Surely it has.
Campers
- Thread starter johnbryanpeters
- Start date
35x18x12 are the dims. Too big.
I hope to be able to resume work on the truck soon. I have been stacking parts and changing plans. I changed the sink because the sink/burner combo has both a tiny sink and a tiny cook surface.
So now I am going with a double sink and either a 2 or 3 burner cooktop. Not only better, but about $300 cheaper.
Got my exhaust parts, dash parts and suspension parts on order. Only thing left are the rear brakes.
So now I am going with a double sink and either a 2 or 3 burner cooktop. Not only better, but about $300 cheaper.
Got my exhaust parts, dash parts and suspension parts on order. Only thing left are the rear brakes.
I am getting a trailer brake controller installed in the Land Cruiser when I get back from the west coast. Tekonsha Prodigy P3. Vehicle has its own wiring so it’s nearly plug and play, but I want to be assured it is installed right.
Plan is to rent travel trailers starting next summer. Lots of local outfits offering that and I have neither the space nor the patience to own and store one.
Plan is to rent travel trailers starting next summer. Lots of local outfits offering that and I have neither the space nor the patience to own and store one.
Like VRBO for Campers and RVs, if you're not already familiar: https://www.outdoorsy.com/rv-rental/colorado/denver
I installed a P3 in my Tacoma and it really is plug and play. Itll take longer to figure out where to mount the controller.
Do it yourself and use the money you saved on installation for a good weight distributing hitch with sway control.
It’s $75 in labor, which I think includes mounting it. Worth it to me. Any hitch or company you recommend in particular?
I had this one.
https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Reese/RP66082.html
Spendy, but once set up properly it was a rockstar. Barely felt any trailer input from crosswinds or passing semis.
My apologies if this is super basic but this would be something that goes on the trailer, right? So for rented trailers for a long weekend wouldn’t be applicable?
The Hino was cool. Just couldn't pull the trigger. If I am going to pay that much to do a build out. My mechanic still bought it. And then not have exactly what I want. Ain't got time for that... I can go to the Dealer. Buy a used Toy hauler and a Van combo for just as much. Its a GMC van with Stabilitrac and a small V-8. Known commodity (110K on the odometer). Kitchen is awesome. I could make a proper pizza in it. 2 Full size beds, a proper Kitchen, and a proper Bathroom with a shower. Solar panels, batteries, and inverter would be a costly addition. Its in PA which always has its sketch...
Don’t know about copying the aged one and getting a GM van but yes, buy something already done!
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I hate the Rav4. Anything that can pull a trailer is better then it.
Both. The car portion is specialized too and made to interface with the brackets that bolt onto the trailer frame.
Of course the rental trailer might come with a hitch, but I'd be wary towing anything too large without at least a WD hitch. Given the shorter wheelbase of the LC I'd be concerned with the whole tail wagging the dog thing.
Huh, ok. It did fine towing a surge-brake equipped U-haul car carrier (with Nissan Leaf) on way out from Seattle to here. I had plenty of tongue weight—trailer forces the car to be full forward and there was cargo in the back of the LC as well.
What size travel trailers are you looking at? The big difference between a car hauler and travel trailer will be the increased surface area, especially in a cross wind.
I was thinking the Jayco X213 from this outfit:
https://www.coloradocamperrental.com/camper-info/denver-large-travel-trailer-rentals/
I’d really like a king bed and again I have three kids.
With the Land Cruiser? I wouldn't pull that with my 3/4 Silverado. This is why I bought Frita instead of a diesel SIlverado. Anything over 18' would be a stretch for old Amber. Maybe it will work, but I wouldn't feel comfortable.
There is a neighbor who pulls something similar with his newish 1/2 ton 2wd Dodge.
Thats 4300 with out gear, water and propane figure on over 5000 pounds loaded, The LC may pull it and it may stop it in dry conditions in a straight line. Panic stop, curves, steep hills, rain and you are asking for trouble unless you drive very slowly. Short Wheelbase vehicles and trailer twice their length and = or greater to the tow vehicle weight are not a good mix
My Tacoma was rated to tow 6,500 lbs too. Our old 20' travel trailer was 3,200 lbs dry and my God did it struggle to tow it through the mountains. We are talking 25 mph in the right lane up to the Eisenhower and I literally had smoke pouring out of the brakes coming down Wolf Creek pass.
While I'm sure you could tow 6,500 lbs with the LC, I wouldn't want to. Throw in wind, grade, and elevation, and you are going to have a nerve wracking experience.
There is a reason you went with a Mexican-built pickup after the Taco, yes… it's also telling that only particular trims of the Tacoma had a 6,500 lb rating whereas it was 3,500 lbs by default.
The counterargument would be that the tow ratings are the same (and the Tacoma has a longer wheelbase) but the Land Cruiser has a solid 1,300 lbs in curb weight on the Tacoma and thus correspondingly beefier running gear.
All this would be next summer and later anyway. For now I'm just getting the Prodigy installed and window shopping at the various and sundry rental places. We could always start small with the rental travel trailers (~3,500 lb unladen) and then try bigger and/or Class C or A rentals as well if that goes well and both the wife and kids approve of the experience.
I reached out to the company I’d start with and they will rent a Fastway e2 for $25 flat fee with each rental in the Large Travel Trailer category. (They come standard with the Luxury category but those all seem far too big.)
https://www.coloradocamperrental.com/camper-info/denver-large-travel-trailer-rentals/
That gives me more peace of mind.
All next summer in any case as any sort of camping with the 6 month old doesn’t sound too pleasant.
https://www.coloradocamperrental.com/camper-info/denver-large-travel-trailer-rentals/
That gives me more peace of mind.
All next summer in any case as any sort of camping with the 6 month old doesn’t sound too pleasant.
Behind the tag is a link to the gif of the Class A that lost its brakes heading down to the ferry. Went full Dukes of Hazzard on the loading ramp, cleared it to the ferry pulling away, and collapsed promptly on landing, killing the hapless driver.
Not sure much else would have done better but sure does show you how much structural integrity those boxes have.
First far-off plans congealing a bit:
Thinking second week of June 2020. Destination would be Santa Fe, NM, visiting friends living out there. That's a 6 hour drive. (I am cleared for an Angelfire day while down there, for the record.)
We'd split it into two 3 hour drives and camp in between--thinking Trinidad as there seems to be a nice state park by a lake there. As it's a fair bit of mileage we thought it'd be a good chance to rent a Class A or C RV instead of a travel trailer–might spoil ourselves from the get-go but will provide good context for future rentals.
After perusing a ton of floorplans of available rentals we like this one:
https://bb-rv.com/product/31-class-a-w-1-slide/
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/windsport/floor-plans/29m/
Recall that we have 3 young kids, plus us 2. The youngest would likely be in a floor bed so we wouldn't have to convert the dinette every time. The power drop down bed over the cab on the Class A Windsport 29M seems less daunting for the then-8 year old eldest kid than the over-cab bed on, say, this Class C Chateau 30D:
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/chateau/floor-plans/30d/
Thinking second week of June 2020. Destination would be Santa Fe, NM, visiting friends living out there. That's a 6 hour drive. (I am cleared for an Angelfire day while down there, for the record.)
We'd split it into two 3 hour drives and camp in between--thinking Trinidad as there seems to be a nice state park by a lake there. As it's a fair bit of mileage we thought it'd be a good chance to rent a Class A or C RV instead of a travel trailer–might spoil ourselves from the get-go but will provide good context for future rentals.
After perusing a ton of floorplans of available rentals we like this one:
https://bb-rv.com/product/31-class-a-w-1-slide/
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/windsport/floor-plans/29m/
Recall that we have 3 young kids, plus us 2. The youngest would likely be in a floor bed so we wouldn't have to convert the dinette every time. The power drop down bed over the cab on the Class A Windsport 29M seems less daunting for the then-8 year old eldest kid than the over-cab bed on, say, this Class C Chateau 30D:
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/chateau/floor-plans/30d/
Maybe this isn't such a good idea, besides the logistical concerns of where one would put a Class A in Santa Fe while still having mobility with kids in car seats to get to see my friends, etc. Hmm.
what in the what are those hotel prices?Maybe this isn't such a good idea, besides the logistical concerns of where one would put a Class A in Santa Fe while still having mobility with kids in car seats to get to see my friends, etc. Hmm.
So the goal is to take her out weekend after next to a spot on the river about an hour away. I just need to redo the lights and wiring and hope for the best.
You appear to have made considerable changes since you last posted a picture of your renovation.
I leave on monday for a 20 day camping trip. Lots of getting ready. Ive also upgraded my setup and so that lots of testing and unboxing of shit and figuring out a new hitch. Put a little lift kit on the camper and just bringing the camper home from where i store it was much better. The thing was just so low before. Also picked up a generator so we can have air conditioning as we camp are way through nevada. Had to get a campershell and rack for the new truck.
We are going to sun valley Idaho and then on to Bend oregon. In bend we are gunna be up by mt bachelor and the lakes. Plan to do a lot of biking and canoeing. Have to visit family in both places, but both family mountain bikes!!! Life really couldn't be better
We are going to sun valley Idaho and then on to Bend oregon. In bend we are gunna be up by mt bachelor and the lakes. Plan to do a lot of biking and canoeing. Have to visit family in both places, but both family mountain bikes!!! Life really couldn't be better
That hurts my eyes and brain.
Took the Cat with us this time. Camping is not Her thing. The kids named her Tweakel Tweakomoly and Hissy Von Hissington. Dealing with the dogs on her turf is a different thing. She does not like when the dogs eat her shit out of her litter box. Goes fucking Nuts... Why do dogs do that? She will steal a Hotdog and eat it. However if you feed her a hotdog she will turn her nose up and walk away. Unless the Dogs want it...
I just don't have Eleventy Billion dollars for a Camper.