Sandcastle purchase?

[Denise J]

I am about to purchase, based on a picture, a 1997 Sandcastle travel trailer (not 5th wheel) made by R-Vision. I can't find anything about it at the R-Vision site, and even in the NADA blue book I can only find the brand in a 96 model in a travel trailer not a 5th wheel. It is supose to be a fiberglass body. The owner thinks this makes it heaver than the normal TT (travel trailer), but is seems the fiberglass models you folks have are lighter than normal. Are there different fiberglass types that would make this one heaver than yours? I have a 4X4 crew cab 2005, Chevy 1500 not HD. Will this be stong enough to pull it? I dont have a weight distribution bar, and dont know which size to purchase, since I cant find out the tongue weight (all of the paperwork is in the trailer). We are traveling about 2 hours, to pick up the trailer tomorrow 4-25 and pull it back. Are we making a big mistake not having some kind of weight distribution hitch when we pick it up? I hate to purchase a 1000 lb hitch and find out it needs a 1400 lb hitch. On the other hand I hate to spend the extra money for the larger hitch if I dont need it.

[Martin D]

Denise, why are you purchasing something you know nothing about. It is no mistake to be un-informed about RV's or anything else but you might want to educate yourself before handing over your money. I cannot give you any advice about the unit you are contemplating but if it was manufactured by R Vision it probably is nothing remotely like a molded fiberglass trailer. I owned a Trail-Lite by R Vision and is was your typical screwed together box rv that depreciates faster than a sled going down a slippery slop. Purchase and make quality as your first priority and it will be there long after you have forgotten about the money you spent. Martin

[Suz]

The reason ours are lighter is the way they are made. You are looking at a trailer that is manufactured like a typical travel trailer. Ours are made more like boats. They have no framing in the body as they are molded fiberglass.

Since you live in Dallas, a quick trip to the Casita Factory just above Corsicana in Rice, will probably explain it better than any of us can.

[Chester Taje]

Denise, why are you purchasing something you know nothing about. It is no mistake to be un-informed about RV's or anything else but you might want to educate yourself before handing over your money. I cannot give you any advice about the unit you are contemplating but if it was manufactured by R Vision it probably is nothing remotely like a molded fiberglass trailer. I owned a Trail-Lite by R Vision and is was your typical screwed together box rv that depreciates faster than a sled going down a slippery slop. Purchase and make quality as your first priority and it will be there long after you have forgotten about the money you spent. Martin

I agree .

[Suz]

Although a few of our members do or have pulled larger trailers, generally, I'm really afraid we don't have the information you need since our trailers are so much smaller. You'd probably do better at a forum like Good Sams.

Good luck!

[Suz]

Denise, you also make no mention of the length and/or the weight of this trailer. You will need to know all of this before you will know how to set your truck up.

[Suz]

Oh, my, Denise. I think you better look into this a little further. A quick google gave me this information on the 1997 Sandcastle when it was apparently new.


midrange Sandcastle (27- to 35-foot, $22,000-$29,000) travel trailers

If your trailer is THIS big, you're gonna need a WDH and you better get some info pretty quick.

If this trailer weighs as much as I think it might, your 1500 might not be enough. Depends on the engine, transmission, etc.

[Denise J]

Denise, you also make no mention of the length and/or the weight of this trailer. You will need to know all of this before you will know how to set your truck up.

It is 27 ft. I saw the info you refered to about the original cost. But that seemed to apply to the 5th wheel trailer. The NADA says the weight of the 96 trailer, which I would assume would be the same in the 97 is 7,640 but I dont know if that is refering to the tongue weight or not. The money wont change hands until we have actually brought it back to town. That is a favor we are doing for our friend who owns the trailer.

[Suz]

Denise - Is this the trailer you just purchased?

This one is listed as sold in Murphy, TX Here.

If it is, it's a lot of trailer and I fear is it WAY to much over your truck's capacity. You will not be able to tow it home without a WDH. Before you buy one, fine out what your truck's tow capacity is.

[Denise J]

The reason ours are lighter is the way they are made. You are looking at a trailer that is manufactured like a typical travel trailer. Ours are made more like boats. They have no framing in the body as they are molded fiberglass.

Since you live in Dallas, a quick trip to the Casita Factory just above Corsicana in Rice, will probably explain it better than any of us can.

Thank you for the feedback. Now I understand the difference. I believe this trailer has metal supports with fiberglass exterior. But not the same type of construction as the molded. But wouldnt it still provide the same R value as the molded trailers and be lighter than a traditional metal trailer?

[Suz]

Denise, check your owner's manual for the truck. I think this is too much trailer for your truck. This looks and sounds like it would take at least a 2500. It could exceed your tow limits by up to 2,000 lbs.

Regardless, you will need a big hitch for this one, but find out about your truck before you spend the money.

I'm thinking these two aren't a match.

[Denise J]

Denise - Is this the trailer you just purchased?

This one is listed as sold in Murphy, TX Here.

If it is, it's a lot of trailer and I fear is it WAY to much over your truck's capacity. You will not be able to tow it home without a WDH. Before you buy one, fine out what your truck's tow capacity is.

I looked up the tow capacity for the truck and it is 14,000 lbs. I did not purchase the one in Murphy, however that is the picture I am going on since I can not find any other pictures or discriptions anywhere else. We are bringing it back from Thurber to Dallas for the friend who ownes it and then we will decide whether to buy it. But I am concerned it may be dificult to manuver home with out a WDH. The owner has been hauling it with a 1 ton and no WDH but he sold his truck before he moved the trailer.

[Suz]

14,000 lbs for a 1500 that's not an HD and is a four wheel drive?



Okay, but I still wouldn't do it without a WDH, but that's just me.

Please, be very safe, stay off the freeways and keep your speed DOWN.

[Denise J]

14,000 lbs for a 1500 that's not an HD and is a four wheel drive?



Okay, but I still wouldn't do it without a WDH, but that's just me.

Please, be very safe, stay off the freeways and keep your speed DOWN.

I got my info from the Trailer life, towing guide. It only refers to 1500 Crew Cab and a 5.3L V-8. It makes no special differences for 4 wheel drive. We also have a 1995 GMC 3/4 ton standard that we have pulled an old 78, 21 ft Shasta behind in the past. At the moment it is running well and we may use that to bring it back and then if we decide to purchase the trailer we will definatly get a WDH. We had one for the old Shasta and wouldnt have pulled it the places we went without it. We do plan to drive 55 or under considering the lack of the WDH.

[Mike-B]

1500 crew cab 5.3L 7500 tow capcity---Says chevy.

[Denise J]

1500 crew cab 5.3L 7500 tow capcity---Says chevy.

You are correct 7,500 tow and 14,000 GCWR(whatever that means)
My husband (MR. Throw it away) threw away my top sheet with the column names.

[Bigfoot Mike]

You are correct 7,500 tow and 14,000 GCWR(whatever that means)
My husband (MR. Throw it away) threw away my top sheet with the column names.

[b]GVWR

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating = Truck, trailer, cargo, and passengers. [b]Everything.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Payload capacity plus trailer weight; or gross axle weight rating plus a realistic hitch weight. Also Suspiciously high GVWR and capacity claims generally require either a reduced speed or an excessive and possibly unsafe hitch weight.

[b]Tow Capacity = Maximum Loaded trailer weight; Trailer, food, Black-water, gray-water, fresh water, clothes, chairs, batteries, generator, everything. The rule of thumb is to stay 15% below the maximum, for safety sake.

Insurance is usually voided if you exceed the maximum.

Be safe.

[Denise J]

[b]GVWR

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating = Truck, trailer, cargo, and passengers. [b]Everything.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Payload capacity plus trailer weight; or gross axle weight rating plus a realistic hitch weight. Also Suspiciously high GVWR and capacity claims generally require either a reduced speed or an excessive and possibly unsafe hitch weight.

[b]Tow Capacity = Maximum Loaded trailer weight; Trailer, food, Black-water, gray-water, fresh water, clothes, chairs, batteries, generator, everything. The rule of thumb is to stay 15% below the maximum, for safety sake.

Insurance is usually voided if you exceed the maximum.

Be safe.

I pulled my window sticker from my truck to see what it said.
It says I have HD trailering equipment (I havent researched what that means yet)
And a rear axle of 4.10 ratio. I know that is an upgrade from the standard equipment. Isnt that suppose to let you pull a bigger load? It also says that the GVW rating is 7000 lbs. So I guess that means I can load the truck bed and passengers to 7000lbs plus 7000lbs trailer =14,000. With the NADA saying the trailer weight is 7640lbs (doesnt say GVW but could be) If I loaded my truck up to the 7000lb capacity and the trailer to its capacity I would be over the 14,000 limit by 640 lbs. Correct? Would a WDH compensate for that weight difference, and allow me to pull the trailer safely?

[Bigfoot Mike]

NO!

All a WDH (Weight Distributing Hitch) does is spread part of the load of the hitch to the front axle so the truck won’t be sagging in the back. It does not give you more GVWR load capacity.

You are looking at Maximums and thinking you can load to that, wrong. 15% less is considered safe. You will not check the weight everytime you add something to you truck or trailer. It all adds up, more then people think.

[Denise J]

NO!

All a WDH (Weight Distributing Hitch) does is spread part of the load of the hitch to the front axle so the truck won’t be sagging in the back. It does not give you more GVWR load capacity.

You are looking at Maximums and thinking you can load to that, wrong. 15% less is considered safe. You will not check the weight everytime you add something to you truck or trailer. It all adds up, more then people think.

So, If the trailer(lets assume it is 7640 lbs GVW) weight is distributed accross the span of the truck, and we go with the 15%(-2100) reduction, the truck weight loaded can not be more than 4260 lbs. =14,000. We would need to make sure we dont carry too much in the truck. Correct?