What kind of camper do you have???

I got your share with my 21 Gulfstream. The latest folly was plastic drillings fouling the water pump valves. Before heading back north we ran what little water was in our freshwater tank out and filled with new. First stop out on the way home this old crow had to unload some rotten corn and that's when I found out the pump ran but no water flow. Needless to say I caught holy hell for not checking before the toxic deposit but a quick reminder that I've never seen her flush before and after using the tiolet made everything better. OK, I lied about that last part.

Turns out when the manufacturer drilled the water tank for the plumbing they left the drillings in the tank. When we got home I found them fouling the diaphragm valves. Testing them for buoyancy they do float. The drillings. Not the rotten corn.

 

Oh no!!! That sounds awful, for a lot of reasons! Glad that you got it worked out.

My in-laws have a Vintage Cruiser like yours, but theirs was built I think in 2016. They haven't had the issues that you are having. The gas igniter on the fridge isn't working and one piece of interior trim came off, but that's been it. I hope yours starts treating you better.

 

I'm glad to hear theirs is treating them well. I've had so many little issues like the awning mounted about 1/2" too high, numerous self tapping screws installed with too much torque, fasteners missing their target and on and on. I'm retired and have time and tools to fix these item and nothing has been so had I required warranty work. All and all we are very happy with it and will be living in it 7 months straight this fall/winter. Great design just lacking in assembly quality.

 

We’ve got a Lance 2185 Travel Trailer. Shown here behind our former tow rig, then Yukon Denali. We’re set to load up this weekend with the Tundra. First time. I’m anxious to see how she sits. I’ve got the load leveling hitch, but stock leafs in the back of the Tundra. I’m expecting some squat but we shall see…

 

2018 Coachmen Freedom Express 25SE

This is just with my standard ball mount installed upside down. Getting a WDH soon.

 

You just get that? Looks pretty nice.

 

Bought it used from a private seller. It was a long, drawn out process but we finally got it home.

The trailer is immaculate. Very well maintained with a few upgrades/improvements.

 

Camper? A 2017 Tundra. With a topperlift.

 

2016 Flagstaff Microlite 23FBKS. Picked this up last June.

 

The best of times are ahead. Any plans for the initial outing? It's said to plan your first trip staying close to home. Amateurs, they are. Our first voyage down the driveway took us to Louisville KY Cabelas and gone for a month. Forgot washcloths and shampoo.

 

Yeah, we're planning to do a weekend trip with my wife's parents (who've had a travel trailer since 2015 and a tent trailer before that). We were looking at a park that's about half an hour from our place but it's all booked up so we're looking at places slightly farther out before we do the week long trip we have booked at the end of July about 300 miles away.

 

Dude that thing is awesome.

 

All hooked up and ready to go once I get home from work! It was really hard going to work today wishing I had just taken off. At least the thought of camping gets me through the day. It’s our first trip with this camper we upgraded to over winter. A 2018 GD imagine 2800bh. Here’s to hoping everything works as expected.

 

Nice! How are you doing on weight with that trailer and a cap?

 

Admittedly I have not taken it over a scale but the camper is pretty light for it’s size. 6150 empty with a 620 lb tongue weight. The WDH technically drops the tongue weight by a fair percentage as well. I would imagine I’m nearing or slightly exceeding the limits of my payload but I would never know it by driving it. My sticker is 1,320. If I had the trailer fully loaded at 7500 gvw I’d have roughly 700ish lbs of tongue weight with the WDH, 200 lb cap, 200 lbs of stuff in the bed, and 2 adults totaling 300lbs.

 

A few more..

 

that .. is… awesome

 

What is it!!? How have I never seen one of these before? Got any pics of the inside?

 

Looks like a nice setup. Do you have airbags too to help with a squat?

 

My setup is similar, that's why I ask. I have not been to the scales. My trailer has similar weight specs and I am rocking a cap. I make an effort to put all cargo in the trailer and not the bed of the truck. I think I am close on payload with three kiddos and two adults. 1380 sticker here.

One observation. I usually load gear over the axles in the trailer to keep weight off the tongue. This works great for traveling to a site. But, because my waste tanks are at the very back of the trailer, my handling suffers on the way home. Handling improves when I put my gear in the front bedroom for the drive home, or until I can dump the tanks. I figure 60-80 gal in the tanks is 500-680 lbs. That is a lot of weight to have in the very back of the trailer.

 

I do have airbags but since I use an add a leaf for lifting the rear, I really don’t have any squat between those and the WDH even without air in the bags.

Well the maiden voyage went beautifully and I was very pleased with how it towed. It felt just as good as my previous camper that was 6’ shorter and 2000 lbs lighter than this one. With my slightly beefed up suspension as noted above I really am not the slightest bit concerned about the payload numbers. I usually try to keep the weight forward of the axles. With the weight further back that will definitely increase the probability of sway as you clearly know.

 

StarCraft RT10 for me - a popup with mud tires and pretty high ground clearance, has gone all over CO.

 

@Goose246 @CaptainMcJedi @ffdawson - thanks! I’m headed out this weekend and will get some new pics. I’ve moved the awning to over the cab so I can use it at the same time as the back. The setup is called an eztopperlift. It’s a super slick setup actually.

 

Big thumbs up! Is your trailer GVWR around 7,500? Your new camper looks a lot like the one being dragged back and forth from Kansas City to Fort Morgan AL by a new Ranger. BTW, he said he got 7 MPG, 8 if he was lucky at 65 MPH.

 

Thanks! Yup, GVWR is 7500 lbs.

My brother has a coworker who apparently tows a 30 foot travel trailer with a Chevy Colorado. Aside from the potential safety risks, I can't imagine being that much of a masochist.

 

Congrats and happy camping. You may already have this on the to do but since it is used consider checking the axle bearings and brakes. And I love my TST 507 TPMS system. Safe travels.

https://www.etrailer.com/TPMS-Senso...Vc2pbtACBAr8KNs3UPBqRuRtRVZKem6RoCcPsQAvD_BwE

 

Thanks! The bearings were supposedly repacked in 2019 when the previous owners put Goodyear Endurance tires on and they claim they haven't traveled that far the last two summers.

I'm most likely going to have to have an axle shop look at it anyway because it was sideswiped by a drunk driver the night before I was supposed to pick it up. He managed to hit it right where the axle, slide and power connections all are.

 

I have the bearings repacked at least every other year regardless of miles. Lots of folks do it every year. The grease degrades over time is my understanding.

 

Here's the one I've been typing of

 

I'm not sure I'd even want to tow that with my Tundra (or any halfton).