iwanttoretireearly
Berkeley
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Joined: 04/23/2020
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How many of you tow a cargo trailer with your truck camper? And how do you deal with the challenges of lugging it along? I'm thinking of a 10 foot enclosed cargo trailer that will accompany me on longer road trips.
For example:
a) How do you deal with parking in busy lots? You just park farther away? You park the trailer and then the truck? Sometimes there isn't going to be enough room to maneuver right?
b) Let's say you are on a road trip and want to go into a NPS where they do not allow vehicles past a certain length. Where do you leave your trailer?
c) How do you secure your trailer?
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Reality Check
North Bend
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Joined: 08/29/2007
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Lot's of folks travel with support trailers. It's really no different than towing a TT, Fifth, or boat. 10' is short, so you're biggest headache will be backing up. The shorter it is, the more of a pain.
I've been towing for so long, so many different trailers, so many places, it's a thoughtless process. Of course you're not going to park at the front of the parking lot. But then, why would one anyhow? Simple trick; always, always, park so that you can pull out regardless of where others park/block. I'm amazed at seeing folks with trailers pull in across 6 spots and then not wing it to insure that they can get out if two idiots parked on either end of them (boxed). Simple stuff.
A camper and a regular trailer, 20', 24' say, is still short. Only in very rare instances will one have a trouble pulling through a gas station, parking lot, etc. As for NPS, or other similar situations, even with a 20', you're still in the 50' range. That's not long.
Security? and a trailer? those words don't go together. Put a lock on it to keep the honest people honest. Have you ever paid attention to the skin on an enclosed trailer? It's so thin you could tear through it with a claw hammer. Want security? put a conex box on a trailer.
Stealing the whole trailer, well, then I'd try a wheel lock, remove the coupler, etc. Make it inconvenient.
'16 F550 CC, 4x4 with Link Ultraride air suspension, '11 AF 1150. Just so we can play with our snowmobiles, dirt bikes and fishing boat. And new 20' tag along...kayaks, bikes, mc's and extra water and food!!
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winniman
muskoka Ontario
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Joined: 01/26/2013
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One of the main headaches of any trailer is using the tongue jack. If you have to take it off and on regularly, you cant beat a power tongue jack. It takes all the work out of the chore. I own many trailers. Many of the heavier ones have really low geared jacks. This requires many turns to lift them high enough to get them off the truck. For the ones I own that don't have a power tongue jack, I use a high lift, (farm jack). I can remove the trailer in about four or five pumps, then set it on a block of wood instead of lowering the trailer jack. Getting a power tongue jack would be my advice. 2nd choice is the high lift jack. Its very fast, plus you have a good jack for emergencies.
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cptqueeg
Idaho
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Joined: 04/11/2020
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If you did bring a trailer you could go w a regular cab.
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Lwiddis
South of Lone Pine, California
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Joined: 08/12/2016
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Will access to and exit from the TC be easy with the trailer attached? Potty stops, lunch on the road etc.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, 300 watt solar-parallel & MPPT, Trojan T-125s. TALL flag pole. Prefer USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state & county camps. Bicyclist! 14 year Army vet-11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad
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Photomike
Southern Alberta or where the camper is parked!
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Joined: 04/26/2008
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I towed a support trailer. Most of the time it wasn't an issue. Only time I ran into a problem was if I ended up going down a dead end road or trail.
My Dad always told me to park so if you needed to get out you could. Seems simple but so true. Park at the back of a lot, park in the RV spots, park so your truck is aimed to pull out. Use your brains as others probably won't when they park around you.
When visiting places if it is close to your campground leave the trailer. If you cannot leave the trailer park in RV spots.
Security, I always locked the tongue so nobody could hook up to it.
Best advice I can give you is to learn to drive properly and know your units. You will need to do some fancy driving at times so learn before hand what you can do. My worst predicament was puling into a camping spot. Only a couple spots were remaining at the campground. The guy who checked me in said it was EASY to get into. SURE IT WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe if you were driving a bicycle a mini or a Smart car. After several tries my boys and I disconnected the trailer and pushed it back in to the spot and it stayed there for the entire stay.
2017 Ford Transit
EVO Electric bike
Advanced Elements Kayaks
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Bedlam
PNW
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Joined: 06/13/2012
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Often I take toys, additional gear or a car with me, so I have 20' enclosed trailer. My overall length is just over 50' and I can fit into all the campgrounds I have visited the last 15 years. some private campgrounds will charge you extra even if you fit in the site, so either avoid those or accept the cost for an additional vehicle.
Chevy Sonic 1.8-Honda Passport C70B-Host Mammoth 11.5-Interstate Car Carrier 20-Joyner SandViper 250-Kawasaki Concours ZG1000-Paros 8' flatbed-Pelican Decker DLX 8.75-Ram 5500 HD-Tank Urban Touring 150SE-VW TransBuggy 1200
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billtex
RI
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Joined: 07/20/2004
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Sometimes we pull a trailer (cargo, canoes, boat) it varies. I always wished I had a camera-never did hook one up. That would make life easier.
Exit/entry to camper no issue on our setup. Use trailer tongue as a step.
I tow a lot of stuff anyway with/without TC so I am comfortable with the towing aspect...
For security, get a hitch ball and cut off the shank. Padlock the ball into the hitch if you need to leave the trailer. This way no one can drop the hitch on to another ball and tow it away. This will help. But if someone really wants it...they will probably figure out a way to steal it! Having said that, we never had an issue. We have left our camp at NP’s/Sp’s to backpack for several days at a time. I let the campground hosts know we will be away for a few days and ask if they will keep an eye out. Never had a problem.
2020 F350 CC LB
Eagle Cap 850
25'Airstream Excella
"Good People Drink Good Beer"-Hunter S Thompson
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GTO66
Florida
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Joined: 08/20/2006
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I have three trailers an have towed all behind the TC. The one I use most is a 12' that I carry a Harley,two bicycles a generator because I can't count on the one in the TC and other supplies. We took a 6500 mile trip and another 1500 on the bike without unhooking the trailer never encountered a problem.
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kohldad
Goose Creek, SC
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Joined: 07/20/2004
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I will make do without a trailer for the reasons you mentioned but also because of the roads I travel. I travel a lot of single lane back roads and trails where trying to backup or turn around a trailer would be impossible. Giving up the mobility to me isn't worth being able to carry more junk that I don't really need.
2015 Ram 3500 4x4 Crew Cab SRW 6.4 Hemi LB 3.73 (12.4 hand calc avg mpg after 92,000 miles with camper)
2004 Lance 815 (prev: 2004 FW 35'; 1994 TT 30'; Tents)
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