RV Slide in pickup camper vs. Travel Trailer?

[WarWagon]

After 6 months of a mess I won't get into... The Dodge is only Single Rear Wheel. There is no sane way it would legally carry the weight of the 975. So no deal.

Took the truck to the CAT Truck Scale and found that it has a little over 1 ton left in cargo capacity for a slide in camper.

With the camper it would be:
1 ton over the GVWR and that's Dry!
Over the sticker axle weight rating.
And over the rating of the 17" tires. (Likely where the axle rating for the rear comes from.)

Sure I could go get 19.5" Ricksons wheels. However in a wreck an insurance company would walk away and deny any coverage due to gross overload of the vehicle especially with Arizona's "Stupid Law". For example if you don't wear your seat belt the insurance company doesn't have to pay for injuries that could have been prevented by wearing a seat belt.

Yes, when in doubt contact your attorney. Mine provided a case example where the insurance company did walk away from a GN trailer wreck that overloaded the towing vehicle.

 

[Will L.]

Thats nothing new. Car stolen and you left keys in it= denied. Blown oversized tire resulting in crash= denied. Lots of things like that if you search.

 

[JayTheCPA]

And even if the insurer decides to pay, the mood of the adjuster will dictate how much coverage you get. Bad mood = *lots* of 'betterment' discounts. For those unaware of what 'betterment' is, this is the insurance industry's term for when you have your car in the shop (or are planning to work on it yourself) and it needs new parts. But given that your car is not new, the insurer reduces the amount you get for the new part seeing that your car is used. If they gave you actual cost for the new part, then you are 'better' as a result by 'improving' your used vehicle and not just repairing it. So end result is that you are not only covering the deductible, but your out-of-pocket repair costs are increasing by the amount of the 'betterment'. So, this is a double-punch to the wallet.

This is why I now make sure my policies have clauses for 'actual cost' replacement as most people do not think about this when shopping for a rate.



WW, does this mean that you are re-thinking the camper and looking for a TT?

 

[RvOwner]

I always prefer the Type C series of campers for so many reasons. Though they are not as luxurious as Type A or Type B campers, they are very spacious .Another benefit is that they are cheaper as compared to the other types of campers.

 

[MrMarty51]

Just read through this thread. I also looked before tapping the like button, a lot of good information about campers.

 

[WarWagon]

WW, does this mean that you are re-thinking the camper and looking for a TT?

I wound up with a factory Onan generator equipped 27' 2003 Arctic Fox 27-5L 5th wheel my 2003 Dodge Ram Cummins truck could handle. My new 2018 truck could handle a fiberglass Northern Lite camper. Delamanation is my #1 concern as a small crack spot cost me over a grand to fix. If I ever get another RV it will be fiberglass.

27-28' is the upper limit for getting spots at National Parks. Smaller and you trade off recliners for a dining booth. Most sites have a picnic table: WHY Bother with a dining booth?! Bigfoot RV does offer both a recliner option instead of the booth and a generator option but, are stuck on RV short Queen bed size.

 

[MrMarty51]

I would like a popup pickup box camper.
With one of those I could also drag along the river boat. Plenty of places to camp along the Yellowstone river and still be able to launch the boat.

 

[JayTheCPA]

Rainy days are one good reason for the dinette. No wet keester from sitting on a waterlogged picnic bench.

Another is that the dinette is usually directly across from the galley which in turns makes it available for a bit more counter space during meal prep. Sure, no big deal if it is a simple meal for one, but I have done meals for a larger gathering and that extra available surface space is a huge help.

 

[Husker6.5]

Me? I'm seriously considering in five - six years selling my house and buying a used Prevost/Eagle/MCI conversion motorhome, flat towing a small car like a diesel Smart For 2 or diesel Golf behind it for local transportation needs, and spending 3-4 winter months permanently parked at an RV park somewhere in southern NM-AZ-TX and doing the same for 3-4 summer months somewhere like ME-NH-VT or perhaps WA or BC during the summer and spend the difference in the months between just traveling and seeing the country again.

 

[FellowTraveler]

Me? I'm seriously considering in five - six years selling my house and buying a used Prevost/Eagle/MCI conversion motorhome, flat towing a small car like a diesel Smart For 2 or diesel Golf behind it for local transportation needs, and spending 3-4 winter months permanently parked at an RV park somewhere in southern NM-AZ-TX and doing the same for 3-4 summer months somewhere like ME-NH-VT or perhaps WA or BC during the summer and spend the difference in the months between just traveling and seeing the country again.

We think alike...I been looking at some very expensive Class A Coaches lately.

 

[Husker6.5]

We think alike...I been looking at some very expensive Class A Coaches lately.

Our first Class A my dad bought was a former Trailways 1940 ACF Brill bus that had been converted by a doctor in New Jersey. It had a Hall-Scott 6-cylinder gas engine mounted midships under the floor. Interesting motor, straight six designed to lay on its side to lower its height. Behind that was a Spicer 4-speed non-synchro manual gearbox with electronic reverse. Dad bought the motorhome in the summer of 1973. It made family trips to New Orleans for the Nebraska-Florida Sugar Bowl, a Lincoln-Wichita-Flagstaff-LA-SanDiego-El Paso-Dallas trip for the Nebraska-Texas Cotton Bowl, a trip to Duquoin, IL for the 1974 FMCA National Convention, a Lincoln-SLC-SF-Eureka CA-Salem OR for the 1975 FMCA Convention-Seattle-Boise-Lincoln trip. That critter heading west on I-80 over the Three Sisters in Wyoming - 20mph in second gear, on the shoulder, being passed by about everything. That trip out to LA/Dallas was the southern route for two reasons - winter break, keep it off I-70 and the Rockies and altitude/grades keep it off I-70 because of the altitude/grades with that Hall-Scott gas burner!

The fall of '75 dad sold the Brill and bought a former Trailways 1956 Flixible VL100 (think looks like a Greyhound SceniCruiser) that had been professionally converted by Angola Coach in Angola, IN by its previous owner. That was powered by the venerable Detroit 6-72 2-stroke turbo-supercharged diesel backed by a Spicer 4-speed non-synchro manual w/electric reverse in a rear, pusher configuration w/o a tag axle. Nice, comfy ride down the road. Several seriously long vacations with that one.

I'll buy used on a Class A and let somebody else take the depreciation. A brand new Prevost bus shell is $750,000+ and then there's the cost of the conversion, which can run easily to over $1M depending on which company does it and what kinds of bells, whistles and gadgets and finishes you fit it with, on top of the bus's price! Back at the College World series in 2010 when it was still played at Rosenblatt Stadium, there was a brand new Prevost with South Carolina plates on it parked about 2 blocks away on a side street from my then-girlfriend's house (she lived about 5 blocks south of the Rosenblatt Stadium/Henry Doorly Zoo parking lot). Beautiful coach, it was set up as an Executive/Entertaining/Travel motorhome. Had then state-of-the-art 40" LED HDTVs inside it, a slide out for the livingroom/lounge on each side, an outdoors 40" LED TV when you lifted up a side panel on the outside of the coach, extendable awning, interior was beyond posh, granite countertops, full kitchen with full sized refrigerator, range, dishwasher, washer/dryer combo unit, whirlpool jet bath/shower, stone tile floors in kitchen and bath areas, custom oak cabinetry and trim, you get the picture. After getting acquainted with the guy who owned it and jawing a little about my parents' Flixible a little, I popped the question. His answer? $1.9M! The trip to the CWS was its maiden voyage after he had picked it up from the dealer!

I also will only go with a Class A conversion from an Over The Road bus - Prevost, MCI, Eagle, etc and NOT a school/urban transit bus and CERTAINLY NOT a modified truck chassis, pusher or puller, like used in Thor, Winnebago, Allegra, etc. An OTR bus chassis and drivetrain is designed for 500,000 mile BTD. Any truckstop maintenance shop can handle any emergency repair or scheduled services to the drivetrain or suspension.

 

[MrMarty51]

My brother, running road band, he bought an old crown coach with the Hall Scott pancake engine.
The PO was a people transport company. He handed my brother a handful of brake diaphragms and told Him, every once in a while it will need one of these and sent My brother on his way.
Brother gets here with it, tells me about the diaphragms. Told him, grab a five gallon bucket, he gets the bucket, we go over to the bus, I take the bucket and open a drain cock on an air tank. Just about filled that bucket with oil. He got another bucket, another air tank with even more oil, that was the primary tank.
Told My brother, that is the reason why it is eating pancakes. Then I asked him, did this @ss hole mention anything about caging them emergency brake cans ? Nope. There was so much crap and grime on the back of them cans that the warnings could not be read. Told My brother, if You would be out on the road, late at night and a pancake ruptured, You would have unbolted that can and it most likely would have caved in Your head. We installed new diaphragms right then and there. Flushed all the air lines and He purchased and installed a new three cylinder compressor. He never did have any problems with ruptured diaphragms.

 

[MrMarty51]

My brother still does a band thing, a one man band unit. Here is one with him and his daughter. From the movie, O Brother Where Art Though.

 

[Will L.]

LIFE AND DEATH. Seen a guy loose the left half of his face. Blind in that eye, not enough cheek bone to put back together. No teeth that side of his head, and went from a very high IQ and amazingly knowledgeable mechanic making big money. Now he is a ward of the state. Not as smart as my dog, no joke. Last time I saw him (15 years after accident) he still can’t operate a spoon properly.

 

[Will L.]

We posted same time- your brother sounds good.

 

[MrMarty51]

LIFE AND DEATH. Seen a guy loose the left half of his face. Blind in that eye, not enough cheek bone to put back together. No teeth that side of his head, and went from a very high IQ and amazingly knowledgeable mechanic making big money. Now he is a ward of the state. Not as smart as my dog, no joke. Last time I saw him (15 years after accident) he still can’t operate a spoon properly.

View attachment 66265

Yup. After I showed My brother, I believe he had quite a conversation with that guy that he bought that bus from. The PO paid for the compressor too. Brother mentioned that He did call that feller a few names to his face about not warning him about what could happen if them cans is unbolted without the anchor bolt in place.

 

[MrMarty51]

We posted same time- your brother sounds good.

He is in the Salem Ohio area now. Works for a furniture manufacturing co. And does his one man band thing on the side line. Straps on the harmonica stirrup and plays the guitar and sings.
Mostly for weddings and parties.
Sometimes He will walk into a bar, talk to the manager, find a comfy place to set, lay out his case and start singing and playing, makes some pretty good money with whats dropped into the case.

 

[Husker6.5]

Busking for tips.

 

[FellowTraveler]

Our first Class A my dad bought was a former Trailways 1940 ACF Brill bus that had been converted by a doctor in New Jersey. It had a Hall-Scott 6-cylinder gas engine mounted midships under the floor. Interesting motor, straight six designed to lay on its side to lower its height. Behind that was a Spicer 4-speed non-synchro manual gearbox with electronic reverse. Dad bought the motorhome in the summer of 1973. It made family trips to New Orleans for the Nebraska-Florida Sugar Bowl, a Lincoln-Wichita-Flagstaff-LA-SanDiego-El Paso-Dallas trip for the Nebraska-Texas Cotton Bowl, a trip to Duquoin, IL for the 1974 FMCA National Convention, a Lincoln-SLC-SF-Eureka CA-Salem OR for the 1975 FMCA Convention-Seattle-Boise-Lincoln trip. That critter heading west on I-80 over the Three Sisters in Wyoming - 20mph in second gear, on the shoulder, being passed by about everything. That trip out to LA/Dallas was the southern route for two reasons - winter break, keep it off I-70 and the Rockies and altitude/grades keep it off I-70 because of the altitude/grades with that Hall-Scott gas burner!

The fall of '75 dad sold the Brill and bought a former Trailways 1956 Flixible VL100 (think looks like a Greyhound SceniCruiser) that had been professionally converted by Angola Coach in Angola, IN by its previous owner. That was powered by the venerable Detroit 6-72 2-stroke turbo-supercharged diesel backed by a Spicer 4-speed non-synchro manual w/electric reverse in a rear, pusher configuration w/o a tag axle. Nice, comfy ride down the road. Several seriously long vacations with that one.

I'll buy used on a Class A and let somebody else take the depreciation. A brand new Prevost bus shell is $750,000+ and then there's the cost of the conversion, which can run easily to over $1M depending on which company does it and what kinds of bells, whistles and gadgets and finishes you fit it with, on top of the bus's price! Back at the College World series in 2010 when it was still played at Rosenblatt Stadium, there was a brand new Prevost with South Carolina plates on it parked about 2 blocks away on a side street from my then-girlfriend's house (she lived about 5 blocks south of the Rosenblatt Stadium/Henry Doorly Zoo parking lot). Beautiful coach, it was set up as an Executive/Entertaining/Travel motorhome. Had then state-of-the-art 40" LED HDTVs inside it, a slide out for the livingroom/lounge on each side, an outdoors 40" LED TV when you lifted up a side panel on the outside of the coach, extendable awning, interior was beyond posh, granite countertops, full kitchen with full sized refrigerator, range, dishwasher, washer/dryer combo unit, whirlpool jet bath/shower, stone tile floors in kitchen and bath areas, custom oak cabinetry and trim, you get the picture. After getting acquainted with the guy who owned it and jawing a little about my parents' Flixible a little, I popped the question. His answer? $1.9M! The trip to the CWS was its maiden voyage after he had picked it up from the dealer!

I also will only go with a Class A conversion from an Over The Road bus - Prevost, MCI, Eagle, etc and NOT a school/urban transit bus and CERTAINLY NOT a modified truck chassis, pusher or puller, like used in Thor, Winnebago, Allegra, etc. An OTR bus chassis and drivetrain is designed for 500,000 mile BTD. Any truckstop maintenance shop can handle any emergency repair or scheduled services to the drivetrain or suspension.

I'm leaning towards Prevost...

 

[Husker6.5]

I'm leaning towards Prevost...

Good choice for a platform. You can't go wrong with MCI, Van Hool, or an Eagle, either. As is true with many other things, the number of OTR bus makers has dwindled over the past few decades. Flixible - gone. GM - gone. Eagle - recently gone. ACF-Brill - gone.

Bluebird still makes their Wanderlodge based off of their school bus platform, but. . . Then there's the bus look-alikes that aren't - like many of the Winnebagos, Allegros, Titans, etc that are still 2x2" stick frame construction on a pusher or puller truck frame, often 8.1 Cummins underpowered, with slide-outs that are maintenance and leak nightmare$$ on those platforms when they go bad.

You looking at buying new? Used? Already converted, or convert yourself?