have no problem pulling 3,500lbs assuming it setup properly. Otherwise all the f150's around would be useless.
Your compairing a Rav4 to a F150-- Older F150's one...maybe--- new ones would pull 2 of them. I personally don't see the comparison.

RAV4-- specs
Tow Prep Package (V6 models only) [4] with 3500-lb. towing capacity -- includes upgraded radiator, fan coupling and alternator
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Old 09-09-2010, 05:02 PM   #15
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Also:
To get off the tow capacity for a second and think GVWR
Weights and Capacities RAV4-- from Toyota's own web site
Curb weight (lb.) 3360
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) (lbs.) /with third-row seats 4430/4730

That hardly screams tow vehicle-- 3360 is your TV empty-- add your 500 of hitch weight and hitch-- lets say 500lbs-- leaves you with 500lbs for passengers and cargo-- I know we haul more then that inside our tow vehicle while on vacation. I weigh 230lbs-- wife weighs 130-- my two dogs together weigh 160lbs-- my son weighs 40lbs-- that's just us-- throw in a cooler and some toys for the boy-- blankets for the dogs to lay on-- and that easily exceeds the GVWR.

That's why I dont see the comparison between a RAV4 and a HALF TON RATED TRUCK. I just wanted to show you the numbers.

Either way Good Luck--
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Old 09-10-2010, 01:14 PM   #16
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I would love to get a new tv but right now the budget won't allow for both and I would rather have the trailer. The GVWR as stated is right at the max for the Rav but I will be getting a weight distribution hitch and trans cooler for sure. We won't be climbing any mountains with it but I want to make sure it is safe until we can get a larger tv. I am mechanically inclined so I could put on the bigger shocks if needed.

Thanks for the feedback, we like the 17Z for the same reasons I don't like climbing over a table to get into bed at night.

Any dealers in upstate NY that you would recommend?

Darryl & Jenn
We bought our 2,011, 17C At Albany RV One in New York. We think we got a good price. We got the Customer Care Package, the oven and a transmission cooler, sway bar, weight dist. hitch, brake controller installed and a few other things thrown in "free", including the spare tire and cover. Don't pay any attention to their list price - it is thousands over what you can pay. People here on this site advised me that you should get at least 20 percent off the list price and maybe more. Also, we tried bargaining for the 17Z at Camper's Barn in Kingston, NY and they wanted $14,500 for a leftover 2,010, with the same options we asked for on the C., incl. tranny cooler and brake controller installed in our vehicle. We went home and thought about it, but we did not try to bargain any further because we decided we did not want the 17Z. CB in Kingston had no 17Cs on the lot so I looked online at Albany RV One. We wound up bargaining by phone and bought it. There are only two of us so the C was the better trailer, in our case. We probably will only open one bed and we liked that the dinette area opened into a bigger bed than the Z where the dinette area had the two smaller beds. That way when we arrive late and tired at a campground we won't even open either end, we will sleep on the converted dinette bed until the next morning. Since you have kids, the Z is the better option, but it is a bit longer than the C and I know my tow vehicle, an SUV, Nissan Xterra can only pull a trailer up to 18 ft. safely. How long a trailer does your manual say you can pull?
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Old 09-10-2010, 06:54 PM   #17
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Rip-Cord, I might be wrong, but with the $ a .96 US your savings might not be as much as you think by the time you pay the import tax, registration, etc. etc...Although a lot of folks brought over new cars/trucks from the US when our dollar was at $1.10, that seems to have stopped lately. Now, I've known folks who've been posted/lived in the US for a few years who've bought trailers and managed to sneak past the import taxes, but I'm not sure you'll be able to.

I'm no expert - certainly haven't looked into doing this myself, but a visit to your local CBSA folks might be an idea.
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Old 09-11-2010, 08:36 AM   #18
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The problem with the pop up is the lack of bathroom. For us that is the reason to upgrade to a trailer from a tent. So it sounds like this will be to much trailer for our tv to be able to pull. According to Jayco the unloaded vechile weight is basicly 3,000 lbs so that is 86% right there.
there are pop ups with bathrooms I don't know the towing weight of them
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Old 09-11-2010, 10:38 AM   #19
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Yeah, but you can't stop along your journey and use those pop-up bathrooms! Nor can you access your refrigerator or dining table, etc. Been there, done that and moved up to a tt.
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Old 09-11-2010, 10:59 AM   #20
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That's true, that's part of the reason we moved up. That and the fact that you can't just pull over and "super night camp" (that's what we call it when you just pull off somewhere and catch some ZZZ's without checking into a campsite) with a hybrid. Can you? I don't know. It would surely make you look as if you were camping.
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