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looking to buy a travel trailer, any brands to avoid?

how are "Pilgrim" trailers?

there is a decent looking 32 foot "park" model. has washer and dryer. looks simple and plain in pictures. only want 4500 for an 07, so I assume Katrina style trailer built very cheap. am I correct?
 
how are "Pilgrim" trailers?

there is a decent looking 32 foot "park" model. has washer and dryer. looks simple and plain in pictures. only want 4500 for an 07, so I assume Katrina style trailer built very cheap. am I correct?

FEMA trailers are easy to pick out. They always have household refrigerators.

I would not own a FEMA trailer just for the fact they have no holding tanks.
 
So it appears that the HOLIDAY RAMBLER is a pretty good camper to buy? In the future I will be in the market for a travel trailer.
The Alumalights are better and still command a high price. The other HR's are built better than most but can still suffer with the same rot issues as any wood framed camper. Also consider the aluminum frame may not rot or rattle loose over miles but they still can suffer leaks in the roof, windows, and trim, like all the others, just less likely to and the consequences less severe.
 
The ALUMALITE is what I want for my next one, but they are HARD to find. And yes, people want top dollar for them. All and all though, they look as good and are better built than most any other trailer out there(except for maybe an airstream). They're just so dang hard to find one in decent shape as most peopel that have them and take care of them seem to never get rid of them. That's why I was asking about other top quality brands to look at.
 
Meh, my trailer has a TPO roof.

Not worried about it at all.

Trip up there every now and then during a season to make sure the dicor sealant is still good on the joints and there's no damage is all it needs.

http://www.dicor.com/news/tech-report-taking-care-of-your-rvs-rubber-roof/

My trailer is also new though, not used.

An EPDM roof that's been taken care of is no reason to turn away a good buy on the trailer you want....
 
ferm, any jaycos in particular are bad, as far as new was bad, old was good?

got offered a 5th wheel 40 foot jayco, later 80s, in use, all loaded up for 4500.
 
ferm, any jaycos in particular are bad, as far as new was bad, old was good?

got offered a 5th wheel 40 foot jayco, later 80s, in use, all loaded up for 4500.

That's strange down here we generally considered Jaycos better than average in build quality and a good value.
 
That's strange down here we generally considered Jaycos better than average in build quality and a good value.

I looked at a couple of JAYCO's before we bought our HY-LINE, and they were all junk IMO. these were all late 90's and newer models, and they felt like trampolines for floors, the roofs were flimsy and soft, and I just wasn't impressed with there quality. I'm torn between a mid 90's HOLIDAY RAMBLER or a SUNLINE for our next trailer. The mid 90's HR's were built like tanks and it really shows in how they are still holding up, btu the SUNLINE's are built nice and low with lightweight aluminum frames and are said to be "EASY" to tow. It would be nice to get some better milage while towing as 10 at 70 isn't that great.
 
the SUNLINE's are built nice and low with lightweight aluminum frames and are said to be "EASY" to tow. It would be nice to get some better mileage while towing as 10 at 70 isn't that great.

Completely forgot about Sunline. Nice stuff, didn't seem thrown together. Conventional construction though but that does keep the cost down. They had 14" low profile tires and drop axle under to keep them low. If you are on the tall side you need to check the head room though. A coworker had one and when my dad / I was shopping years ago we looked at several. They were common in the area we had a big dealer in the next town over.

Let me further fog the issue by pointing out you can build your own.
http://www.glen-l.com/campers/glenlrv.html GlenL has been around for eons mostly for their boat plans.
You could buy a water trashed unit and then salvage the fixtures and frame then roll your own. Might be faster than rebuilding one from scratch (you know who I am talking about :) )

Oh...and slow down...
 
That's strange down here we generally considered Jaycos better than average in build quality and a good value.

This guy that I hunt with has a Jayco Eagle (2000 something model) that he really likes. He is an engineer and pretty dang particular about his stuff. Maybe he found a good camper on the lot, but I can’t' see him buying a Junker. I had talked about campers with him, since I was thinking about buying one. He spoke pretty highly of his Jayco and liked all the features that it had. I always thought Jaycos were pretty decent campers, but then again what do I know about campers. All I have is an old 1987 Playmor hunting camper and a 1992 Coleman Pop Up. I claim to be no expert at something I know nothing about.
 
BIGR:
I am in the same boat as you. I have a Terry kind of like 88gmctrucks Nomad likely about the same damage:
http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/sh...Restoration-Project-88GMCtruck-is-at-it-again
And a mid 70's Apache hard side pop that's all there, got it from my sister pulled it out of the woods. Just don't have the enthusiasm to fix the popup when the Terry would be about the same effort. I haven't accessed the damage lately on the Terry its a ways away at my moms.

BTW anyone interested in restoring a classic popup? Lets make a deal. Its mainly rebuilding the lift mechanism clean paint fix cracks in the pvc, replace fabrics, table top and other odds and ends. They are really cool when fixed up.

If it turns out the Terry needs a nearly not worth it huge amount of work (thinking of you 88gmctruck :D) I would be tempted to salvage the frame and fittings and use a GlenL plan to build a new coach on the frame. I suspect that would be faster than a rebuild working around the existing stuff. And have the coolness of a well made new trailer that looked like it was a classic but have modern guts.
 
BIGR:
I am in the same boat as you. I have a Terry kind of like 88gmctrucks Nomad likely about the same damage:
http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/sh...Restoration-Project-88GMCtruck-is-at-it-again
And a mid 70's Apache hard side pop that's all there, got it from my sister pulled it out of the woods. Just don't have the enthusiasm to fix the popup when the Terry would be about the same effort. I haven't accessed the damage lately on the Terry its a ways away at my moms.

BTW anyone interested in restoring a classic popup? Lets make a deal. Its mainly rebuilding the lift mechanism clean paint fix cracks in the pvc, replace fabrics, table top and other odds and ends. They are really cool when fixed up.

If it turns out the Terry needs a nearly not worth it huge amount of work (thinking of you 88gmctruck :D) I would be tempted to salvage the frame and fittings and use a GlenL plan to build a new coach on the frame. I suspect that would be faster than a rebuild working around the existing stuff. And have the coolness of a well made new trailer that looked like it was a classic but have modern guts.
taking it further off topic...but where would you acquire those corrugated lock together panels like on the originals...

I thought about restoring that old 71' prowler but the panels all had pin holes through them from oxidation/corrosion and the framework was just as rotten from leaks...if not worse than 88gmc's...
 
I will always look for a winter package. We had an old 1977 Dodge Concord with the winter package. It was spray foamed alll around.

It was the best camper I have been in for heating and cooling. The 440 Dodge got up to 6 mpg.
 
If ahhhh who started this thread :) minds this could be moved off to a travel trailer repair/build topic. There seems to be a need of a RV Trailer topic and maybe a Cargo Trailer topic since so many of us have, tinker on and tow them

I am betting the GlenL plans have a source for the old style trailer siding. The local trailer place might know. Or you could go with 1/8 okumae skin and coat with epoxy (not polyester) and 4 oz fiberglass for a smooth skin (ah la stitch and glue boat building). Yes a more modern look, but cheap and tough and repairable.

The neatest one of the GlenL plans is the small 5th wheel. Looks small enough to pull with a 1/2 ton. And I bet it would be a dream behind a 3/4. You could add the goose neck to that salvaged frame off that water damages unit. Or find a good 3/4 or 1 ton cab chassis, pull off the service body, and build one of the mounted campers for it. :) Mark
 
you guys can continue on in this one, I dont mind. all I ask for is multiple party input of the quality of trailers I post about! :) I looked at that pilgrim trailer. no thanks, too flimsy. it wasnt a FEMA, as it had holding tanks, and was all self contained, but it was flimsy as all get out.

The offer still is out on that late 80s Jayco. it is one big girl! :) triple axle 40 footer 5th wheel. has plenty of hail dings. I need to check out the roof next time I look at it. so basically, does anyone know if late 80s early 90s jaycos have an aluminum skeleton?
 
I have found when out looking, you can open up one of the exteral compartments and look at the framing around the opening to see if it was alum or wood framed. Sometimes. We moved and was living in our HR Alumalite 5er and that thing was awsome. We used electric heaters in it to save on the LPG and was heated out a few times until we figured out the settings. This was with outside temps in the teens and low 20's. I'm not liking the 14" tires on it though. Went pricing tires and they are hard to find and spendy. I guess the only ones out there are all Chinese crap. All four tires that are offered.

The guy at the park we were staying at was suprised to find out ours was an 88 and not newer. They thought it was in the mid 90's range. I found that most parks out there will only alow as old as a mid 90's in the parks.

I'll keep out HR by Monaco.:thumbsup:

John
 
I have found when out looking, you can open up one of the exteral compartments and look at the framing around the opening to see if it was alum or wood framed. Sometimes. We moved and was living in our HR Alumalite 5er and that thing was awsome. We used electric heaters in it to save on the LPG and was heated out a few times until we figured out the settings. This was with outside temps in the teens and low 20's. I'm not liking the 14" tires on it though. Went pricing tires and they are hard to find and spendy. I guess the only ones out there are all Chinese crap. All four tires that are offered.

The guy at the park we were staying at was suprised to find out ours was an 88 and not newer. They thought it was in the mid 90's range. I found that most parks out there will only alow as old as a mid 90's in the parks.

I'll keep out HR by Monaco.:thumbsup:

John

Monaco didn't take over HR until late 95 early 96, and this is when they started building em cheaper using rubber roofs and other such cost cutting measures. From about 85 until 95 I believe i was HArley Davidson that had a controlling interest in HR.
 
The guy at the park we were staying at was surprised to find out ours was an 88 and not newer. They thought it was in the mid 90's range. I found that most parks out there will only allow as old as a mid 90's in the parks. I'll keep out HR by Monaco.:thumbsup:John

I have run into the trailer ageist thing. :( But that was in RV Parks where they were on long term leased lots. Have not run or heard tell of anywhere they turned away overnight or short term campers over the age of their rig. One place I stayed in Myrtle beach had a section of the park that had been leased out for years and I thought it was cool seeing all the nice old classic units there with cute patios and such. Then I found out the new owners of the place was actively trying to push them out. :nonod: If its falling apart make um fix it or move it, but if its nice...
 
The few parks we had stayed in over the years with the exception of two were year specific on who stayed. Short or long stay didn't matter. The one we settled in here in Boise let us stay. They went off of the year first then looks. Talking to them I guess there had been some that were newer but looked like they were very old or run down. They would pass on them.

I had to go look and ours is in fact a Aluma Lite XL brand made by Holiday Rambler Corp.:) No matter how you slice it, I love it. We had a Fleetwood manufacturer in McMinnville, Oregon and knowing some of the upper magagement teams and seeing the drugies that worked on the line, I'd stay so far away from them as possable. That and the fleetwood my folks owned for years was the hugest POS there was. Same with the over priced Sunnybrook they had. After the second year I was climbing under to get something and noticed the frame was rusty. Got to looking and the skirt was lifted and some of the welds were seperated and the whole thing was rusted bad. The frames had not been primed or painted at all. I went in teh fleetwood plant one time and walked through. They put the decking on the frame then the flooring. Carpet and all. Then the cabnets and inner walls. Then the outer walls then roof. Everything was built on a bench and then just fastened to the unit. They were kind of scary to see.

I have seen a few 5ers around for sale but the bumper pulls are the ones everybody keeps. I've only seen one for sale and it was ready to be stripped out. Looked like a plane had flown through the side. Every one that I had seen (the 5ers) were in the 10 to 12k range and more and all of them were late 80's to mid 90's.

Ours now needs the original water heater replaced and the solar panels I got over a year ago installed. Other than that I installed two new batts and nothing else. It's been a very good one. Hope it lasts a few more years for us.

John
 
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