Run the USA is what?

[jay427]

For those who have gone before us what is a good rig for a couple to run the USA in, as an example to see all the national parks etc? Maybe 2-3 week runs, not sure about timing, just tossing something out for discussion.

The flip side is we would use the rig to stay at mostly MN state parks with family and friends, so short 200 mile runs etc. With these run the 2 kids may join, may not who knows, they are college bound. One of the kids says he don't care and would be happy in a tent (I remember being like that 40 years ago!).

Don't think I want to get a bigger truck, we are rated just under 10,000# for the little 1/2 ton, based on past experience I don't want to be over 25', lighter the better, under 6,000# seems a good number to shoot for.

In the past we have had a couple of pop-ups, TT's, etc. Never had anything real big, always stayed around that 20' mark. Some of the best sites in our state you would never get a large rig in.

The above is more of a back story, sorry for making you all read it!

If selecting a camper for just in state use its fairly easy, if looking to the run the USA I'm not sure I want to pull a 20' rig around.

So for those who have done it what was your weapon of choice for running the country?

Maybe a TT is not a great option, but its all I really know, open to options.

Would be nice if the TT was small enough that I would not have to mess around with WDH's etc. Just quick hook up an go.

I have a little bit of pull from each direction for in state use vs running the country!

What say you?

Thanks in advanced.

[badercubed]

I am bias, but Coachman Apex Nano have some nice lightweight and easy to tow floor plans. I tow mine with a V6 GMC Canyon with no problems. It's actually a pleasure after going from a 35ft TT behind a F250.

[jay427]

DutchmenSport wrote:
My wife and I traveled thousands and thousands of miles with our first travel trailer. It was an 18 foot Dutchmen Sport, measured 21 feet long, bumper to hitch. We initially towed it with a Chevy 1500 Suburban. Put lots of miles on that puppy, until the transmission blew. Then we moved to our first dualy (used). It was a Chevy Silverado gas 3500, a marvelous beast, except we didn't realize the frame was rusting too bad when our repair shop advised we never tow with it again... We traded for a diesel dualy (used).

Meanwhile, we traveled extensively in an 18 foot (box size) travel trailer and did just fine. Size is not the important thing. What is important is how well you can adapt to the size.

My parents had an 18 foot 1963 Phoenix travel trailer, purchased new in 1962. I was 7 years old. And my parents traveled in that little trailer with a family of 3 kids and a dog all over the country, from Michigan, to Texas, to Florida, to New York, and everyone had a marvelous time. My dad was self-employed and set his own work schedule. It was common for us to travel a month at a time. I'm pretty sure that's what gave me the love for RVing.

By the way ... no matter what you get, get weight distribution and sway control. You may think you never need it, but it only takes one time to lose control and your family members end up in a morgue. Think about that. When RVing ... the safety of your vehicle is the most important the most primary thing. Safety with your vehicle supersedes everything else.



My parents "rig". I'm the runt, balled headed kid squatting like a contorted lobster on the sand.

Love the pic, thanks

[jay427]

Thanks for all the comments its good to know some of you are using smaller rigs for longer runs, just want to be sure I wasn't thinking about it wrong.

We were looking at some of the Rockwoods Geos, Jayco Hummingbirds, R Pods etc. Then the second group of larger ones like Rockwoods Minis in the 20 foot range, the price they command for them is a little nuts but....have to pay to play I guess. Not a lot of smaller used ones compared to the bigger ones.

The last rig was a glass Jayco, was a good rig but I could almost buy 2 tin and stick compared to the small glasss trailers, to many options??

Again thanks all

[philh]

We found the perfect couples trailer in a coachman 192RBS. I've talked to several people that travel for months on end, but nobody that full times in one. We love the trailer, it really is a perfect couples trailer... but we are also looking long term at full timing it.

I have hooked it to my F150 without WDH, hook and go as you suggested, but prefer WDH for longer trips, especially if I'm carrying a full load of fresh water.

[wanderingbob]

We have a Winnie Mini TT 20 foot and pull it with a 2500 Ram CTD . No need for a WDH . We are travelers , not campers . We take a 8 to 15 day trip every 6 or 8 weeks . Smaller is better for us , dry camping most nites , back roads and yard sales . Next week we go north to Maine and then ??, I would have no qualmes taking my rig anywhere that we want to go .
We have owned 14 RVs and have used WDH when needed , I routinely deliver cargo trailers up to 32 feet with no WDH .

[DutchmenSport]

My wife and I traveled thousands and thousands of miles with our first travel trailer. It was an 18 foot Dutchmen Sport, measured 21 feet long, bumper to hitch. We initially towed it with a Chevy 1500 Suburban. Put lots of miles on that puppy, until the transmission blew. Then we moved to our first dualy (used). It was a Chevy Silverado gas 3500, a marvelous beast, except we didn't realize the frame was rusting too bad when our repair shop advised we never tow with it again... We traded for a diesel dualy (used).

Meanwhile, we traveled extensively in an 18 foot (box size) travel trailer and did just fine. Size is not the important thing. What is important is how well you can adapt to the size.

My parents had an 18 foot 1963 Phoenix travel trailer, purchased new in 1962. I was 7 years old. And my parents traveled in that little trailer with a family of 3 kids and a dog all over the country, from Michigan, to Texas, to Florida, to New York, and everyone had a marvelous time. My dad was self-employed and set his own work schedule. It was common for us to travel a month at a time. I'm pretty sure that's what gave me the love for RVing.

By the way ... no matter what you get, get weight distribution and sway control. You may think you never need it, but it only takes one time to lose control and your family members end up in a morgue. Think about that. When RVing ... the safety of your vehicle is the most important the most primary thing. Safety with your vehicle supersedes everything else.



My parents "rig". I'm the runt, balled headed kid squatting like a contorted lobster on the sand.

[flguppie]

My wife and I just returned last week from a 3-month, 19 state, 10,000 mile cross country trip with the TT in my sig. It’s 26’ stem to stern and 6000 lb gvwr. We had no problems towing with our F150 ego-boost 3.5. ??. This is our 2nd trip out west with this TT. Two years ago we had a 2010 F150 4.9 V8 that struggled with the Rockies. With our new truck, the 3.5, we didn’t have that problem.

With any TT don’t expect great mpg. We averaged 10mpg when towing.

[Tyler0215]

We have a 24 ft TT. Been across country several times. Usually 3 to 4 weeks at a time.
Use a WD hitch all the time

[TurnThePage]

jay427 wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
My current trailer is almost exactly 24'. I can tow it and place it almost anywhere. It's worked out great for the last 15 years, although it's been pretty cramped a time or two, especially if we had guests. This year I'm optimizing the storage by creating shoe closets out of unused space among other things, and adding netting along unused wall space. I've also added USB chargers in locations that should eliminate cord clutter. Will see how this works out. Maybe we won't need to upgrade after all.

Do you use it for cross country runs?

Not yet. We've gone on an extended vacation or two that covered 1000 - 3000 miles. We've been through some big cities; Seattle, Portland, etc. The length is easy to navigate. The tough part is trying to live inside with the overlap of clutter, thus all my efforts to optimize storage this year.

[BarabooBob]

My wife and I are very happy with out 17' Viking which is 20' from bumper to coupler. We like being together so the close quarters don't bother us at all. We have always traveled light and ar not short on storage. We cook most of our own meals, spend time inside and outside. We don;t understand the need for 30' plus trailers for 2 people, but, to each his own. We like the simplicity of hooking and unhooking without the need for a WDH. We can also fit into almost every site designed for tents or pull throughs for monster rigs.

[jay427]

TurnThePage wrote:
My current trailer is almost exactly 24'. I can tow it and place it almost anywhere. It's worked out great for the last 15 years, although it's been pretty cramped a time or two, especially if we had guests. This year I'm optimizing the storage by creating shoe closets out of unused space among other things, and adding netting along unused wall space. I've also added USB chargers in locations that should eliminate cord clutter. Will see how this works out. Maybe we won't need to upgrade after all.

Do you use it for cross country runs?

[TurnThePage]

My current trailer is almost exactly 24'. I can tow it and place it almost anywhere. It's worked out great for the last 15 years, although it's been pretty cramped a time or two, especially if we had guests. This year I'm optimizing the storage by creating shoe closets out of unused space among other things, and adding netting along unused wall space. I've also added USB chargers in locations that should eliminate cord clutter. Will see how this works out. Maybe we won't need to upgrade after all.

[jay427]

TurnThePage wrote:
A power tongue jack makes the weight distribution bars a breeze. Many if not most trailers come with power jacks now too.

I am currently sticking with a half ton truck and may never move up. I'm just a few years from retirement and plan to travel fairly extensively. I think the bride and I will be just fine on long voyages as long as we can occasionally put a door between us that's not the bathroom door. I've found a pretty good variety of trailers that are under 30', half ton towable, and still have room and creature comforts. The brands I'm eyeing the most are Lance and Outdoors RV, but I'm open to other brands as well. I'm not a big fan of slides, but may change my mind after a longer stay in the trailer. We'll see. Good luck in your quest.

Thanks, we are getting close to an early retirement too. Maybe I just don't like pulling big trailers, something long seem like a pain getting through the cities etc. I had a tough time with our 20'tt at some gas station!

[jay427]

afidel wrote:
Would be nice if the TT was small enough that I would not have to mess around with WDH's etc. Just quick hook up an go.

That's not really an option, my TT is only 18' and there's no way I would tow it without a WDH with sway control. Even behind a 2500 it moved around more than I liked and that was without wind or panic maneuvers. To each their own but I'd never tow a TT without sway control. That said putting the bars on or taking them off takes maybe 30s so it's not like it has any meaningful impact on our setup and tear down time.

I suppose it depends, our old 20' TT behind the our old 2009 2500hd did not care if the WDH was on or off. With the 1/2 ton we used the WDH half the time, less 100 miles runs I did not even mess with it. Each trailer does pull different for sure.

I get what you are saying about the time deal, it just seems like it takes forever when is raining out. I was using a Rigid Hitch and swore getting the bars on took a few minutes by the time I dug out the bar, set the pins, jack the trailer up to get the bars on, etc. Granted this was 7-8 years ago so my mind is foggy:)

[TurnThePage]

A power tongue jack makes the weight distribution bars a breeze. Many if not most trailers come with power jacks now too.

I am currently sticking with a half ton truck and may never move up. I'm just a few years from retirement and plan to travel fairly extensively. I think the bride and I will be just fine on long voyages as long as we can occasionally put a door between us that's not the bathroom door. I've found a pretty good variety of trailers that are under 30', half ton towable, and still have room and creature comforts. The brands I'm eyeing the most are Lance and Outdoors RV, but I'm open to other brands as well. I'm not a big fan of slides, but may change my mind after a longer stay in the trailer. We'll see. Good luck in your quest.