what I really need

[ronsmith100]

what I really need is 25+mpg pulling my camper and that is not easy.
I could get 40 mpg pulling my camper if my camper was a tent like it used to be.
I could stand up in my big tent (almost).
I could cook on a coleman stove sitting outside on picnic bench at some national forest.
I could put on my shoes and get a flashlight and make my way to the vault toilet in the middle of the night.
I could blow up a mattress and sleep ok.
I could curl up in a damn good thermal sleeping bag if it was cold and sleep atop it if it was hot.
I could keep the skeeters out with a zip curtain.
I could ....

So why do I get pull around 3000 lbs of egg and get 13-14 mpg?

I am thinking I am going to sell my casita and ranger 4.0 and get a mini SUV that gets 35+mpg and get a trailer that is bare bones and weighs no more than the 2000 lbs the SUV is probably limited to.

I like that egg camper. The spartan model is 2000 lbs, I can stand up in it with ease, I can use a microwave when I'm juiced or a coleman when I'm not. It has a potty, a bed, its insulated, and I still have a sleeping bag.
Or maybe go back to the Aliner again... hmmm

Tell me why I should do this or what other egg fits my needs (it *must* be 6'1" inside height). If it wasn't for the height requirement I would get a smaller scamp or something. Or maybe a used egg with the ten top pop up... what is that brand?

just thinking

Ron

[Booker B.]

We were going to go with a bigger trailer (17' Bigfoot) until we realized how big a TV we would need. We have settled with a 13' to avoid going to a gas guzzling machine. One of the forum members (Byron) had a great post that convinced me to stick small.

The problem is even with a barebones scamp/casita/boler/trillium 13 you will be pulling 1500lb loaded. Most 4cyl mini-suvs are rated 1000lbs. Only the V6 mini-suv's will pull this according to their manual (Rav4, Escape, Santa Fe) and I doubt they will get you that great of gas mileage.

For 4 cylinders you are stuck with the Subaru Outback/Forester or an import truck like a 2wd Toyota 2.7l. Most modern cars are not suggested for towing - I was shocked when my friends V6 Malibu had 'not recommended for towing' written in the specs.

Anyways, that's my two bits =)

[Bobbie Mayer]

What mini -SUV gets 35? Mine gets 28 highway on a good day. I can do about 20 towing if the road is good and the road is flat.

Maybe a hybrid.

How about the stripped Compact for sale on the central Coast in California? (I think it is one of Flint's.) You 'd have the height in the center and you could keep it light.

Bobbie

[Karalyn]

yep, bummin out about the gas mileage here too. Looking at SUV's and wondering if maybe just giving up camping might be the smart thing to do. I could get twice the gas mileage if not needing an SUV to tow with.
Decisions. I want something with decent gas mileage, and finding NOTHING that will tow my 16'

[Daniel V.]

One thing I have observed based on a few people's experience is that a smaller tow vehicle won't get you much better fuel economy while towing, in that a smaller motor needs to work a lot harder than a larger one to pull a proportionally equivalent load. You lose your safety margin, and the gains are marginal, fuel-wise. The real issue, though, is when you have to use the same large vehicle through the remainder of the year, while not towing.

As to inside height (and bed length!), we crossed the Bolers and Scamps off our list for the exact same reason. However, I can stand up, and stretch comfortably on the bed in a 13' Trillium. Most other small trailers we had looked at incuding the Aliners were about the same weight if not heavier than a Trillium.

[Alf S.]

Hi: Ron... New Scamp 13'ers. are 6'3" Interior height. 2" taller than the pre fire Scamps as the new molds were made from a 16' trailer. As long as you can sleep curled up snug a new one should do ya!!! Gotta love their new web site.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[peterh]

The real problem with trailers isn't the length or weight as much as it is the wind face. Stick your hand out the window at freeway speeds with your palm facing into the wind . . . a trailer has a huge wind face, and it takes a set amount of energy at each highway speed to overcome that wind resistance, and while the weight of your TV and trailer stay constant, the wind resistance doubles every time you increase your driving speed by 25%. Your best bet for improving gas mileage is to slow down to 55-60 mpg, which might well boost your MPG to 20+.

--Peter

[Frederick L. Simson]

. . . a trailer has a huge wind face, and it takes a set amount of energy at each highway speed to overcome that wind resistance,

I am considering purchasing a Burro Box^® for my Minivan, partly to act as a deflector for the wind that hits the mostly flat face of the top of the trailer. I have been taking a risk in towing with only a "donut" spare for the Odyssey, and the Burro Box^® would give me a place to store a full service spare.

[Greg A]

Ahhhh, when the wind gusts hit in excess of 60mph last weekend and all the tents were shredded in the morning, I sure felt good about having me 1500lb, gas sucker egg with me to sleep in.

[Lisa H.]

I am considering purchasing a Burro Box^® for my Minivan, partly to act as a deflector for the wind that hits the mostly flat face of the top of the trailer. I have been taking a risk in towing with only a "donut" spare for the Odyssey, and the Burro Box^® would give me a place to store a full service spare.

I'm going to make a plexiglass fairing for my roof rack to make towing my blunt-faced trailer a little more aerodynamic and hopefully increase the MPG. It will also shield the cordura travel bag that sits atop the car when I'm travelling. Hey, I may be able to get rid of the entire bag now that I have my new "old" Campster!

[Per Walthinsen]

Frederick:
On long trips I have a steel wheel I bought which has a full-sized spare for the Ody. The manual details two different inside mounting options for it ('99). I take the donut out and store spare parts in the well (copper wire, soldering equipment, shrink tubing, wire strippers, all the usual things Roger accuse me of using ).

I was recently able to get a set of "take-offs" (virtually brand new original aluminum wheels) from a local dealer for $100 each for my snow tires.

I have also ben busy trying to "clean up" the frontal area of the Burro. Alas, I think the only real solution is to drive 45mph or get a horse.

[Frederick L. Simson]

The manual details two different inside mounting options for it ('99).

Alas, I think the only real solution is to drive 45mph or get a horse.

My '03 Manual only had one place to mount a full service spare inside, and it required keeping the 3rd row seat up out of the well, something I rarely do. It would cramp the "guest bedroom".

[Connie M.]

Like Daniel said, the 13" Trillium is just fine for 6'1".
We haul it with a Chevy Astrovan, which doesn't get very good gas mileage either towing or regular driving. But could buy a LOT of gas for the cost of replacing it.

[Booker B.]

That's a valid point. My current TV is a 91 4x4 Toyota 4cyl and it doesn't get very good gas mileage. I am into $250+ payments a month when we get our Subaru forester... that's a lot of trailer pulling miiles if we just put that into the truck tank =)

[ronsmith100]

Hi: Ron... New Scamp 13'ers. are 6'3" Interior height. 2" taller than the pre fire Scamps as the new molds were made from a 16' trailer. As long as you can sleep curled up snug a new one should do ya!!! Gotta love their new web site.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

WHOA!
Now THAT is good news!
I'll look into it.
Think Casita will make the Patriot higher too?
The height (lack of) in the smaller trailers really does bother me.
I would rather stick with fiberglass too.


Thanks

[ronsmith100]

The real problem with trailers isn't the length or weight as much as it is the wind face. Stick your hand out the window at freeway speeds with your palm facing into the wind . . . a trailer has a huge wind face, and it takes a set amount of energy at each highway speed to overcome that wind resistance, and while the weight of your TV and trailer stay constant, the wind resistance doubles every time you increase your driving speed by 25%. Your best bet for improving gas mileage is to slow down to 55-60 mpg, which might well boost your MPG to 20+.

--Peter

I always drive at 55 max... occasionally 60. I get 13-15 range.
If I had a four cyl ranger pulling 2000 lbs I am sure I would get over 20 and maybe closer to 25 at that speed.
As the new smaller trucks come back with turbo diesels (I am sure that is not far off) then near 30mpg would be obtainable while towing. Some magazines suggest turbo diesel hybrids pickups are also on the horizon.
We have been enjoying cheap gas for years. Europe long ago figured out how to caravan with smaller rigs and $6 gas.
Down sizing is coming I am sure.

I may go back to Aliner for that reason you mentioned... wind face. Its such a rickety cheap thing though.
Not sure what I'll do.

Thanks for the input everyone!

[james kent]

We were looking at 17 footers and finally decided to revamp the 13. This year we changed the curtians, made a permanent rear bed and a front dinette, painted the outside and am having the old weak axle replaced. Should be good for another 25 years. Have looked into replacing the truck with either a Toyota Rav4 or Highlander. Both give mid 30's gas mileage. Although the Highlander is a little larger and has more towing capacity. They are also, still, tops with 'Consumer Reports' for reliability.

[Patrick M.]

Got 17.6 mpg towing a 13' Scamp with an Element.
Getting 14.5 mpg towing a 17' Casita with an Odyssey
Over 10,000 miles will use 121 more gallons of gas

So, at $4/gal, an extra $500 every year or two for the extra room, shower and toilet. Based on the many campground showers I've use, that's worth every penny!

[Bobbie Mayer]

Got 17.6 mpg towing a 13' Scamp with an Element.
Getting 14.5 mpg towing a 17' Casita with an Odyssey
Over 10,000 miles will use 121 more gallons of gas

So, at $4/gal, an extra $500 every year or two for the extra room, shower and toilet. Based on the many campground showers I've use, that's worth every penny!

But as mentioned above, you have to also add the cost of driving the Odyssey on a daily basis (if you do) or the cost of registration and insurance if you only use it as a TV.

[Patrick M.]

Actually, the Ody and the Element driving costs are about the same, and the Ody actually gets slightly better mileage on the Interstates! The Element suffers from a shoebox design!