Living in a small travel trailer in the desert and forrests

[highdesertranger]

that is one thing I envy about all you in vans and RV's. quick pack up and go. highdsertranger

 

[akrvbob]

that is one thing I envy about all you in vans and RV's.  quick pack up and go.  highdsertranger

Can you set up a bed in the backseat of the pickup and take trips sleeping in there? That way you could have your elaborate camp for some trips and travel light and easy on others.
Bob

 

[WriterMs]

that is one thing I envy about all you in vans and RV's.  quick pack up and go.  highdsertranger

Yep, I rarely even keep my folding chair outside at night. I can get in the driver's seat and take off in the middle of the night if I want to or need to. Of course, I don't run a mining operation out of my van.

The whole idea of camping near others I know will be very different for me -- I have never done that. At some free older FS camps in MT, there were sometimes others camping nearby but no one I knew or interacted with. So, maybe my shower tent and chair will actually stay outside and not get put away each night.

 

[masterplumber]

While I've owned a van for work, I've never had one for travel. But I've had a camper on a 4x4 pickup, a class C motorhome, a traditional travel trailer, and now my cargo trailer, along with various size tents. By far the easiest to travel with was the camper and pickup - it could go anywhere and as others have noted about vans, it was quick and easy to pull up stakes and move. My current cargo trailer is by far the most comfortable - even more so than the class C and the travel trailer. I attribute this to the layout - in all the factory built campers it seemed like we always got in each other's way - not a problem if you're traveling solo, but it also seemed like we always had to move one thing to do something else - because they all tried to have everything in them a traditional house would have. In the Cargo trailer we only have what we need, and I'm actually trying to minimize that as we go. I don't mind towing, as I tow something on average at least twice a week for work, but I do miss being able to park wherever I want, especially if we're stopping in an older downtown area. I also like the idea of being able to get out of bed and drive away if need be. I think there will be a travel van in our future one day - but not for a few more years.

 

[gcal]

I am wanting to use a small 15' travel trailer (an AR-One 15RB hybrid), pulled by a 2014 Ford Escape to live in while being in the desert blm and forrests. Is there any particular problems I may encounter that would make this a bad idea. Or just general things that I should be aware of. I would also be using this set up to go other places also. Standard RV parks and other pay for stay would be considered also but as the exception not the rule. In other words, I want to do this as inexpensively as possible, with my preferences always toward the free side of things.
And, for that matter, could there be reasons that this would be a good setup for living arrangements full time? Looking at the other side of the coin.
Thanks
Steve

Go to YouTube and search for The Willful Wanderer.

 

[karl]

I'm tired of towing- done it for years towing job trailers, car haulers, cargo's, etc.

When traveling for sport, I want to be able to park where I want with no searching for a double spot or parking lot, not to mention the added aggravation of turning around to go back to that yard sale, missed turn, hot blonde hitch hiker, whatever.

There are too many dirt roads that I like to wander to tow a trailer into blindly. It can be an issue turning or backing out of a road that is impassible with a trailer.

Several years ago I towed a teardrop behind a Tacoma across the northern part of the country- even that little 9' trailer proved to be a PITA in the muddy roads in Nebraska and the Dakotas.

I really like being able to jump in the drivers seat and be gone in seconds, not just for safety, but in nasty weather or that I am just ready to go.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I know this thread is a little older, but thought I'd throw my two cents in anyways. I find people want to tow campers all the time with their small SUV's and logically speaking you have a 3500 tow limit you should be able to tow a 3500 lb trailer. Seems simple enough. However, all trailers don't tow equally. Campers are wide, tall, and with axles underneath them, they have a higher center of gravity. They are big and boxy and catch a lot of wind and for a light SUV caught in the wrong cross wind, it's game over. A strong headwind can even give you a hard time, because the big square front of the trailer will act as a parachute and the small engine will have a lot of trouble pulling it. Even on relatively calm days, you'll have a white knuckle ride and not enjoy the overall experience because you're blood pressure will be way to high the entire time you're driving. Mirrors aren't adequate, you won't see anything that's going on behind you. Throw 300 lbs of water in them that surges back and fourth and you add another element of surprise to the equation. Now take a small 5x10 utility trailer, load it up with some mulch for a weekend project, drive across town with it, even though it still weighs the same 3500 lbs you'll have no problem. It's a low center of gravity, the trailer isn't as wide, you can see everything behind you, you're with in your tow limits, you're not going to have a problem. I think manufacturers should give different tow capacities based on type of trailer. I drive a 1/2 ton full size pick up rated for 9,000 lbs and I would NEVER tow a 9,000 lb camper, especially around the country.

 

[rvpopeye]

I'm pretty sure the guy (errr, engineer) that comes up with those tow ratings spends his entire life in a cubicle and never towed anything....maybe getting an occasional check from a salesman!

Hey, It could be true I tell ya !

 

[SoulRaven]

However, all trailers don't tow equally.  Campers are wide, tall, and with axles underneath them, they have a higher center of gravity. They are big and boxy and catch a lot of wind and for a light SUV caught in the wrong cross wind, it's game over.

I gave up the idea of towing a travel trailer with the Escape. I have been giving the 5x10 cargo trailer some consideration, but think that it would also have some wind problems as well. I am even reconsidering a popup camper, but there is some work in setting them up. I like the idea of the popup because of the built in AC and openness when setup. I had one but got rid of it, so maybe I shouldn't revisit that again. I also tried just living out of the 2014 Ford Escape by itself but although I was pretty successful for a few weeks it was tiring and tight.
In the end, a van does seem like a good idea in certain ways. I haven't tried one yet so maybe it would be the sweet spot for me. I can pick one up in pretty good condition for about $3,500 off CL, and if it doesn't work out I can always resell it like I did the Runaway, and popup.
Maybe I'm just too darn particular. Or maybe I just need to give myself more time to adjust to a different lifestyle.

 

[wayne49]

On I-15 East of Barstow I saw a Jeep Cherokee upright hooked up to an Airstream on its side in the median.A lot of gusty winds at the time (probably almost all the time since they have permanent High Winds advisory signs.)

In Amargosa Valley I was riding west on a local paved road. A dust storm on my left blowing dust across the road to my right. I am on my Suzuki 200. I get through the dust leaning into the wind slightly and right where the dust isn't, is an equal and opposite wind moving right to left. Oh my.

Wind shear at ground level!

I would not noticed much in my E350 Super Duty van.

 

[highdesertranger]

a Cherokee towing an Airstream, oh my. highdesertranger

 

[AngryVanMan]

This is why tow ratings in the US are a fraction of what they are abroad for the same vehicles. We on the whole don't know how to slow down and when to yield to road and weather conditions. In other words, we suck at driving generally and towing specifically. You could tow an Airstream across the country safely with a lawn tractor with proper planning and using the squishy stuff between your ears to some effect!

Part of the reason I think we are so prone to need larger vehicles and faster speed is our geography - you won't often find caravaners in Europe driving >3,000 miles to their destination. Now if European vacation benefits were commonplace here, and we each got 8-12 weeks a year to ourselves instead of 1,2 ,or 3 weeks, maybe we wouldn't be in such a big hurry either.

 

[speedhighway46]

The reckless practices of a high percentage of American drivers continues to re-enforce my heightened defensive driving habits. It is commonplace to see overloaded pickups pulling three axle fifth wheel trailers in the left lane at 80 mph!

With tax revenues down in most municipalities less money is available for law enforcement. Basic traffic enforcement is not the glory side of police work. I'm afraid the escalating poor driving habits by a large percentage of the population is going to continue. Then throw in cell phones and texting; we are doomed.

Defensive driving; always having an escape route when in traffic; heightened situational awareness; and looking WAY out ahead of you are the only protections you have.

Just my opinion . . .

 

[wayne49]

This is why tow ratings in the US are a fraction of what they are abroad for the same vehicles.  We on the whole don't know how to slow down and when to yield to road and weather conditions.  In other words, we suck at driving generally and towing specifically.  You could tow an Airstream across the country safely with a lawn tractor with proper planning and using the squishy stuff between your ears to some effect!

Part of the reason I think we are so prone to need larger vehicles and faster speed is our geography - you won't often find caravaners in Europe driving >3,000 miles to their destination.  Now if European vacation benefits were commonplace here, and we each got 8-12 weeks a year to ourselves instead of 1,2 ,or 3 weeks, maybe we wouldn't be in such a big hurry either.

I have never seen caravans in western Europe the size of the average TT in the USA. Europe is far ahead on tiny trailers.

They have a small J-ball on the cars to hitch the trailers.

Even the large transport trucks are smaller than the USA.

Where did you see large travel trailers in Europe?

The lawn tractor would not get over the first hill. It would need drastically low gearing. Much, much lower than granny. Weather happens fast some places. I would not want to be on the tractor when the trailer rides up an unloads the tongue weight.

The big issue is the RV industry lobbie$ to keep RVs from requiring special CDL-like licensing.

I had to train for three months and pass a state driving test in a bus to get a bus CDL in NY.

Joe Schmoe, drove a car his whole life, retires at 65, pays the down payment from his 401K, and he/she is in a 40 foot motor coach barreling down a two lane highway fifteen minutes later. Probably with his car toad behind.

If Joe buys a motorcycle, in the states I have lived in, he would need to take a driving test and/or a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Driver Safety course to legally drive the motorcycle.

Absurdities.

I do agree US driving tests/licensing are a joke compared to Europe.

-Wayne49

 

[AngryVanMan]

Hi Wayne, I was only commenting about the tow rating of the vehicles in Europe, nothing about the size of the caravans. A compact car in Europe that has a tow rating of 3300 lbs. has a tow rating of 0 lbs. in the US, not rated for towing. You'll see the same trend over and over again looking at all sorts examples across vehicle classes, consistently higher GCWR in other countries for the same tow vehicles.

As far as pulling a RV trailer with a lawn tractor, that was of course hyperbole but I decided to run the numbers on my own lawn tractor (old Wheelhorse) for fun. The low range 1st gear overall ratio of my transmission is 267.2:1 (66.8:1 in high range) and it has a 12hp Kohler engine, that's 12HP@3600RPM. As an example let's say the RV trailer weights 2 tons, or 4,000 lbs. For the rimpull calculations I will use the average of 50 lb/ton for asphalt in good condition, concrete averages about 35 lb/ton rolling resistance by comparison. For grade resistance, I will assume the maximum grade likely to be encountered on a well planned route to be 10%, which is 821 lb/ton rimpull required. At my lowest gear ratio, the travel speed would be 0.96 MPH (24" diameter tires). At that road speed and gearing the tractor produces 4,712.5 pounds of rimpull. To pull a 4,000lb. trailer up a 10% grade on good quality asphalt would require 1,742 pounds of rimpull, which means I could either pull the trailer faster up the hill (higher gear), pull it up a much steeper hill, or pull a heavier trailer. The theoretical maximum weight of a trailer I could pull up a 10% grade with my lawn tractor is 10,233.44 lbs. before the tractor would stall.

Tow rating limitations are purely legislative, not practical or physical limitations. The legislative regulations concerning tow ratings in the US are such that the vehicles are vastly underrated in this country, due in part to professional input and more recently SAE J2807 which takes high speed vehicle dynamics into account, i.e. crazy imprudent US drivers that drive excessively fast while towing when compared to other countries where putzing along at 80-90kph is the norm.

 

[speedhighway46]

Facts and data! Ain't they great! 

Love 'em.

 

[masterplumber]

That gets the trailer up the hill, but it would sure be scary trying to come to a controlled stop down the other side, even with good working trailer brakes. That also factors into the tow ratings. Also things like transmission strength etc...Way to many factors to just say X car with X amount of horse power can tow X amount of weight. Living at the base of the real mountains (the Rockies) I see people all the time towing way to heavy a trailer with way to small of vehicle, mostly because they don't want to buy a dedicated tow vehicle and want to use their daily driver.

And tow ratings are actually on the rise in pickups. Which just encourages it. Most 1/2 tons can be had with a 10,000 lb tow rating these days, so we now see people towing large fifth wheels with them, and most one ton duallys top out at 30,000 tow ratings - crazy stuff. Maybe a more appropriate attitude would be if we didn't want to take out McMansion attitude out on the rode with us, and could settle for what we need and enjoy nature, rather than have a simulated climate inside to sit in out easy chair and look out the window from. Sorry for the rant - just one of my pet peaves.

 

[ArtW]

A Teardrop trailer owner I once knew used to say, when asked 'why teardrop?'
'Because tents suck, and if you brought the bathtub you're not camping'
I sorta like that attitude

 

[highdesertranger]

the thing is 98% of the tear drop users are weekend warriors. I am a member over at TTNT I hardly ever post there because of their attitude towards build quality. when you only take your trailer out a couple times a year you can get away with subpar building. don't get me wrong they build some beautiful tear drops, but I don't think they would hold up to 24/7 365 use. for 7-14 days a year no problem. kinda like how RV's are built. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I guess i'm on the opposite end of the spectrum......I think most vehicles have too high a tow rating or I think they should have different tow limits based on trailer style. A Ford escape towing a 3500 lb flatbed trailer is nothing like towing an 8' wide 8' high 3500lb camper. Same goes for my 1/2 ton Siverado, its rated to tow just shy of 9000 lbs and when i'm towing my car trailer and it weighs almost 7k lbs loaded tows a hell of a lot better than my 4500 lb camper. And American drivers as a whole do suck and if the low weight limits are to compensate for that, than i'm 100% ok with that because it could be me or my family member killed when someone's lack of experience towing a load way too big decides to get on the highway and loses control.

I think commercial licenses should absolutely be required for Large Trailers and Motorhomes. You need them for Busses and Semis, it's only fair to hold everyone to the same standard.

As much as I dislike where I live, i'm sometimes thankful I grew up in Boston. We have the worst of the worst when it comes to aggressive drivers and I think if you can drive here you can probably drive anywhere. People think nothing of driving 85 mph and leaving half a car length between the next vehicle around here. If you're going 75 people are passing you, honking and flipping the bird like you're some sort of A'hole.

Speedhighway is absolutely right, defensive driving is your best and sometimes only defense.