Have you towed a larger camper and now an "Egg"?
-- I can compare two campers that I have used with the same tow vehicle -- a 1973 Starcraft 180 at 2380 lbs as configured, and a 1987
Scamp 13 Dlx at about 1800 lbs, towed with a 1991 GMC S15 Jimmy 4x4 (4.3L V6).
Is there much of a MPG difference?
-- We, on average, got nearly 50% better mileage with the
Scamp than with the Starcraft -- roughly 6 mpg improvement. I attribute this partly to
weight, but mostly to frontal area and aerodynamics.
How about sway and general handling.
-- The Starcraft had to be loaded carefully to keep the tongue
weight high enough for stability. We got a good scare one time on a Chicago expressway, when somebody cut us off suddenly, and the trailer started dancing. Most of the storage space, unfortunately, was in the rear. We spent the first 20 miles or so of each trip moving things around inside untill it "felt" right. I moved the a/c and spare tire to the front, and that helped immensely. The
Scamp never once exhibited even the slightest hint of a desire to sway.
Do you use a weight distributing hitch or sway control?
-- No. Tongue weight was well within the limits for my vehicle. While I would have appreciated a sway control that time in Chicago, my general belief is that if you need a sway control, you need to either redistribute the weight, or buy a heavier vehicle. Buy a sway control because you want one, not because you need one. It should only come into play in extreme cases, not during routine towing. As a side note, even a very
light trailer can sway behind a very heavy tow vehicle. But, the best bet is to fix the towing dynamics rather that trying to control the sway. Then, add a sway control if you want, just for the extra insurance.
What tow vehicle are you using and what is the towing MPG?
-- 1991 GMC S15 Jimmy, 4.3L 4x4 Automatic. Towing the Starcraft we averaged no better than 14 mpg, with worst tank just over 12, and best tank just over 16. Towing the Scamp, we averaged between 20 and 21, worst tank being about 16, best tank 23.5.
What size is your fiberglass trailer?
-- 13 foot Scamp with custom oak interior and bathroom.
How much does the fiberglass trailer lower your milesge vs not towing?
-- The Jimmy gets a consistent 24-25 on the highway. By the way, all figures mentioned here are US, not Imperial.