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Old 01-01-2019, 01:08 PM   #41
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Originally Posted by Kenton View Post
Could it be the fact that the King bed is also the dinette?...

I don't know


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...The permanent bed option is the twins beds but they are 75"X30" so they should really be called cots...

Nice Dig


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...According to Oliver the GVWR of the Legacy II is 7000 Lbs so it looks like you might be slightly overloaded at 7200 Lbs if that measurement is correct...

It is


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...Adding heavier duty suspension...

I didn't add it, the trailer was originally built with this suspension as a special option specifically for me


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...Adding heavier duty suspension does not change the GVWR only Oliver can do that...

And they did


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...Oliver's are nice trailers, their build quality is better than the majority of other trailer out there but are not the only option...

Thank you
I know of very little that is ever the "only option"


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...If you want a lighter fiberglass trailer and are not interested in a 4 season unit Escape, Scamp and Casita and others are a good choice.

I agree and have never stated or implied any differently.
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Old 01-01-2019, 02:53 PM   #42
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Name: Tom
Trailer: 21' Escape
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We enjoy camping at COE campgrounds and often, the campsites do not have full hookups. The 25' Bigfoots have 45 gal fresh water, grey, and black tanks, which would be very nice.
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Old 01-01-2019, 03:10 PM   #43
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Name: Daniel A.
Trailer: Bigfoot 17.0 1991 dlx
British Columbia
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Bigfoot Industries was founded in 1977.
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Old 01-01-2019, 03:27 PM   #44
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Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
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We are in our late 60’s , retired , and our 5 children are all grown .
We have the time , ability , energy and resources to travel and make long / longer trips . The Bigfoot appeals to us because it has more creature comforts , increased storage , 4 season capabilities , walk around bed , larger refrigerator , ducted heat , queen size bed and is a quality product
If we were still working with limited time off ,and limited resources we would probably be camping in a Casita or Scamp .I know for us and at our age if I tried to get my wife to go on a long camping trip in a 13 ft trailer with no A/C , no refrigerator or no bathroom , I would be camping alone.
I don’t care if a Bigfoot requires a bigger tow vehicle cause I don’t have to commute to work and I don’t shop at malls

Sometimes bigger is better !!
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Old 01-01-2019, 05:31 PM   #45
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I've always maintained if I was to move from my Escape 5.0TA for any other trailer it would be a Bigfoot.

I find that with Bigfoot, a few of it's merits are also it's detriments.
- Dry bath. Sure it has more room, but I would much rather have a wet bath (though maybe a touch bigger than what we have) and make use of that saved space for other uses.
- 8' width. While this is great for nice open space inside the trailer, it makes it not as nice for towing and more frontal area.
- 4 season performance. While great for keeping heat in or out depending on the weather, this along with the width adds weight, a big consideration for use as we plan to put on a lot of miles in the next 10 years or so.

While the build of a Bigfoot is fantastic, not unlike a stock Escape, the appliances, fixtures and some finishes are typical RV quality that will not take excessive wear. Not a super huge issue for me though, as I love to upgrade my trailer to better fit our style, and because I can.

While we will be checking out some of the Bigfoot trailers (again) at Quartzsite this year, we are certainly are extremely pleased with our Escape 5.0TA. My only issue is the lost of storage space in the tow vehicle with a fifth wheel and we love our toys on long trips, but still are planning different ways to make this work better for us.
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Old 01-01-2019, 09:29 PM   #46
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Name: Steven and Paula
Trailer: Bigfoot
Ontario
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tongue weight

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Originally Posted by Bruce Olive View Post
Bigfoot is heavier than our Oliver, about a thousand pounds. Tongue weight on our Ollie was 680#. On our Bigfoot is around 1,200#. We towed our Ollie with a 2015 Chevy 2500 Duramax. Tow the Bigfoot with a 2018 Chevy Duramax. Don’t really notice any difference, both tow like on rails.
Hi Bruce, I am curious on how you calculated your tongue weights. My 25rq is about 600, then I start to add cargo in the truck including my wife and I. My bottom line is less than your 1200 by a long shot and my Ram 1500 tows it with ease. I see that some Bigfoot models have longer tongues with cargo boxes on them, my 2008 has only the propane tanks and battery up front, so maybe this is the big difference?
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Old 01-01-2019, 09:41 PM   #47
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Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
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Originally Posted by swip View Post
Hi Bruce, I am curious on how you calculated your tongue weights. My 25rq is about 600, then I start to add cargo in the truck including my wife and I. My bottom line is less than your 1200 by a long shot and my Ram 1500 tows it with ease. I see that some Bigfoot models have longer tongues with cargo boxes on them, my 2008 has only the propane tanks and battery up front, so maybe this is the big difference?
That’s surprising , we have a 2014 Ram 1500 V8 Quad cab and we are at or over our payload limit towing our 17 ft Casita SD and it doesn’t do it with ease .
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Old 01-02-2019, 07:51 AM   #48
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Name: John & Gloria
Trailer: Bigfoot 21RB
Florida
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Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
That’s surprising , we have a 2014 Ram 1500 V8 Quad cab and we are at or over our payload limit towing our 17 ft Casita SD and it doesn’t do it with ease .
Something is rotten in Denmark here. If the tongue weight of a 17' Casita is putting you over the payload limit on a 1/2 ton truck then there is more to the story. What else is loaded in the truck.
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Old 01-02-2019, 09:35 AM   #49
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People, gas, gear etc. It adds up amazingly fast. At least for me. I live out of my trailer in the summer and so I have tools, gear, my folding solar panels and sometimes a canoe. I hit my payload limit real quick, even with only probably (never measured it) 300# tongue weight.

Jim's thoughts are in line with mine, as far as the benefits of a Bigfoot also being the detriment. The 8' width is so nice, except when it's not. For living space it's great. For towing, especially with a smaller truck like mine, it's hard to see around, a pain to get down the roads I like to get down (I'm definitely getting some good "racing stripes" on the sides of the trailer), and scarier pulling into gas stations and parking spots. But all of those are issues every stick-built owner deals with every day, so not a big deal.

My trailer is clearly not what seems to be making Bigfoot popular, since I have a wet bath, a bed that cannot be walked around and takes setting up every night, and is only 17'. But it's perfect for me.
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Old 01-02-2019, 10:00 AM   #50
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Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
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Originally Posted by Travelin2 View Post
Something is rotten in Denmark here. If the tongue weight of a 17' Casita is putting you over the payload limit on a 1/2 ton truck then there is more to the story. What else is loaded in the truck.
There is nothing rotten in Denmark nor is there more to the story
From the charts and tables I’ve seen , the average tongue weight for a 25 Bigfoot when loaded for travel is between 800 to 1000 lbs
Taking the midpoint of the 2 you get 900 lbs , adding in the weight of 2 average adults -360 lbs and an equalizer hitch -100 lbs totals 1360 lbs .
That amount is higher than my payload capacity and the capacity for many 1/2 ton trucks
One of the posters stated his loaded Bigfoot tongue weight which was less than the factory listed dry tongue weight . Kind of hard to believe

If I left my wife , dog , Solar , grill , food & almost everything else at home and I lost 50 lbs , I could tow a Bigfoot with my 1/2 ton truck
Ain’t gonna happen !!!
My Casita puts me right at my limit and my wife and dog get to go along

If packing light means leaving everything at home then I ain’t going
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Old 01-02-2019, 10:02 AM   #51
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Name: Shelby
Trailer: Casita SD
Tennessee
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Originally Posted by Travelin2 View Post
Something is rotten in Denmark here. If the tongue weight of a 17' Casita is putting you over the payload limit on a 1/2 ton truck then there is more to the story. What else is loaded in the truck.
My experience is similar to Steve's. I've got a garden variety F150 XLT Supercrew. Payload is only 1440#. Fiberglass cap, bed mat, generator, etc all adds up. I'm fine with the Casita 17 but I'm not adding anything to the tongue or maximizing storage space in the truck bed. Certainly not pulling a Bigfoot or Oliver.... I'll be a better informed shopper with the next truck (if there is one.)
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Old 01-02-2019, 10:56 AM   #52
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Name: Bruce & Kathryn
Trailer: Bigfoot 25 RQ
North Carolina
Posts: 165
I do have the cargo boxes & therefore extended frame. But not heavily loaded. Two AGM batteries and two 30# propane tanks. Equalizer hitch takes it down to around 800#. Get exactly the same fuel mileage with the Bigfoot as I did with the Oliver Go figure.
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Old 01-02-2019, 12:16 PM   #53
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Name: Dan
Trailer: Bigfoot 30th Anv. 25B25FB
Washington
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I have an 08' Bigfoot 25B25FB with the front cargo box. The trailer also has the factory 2.5 Onan propane generator option as well. Without the hitch on and using a tongue scale, my trailer's tongue weight loaded is right at 680 lbs. Add in the EZ Lift hitch and you probably have at least another 100lbs.

I believe somewhere I read that the extended frame on the front cargo box actually reduces tongue weight when compared to a Bigfoot without the front box.
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Old 01-02-2019, 12:35 PM   #54
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Name: Stu
Trailer: 2003 21RB Bigfoot
Coos Bay, Oregon
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Lots of people pull a 21' or 25' Bigfoot (both have a GVWR of 7,500#) with a 1/2 ton truck. Tongue weight should be around 10% (IMHO), much lighter than that an it can "fish-tail". While a person could set up the hitch to have a much higher percentage (say 15%) that would take weight off the trailer axles and put it on the tow vehicle. While heavier on the tongue does make the trailer track better, there is a point of diminishing returns. Throw in a WD hitch and it gets even more complicated with the tow vehicles GVWR (vs payload).

As has been said, going to a truck scale with fully loaded trailer and tow vehicle to actually measure the axle loads rather than guess is well worth the time. Adjust as necessary. But to each their own. Your mileage may vary
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Old 01-02-2019, 02:38 PM   #55
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Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
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there were at least 3 bigfoots out of a dozen FG at the Winter Gathering in King City. all 3 were towed by late model big Ram HD 2500 or 3500 class diesel trucks. all three used WDH's.
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Old 01-04-2019, 09:49 AM   #56
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Name: Jim
Trailer: Bigfoot 25RQ
Mississippi
Posts: 118
Prices

Pricing was mentioned earlier in this thread so buyer beware. There are a few dealers in the southern US that are wanting US dollars for CA dollars. We missed a sale for a BF 25RQ in CO and bought from Rosman in BC. We actually saved over $20K, closer to 25K vs buying in FL for a trailer equipped the same just a 2019 VS 2018.

Make sure you are talking CA or US dollars when buying.
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Old 01-04-2019, 10:03 AM   #57
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Trailer: Sasquatch
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Originally Posted by South Coast Stu View Post
Lots of people pull a 21' or 25' Bigfoot (both have a GVWR of 7,500#) with a 1/2 ton truck.

Lots of people do lots of things! I once saw a 90's Tacoma pulling a full size (probably 25') Airstream trailer, with a bunch of crap on it's roof and the truck bed completely jam packed with more stuff. You can believe they were way, way over both the tow limits and payload limits.

As you'll find on this site, most people are educated about it but still the most commonly neglected limit is the payload limit. You should stay within your limit, but if you're over, you should know it. Know you're over, and drive accordingly.

Towing limits are very rarely the limiting factor, especially with fiberglass trailers. It's payload that has many people walking a very fine line.
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Old 01-05-2019, 03:17 AM   #58
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We bought our Silver Cloud with retirement in mind. Yes, it is harder to tow than our Uhaul was, but boy, the space is nice. It make it possible for me to be up at 3 AM like I am right now, be able to make coffee and check the forum without waking Kevin, because we actually have rooms.

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Old 01-05-2019, 09:01 AM   #59
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It make it possible for me to be up at 3 AM like I am right now, be able to make coffee and check the forum without waking Kevin, because we actually have rooms.

CindyL
Not to discredit Bigfoot in any way, but I have been able to do that real well in both my Escape 19 and Escape 5.0TA.
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Old 01-05-2019, 09:36 AM   #60
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Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
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Not to discredit Bigfoot in any way, but I have been able to do that real well in both my Escape 19 and Escape 5.0TA.
So neither one of you has woken Kevin up at 3:00 AM ?
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