Towing? Why or why not?

[JD GUMBEE]

What best describes your thinking on Travel Trailers?

 

[Trebor English]

In my mini van I can park anywhere a car can park. Having a trailer requires two parking spots that are pull through or parking across a half dozen spots.

 

[B and C]

I gave up even just towing a motorcycle trailer. To hard to turn around in the backcountry and next to impossible to back up on some two tracks where the trees are close to the "road".

 

[Gr8ful]

I've towed all my life. Never have slept much 4-5 hrs a night max & coming home from the UP with the tractor & all the equipment on the trailer behind the manual trans truck late at night I asked my wife to drive in Wisconsin but wake me up before Chicago. She worke my up in Indiana as she couldn't find a place to stop. The ambo is a much better way to go IMHO.

 

[Blanch]

I tow a travel trailer, set up a base camp, and then explore the area. It has worked out well for me. I have a nice and comfortable home, with all the amenities, and I have a 4X4 to get into amazing places for photography. I couldn’t do what I do with a van.

There are all sorts of ways to live on the road. I prefer the travel trailer way of life. We each have our own wants and needs. I am disabled, and if I am unable to tow or get around for a period of time, I can set up in a cheap RV park and relax.


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[wayne49]

Separates the functionality of the vehicle and the house.

House has a fatal problem? Unhook it and find another.
Vehicle has a fatal problem? Unhook it and find another.

As Blanch mentioned, being able to drop the trailer at camp and drive just the vehicle around to see the sights.

But everyone has their own specific set of needs and wants and dislikes.

It's good to have a range of options.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I owned a small travel trailer for aprox 10 years. It was only 10 feet long 6 feet wide, cute as button, retro, and in excellent condition. Took it everywhere,when not travelling I had it parked up in certain places for long periods of time and used it as a cottage. It was very light I could push it around by myself, fridge stove slept three people, had an awning with walls that doubled the space, threw cots in to for guests or a place to be outside when raining. Walls were removable one two or all of them. A nice set up towed it with a 2liter 4 cylinder, and kept up to highway speeds on most hills. 
I swore by it, best system you could ask for, hardly any maintenance, low insurance, could park it up and go explore, had a long tung so easy to back and park etc etc. I simply got tired of towing it around, it is much more tiring driving with a trailer behind you no matter how small, you are always checking it, having to watch for it in tight spots, it became a pain in the ass and I didn’t want to go anywhere with that thing following me anymore, so I sold it and started using vans. I like vans because I can park anywhere slip in back have a nap, make a cup of tea, a meal or spend the night unnoticed, almost anywhere.

 

[ProfessorChaos]

I just don't like towing. You have to constantly keep an eye on the trailer and backing up can be a pain.

 

[highdesertranger]

I have been doing it so long it's second nature for me.

there are pluses and minuses to everything. one must weigh these and come to their own conclusion.

highdesertranger

 

[blars]

I tow a Chevy Tracker behind my Class A. Not much difference in mileage, but it does make it slower going up hill and harder to maneuver. I find the toad makes it easer to shop, just leave the Class A where I am camping or where there is room to park.

 

[RoamerRV428]

towing is what we do being farmers. We can tow, back anything of any size. been there done that
I second Blanch. For 2 of us we need some space and luxury and our toyhauler rv gives us that.

 

[Bobflhtc]

Sitting in my trailer listening to the rain come down enjoying a hot cup of coffee with KLPZ Parker for company north of Bouse ?

 

[WalkaboutTed]

I'm currently in AZ in our cargo van conversion while the .trailer is in NM. I believe that we have the best of both worlds. We tow the trailer to parks and places where we know that we'll be able to find a place to park it and use it as the base camp-and cheap. Or, we take off in the van, stealthing, Last night we were on National Forest land. Tonight we're hanging out in a Bass store. Tomorrow we go back to NM. I've been having some problems with altitude (air hunger), so after Hubby installs the rooftop (big black pipe) water heater and the seat swivel, it's off to the beach in California where we go for however long, once again leaving the trailer in NM. It's too much of a hassle (and expensive) to bring the trailer there.

Why it has to be one or the other is beyond me.
Ted

 

[ckelly78z]

I have a 30FK Heartland TT with one big slideout. For the two of us, it is a sprawling mansion of quiet luxury. We tow it with a 4x4 diesel Excursion, and are able to go anywhere once base camp is set up.

If I were doing the van life, I would have my enduro motorcycle along with me, so I wouldn't have to pack up everything when sight seeing, or shopping.

Towing is only scary when you aren't doing properly.

 

[highdesertranger]

"Towing is only scary when you aren't doing properly."

excellent point and I totally agree.

highdesertranger

 

[Doubleone]

I had a 29' travel trailer when my kids were teens.  Towing wasn't really the issue, that was fairly straight forward.   However, my wife refused to drive the truck with the trailer attached and she couldn't back it.  So I was doing all the driving, set up, take down, tanks, and maintenance.  She loved it but I was doing all the work...   I sold it to my bro-in-law at a family discount and got a class C.   The thing we enjoy with the class C is the minimal set up and take down time, plus wife can sneak in back and used the potty while we're on the road; no stopping every 30 minutes or searching for a restroom... we can just blast off and get to where we're going.  I still do most of the driving, but she helps navigate, research, reservations... and, oh yeah, she gets me cold sodas from the fridge.   

 

[bullfrog]

Just because you have a trailer doesn't mean you have to tow it. If working seasonally or using it as a base camp that seldom moves and in our case even boondocking for extended periods (renting a non-hook up lot) you can manage to get it moved or delivered for a lot less that it costs to get or maintain a tow vehicle. Seller delivered it this time at no additional cost, but at $2.00 a mile a yearly move of 500 miles is $1,000. If you can rent a place for $500 to $1,000 a year consider a second trailer and avoid the set up and take down. Some who are good at buying and selling just sell and buy once a year, but that is definitely not me! Southern warm climates in the winter and cool mountain climates in the summer with a cheap to keep small vehicle as you will be traveling to and from most likely longer distances to get cheap places to stay.

 

[Weldman]

I will take option 5
Cannot get them in and out of tight spaces meant for small rigs.

 

[rvwandering]

We don't tow because we want to be small and nimble enough to easily stop almost anywhere as we travel. We also prefer to have our stuff with us as we explore rather than using a trailer as a base camp to venture out of and return to. Our 25' class C is about perfect for our style of traveling - short drives between overnight stops with a lot of sightseeing but very few week or longer stays.

 

[wayne49]

Backing a trailer is something that needs to be learned, and practiced in an open environment without external pressures.
The difference is that you are steering the trailer, not the vehicle, while looking in a mirror.
The vehicle follows the trailer.
Subtle, gentle movements.
Practice, practice, practice.