Travel trailer buying advice???

[westcliffe01]

Cougar

Keystone has all the desirable features I mentioned and a price tag to match... Aluminum framing, fiberglass siding, front and rear panel with aerodynamic features, high degree of roof curvature. Hope you have a nice big barn to store it in during the winter...

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Cougar

Keystone has all the desirable features I mentioned and a price tag to match... Aluminum framing, fiberglass siding, front and rear panel with aerodynamic features, high degree of roof curvature. Hope you have a nice big barn to store it in during the winter...

I have a friend who has a rather large warehouse that I can store it in until I build a larger barn.

I started thinking of the Keystone we looked at after reading all the replies on here.

 

[dmccarty]

I would love to get the Hensley hitch but unless I find a used unit I'm not sure I can justify the price. They look great but I feel their overpriced. So I'm looking at other options like the blue ox and am researching my options.

It has been many years since I was looking at trailers and hitches. I just did the math and it is over 12 years! WOW, does time fly! :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing: There is a competing hitch to the Hesley, I could not remember the name so I searched and found this thread, http://www.thedieselpageforums.com/tdpforum/showthread.php?t=15359.

The competing hitch is Pullrite.

What was interesting in the link was the conversations about using a Hensley with a down shifting auto tranny. Apparently the down shifting tranny can cause the trailer to sway out to the side.

Later,
Dan

 

[LA Confederate]

This is the weight distributing hitch I use.

http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2/

It works really good and is easy to set-up and take down.

 

[jwstewar]

ProPride is a new hitch that is designed by Jim Hensley himself. I've not bought one, but would love to have one. I know a few folks that have them and they love them. They are also a bit cheaper than the Hensley. Sean that owns ProPride has a forum where you can ask any questions about the hitch itself at My RV Talk or any other RV question for that matter. A "smaller" site, but a lot of great guys that I've know over the years and actually camped with several of them.

 

[bullbreaker]

Map of Free Camping Locations

More 2 think about.

Boone

 

[caver]

What type of camping will you be doing?
Full service resort type RV park? Smaller mom and pop rv park? State park with partial hookups? Forest Service CG with a pit toilet and a picnic table? Boondocking on Gov land out west?
Like others said, there are some bargains out there in the used and unsold last years model. There are online discount rv retailers but recently I found dealers closer than them who offered prices a little lower. Also, looking at used can show potential problems in case you are considering that brand. Like tractors, having a solid local dealer can really help when you have warranty problems....and you will. Back around Christmas I traded up to a slightly larger TT. It was a new camper they had sitting on their lot for about 10 months. I've had three warranty issues. It would have been four but I fixed one myself. One of those repairs was a failed electric awning motor that would have cost me $200+ out of warranty.

 

[mbohuntr]

For us, Beds and slid-outs were a must. We have a 20' keystone passport ultralight. I am 6', and the Dutchman we traded was impossible to sleep in, even diagonally. Get the queen or king bed option, because if you can't sleep, nothing else matters. A slide-out offers extra room on those rainy days when you are stuck inside.
We dry camp. (No electricity). I put two batteries in parallel for twice the battery life, and have a portable charger and small generator to power it if we need to recharge. We also bought LED replacement lights as they use 1/10 of the current as regular incandescent ones.

 

[MacLawn]

Welcome to a heap of fun, Robert! We're on our third travel trailer, a smaller 25' AeroLite made by Airstream. It only weighs 3,200 lbs empty, but just two of us and me hound. A bit tight from our last one, but works for us. I'd second the opinion to try to find used one. I was going to suggest a used Airstream, but I don't think they come with slide outs. My dream is an Airstream! Probably won't happen, but fun to dream. Let us know what you get.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

What type of camping will you be doing?
Full service resort type RV park? Smaller mom and pop rv park? State park with partial hookups? Forest Service CG with a pit toilet and a picnic table? Boondocking on Gov land out west?
Like others said, there are some bargains out there in the used and unsold last years model. There are online discount rv retailers but recently I found dealers closer than them who offered prices a little lower. Also, looking at used can show potential problems in case you are considering that brand. Like tractors, having a solid local dealer can really help when you have warranty problems....and you will. Back around Christmas I traded up to a slightly larger TT. It was a new camper they had sitting on their lot for about 10 months. I've had three warranty issues. It would have been four but I fixed one myself. One of those repairs was a failed electric awning motor that would have cost me $200+ out of warranty.

We plan to do all types of camping. Even would like to camp in different areas of the country and meet up with other TBN members. Go check out Eddie's projects and meet other Texas members. There are different events here as well I would use the camper for. Darien lake theme park has a camp ground which would be great for their concerts as well as a weekend for the kids at the park there. There are a lot of opportunities for using it. Hunting trips, visiting family and even just getting away from the house for a day.