Help! Need bigfoot size advice today!

[camping_mama]

Originally Posted by FTTRV

Your answer buy a Bigfoot 21 Rear Bed. You will have more floor space. The 21 front bed does not have any floor space.
Chuck

Too late. I think the FB will work out swell for us. RB would have been preferred but FB was available and close and . . . done!

[MC1]

Originally Posted by camping_mama

Not planning on using the Sienna for towing unless I end up with a much smaller lighter trailer, any maybe not even then (just because I want to keep it nice as my everyday vehicle not my "camping truck").

If Tundras are gas hogs, I imagine most similarly sized vehicles are also bad in that regard. The long wheel base vehicles with a 6,000 or more tow rating seem to all be gas hogs, sadly.

A good point about being gas hogs.

On the other hand the Sienna's have proven to be great tow vehicles. If set up optimally and towing at the 3,500 recommendation it will have lots of reserve capacity for climbing mountain passes or traveling in the hot weather.

Also... we found that towing a heavier dual axle trailer towed and handled better than the smaller lightweights. It all depends on what TV you are using and how it is set up. Lots of details to consider.

Good luck with your TV search.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by camping_mama

oh, Carol, I dunno. Still feels brave/fool-hearty to me to be doing this at all! We don't even have a tow vehicle yet! My friend is towing it home for me. LOL!!

My husband thinks I'm nuts.

He will get over it after you get out on your first camping trip as a family!

The fact you don't have a tow vehicle yet is actually seen by some of us as a good thing. Now you just need to do your homework and pick a vehicle that can handle the trailer well - may be way easier than trying to make a vehicle you already own work with the trailer.

There is a Bigfoot owners forum you may want to join and get some advise from those who pull the same trailer.

[FTTRV]

Originally Posted by camping_mama

Too late. I think the FB will work out swell for us. RB would have been preferred but FB was available and close and . . . done!

To safely tow a Bigfoot 21FB you will need a better tow vehicle. Go visit the Bigfoot Owners Club International website. Read about the person who had a bad accident with a Bigfoot 21FB and towed with a older Toyota Tundra. You really need a 1/2 ton pickup or 1/2 ton SUV. The reason for me telling you this is Front Bed models were light on the tongue. The factory at the time had a fix of a 500# weight.
Chuck

[camping_mama]

thanks:

Since it may have gotten lost in the earlier posts:
I am NOT, repeat NOT, planning to tow with my Sienna. I do own a Sienna, but I am not towing the Bigfoot with it.

The Bigfoot has had the recall work done. A steel beam bolted and welded to the front of the trailer axle. The recall required an extra 275 lbs on the tongue weight. That work has been done, so I am towing an extra 275 on top of the listed GVW on the trailer, but obviously necessary with the recall.

Yes, I did see that picture. Scary indeed!! Since they didn't know about the reall before hand, I am assuming they did not have the recall work done. The previous owner of my trailer pulled the trailer from Oregon down to mexico and around to Utah with a V8 Grand Cherokee over five months and experienced no sway, so I am feeling comforted.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by camping_mama

Too late. I think the FB will work out swell for us. RB would have been preferred but FB was available and close and . . . done!

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Let's see, you bought the cart but don't yet have a team of horses with which to pull.

I think I will side with the Hubby..... LOL.....

BTW: How are you going to get it home, did the seller include delivery?

[camping_mama]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

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Let's see, you bought the cart but don't yet have a team of horses with which to pull.

I think I will side with the Hubby..... LOL.....

BTW: How are you going to get it home, did the seller include delivery?

Lots of friends and family with big trucks. We do live in Utah after all!!

We are borrowing a truck to bring it home, and then the hubby gets to go truck shopping.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by camping_mama

Lots of friends and family with big trucks. We do live in Utah after all!!

We are borrowing a truck to bring it home, and then the hubby gets to go truck shopping.

Oh boy, I smell diesel fumes!

[FTTRV]

I owned a 2005 Bigfoot 21FB pulled it with a 2002 Ford F250. Later because of gas prices bought a 2005 Toyota Tundra with a V8-4.7 pulled a 1988 Bigfoot 5th wheel a TW20. Later sold the 5th wheel. Then bought another 2007 Bigfoot 21RB the truck towed it ok. Then bought a 2007 big Tundra 5.7 V8 and a 16ft Scamp to use while we had a Escape 19 built. Used the Escape for 46 nights and sold it. Later bought a 2001 Bigfoot 21RB which we still have and have used it 65 nights.

[Carol H]

What I find interesting about the Bigfoot recall is that they actually did a recall at all.

Common sense says that someone who is towing a trailer should always be aware and know what the actual weight of their trailer and tongue is. Heck there have been more than a couple of serious incidents in my time here which were the result of someone running with far to light of a tongue weight on a fiberglass trailer brand that was not a Bigfoot.

The fact Bigfoot took the step to recall the trailers and weld a steel beam under the trailer to add weight to it rather than suggest to the owners that they use their heads, weigh their trailers and stow gear up under the front bed actually says a lot about the company. Apparently they felt more than a few of there customers could not be trusted to do that.

[Don Dunsmore]

CM....I have the Bigfoot 17.5G.....bought new in '06. Just room for the 2 of us and 2 Retrievers. Wouldn't want 2 kids in there. We tow with a 2006 Tundra....last year they made the 4.7L. Great truck and tows the Bigfoot like a dream. Got an Equalizer hitch on it. I don't worry about the gas milage...you're not going to get great milage no matter what big truck you use to pull a box down the highway. Just realize it's going to cost you and then go. The Tundra should be fine for the 21ft Bigfoot....Probably struggle a bit and gas milage will suffer.

[Bob Miller]

But wasn't "The Company" the old Bigfoot???
I guess good customer service wasn't enough to pay the bills.

But what happened there is what often happens when a company strays from what made it a success in the first place.....

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

But wasn't "The Company" the old Bigfoot???
I guess good customer service wasn't enough to pay the bills.

But what happened there is what often happens when a company strays from what made it a success in the first place.....

Yes the original "The Company" but the reality is there really is not much different from the new and old company. They have many of the original staff and managers - actually the new owners are former staff and they are running it out of the same faculty. For legal reasons which often happens when companies are sold they have had to change the formal registered name slightly and they did not take on the old companies liabilities etc.

Nope good customer service couldn't save them from the bad decision to get into building large Class A motorhomes in mass numbers while a recession was heading into the US. Back at producing what was their core biz for years truck campers and small trailers.

[camping_mama]

The man I talked to at length at Bigfoot today (yesterday? I am losing my track of time) was at the old Bigfoot and was part of the team working during the recall, and is also at the new Bigfoot. He was great and very helpful with a nervous newbie / worried mother hen. I am feeling secure that the weight is fine (though I willl have it weighed anyway so I don't think about it anymore).

It is a heavy trailer for sure though. We towed it home with my friend's 2011 v6 Tacoma and it pulled it up the steep hill by our house but it was clear it would be easier with a bigger truck.

My husband is looking for a big Tundra V8 now.

So much for my vision that originally got me into this whole fiberglass world: a small egg pulled blithely along behind my Sienna.

[Donna D.]

Yea, the term "light weight" gets blurred some times when talking about all molded towables. The HUGE difference (IMHO) between THESE trailers and stick builts is longevity, maintenance and resell value. You make your choices and decisions. Mine will not be yours...

Best of luck

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by camping_mama

It is a heavy trailer for sure though. We towed it home with my friend's 2011 v6 Tacoma and it pulled it up the steep hill by our house but it was clear it would be easier with a bigger truck.

Just make sure you weigh it once you have all your stuff in it - including clothing, food and beverages ;-)

Yup the little Toco would definitely be out of its element pulling it - the good news is it was empty. A good rule of thumb is to add another 600lbs or so to the empty weight to come up with a more realistic weight with all your stuff in it.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by camping_mama

So much for my vision that originally got me into this whole fiberglass world: a small egg pulled blithely along behind my Sienna. My husband is looking for a big Tundra V8 now.

For sure visions change as the process unfolds.

We were in the same boat about 15 years ago. Had the Mini Van and looked at many Bolers, Big Foots, etc. Then we checked out a few Airstreams and found a 23' we had to have. As it turned out the Mini Van towed the 23' fine for many years and we had a lot of extra space, full bath room, etc.
If you go with the Tundra as a tow vehicle you have the advantage of being able use the bed for hauling wood, gravel, soil etc. The Mini Vans don't do that well.

Good luck with the journey. Sounds like its well on it's way to coming together.

[jck]

You will be happy with the 2007-2014 Tundra. I towed my 21FB with a 2006 Tundra before buying a 2012. There is a substantial difference. The new Tundra is perfect. I've climbed and descended several paved and dirt passes in Colorado that range from 11,000 to 12,000 feet. Plenty of power and no problem with braking. I also travel to Western Kansas frequently and haven't had a problem with cross winds. I do use an equalizer hitch and moved to load range E tires. You won't be disappointed with the Bigfoot 21FB.

[camping_mama]

Thanks everyone for your information, encouragement and support. We had our first fun moments with it as a family last night (sitting in it while it is parked in front of our house in the rain) coming up with possible names. Some of the suggestions: Pinkie Tow, Pinkie Princess (my 4 and 7 year old girls' ideas), Dirty Hairy (my husband's), Dolly (mine, since she is heavy in the front )

I'll post pictures soon.

[Carol H]

Yes Pictures please! We love pictures!

Actually camping for a day in the trailer in the driveway is a great way to figure out how everything works and what you need to buy and not buy before your first actual outing.

Plug in the power, hook up the water, fill up and drain the various tanks etc. Try running various items with or without power hook ups. Can't tell you how many times I have pulled into a dump station or a campground and had someone come up to me who is on their first trip with a new to them fiberglass trailer and ask for help as they are frustrated with trying to figure out how something works or why something doesnt work when without power ... not knowing how things work before heading out on the first real camping trip appears to be a great way to create frustration and start a family battle.