The adventure begins!

[tjhva]

Originally Posted by Jared J

Who says there's too much weight on the tongue? There's no way that thing has more tongue weight than that pickup is rated for.

Define "squatting" when hooked up. Also, drive the thing first. If it's nice and solid heading down the road, there's no need for a WDH.

My car trailer loaded up will squat the pickup 4" or so, drives like a dream. You'll never convince me to put a WDH on it.

If your headlights are in the sky, and you can saw the wheel back and forth without the car turning...then you might need one (although then I say you need a bigger tow rig).

Choosing to use a WDH dones't have anything to do with the rating of your trucks tongue capacity? I'm not suggesting they are mutually exclusive, meaning you wouldn't pull a trailer that has a tongue rating above your vehicle, but the need for a WDH is determined by total trailer weight to the wet tongue weight, right?

But you're right, I need to get the wet tongue weight first.

[tjhva]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

I'd take their opinions seriously in this department- they build the trailer and know its limitations. I think many folks don't understand how much stress a w/d hitch puts on the trailer frame, and if a manufacturer strongly urged me not to use one, I wouldn't.

And, frankly, if the truck in that pic is your tow vehicle, I can't see why on earth you think you need a w/d hitch. Surely the Casita's tongue weight is well under the limit for that truck!

Francesca

I'm with you! And I'm not expert I'm just good at reading up on topics. Like most of ya'll!

But they aren't doing everything perfect. Corners are being cut for the sake of profits, so everything has to be taken with a grain of salt. If it was my company, and I was building brand new trailers to sell with LED lightning, I would make sure there was a voltage regulator in the circuit for the lighting. But they will tell you all day at the factory it doesn't matter. Maybe that small example is a decent analogy for their position on the WDH?

[Jared J]

Well, tongue weight should be at least 10% of trailer weight (personally, I prefer closer to 15). I can't see that having more than 4-500 pounds of tongue weight, and I wouldn't think twice about that with that pickup, myself.

Would you worry about how it would drive with 3 sitting on the tailgate?

[tjhva]

Originally Posted by Jared J

Well, tongue weight should be at least 10% of trailer weight (personally, I prefer closer to 15). I can't see that having more than 4-500 pounds of tongue weight, and I wouldn't think twice about that with that pickup, myself.

Would you worry about how it would drive with 3 sitting on the tailgate?

I hope we're talking about 3 dogs on the tail gate! That would be fantastic.


I did drive 75,000 miles last year and this year I'm planning on doing the same across 48 states. Just concerned and want to make sure I have the rig setup as well as I can

[Jared J]

I can understand that. I think you'll find it tows great as is, once you hit the road, though. A level trailer and proper tongue weight goes a long way.

[David Tilston]

I am starting to think that air bags on the suspension is a good idea for any vehicle that tows a trailer.

[David B.]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

I am starting to think that air bags on the suspension is a good idea for any vehicle that tows a trailer.

You might get by with load leveling air shocks in place of air bags (easier to install).

[Jared J]

They make a poor shock, poor suspension part, and you risk ripping your shock mounts off. They were never designed to take that. I would never use them, IMHO.

[tjhva]

Sounds like I need to look into adding a leaf to my Old Man Emu suspension

[Jared J]

That's what I had in my nissan, too.

[Alf S.]

Hi:tjhva... Hope you enjoy your new trailer. I know a lot of Escapes business comes from Casita owners. There's always someone who can make a product to sell for less and those who shop on price alone are their lawful prey.
You did buy fiberglass tho!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Raz]

A couple of thoughts...

- I missed your tow vehicle but the truck in the picture looks like a second gen. TRD Tacoma. A while back I researched the Tacoma. There were comments about soft springs on some models and spring issues in general. Folks liked the TRD for it's "better" suspension. A extra leaf spring as I recall.

- one of the first experiences I had with molded fiberglass trailers was when I met two couples with exactly the same set ups. Both had Casita 17' towed with Tacoma pick ups. Both had weight distribution hitches.

Perhaps some behind the wheel experience before leaving the area would be useful. Take care, Raz

[tjhva]

Originally Posted by Alf S.

Hi:tjhva... Hope you enjoy your new trailer. I know a lot of Escapes business comes from Casita owners. There's always someone who can make a product to sell for less and those who shop on price alone are their lawful prey.
You did buy fiberglass tho!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

There is a long thread on this forum where I wrote about getting an Escape. But obviously I'm getting a Casita! The reason why is because this brand new 2012 17" SD Casita is $5000 less than the Escape. That is a out the door price that, but also doesn't consider import tax and delivery costs from Escape. So it would be even higher. This is also my first trailer.

With that said, I'm totally grateful for the trailer. It's going to be amazing! I slept in the back for my truck this past year! There were a few things that bug me about Casita, mostly because I know they are profitable. They sold 700 trailers in 2012. One is that they sell the awning but don't fix the gap between the trailer and the awning at the factory. The second is they aren't addressing the LED voltage issue. 2 small details any passionate owner could fix, but why not put the best product out the door? Even at the expense of a little bit of revenue.

It's a big conversation, maybe one we can have in person one day, but I will say on the record....any privately held company that make millions each year should give every single one of it's employee's one of it's products after 10 years of service. Think of how connected their employees would be to the product they create.

[tjhva]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

A couple of thoughts...

- I missed your tow vehicle but the truck in the picture looks like a second gen. TRD Tacoma. A while back I researched the Tacoma. There were comments about soft springs on some models and spring issues in general. Folks liked the TRD for it's "better" suspension. A extra leaf spring as I recall.

- one of the first experiences I had with molded fiberglass trailers was when I met two couples with exactly the same set ups. Both had Casita 17' towed with Tacoma pick ups. Both had weight distribution hitches.

Perhaps some behind the wheel experience before leaving the area would be useful. Take care, Raz

My Tacoma doesn't have the stock suspension anymore. It has a setup from Old Man Emu, which is noted as the best suspension in the world. So they say

I have their medium duty setup, if I could have seen into the future I would have gotten the heavy duty setup. The differences is a leaf spring in the back. Sounds like its about $250 to add them.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by tjhva

My Tacoma doesn't have the stock suspension anymore. It has a setup from Old Man Emu, which is noted as the best suspension in the world. So they say

I have their medium duty setup, if I could have seen into the future I would have gotten the heavy duty setup. The differences is a leaf spring in the back. Sounds like its about $250 to add them.

Other than routine maintenance and the occasional fix I don't work on vehicles any more so Old Man Emu was a bit of a head scratcher but I looked it up. Gotta love the Internet . I'm sure lots of folks are following your adventure so keep the updates coming. Raz

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by tjhva

I'm with you! And I'm not expert I'm just good at reading up on topics. Like most of ya'll!

This is all too true for most of us, and though this reading and learning has improved all our knowledge levels a whole bunch, it can also get us way too worried about things that get over analyzed. I am guilty of this myself, often researching something to death, when I would likely have been happy with just walking into a store and getting what they recommend.

MHO on the WDH is that one is not needed in your case, and I would not have even considered it. You have plenty truck there for a light trailer. Maybe add that leaf, but that would be it. Definitely give it a go and see how it works before making any decision.

I am totally lost with the LED light issue. I think I missed something there. I just checked the LED lights I have, and they are rated for used from 9-18V, well within the voltage of my DC system. What is the concern here? Just curious is all.

Bottom line, it sounds like you are excited to get going with your trailer, and that is a great thing. You sound like a good candidate for having fun.

[Thomas G.]

The heat generated by an LED device strongly depends upon the input voltage to the device. If an LED circuit is designed to handle the heat load and operate only in a 12.8-volt environment, it will not operate well in a 14.7-volt environment. It will deteriorate and die much sooner. It's lifetime will be only a few thousand hours, rather than 100,000 hours. And if the over-voltage ranges up to 18 or 24 volts, the LED device may die immediately.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Beware-the...age&id=4952010

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Jared J

I can't see that having more than 4-500 pounds of tongue weight,

First to admit that I dont know the different Casita models well enough to know what the OP has purchased but looking at thread Trailer Weights in the Real World there are some 17' Casita's on the list that weighed in with tongue weights of 630lbs and 730lbs so I wouldnt assume the OP's trailer is under 500lbs.

BTW - Nice looking trailer! Have fun and enjoy it! Was wondering why the 3 propane tanks are on the tongue in the photo - I am assuming one of them was just visiting the others for a short time.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Alf S.

Hi:tjhva... Hope you enjoy your new trailer. I know a lot of Escapes business comes from Casita owners. There's always someone who can make a product to sell for less and those who shop on price alone are their lawful prey.

Geez, Alf...

M-E-E-E-OW!

One might also point out that a lot of Casita's business comes from folks that prefer fiberglass over plywood interiors...that is, if one was rude enough to say any such thing at all to someone that just bought a brand new "other brand".

Francesca

[tjhva]

Tongue weight on my 17' SD was 360Lbs as I left the factory with empty propane tanks