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04-08-2018, 09:49 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Name: Ryan
Trailer: Currently Shopping
South Dakota
Posts: 16
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Hello from easten South Dakota.
I'm not an owner yet but doing my research and I'm leaning towards a 17' Casita Spirit. We have been tent camping or using our 77 Chevy Eldorado for years. Both lots of fun but my body dislikes the tent the older I get and the camper van has its limits. I love reading all the info you guys have and the do's and don'ts are great to know. Later...
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04-09-2018, 09:45 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: Kathleen (Kai: ai as in wait)
Trailer: Amerigo FG-16 1973 "Peanut"
Greater Seattle Metropolitan Area, Washington
Posts: 2,566
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WELCOME to 8LGD--Ryan searcing for rig
8lgd--Ryan
Welcome to FGRV! I so hear you about the tent and the camper van! We've had both and more. Then we got our fiberglass 16' amerigo, Peanut. It may well be our last rig.
Let us know how your search goes, and what you get. We love pics.
Here are a few pics of ours: (post pics by clicking below the message space on "go advanced," then on the little paperclip icon below the title block...then on browse [your photos]. It took some of us quite a while to get the hang of it.)
1. the camper van we gave to our son after 3 years.
2. peanut under a tent (notice it is dark brown--being redone inside and out)
3. peanut
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04-09-2018, 10:59 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
Posts: 4,137
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From eastern SD, I’d head over to MN and visit the Scamp factory for sure.
I’d also recommend going to a molded trailer rally to check out all the different brands. If you are buying used, you need to be flexible as the “perfect” trailer may never show up.
Pay close attention to floorplan and bed size. RV manufactures are fast and loose with terms. For example we had a Casita with twin beds. Well a twin bed is 39 inches wide and ours were 23 inches wide.
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04-09-2018, 11:29 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Name: Tom
Trailer: Sprinter 'til I buy
Denver, CO
Posts: 944
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Welcome Ryan, I don't know whether you might plan to tow a while with your Eldorado, I expect it depends. I suggest having a vehicle with a 5,000 pound tow capacity, especially if it is a vintage tow vehicle. I think some tow the Casita you are describing with 3,500 lb tow capacity. Others will chime in, but I believe that Casita has a reputation for being tongue heavy.
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04-09-2018, 12:02 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2008 17 ft Casita Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 235
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Have you ever heard of New Effington in NE SD? I taught there many moons ago. One of the nicest little towns in the country.
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04-09-2018, 12:06 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Name: Kathleen (Kai: ai as in wait)
Trailer: Amerigo FG-16 1973 "Peanut"
Greater Seattle Metropolitan Area, Washington
Posts: 2,566
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Agree bed sizes vary considerably. We chose our two bed sizes and they are neither standard nor the same. Both are "twin," one is 28" and the other is 32 or 34. Paul is thinner and sleeps quieter, so he gets the narrow one. Cot, really. Still a lot better than a sleeping bag on the ground, or even a camp mattress on the ground.
Be wary of trailer weights and tongue weights. Sellers may not be accurate; advertising may not be accurate.
Be wary of using your bathroom scale to weigh your trailer tongue...I got on it a while back and by golly I had lost 100 pounds!
(We had apparently broken the scale weighing Peanut's tongue.) Fastest diet ever. We got accurate weights at a place that the DMV suggested we use to be certified for a permanent trailer license (had to be under 2,000 pounds). We squeaked by at 1997 and Paul got an accurate tongue weight. Our bathroom scale did all right--only a few pounds off--not sure when it broke, but it was working for the tongue weight. Maybe it broke while cranking the tongue up to get it off the block on the scale. Maybe.
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04-09-2018, 07:33 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Name: Ryan
Trailer: Currently Shopping
South Dakota
Posts: 16
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Thanks for the great feedback. Ill be pulling it with a 2009 Tacoma and seems like it should do the trick from what I have read. Finding a nice used Fiberglass unit around my area wont be easy so I have a feeling a road trip is in my future. It'll be fun shopping.. Here's a pic of my camper to give you something to giggle about. She's a beauty!! lol
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04-09-2018, 08:02 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Name: David
Trailer: Casita
Nebraska
Posts: 26
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Welcome and good luck from Northeast Nebraska, I found my 17 after about 3 weeks of craigslist, here, and other searches. Have money ready & possibly ready to travel. I lost a NICE one from someone in Des Moines IA that some one came up from Pennsylvania to get that they beat me by one phone call. (5 minutes) I went to Kanas City for mine. Again..welcome and search a lot. Dave.
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05-09-2018, 09:34 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Name: Ryan
Trailer: Currently Shopping
South Dakota
Posts: 16
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Well I got lucky and jumped on a Craigslist add four hours away for a 1993 Casita. I was the first caller and showed up the next day to take a look. This thing was beautiful! Appearantly it had sat in a storage shed for 14 years before the guy I bough it from had it. I'm super happy and cant wait to roadtrip.
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05-09-2018, 11:33 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
Posts: 3,738
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Congrats Ryan....we need pics or it's just a fish tale .
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05-10-2018, 07:08 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Name: Ryan
Trailer: Currently Shopping
South Dakota
Posts: 16
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Ah yes pics. Notice the 13" tires. Seem kind of small. Do you guys recommend bigger. These are like new but cracked on the sides. So they need to be changed out anyways.
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05-10-2018, 07:25 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
Posts: 4,137
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Very nice buy there for sure! I would try some 14 inch wheels, see how they work. Old tires? Change them now! They will let you down, and with a single axle trailer, you can do some serious damage on a sudden tire failure. Don't risk it!
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05-10-2018, 06:57 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Name: Dave
Trailer: 2013Escape 21
Iowa
Posts: 1,211
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Money in hand, ready to travel, a firm idea of the floor plans that would work for you and a condition checklist to either estimate renovation or repair costs if needed or hopefully not. A firm go or no go budget, work needed that you can do yourself , and vehicle ready to tow it home with a bag o tools in hand. You will succeed.
Iowa Dave
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05-11-2018, 06:44 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
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Hello from easten South Dakota.
I think he already has (succeeded). Nice trailer. Agree- I think there's a good chance 14" wheels and tires will fit. If so, that will be a nice upgrade. I like the flexibility of the Liberty layout. If you plan to use the twin set-up, some people add extensions to make the beds a little wider.
I am curious about the length of the benches in the 16' Liberty. Haven't seen it posted anywhere. Any chance you could take a tape to it?
Welcome, and enjoy your new Casita! A trailer is not as "light on your feet" as a Class B, but it's nice to be able to leave the trailer set up for grocery runs and local exploration in the tow vehicle.
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05-11-2018, 07:28 PM
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#15
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Junior Member
Name: Ryan
Trailer: Currently Shopping
South Dakota
Posts: 16
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You bet I will measure it out when i get a chance. I originally wanted a Spirit 17' but when you cut a foot off I definitely like the Liberty setup more. My neighbor has a 16 spirit and they like my setup a little more because of the bed options. Their bed seems tiny.
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05-13-2018, 07:53 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Name: Kathleen (Kai: ai as in wait)
Trailer: Amerigo FG-16 1973 "Peanut"
Greater Seattle Metropolitan Area, Washington
Posts: 2,566
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New o You Trailer!
Congratulations! Looks super!
Kathleen & Paul
(KiS)
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05-14-2018, 06:26 AM
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#17
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Junior Member
Name: Ryan
Trailer: Currently Shopping
South Dakota
Posts: 16
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Can someone help me out with the size, bolt pattern and a good brand i should be looking for on a new set of 14" tires. Also the spare seems tight to the bumper so if i upsize will i need a different setup to carry a spare?
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05-14-2018, 07:32 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Name: Dave
Trailer: 2013Escape 21
Iowa
Posts: 1,211
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I do not know how the Casitas are set up but you can measure the hole spacing and count the number of wheel studs. If you’re going to run 205 width tires you’ll want a 6 inch wheel and on many trailers a 5 on 4 1/2 is the stud count and spacing on the studs . The carrier modification or not Probably depends on how much thread you have on the carrier that sticks out after the nut is tightened down on the current spare setup.
If you’re gonna keep this rig and run it considerable miles each year, my opinion would be to buy top level tires. The goal is to wear them out about the same time they age out. The rule of thumb or opinion of many posters is about 6 years to age out and the wear bars on the tires usually indicate replacement when 3/32 inches of tread remains if even wear has occurred. Many folks are getting 40,000 miles out of their tires. Proper inflation, alignment and balance are the best conditions to achieve even wear in my opinion. YMMV as Donna says.
Iowa Dave
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05-14-2018, 11:44 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Name: Kathleen (Kai: ai as in wait)
Trailer: Amerigo FG-16 1973 "Peanut"
Greater Seattle Metropolitan Area, Washington
Posts: 2,566
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8lgd, Ryan
Paul's solution was to take our spare trailer tire to a tire store he trusted, a chain that has stores all over the place.
He told them exactly what he was going to do with the tires, how much weight they were going to have to carry, etc. They put it in their system and gave him three tire suggestions, cheap, moderate, and pricey, all of which would handle what we needed. He chose the moderate ones and had them mounted right there.
It was that simple. Just in case you might consider such a method on this issue.
Two years and a few thousand miles later, tires seem to be going along just fine. (We bought all 3...) We covered them in the winter, and Paul seldom tows Peanut above 60 mph.
BEST
Kai
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