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Old 01-10-2009, 11:20 PM   #1
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I've noted more n more (in this community), people looking to buy, or have bought a (usually) smaller glass trailer and either convert it to, or try an make it have the capibilities of hauling stuff like in a much larger R/V, ....and then to make things worse, TRY to tow the (now overloaded) rig with a much smaller than safe, tow vehicle in an effort to TRY n save of fuel economy??
<climbing on my soap box now> .....People godda realize that " just because you can (do something), doesn't make it right/safe"!! <oopsie, I tripped getting offa mah soap box!!!>

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Old 01-10-2009, 11:40 PM   #2
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A friend of mine's son works at a big dealership in town. When I went looking for a truck, knowing the approximate weight of the trailer I hoped to buy, he told me the same thing. It made sense, so I bought an F-150 rather than a smaller truck (though not from him). Never regretted it. That's pretty true for life: just because you CAN do something, doesn't necessarily mean doing it is wise. At least, that's what I tell my kids and students!

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<climbing on my soap box now> .....People godda realize that " just because you can (do something), doesn't make it right/safe"!! <oopsie, I tripped getting offa mah soap box!!!>
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Old 01-11-2009, 06:51 AM   #3
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.1. Put Cooler full of cold beer in the back of tow vehicle.
.2.Put empty Cooler where ever you wish on the way back home.
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Old 01-11-2009, 08:17 AM   #4
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For me it was thinking FAR into the future. My needs are totally different if I'm only camping for a weekend versus a week or more. I would be perfectly happy with a small(er) trailer and a small(er) tug if my plans were only weekend jaunts. For instance, for a weekend I'd be happy sitting at a picnic table, but for a week trip I want my Lafuma! I'd be happy walking everywhere on a weekend, but a week trip I want to take my bicycle. For a weekend, I would budget $10-15 for firewood purchased from the camp host. But a week trip, I'll take my own... wouldn't want to spend $100 for a nightly fire for a week! Then there's water, clothing, differences in cooking. More food... more, more, more. Try as I might, I can't or won't take exactly the same "stuff" for a 7-10 day trip that I'd take for 2-3. Multiple this by the number of people and you've just moved the tug from a 4-cylinder to a V8! None of this is really unintentional thinking, but it does happen and I think it's best to be prepared for the eventuality. So, a bit of forward thinking when making the purchase is necessary.

Sigh, such is life.

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Old 01-11-2009, 08:51 AM   #5
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I've noted more n more (in this community), people looking to buy, or have bought a (usually) smaller glass trailer and either convert it to, or try an make it have the capibilities of hauling stuff like in a much larger R/V, ....and then to make things worse, TRY to tow the (now overloaded) rig with a much smaller than safe, tow vehicle in an effort to TRY n save of fuel economy??
<climbing on my soap box now> .....People godda realize that " just because you can (do something), doesn't make it right/safe"!! <oopsie, I tripped getting offa mah soap box!!!>
Physics! It's not just a good idea..It's the law!

Inertia, momentum, friction, conservation of energy etc. Wishful thinking doesn't make them go away. Accidents are NOT things that happen just to other people. I suppose it's their tolerance for risk. I have no evidence to support my supposition but I suspect that the same folks that have Baby On Board signs in the window are just as likely to be the same ones towing with underpowered underweight tow vehicles. I see it as a mind set.

Oh well...Darwinism at work.

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Old 01-11-2009, 08:53 AM   #6
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I have had big trailers, the problem with them was every trip was a lot harder than simply hooking up and going, a seasonal lot was the way to go with those but then your stuck in one place for the season. I had a truck camper, it was good except everytime you move the truck you have to setup all over again EG. going to town for supplies or other unexpected trips. These small fiberglass units are perfect for weekend trips to the lake, short range hauls of 100 to 150 miles even with stupid gas prices it is still afforable. The older trailers were designed for their time, they didn't have tvs, DVDs and generaters etc. camping was a lot simpler back then and still can be now.
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Old 01-11-2009, 09:02 AM   #7
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I purchased my camper to MAKE myself scale down and change that "gotta have" more attitude that I have been dealing with for years. No TV--got lots of books. Bought a small radio with a cd player for a little soothing music and listening for storm alerts. I am planning my "camper wardrobe" too. I will put clothes in it to wear and when I come home, I will wash them and put them right back for the next trip. Who cares if I am not dressed in the latest trendy style.

Although it is very human nature like to try to think ahead and consider what we might need 3-5 years from now, I just want to keep it basic. Life is moving too quickly for me these days and I just want to try to slow it down a bit.
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Old 01-11-2009, 10:06 AM   #8
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No, Doug, I think that you have the right to use that soapbox.
I carry no radio, [there's one in the truck if I need one] no TV, [read a book] no microwave, [I cook outside on a table top BBQ or camp stove]. I don't drive a monster truck because I don't have an everyday need for one. Mine is a mid-sized, but with a small V8 I can still tow the largest fiberglass unit out there if necessary, or move up to a larger unit if I wish. The little 13 footer is perfect for travelling and overnighting while on the road, and has been on several extended trips, from Ontario to the Western provinces and Northern States, over the years. If I want to stay in one camp for a while I can bring along a dining shelter for an outside livingroom.
I guess that, after having it for fifteen years, I still think of our unit as an oversized back pack. I can hear the music when the wind blows through the trees. Listen to the birds , or count stars at night. You lose that when you bring your own band and tuck yourself into the trailer as soon as the sun goes down.
Hang in there, there's still a few of us around.
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Old 01-11-2009, 07:32 PM   #9
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For at least some people, I think you're quite right. When I'm making modifications to our Scamp 5er I'm always thinking about weight and its ramifications on towing. My designs -- such as the ones for my cabinet and bathroom doors -- are as lightweight as possible. Before installing something I often weigh it as I remove old stuff and and install the new.

Usually the new stuff weighs less: our old MDF bathroom door weighed 26 lbs, the new one, door and mirror, weigh 16 pounds. Replacing the OSB shelf in the pots-n-pans cabinet with 1/4" ply saved a pound and a half. Replacing the floor of the microwave cabinet almost as much. So, for us, the net effect is that all our mods have added only slightly (160 lbs, with most of the added weight attributed to our loft modification and our laminate floors) to the unladen weight of our trailer. I've also weighed our TV and trailer when they're loaded and ready to go to make sure we're within our 2000 Ranger's gross combined vehicle weight, trailer axle and tire reccomendations.

But not everyone is as careful. I've seen pictures here of georgeous modifications that include things like 3/4" solid pine cabinetry and solid marble counter tops, and all I can think is "how much did all that stuff weigh?"
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Old 01-11-2009, 07:46 PM   #10
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Some people probably went from tent camping to fiberglass, so a change to a trailer without the amenities seemed good. I went from no camping to fiberglass. Without the things we bring along, I would not go. We call our UHaul "Howie," for "Hotel on Wheels." That being said, we do not have a functioning bathroom yet, just a privacy room with a porta-potty. Sometimes the bathroom is far away, and a bike is good for getting to the bathroom. I also have huge problems with mosquitos and the screen room keeps them out of the trailer and off me.

Also, some of us are not yet retired and MUST take our tools for communication and connection along.

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Old 01-11-2009, 07:51 PM   #11
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Some people probably went from tent camping to fiberglass, so a change to a trailer without the amenities seemed good. I went from no camping to fiberglass. Without the things we bring along, I would not go. We call our UHaul [b]"Howie," for "[b]Hotel on Wheels." That being said, we do not have a functioning bathroom yet, just a privacy room with a porta-potty. Sometimes the bathroom is far away, and a bike is good for getting to the bathroom. I also have huge problems with mosquitos and the screen room keeps them out of the trailer and off me.

Also, some of us are not yet retired and MUST take our tools for communication and connection along.

CindyL
What about the ie,???

How about Hotel on Wheels in Egg=[b]Howie
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Old 01-11-2009, 08:00 PM   #12
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But not everyone is as careful. I've seen pictures here of georgeous modifications that include things like 3/4" solid pine cabinetry and solid marble counter tops, and all I can think is "how much did all that stuff weigh?"
I have a friend from all the way back in High School days who was a set carpenter for a major TV network -- Everything they did was in 3/4" plywood so that's what he works with and everything he builds is heavy and air-droppable! He extends the same thinking to outdoor gear, almost always choosing mil-spec stuf over lite-weight stuf. We were looking at backpacks and the magazine recommendation for load and wear weighed a ton when empty...
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Old 01-11-2009, 09:23 PM   #13
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Ulysse:

I like it! That makes it fit! I just ignored that it did not quite fit before.
Kevin just got it covered a month and a half or so ago (or so it seems - maybe time just flies too fast), and already we are getting the itch to take the cover off, as we are talking of our yearly trip to volunteer at the Indian Reservation. We fill it with donations (another reason it pulls heavy on that trip) and stay in it out in SD for the week. Then it is much lighter on the way home.

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