trying to decide: 154, 184, 174

[hunidog]

please help, 154bh, 184bh, or 174bh


Hello, I have enjoyed reading through previous posts as my husband and I try to decide on which camper to buy. Now we are close to making a decision, and I could use help! We are from MN, but hubbie is out on vacation in Montana, where the Baja editions are available. We think we want the added features this offers. But now we have to pick a model. I really like the compact, cute, and cozy feel of the 154bh. We have 2 boys, have tent camped a lot, so I don't think we would mind the closeness of this unit. there is also a 184bh available, although I really don't like the fabric on the cushions, a dark brown vinyl stuff. I know this unit offers more space and people seem to love it, but it doesn't seem as cozy/fun as the 154. however, I understand the extra space may be well worth it in the long run, so maybe I have to get used to the brown cushions. There is also a 174bh coming out soon in baja edition, but not there yet. This is 21 ft 7 inches though, so even longer than the 184bh. we like to be small and compact, and I don't know if the extra length would start to feel like a longer trailer. I'm sure the extra room would be nice.

Sorry I'm rambling. I have been going through this every which way in my head, and am so confused. It sounds like people love their little TT, slx's, so I'm excited. I would Greatly appreciate any input to help me decide.

Thank you, Have a great day!

[Donedroolin]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I have seen the trailers you are talking about. I can only tell you from owning a couple campers. I would get the bigger one as long as you can tow it safely with your tow vehicle. You will appreciate the extra room on those rainy days. Also more storage. I am not familiar with the Baja edition, but anything with the word Baja sounds cool. As long as you are comfortable and have the proper tow vehicle for me its a no brainer. You would maybe find yourself wishing you got the bigger unit. Good luck in your decision.

[ALJO]

Baja has flipped axle for more clearance also the underbelly is protected and has the aluminum diamond plate on the sides and front for protection. Its just a better unit to go off-road. It also has off-road tires. They are all cozy for their size but the bigger one gives more comfort and storage.

[ttavasc]

Originally Posted by ALJO

Baja has flipped axle for more clearance also the underbelly is protected and has the aluminum diamond plate on the sides and front for protection. Its just a better unit to go off-road. It also has off-road tires. They are all cozy for their size but the bigger one gives more comfort and storage.

They also have stablizers on all 4 corners which is really nice once you are unhooked. And a larger fresh water tank, though you do have to watch the loading as a full tank is about 295lbs. Looking at the 2016 195RB to compare to my 2015 I see they have reduced the size of the fresh water tank from 35gal to 30gal.

EDIT: It looks like the standard model got a reduction in size also from 26gal to 20gal. <-- I see what happened here - they included the 6gal hot water tank on the fresh water spec for 2015 but split it out for the 2016 spec. So no reduction in fresh water size for 2016 standard model

The cargo carrying capacity is also increased, at least on my 195RB where the Baja model has a 3750lb GVWR as opposed to the 3500lb GVWR of the standard model. It's interesting that on the Jayco website they only list the weight specs for the standard model. My dealer gave me a copy of the detailed specs for my Baja model from a Jayco manual they have that lists the complete set of specs for both standard and Baja.

Looking at the 184BH vs the 174BH it looks like the 184BH has more seating at the expense of having to convert the dinette for sleeping. Might be a consideration with the 2 kids when it comes to a poor-weather day that has you inside more.

I would agree with earlier posts that if you can swing pulling a larger model you'll appreciate the extra space.

[micron]

We just traded in our 184BH after 2 years. It was a good unit but we have two small, growing boys and decided to go a little larger. We didn't care too much for the couch/bench as it wasn't very comfortable or practical for our needs. Constantly having to convert the table to a bed got old quick so we usually just left it as a bed. With that in mind I would suggest the 174BH. From our experience it seems that it would be a more practical layout.

[ttavasc]

Ahhh...the voice of experience is always great to have...

To the OP - One other thing that would be helpful to know is what the tow vehicle is. If you could post what you would be towing this with some feedback can be provided regarding the larger model. When we got our 195RB it seemed big compared to the small 4x8 utility trailer and slightly larger flat bed trailer that I've pulled for a few years. I got some great tips and help on this forum that made it easy to move up to pulling the TT. If the tow vehicle is capable enough don't let the larger size intimidate you.

[pmames]

Personally, I would get the biggest one we could safely tow.

[hunidog]

Thanks for all your input! Our tv is trd Tacoma, so will be able to pull any of these I believe. Thanks again.... We'll keep deliberating.

[octane]

We own a 154bh, really love it, but it's just for a couple of outings a years with the inlaws, since we also have a cottage. the 154bh is nice for the size, the top bunk is okay for my 5 year old, but with 2 kids I think it would be a tight fit. the table/bed on the 154bh has a corner missing (to give access between the fridge and table top when in the table position) so sleeping 2 on it is kind of a pain sometimes... the 184bh has a full table, with no missing support. I would really consider the 184bh or 174bh over a 154bh, just for the added floor space and cargo capacity!

[fielro]

Welcome to the forum, I would get the largest one I could tow without having to get a new tow vehicle....

[ttavasc]

Originally Posted by hunidog

Thanks for all your input! Our tv is trd Tacoma, so will be able to pull any of these I believe. Thanks again.... We'll keep deliberating.

It would be good to verify the capabilities of your truck so that you know what it's capable of. I believe it's to your advantage to know exactly what your truck is capable of before walking into the show room to ensure that you don't immediately have to upgrade your tow vehicle. Most dealers will just look at the tow capacity published by the manufacturer and say you're good. In reality, it's more important to understand how much your truck can carry since that is the limitation that is almost always exceeded before reaching the published tow capacity. The truck will need to carry the tongue weight of the trailer and the weight distributing hitch/sway control plus all occupants and any other cargo in the bed such as bikes, firewood, coolers, pets, etc.

To see how much your specific truck can carry open the drivers door and look for the yellow tire and loading sticker with the phrase "combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed xxxxx". This is the total amount of weight the truck can carry as delivered by the manufacturer. If the dealer or yourself added accessories such as a bed cover or topper or other aftermarket accessories, the weight of these items should be subtracted from this number. Post this number along with the GVWR value from the white manufacturer's label also found on the drivers door/jam.

Once you know the payload value for your truck you can start estimating the weights you'll be putting on/in the truck. So long as you don't exceed the payload number you should be fine.

There are some rules of thumb for estimating the tongue weight of the trailer before you buy, which when the trailer is loaded should be somewhere between 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. A conservative estimate of this value can be had by using 13% of the trailers GVWR rating. In the case of my 195RB the GVWR was 3750lbs so the estimated tongue weight I used for my sizing was 485lbs.

You can also use an estimate of about 90lbs for the weight distributing hitch/sway control, though depending on what you actually use it could be as low as 60 or as high as 110.

Also add the weights for all occupants plus gear you expect to carry in the truck to the tongue and hitch weights and see where it lands compared to the payload number.

Once you understand how much payload you have to work with it's pretty easy to plug in the estimated numbers and arrive at a fairly reasonable conclusion for a particular trailer.

[hunidog]

I know we have a towing package and our towing capacity is over 5000lb, and trailers we looking at are under 3000. Not sure of all the details, but I'm pretty sure we'll be okay. Thanks for all the info, I'll have to look into it.

[hunidog]

Well, thank you for all the good advice. I'm sure we probably should have waited for the 174, but for various reasons we went with the 154. My husband and I both wanted to stay small, and he was in Montana, and the 154 was there, and we'll it just happened. We are so excited. He should be home with it today. so thanks again for input. If this is too small, I'm sure we can resell and upgrade in a year or two. We had a scamp before this, so I think the 154 will seem big. Thanks again for advice!

[pawntan]

154BH has dining table that can be converted to a bed. After converting back and forth everyday for 14 days straight, I wish I get the one that has permanent bed and permanent dining table.
If you are fine with that limitation, 154BH is fine.
We ended up not using the dining, have the bed up all the time, and dine outside.
I guess that forces us to stay get outside more. But when it is cold like it is right now, dining outside is not an option

[gloryb]

I'm sure you made the right decision for your own needs. All of us have opinions but we're not in your shoes. I think you'll be ecstatic since you're moving up from a tent--at least I would be.


Congratulations and happy camping! How exciting!

[ttavasc]

Congrats on the new rig and happy camping!

[doonkin]

This exact 'mistake' happened to us. Oct13 we got a 154 baja for wife and 5year old twins. I loved the compact size (in theory) and got compliments everywhere we went from old timers in big rigs lamenting the smaller size.
I quickly had to admit that esp on the 154 there is sort of thathigh traffic triangle that everyone crosses at the cooker/front door---that agrivates everyone involved. You saying 'excuse me' every 2 seconds.
Within 6 months I admitted my mistake, and went to the dealer trying to trade up to the 184, which I would have been happy with(that extra floor space relieving the 'high-traffic' triangle I mentioned.
But the damage was done and wife saw much bigger 23mbh and that was it. Now we have a big TT like everyone else. I lament it slightly. The 184 would have worked for me. I guess our rig is future proofed for kids as they get older/bring friends etc.
Ironically, we never get compliments anymore as I guess we look the same as everyone else.
I don't know the 3rd model you speak of, but bottom line, the 154 was too small in the real world. Whatever you get --go baja. It just looks so badass.
Hope this helped😀

[Donedroolin]

You made made a good choice. And you Toyota should tow it safely and that is VERY important. Sounds like a great match to your family . Best of luck with your new trailer

[doonkin]

Oops. Didn't realize you'd bought already, or I'd have reserved my comments. The 154 is awesome if you 'manage' the space, eg, mom and kids would take the dog out in the morning while I quickly reconverted the bed back to dining and cleaned up. Things like that. I also built a camp-chuck-box I threw in the truck bed-so we would do more cooking outside. I also found myself poking into cabinet crannies looking to gain extra storage space. I def started inventing ways to double-duty things etc because of space constraints-I kinda miss that now.
Also- I'd get a queen foam topper for that bed, n store in truck---those Tetris cushions get uncomfortable real soon.
Congrats. There are much more pros to cons w a 154bh

[LarryJ]

Enjoy you 154BH. We had one and like it but moved way up to a 264BHW. Reasons are the double wide bunks make entry/exit much easier, can leave the dinette up all the time, got a couch for sitting. That said the 154 was really easy to setup, we left the dinette down all the time as a bed, doing all our cooking and eating outside, which we still do...

Larry J