New To PopUps Questions

[MountainBiker]

I love mountain biking and spend most of my vacation days in the spring and summer tent camping and mountain biking in national or state forests and BLM land. I am thinking of upgrading to an older Jayco pop up, my biggest concern is I have never towed and don't know much about it.
I know my truck has a tow package, two tow hitches, some kind of break thing and plugs by the hitches. It was used to tow a hard sided RV and a boat by the previous owner a couple years ago.
Do I need to learn how all these things work to tow a pop up? I had thought the pop ups were hitch and go due to their smaller weight. If there used on a regular basis, like camped in a couple times each summer, does the breaking mechanism usually need to be replaced? Or is that only if it sits and rusts?
I am looking at a few older Jayco pop ups from 93-96 either the 1006 or 1007 models. All the sellers say they were used in the past year to tow and camp no problem. Two need major repairs on the canvasses and two just need canvass and couch patches.
Oh I might cross post this in the pop ups section of the forum too, but thanks for helping me out!

[SOMBATFAMILY]

Yes, you need to learn about towing before you start towing. Usually a small popup GVWR under 3500lbs doesn't need much to tow with truck or mini van. What is your truck tow rating and pay capacity?

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by MountainBiker

I love mountain biking and spend most of my vacation days in the spring and summer tent camping and mountain biking in national or state forests and BLM land. I am thinking of upgrading to an older Jayco pop up, my biggest concern is I have never towed and don't know much about it.
I know my truck has a tow package, two tow hitches, some kind of break thing and plugs by the hitches. It was used to tow a hard sided RV and a boat by the previous owner a couple years ago.
Do I need to learn how all these things work to tow a pop up? I had thought the pop ups were hitch and go due to their smaller weight. If there used on a regular basis, like camped in a couple times each summer, does the breaking mechanism usually need to be replaced? Or is that only if it sits and rusts?
I am looking at a few older Jayco pop ups from 93-96 either the 1006 or 1007 models. All the sellers say they were used in the past year to tow and camp no problem. Two need major repairs on the canvasses and two just need canvass and couch patches.
Oh I might cross post this in the pop ups section of the forum too, but thanks for helping me out!

Just be aware that canvas is expensive. Be careful being lured in by cheap pop up prices that need canvas replaced. Do you research and see how much it cost to fix torn/leaky/moldy canvas. My last pop up canvas was $650.

[MountainBiker]

Originally Posted by SOMBATFAMILY

Yes, you need to learn about towing before you start towing. Usually a small popup GVWR under 3500lbs doesn't need much to tow with truck or mini van. What is your truck tow rating and pay capacity?

5300 tow capacity at the least up to 6500 depending on axel?
10000 maximum weight
4700 vehicle weight
I'm not sure how to calculate tongue weight to come up with payload

The popups I'm looking at are around2200 too 2500 according to their current owners.

[SOMBATFAMILY]

You got enough truck for popup. Knowing what I know now, i would have gotten a new popup. Price wise when financed is not bad and you'll have new camper with warranty. Also with the age of popup you're looking at, there might be hidden problems and things that need replacing like tires, roof leaking, velcros or zippers not working. Usually small trailer lime popup don't have brakes.

[DebKen]

We paid $300 for our first pop up. We had to replace the canvas (Bear Creek Canvas | Pop-Up Camper Recanvasing Specialists | Spencer WI), fix the lift system, and replace the wood on one of the bunk ends (my husband did all the work). We put about 1000.00 into it. We loved that little pop up and after a couple of seasons we sold it for 1200.00. Well worth all the work/cost!

[MountainBiker]

I think I'm going to scratch the one with major repair, like a whole new canvass needed, off my list. Since we're used to tent camping I think dealing with minor patches and sewing the canvas will be simple enough. Other interior repairs I rank I should be able to figure out. I am hoping this will be my families gateway RV and in a few years we can upgrade to something bigger.
Since I'm the one driving and have no experience towing, I want to start with something small and safe to tow till I am used to driving with a trailer on any roads. The thing about breaks was a question form the pessimist in my life, they insisted if I don't by from a dealrship I will be need to buy new breaks. Or likely we would crash going down a hill on the way to a park or forest. When I said I don't think the light weigh pop ups have breaks I could practically see their face turn pale over the phone.