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Old 07-19-2019, 05:45 AM   #21
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A white bed liner!!! 😱
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Old 07-19-2019, 07:16 AM   #22
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The day I picked up our trailer 2 1/2 years ago. Pulled it across a few mountain ranges back to Calgary mid January. It is working wonderfully for us.

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Old 07-19-2019, 11:30 AM   #23
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2012 Tacoma with the short (60") bed. While covered storage is lost with a bed mounted hitch, it's still possible to carry a fair amount of gear back there. My EU3000, Scepter fuel can and 73 qt cooler fit nicely side by side on a platform that extends from the cross bar forward. With this setup, I'm limited to about a 75* left turn (right is over 90*). Everything is secured with cable locks and ratchet straps. The genny is around fifteen years old and seems none the worse for wear with just the tyvek cover for protection.


Not shown in the photo but also travelling in the bed are the Coleman Kitchen, pipes for the flag pole and lantern tree, leveling block, dutch oven stand and whatever rocks Cindy collects on our travels to line the backyard Koi pond.
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Old 07-19-2019, 07:46 PM   #24
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2012 Tacoma with the short (60") bed. While covered storage is lost with a bed mounted hitch, it's still possible to carry a fair amount of gear back there. My EU3000, Scepter fuel can and 73 qt cooler fit nicely side by side on a platform that extends from the cross bar forward. With this setup, I'm limited to about a 75* left turn (right is over 90*). Everything is secured with cable locks and ratchet straps. The genny is around fifteen years old and seems none the worse for wear with just the tyvek cover for protection.


Not shown in the photo but also travelling in the bed are the Coleman Kitchen, pipes for the flag pole and lantern tree, leveling block, dutch oven stand and whatever rocks Cindy collects on our travels to line the backyard Koi pond.



The picture isn't showing but you are absolutely correct, you don't lose the storage, you lose secure and weather proof storage and there is a difference that will impact people differently depending on their travel style.



For me I love boondocking and I have a power requirement that is larger than most. So thinking about it, with room for likely 700watts of solar on the travel trailer roof at most I would need to mount another 700 on my truck. Additionally I have 300-400 pounds in batteries (until I move to liion), Outback Power GTFX2524 Inverter, Midnite Solar Classic 150, a 5cuft chest freezer, my tools as well as some other things that I would prefer not be in my living space but need secure storage and out of the elements.



I think the 5th would work but I certainly need to stay open to the bumper pull as they both have near equal positives and negatives for my style.
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Old 07-20-2019, 11:30 AM   #25
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Last thing, I have some health issues that also HEAVILY impact my decision making. I'm SUPER sensitive (think of it like allergic to) chemicals and scented products. As such even laundry is a struggle as I can't wash my stuff at a laundry mat and either need space for a small machine and spin dryer with me or I need enough clothing to not have to do it while I'm on the road.



It is very hard to find something chemical free (or sufficiently off-gassed) as well as an owner that hasn't used scented products inside for cleaning and so on.



I need to be very self reliant while out on the road as I can't really go to a hotel or fly home if I have an issue. I have always traveled with something that has a motor in the unit (motorhome styles) which leaves me less options if I have an issue since there's no redundancy.



Anyway, point being, I need a little more space to accommodate clothing and food storage (I typically bring a 5cuft freezer with me) as well as a solar set up to power things (last system was 1,400 watts with a 6,000 watt battery bank) so I need to work out the logistics on this all for sure.
🤔thinking the Escape is going to be way too small for your needs. When you start talking washer /dryer, freezer, 400lb batteries I think you should be looking at a 35 or 40 foot towed by an f350. Imho 😎
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Old 07-20-2019, 06:32 PM   #26
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🤔thinking the Escape is going to be way too small for your needs. When you start talking washer /dryer, freezer, 400lb batteries I think you should be looking at a 35 or 40 foot towed by an f350. Imho 😎

You may be over picturing what I'm talking about. They make rather small 10 pound load washers and spin dryers, a 5cuft chest freezer takes up very little space and runs on only 12 watts per hour when converted to a fridge. In total I'm talking about less than 10sqft of space so I don't see a lot of value in adding an additional 20+ feet to the trailer and 3 feet to the bed just to put 10sqft of equipment.



I have done a lot of miles and 100s of days on the road in different configurations to get a solid idea of what will work for me and while this Casita plan is revision 4 or 5 with each I get much closer to my needs and compromises I can live with.



Check out some of the videos on these things, there's even a guy who made a wash machine out of a 5 gallon bucket, a lazy Susan and an old wiper motor from a car. The ability to wash close doesn't have to take up insane amounts of space.
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Old 07-24-2019, 10:23 AM   #27
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Bigfoot

[
I love my Bigfoot 5th wheel even though it is from 1985 it is still in great shape.
I tow it with a Nissan Frontier with a 6 cylinder and it work nicely.




UOTE=TucsonAZ;749260]I noticed there isn't a separate forum for them and I know Scamp makes one I've seen come up a few times locally. I'm wondering if any of you have any experience with them and what the community thoughts are. Also, who else makes them, are there any 4 season types? I think Bigfoot makes one but that's out of my price range. I know it isn't a true "fifth wheel" but it would work well for my Tacoma.


Pros:


Better handling
More space without compromising overall length
They seem to actually cost less


Cons:


Harder to find
give up secure storage in truck bed
Need a special hitch


I'd love to hear the community thoughts and experiences on them.[/QUOTE]
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Old 07-24-2019, 10:33 AM   #28
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When is a "5th Wheel" NOT a 5th wheel?

Something I've noticed that has not been mentioned in this thread yet...

I don't have experience with many of the FG "5th wheel" trailers, but I owned a Scamp "5th wheel" for a while. The Scamp is not a "5th Wheel" at all. It's a gooseneck with a 2" ball hitch mounted on a rack in the bed. There is no plate or release, just a standard 2" ball coupler on the gooseneck. That makes the truck and trailer handle and articulate differently from a true 5th wheel. That may be a moot distinction for many, but for the sake of accuracy and full disclosure, you ought to know what you're buying.
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Old 07-24-2019, 02:58 PM   #29
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What’s the tow weigh rating on the NV?
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Old 07-24-2019, 03:15 PM   #30
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The day I picked up our trailer 2 1/2 years ago. Pulled it across a few mountain ranges back to Calgary mid January. It is working wonderfully for us.

Attachment 130476
Looks nice!
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Old 07-24-2019, 07:16 PM   #31
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Originally Posted by Roger H View Post
Something I've noticed that has not been mentioned in this thread yet...

... The Scamp is not a "5th Wheel" at all. It's a gooseneck with a 2" ball hitch mounted on a rack in the bed. There is no plate or release, just a standard 2" ball coupler on the gooseneck. That makes the truck and trailer handle and articulate differently from a true 5th wheel. That may be a moot distinction for many, but for the sake of accuracy and full disclosure, you ought to know what you're buying.
Not only that but even a fifth wheel is not a fifth wheel.. its a fifth AND sixth wheel.. except for Jim's which is a 5,6,7 and 8th wheel. And thats not even counting the spares. Perhaps we should starting calling them Third Axle trailers (or Jim's fourth axle).

We now return you to the more sane discussion.
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Old 07-24-2019, 07:21 PM   #32
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But a Bigfoot is a 5th wheel 20’ long and pulls nicely behind a Nissan Frontier with the 4litter motor.
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Old 07-24-2019, 07:27 PM   #33
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The tow rating on the Frontier is 6750lb
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Old 07-24-2019, 07:53 PM   #34
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But a Bigfoot is a 5th wheel 20’ long and pulls nicely behind a Nissan Frontier with the 4litter motor.

How many pups do you get to the litter?
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Old 07-24-2019, 09:03 PM   #35
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I'm not sure how you folks with a Tacoma or Frontier are calculating your pin weights when towing a 5th wheel but I had a 2013 Access cab 4WD Tacoma with 6' box (6500# tow rating) c/w tow package, and there was no way I could legally tow any 5th wheel when I was looking. For example, the real world reported pin weight on the Escape 5 TA was over 750 pounds - dry weight and reports varied up to 850+pounds pin weight. On my 2013 Tacoma I had a maximum rated truck payload of 950 pounds, so that left me about 100+ pounds max to carry a second passenger (would need to be a real skinny person) and anything else that I wanted in the cab of the truck (water bottle?). And that's with an absolutely empty box. Would it do it - sure, most likely, but not legally.
So, I opted for a 17' Escape pull behind and it worked great. However, if you're doing hills like here in British Columbia (think Coquihalla Highway) I would not be comfortable pulling more than 3500-4000 pounds max with the Tacoma, not a chance. Using the 80% rule on that truck you should be ok with 5200 pounds, but there is no way that truck could tow that weight safely.



Just my .02 cents.
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Old 07-24-2019, 09:16 PM   #36
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Originally Posted by Roger H View Post
Something I've noticed that has not been mentioned in this thread yet...

I don't have experience with many of the FG "5th wheel" trailers, but I owned a Scamp "5th wheel" for a while. The Scamp is not a "5th Wheel" at all. It's a gooseneck with a 2" ball hitch mounted on a rack in the bed. There is no plate or release, just a standard 2" ball coupler on the gooseneck. That makes the truck and trailer handle and articulate differently from a true 5th wheel. That may be a moot distinction for many, but for the sake of accuracy and full disclosure, you ought to know what you're buying.

I mentioned this in my OP but when you're searching for one typing in "Scamp gooseneck with a 2" ball" doesn't get nearly the hits "Scamp 5th wheel" does ( :


I'm more than willing to call a bandage a Band Aid or a tissue a Kleenex provided it yeilds as good or better results.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Norman Hicks View Post
What’s the tow weigh rating on the NV?

If you get the V8 version it's over 9,000 pounds.


Quote:
Originally Posted by allan3089 View Post
I'm not sure how you folks with a Tacoma or Frontier are calculating your pin weights when towing a 5th wheel but I had a 2013 Access cab 4WD Tacoma with 6' box (6500# tow rating) c/w tow package, and there was no way I could legally tow any 5th wheel when I was looking. For example, the real world reported pin weight on the Escape 5 TA was over 750 pounds - dry weight and reports varied up to 850+pounds pin weight. On my 2013 Tacoma I had a maximum rated truck payload of 950 pounds, so that left me about 100+ pounds max to carry a second passenger (would need to be a real skinny person) and anything else that I wanted in the cab of the truck (water bottle?). And that's with an absolutely empty box. Would it do it - sure, most likely, but not legally.
So, I opted for a 17' Escape pull behind and it worked great. However, if you're doing hills like here in British Columbia (think Coquihalla Highway) I would not be comfortable pulling more than 3500-4000 pounds max with the Tacoma, not a chance. Using the 80% rule on that truck you should be ok with 5200 pounds, but there is no way that truck could tow that weight safely.

I'm with you, firstly, the Tacoma has the best resale of any vehicle in the Country. Why beat on it towing things even remotely close to the limit when I can buy a dozen F150s just about for what the Tacoma is worth. Sure the Tacoma may last longer than the dozen F150s but you get my point. Anything over 3,000 pounds and I'm buying a dedicated tow vehicle instead of beating on my Tacoma needlessly.
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Old 07-25-2019, 08:48 AM   #37
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Help me then please! My Bigfoot 5th wheel weighs about 3200 lb when loaded and the Frontier has a towing capacity of 6750lb am I doing something stupid?
I do not know the pin weight
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Old 07-25-2019, 11:33 PM   #38
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Help me then please! My Bigfoot 5th wheel weighs about 3200 lb when loaded and the Frontier has a towing capacity of 6750lb am I doing something stupid?
I do not know the pin weight

Let me point you to one of the best towing guides I've seen, it's for a Tacoma but should apply to your truck well as they're in the same class.



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/...ng-bible.4031/


Let us assume you have a 675lb pin weight limit on your truck. The Bigfoot is going to use at the very least every single inch of that and more. My Tacoma for example has an added leaf to the rear to level it but it does allow for a little better weight handling. My hitch/pin weight is about the same as your truck as well. I also have the proper e load rated tires to handle a higher weight.



But, if you have a moment take a look at this video:


https://youtu.be/UVC-JZ-5i2Y


You don't have to watch it all and I know it isn't the same truck as you have but again the same class. The trailer they're using has a 5,600lb tongue weight and this pass is tough, I've done it in a motorhome towing a trailer.



The point of what I'm telling you is there is what you can do and what you should do. I view our trucks as being able to handle 4,000 pounds, that's the tow limit I've set for my truck with an additional trans cooler/filter, my added leaf, a brake controller and an expensive weight distributing hitch. It absolutely "can" do more but I don't think it should as it just isn't meant for that task.



You would want at least an F150 and I'm a huge fan of and have the F250, shockingly different towing experience and much better MPG with the inline 6 working at 50% versus the Tacoma V6 working at 95% capacity.
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