Sherry in Az

[WestwardHo]

Hi I am a recent widow and just this week sold our huge 5th wheel and truck (finally!). Very interested in a newer Casita for occasional travel that I can tow with my Lexus RX350. Couldn't get on their forum. This one was easy.

Sherry

[Jon in AZ]

Welcome to the forum, Sherry, from a fellow Arizonan (White Mountains area)!

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. Sounds like traveling together was an important part of your life. Glad to hear you aren't giving that up! Downsizing makes a lot of sense.

Not sure about the tow ratings for your Lexus, but be aware the larger 17' Casitas can weigh close to 3500 pounds loaded and have a tongue weight well north of 400 pounds. For only one person, 16'ers from Casita or Scamp should be plenty roomy and quite a bit lighter.

See the thread Trailer Weights in the Real World for data on loaded weights of various makes and models. Post #297 links to a spreadsheet of the data, which you can filter by make or length and find average weights.

Best wishes getting back on the road!

[WestwardHo]

Jon, Thanks for your welcome and advice.
I'm open to any and all suggestions and advice from Casita owners. I've been poking around the forums and haven't seen anything yet about surge protectors, I know they were important for our 5er.
Does anyone know why it's hard to get into the CasitaClub? I registered and looked at their news page and it appears no updating since 2015.
Anyone: for the Spirit Deluxe 17, what SHOULD I have and what I might like to add.
Finally, anyone know a recommended Casita upgraded in AZ?

Thanks,
Sherry

[kootenaigirl]

Welcome Sherry. You might want to join the other Casita forum
- Home Page
Tons of good info there and discussion about what people have added or not.

[The Tent Soloist]

Originally Posted by WestwardHo

Hi I am a recent widow and just this week sold our huge 5th wheel and truck (finally!). Very interested in a newer Casita for occasional travel that I can tow with my Lexus RX350. Couldn't get on their forum. This one was easy.

Sherry

Hi Sherry - I live in Oracle, Az., and my friend is selling her Scamp. Call me and I'll give you her number: 520 896 2285.

[WaltP]

Sherry
The other Casita site. casitaforum.com is as easy to join as this one and has a wealth of information as well as a good "for sale" section. The Casita Club forum has always been cumbersome to join for some reason.

Walt

[tractors1]

Just my opinion, but the Casita Club forum seems to be more of a social site than Casita Forum. The latter has a ton of details available with the "search" feature.

[Rory B.]

Originally Posted by WestwardHo

Hi I am a recent widow and just this week sold our huge 5th wheel and truck (finally!). Very interested in a newer Casita for occasional travel that I can tow with my Lexus RX350. Couldn't get on their forum. This one was easy.

Sherry

Sorry for your lose. I don't know all the info on your Lexus but a quick search shows 3,500 max if it came with the factory towing package and possibly as little as 2,000 lbs. depending on the year and options.

[Tom Cantrell]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Welcome to the forum, Sherry, from a fellow Arizonan (White Mountains area)!

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. Sounds like traveling together was an important part of your life. Glad to hear you aren't giving that up! Downsizing makes a lot of sense.

Not sure about the tow ratings for your Lexus, but be aware the larger 17' Casitas can weigh close to 3500 pounds loaded and have a tongue weight well north of 400 pounds. For only one person, 16'ers from Casita or Scamp should be plenty roomy and quite a bit lighter.

See the thread Trailer Weights in the Real World for data on loaded weights of various makes and models. Post #297 links to a spreadsheet of the data, which you can filter by make or length and find average weights.

Best wishes getting back on the road!

Where are you getting your figures on weight for the Casita? They seem to be extraordinarily high...................

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Tom Cantrell

Where are you getting your figures on weight for the Casita? They seem to be extraordinarily high...................

From the spreadsheet in the linked thread, the average weight of a loaded Casita 17 is 3300 pounds and the average tongue weight is 425 pounds.

[Tom Cantrell]

Thanks......still seems a bit high. I pull a 17' Freedom Deluxe. I think the range needs to be reported not just the average. I'll have to put mine on the scale and see what it comes in at.

[Jon in AZ]

You're right, Tom. There's a great deal of variability in the data. Oddly, some of the lightest units had really high tongue weights. Just 4 units out of 36 had both a total weight under 3500 pounds and a tongue weight under 350 pounds.

One the whole, I'd say the averages represent the data pretty well. IMO, I would not tow a Casita 17D with a vehicle rated less than 4500/450. Tongue weight is more often the limiting factor, not total weight.

I hope you'll add yours to the database when you weigh it. Be sure to email Jon Vermilye so the spreadsheet can be updated. More data benefits everyone!

I mention all this because it looks like the tow rating of a Lexus RX350 maxes out at 3500/350*. I would recommend sticking with a 16'er for this vehicle. The average total/tongue weight of a Scamp 16 in the database is 2615/270 pounds. A Casita 16D (limited data) averages 3040/260. None exceeded 3500/350.
*optional tow package required

[WestwardHo]

Thanks, I joined that also.

[WestwardHo]

Originally Posted by Rory B.

Sorry for your lose. I don't know all the info on your Lexus but a quick search shows 3,500 max if it came with the factory towing package and possibly as little as 2,000 lbs. depending on the year and options.

Thanks Rory. I do have the tow package.

[WestwardHo]

Originally Posted by Tom Cantrell

Where are you getting your figures on weight for the Casita? They seem to be extraordinarily high...................

I got the Casita weight from Jonathan.

[WestwardHo]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

You're right, Tom. There's a great deal of variability in the data. Oddly, some of the lightest units had really high tongue weights. Just 4 units out of 36 had both a total weight under 3500 pounds and a tongue weight under 350 pounds.

One the whole, I'd say the averages represent the data pretty well. IMO, I would not tow a Casita 17D with a vehicle rated less than 4500/450. Tongue weight is more often the limiting factor, not total weight.

I hope you'll add yours to the database when you weigh it. Be sure to email Jon Vermilye so the spreadsheet can be updated. More data benefits everyone!

I mention all this because it looks like the tow rating of a Lexus RX350 maxes out at 3500/350*. I would recommend sticking with a 16'er for this vehicle. The average total/tongue weight of a Scamp 16 in the database is 2615/270 pounds. A Casita 16D (limited data) averages 3040/260. None exceeded 3500/350.
*optional tow package required

Hummm, again, Jonathan at the factory assured me that I could tow the 17 with my Lexus. Now I'm getting worried as it's almost brand new 2015 with less than 10,000 miles and I love it.

Sherry

[Rory B.]

Here's another xls spreadsheet showing various owners trailers and the trailer weights.

Interesting cross-section of data from owners vs. factory or sale reps.

[WestwardHo]

Originally Posted by Rory B.

Here's another xls spreadsheet showing various owners trailers and the trailer weights.

Interesting cross-section of data from owners vs. factory or sale reps.

Thanks!!

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by WestwardHo

Hummm, again, Jonathan at the factory assured me that I could tow the 17 with my Lexus. Now I'm getting worried as it's almost brand new 2015 with less than 10,000 miles and I love it.

Sherry

I won't say it can't be done, but it is marginal at best. If you are set on a Casita 17 and want to keep your Lexus (don't blame you there!!), you will need to pack lightly, travel with empty holding tanks, verify your final loaded weight at a certified scale (truck stops, sand & gravel yards), and you will probably want to set it up with a weight distributing hitch because of the high tongue weight. Is the Casita factory going to help you with that last part?