Advice for purchasing Toy Hauler

[Riddick]

Good Afternoon SVTP. We are considering purchasing a toy hauler to haul dirt bikes around and I have no idea where to start. There are several brands but which ones are good and which ones should I stay away from? I also have no idea on what size to pursue so any advice here is appreciated.

We are a family of four with a nine and six year old. My daughter and I are the only ones who ride so at most we will have three bikes with us when traveling. My wife and son will spend the most time inside so comfortable seating and a TV are a necessity. I think most toy haulers come standard with fridge, stove, microwave, sink, and shower. If not all of these items need to be on the must have list.

I currently have a 17 F-150 and I think its rated to tow close to 12k (3.5 EB Supercrew with Max Tow). I obviously want to stay with a bumper pull trailer my truck can handle. We have talked about upgrading my truck so that's not out of the question but for the time being the 3.5 EB will have to do.

When it comes to price we really don't have a limit so were open to anything. I'm not looking for the biggest trailer but I don't want to sacrifice quality, please recommend premium brands. Id rather pay more for something that wont fall apart after a year of ownership.

Hopefully there are a few of you who have first hand knowledge with toy haulers. Post up your recommendations and any tips a newbie like myself should know. Thanks guys.

- Leonard

 

[SID297]

I like the Weekend Warrior line. I'd look for one with an onboard generator.

 

[13COBRA]

Obvious answers:

Go as big as you can.
Decide whether living quarters or garage parking is more valuable to you.
Compare gross weight empty with what you want to load the back with and see where you end up.
DO NOT buy a 12k trailer because your truck is advertised to tow 12k.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

you really need to look at your door sticker for payload etc... those marketing numbers of what it's rated for come down REAL fast

 

[gimmie11s]

I like the Weekend Warrior line. I'd look for one with an onboard generator.

WW is sooooooooooo 1999... lol

Obvious answers:

DO NOT buy a 12k trailer because your truck is advertised to tow 12k.

This is sound advice and a good place for me to start my comments. Your F150 will handle 12k lbs like a transgender Olympian trying to squat a thousand--Bad idea.

Having owned a few toyboxes in the last 20 years, you are going to want to upgrade to a 3/4 ton at minimum if you want to tow comfortably (meaning without 2 hands white knuckled on the wheel at all times) and depending on how serious you get perhaps a DRW 1 ton.

Some of the top RV brands from a quality/build standpoint currently are Grand Design, Keystone, and Forest River.

As Travis mentioned, an on board generator is a must. Depending on where you live, some sort of "cold weather" package may also interest you. Also, look for as much fresh water capacity as possible if you plan to stay out dry-camped for more than a few days.

At least 1 solar panel is a must IMO. Also, minimum of two (2) 6 volt batteries. These, along with the Solar, will pretty much ensure you will always have power.

 

[JPKII]

We have been debating a camper (tow-behind or motorhome) for a number of years now. I'd suggest going to any RV dealer and talking with them about your truck and reasonable towing expectations with proper hitches and load leveling equipment. Once you understand your safe weight potential, then you can dig into what trailer you want. My rule of thumb is 50% of the advertised towing capacity. Once you get north of 50% your odds are decreasing quickly.

With toy haulers you have many options for accessories. Some of them that I liked were outdoor showers, awnings over the back of the trailer so you have a party deck or covered area to chill out, onboard fuel stations (gas pumps), solar/lithium supplemental generators, outdoor cooking stations (some included a TV), and slide-outs with automatic leveling systems. Seperation of the garage from the living quarters is also important to consider (smell of the toys invading the living quarters and how much are you or your family willing to deal with for a weekend). Materials on the garage floor and walls also vary.

In February we have the Chicago RV & Camping show in Rosemont IL. It would be worth a trip from Dayton. You'll get to see first-hand all the different models and options. We go every year and continue to learn what is important to us. You'll also get the best deals there. So be prepared to buy... They have banks and financing institutions on-site.

 

[01yellercobra]

I've been looking at toy haulers for a long time and it's one of the reasons I bought my truck. To be honest I'm kind of wishing I had gone 1 ton over the 3/4 ton as the toy haulers get heavy quickly. You might want to really consider upgrading the truck before or at the same time you get the trailer.

 

[KilledbyKenne]

I agree with many sentiments here. If a truck upgrade is in the cards already, do that first. Payload will likely be your limiting factor, not towing capacity.

And depending on how stand-up the dealership is, I wouldn't trust them to give you an honest towing capacity for your truck. In my experience they'll try to sell you the largest trailer they can convince you to buy regardless of the ability of your truck to haul it SAFELY.

 

[gimmie11s]

I've been looking at toy haulers for a long time and it's one of the reasons I bought my truck. To be honest I'm kind of wishing I had gone 1 ton over the 3/4 ton as the toy haulers get heavy quickly. You might want to really consider upgrading the truck before or at the same time you get the trailer.

It's the reason im in a DRW now. My fifth wheel isnt even considered "big" at 35' and 14k GVWR, but the way this truck handles our trailer vs our 2500 2016 Ram.... its not even a comparison.

This is another thread topic, but IMO go straight to a DRW 1 ton. The big knock against dually's has always been how awful they ride.

That said, my new truck has OEM rear air assist and to be honest, it rides NOTHING like a dually of even 10 years ago. I could daily drive it easily and be very comfortable. With options like today's trucks--just jump to the most capable if you plan to ever tow heavy in your future.

 

[T56LS102]

Here is my set up, Mine did not come with an on board generator, it actually worked out because mine has a perfect space for a generator up at the tung where the propane bottles sit, went with a propane generator so i dont have to dealer with the carb gunking up.
I started out with a F150, then quickly went to a 250 with max trailering package (so essentially an F350) incredible how easy it tows!

 

[03cobra#694]

WW is sooooooooooo 1999... lol



This is sound advice and a good place for me to start my comments. Your F150 will handle 12k lbs like a transgender Olympian trying to squat a thousand--Bad idea.

Having owned a few toyboxes in the last 20 years, you are going to want to upgrade to a 3/4 ton at minimum if you want to tow comfortably (meaning without 2 hands white knuckled on the wheel at all times) and depending on how serious you get perhaps a DRW 1 ton.

Some of the top RV brands from a quality/build standpoint currently are Grand Design, Keystone, and Forest River.

As Travis mentioned, an on board generator is a must. Depending on where you live, some sort of "cold weather" package may also interest you. Also, look for as much fresh water capacity as possible if you plan to stay out dry-camped for more than a few days.

At least 1 solar panel is a must IMO. Also, minimum of two (2) 6 volt batteries. These, along with the Solar, will pretty much ensure you will always have power.

I was going to tag you if you didn’t see this yet.

 

[gimmie11s]

I was going to tag you if you didn’t see this yet.

I need to tow my trailer empty to Florida, load a certain someone's mint 03 Cobra, exchange cash for title, then proceed to drive back home to CA.

Would be a great Summer vaca (for me). Wife... maybe not so much.

 

[03cobra#694]

Lol
It’s dusty right now.

 

[Riddick]

I like the Weekend Warrior line. I'd look for one with an onboard generator.

Sound advice on the onboard generator, that is a must have!

DO NOT buy a 12k trailer because your truck is advertised to tow 12k.

I guess I did not factor in my payload rating, I was merely looking at max tow weight. I appreciate all of the advice, before I even look at trailers I need to price out some trucks!

Having owned a few toyboxes in the last 20 years, you are going to want to upgrade to a 3/4 ton at minimum if you want to tow comfortably (meaning without 2 hands white knuckled on the wheel at all times) and depending on how serious you get perhaps a DRW 1 ton.

Some of the top RV brands from a quality/build standpoint currently are Grand Design, Keystone, and Forest River.

I'm seeing a trend here of everyone recommending getting a more capable truck. You do see these 1/2 ton trucks all the time loaded to the gills driving down the freeway, thanks to you guys I see why I should not join them. I will do some research on some of those brands I came across all three of those today while searching.

In February we have the Chicago RV & Camping show in Rosemont IL. It would be worth a trip from Dayton. You'll get to see first-hand all the different models and options. We go every year and continue to learn what is important to us. You'll also get the best deals there. So be prepared to buy... They have banks and financing institutions on-site.

This is exactly what we are going to do. I searched for some local shows and there are some down in Cincinatti and over in Columbus. Our plan was to start researching now and purchase over the winter so this might just work out!

I've been looking at toy haulers for a long time and it's one of the reasons I bought my truck. To be honest I'm kind of wishing I had gone 1 ton over the 3/4 ton as the toy haulers get heavy quickly. You might want to really consider upgrading the truck before or at the same time you get the trailer.

I'm not sure I can do the 1 ton truck. I get frustrated with driving my little 1/2 tons in parking lots and what not. This is going to be my daily so I think the 3/4 ton will be perfect. The problem im going to have now is finding one that isnt marked up. Hopefully prices will stabalize in the near future but I think its going to take some time.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

You do see these 1/2 ton trucks all the time loaded to the gills driving down the freeway, thanks to you guys I see why I should not join them

and most of em will tell you "it tows just fine, no problem!". These people have never towed with a super duty/2500

 

[01yellercobra]

I'm not sure I can do the 1 ton truck. I get frustrated with driving my little 1/2 tons in parking lots and what not. This is going to be my daily so I think the 3/4 ton will be perfect. The problem im going to have now is finding one that isnt marked up. Hopefully prices will stabalize in the near future but I think its going to take some time.

If you get an SRW 1 ton you can get it the same length as the 3/4 ton. Mine is a short bed as I daily it and while I could do the long bed I don't want to.

and most of em will tell you "it tows just fine, no problem!". These people have never towed with a super duty/2500

I used to get into a.....debate.....with one of those guys on another forum. His truck was loaded to 90% capacity and his plan was to add gears to make it better. He even said he was wore out by the time he got to the destination. Oh, and his family was in the truck with him

 

[Logan2003Cobra]

Since this will be your first purchase I'd recommend either renting for the first year or buying something in good condition used (1-5 years old) with an empty weight around 4-5K lbs. and if you buy (even if new), try to stay as close to $20-30K as possible... why?
- Make sure you will actually use it
- Identify what you like and don't like (bed size, shower size, slide outs, exterior kitchen, exterior entertainment, etc.)
- Get a real feel for how well your F150 tows at around 50% of its tow rating (when loaded)
- When you've identified your wants/needs based on experience, you can go about buying the right trailer for your family where you didn't spend a ton of money learning what you like and if/how you will use it; and if you bought you can sell or trade in without taking a bath on it (that's why you want to stay close to $20-30K).

We spent $22K on our first one, sold it two years later for $16K, and learned that we wanted a dedicated bedroom, larger shower, & separated garage... we didn't use any of the entertainment extras or exterior features and would only want a slide out for the kitchen/dining area.

Also, if you decide to buy something that's 60-70% of your tow rating, even with a sway control system, your trailer will tow you in a strong wind which can be both physically and mentally exhausting. If you decide to get a trailer above 7K lbs. just get the F250; night and day difference.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

I used to get into a.....debate.....with one of those guys on another forum. His truck was loaded to 90% capacity and his plan was to add gears to make it better. He even said he was wore out by the time he got to the destination. Oh, and his family was in the truck with him

plenty of em out there. My grandfather always had a super duty since grandma and my mom/aunts had horses. Learning to tow in that and then stepping down is like wtf... guys would talk about using their lightning to tow another lightning etc...I towed my dads single cab, short bed 1500 with mine and it sucked - was in boost on any incline, chugging fuel etc. My 150 tows my mustang on an open trailer very well but it's still not the same as with the super duty

I think their idea of towing it well is that their truck didn't fall the **** apart doing doing it

 

[01yellercobra]

plenty of em out there. My grandfather always had a super duty since grandma and my mom/aunts had horses. Learning to tow in that and then stepping down is like wtf... guys would talk about using their lightning to tow another lightning etc...I towed my dads single cab, short bed 1500 with mine and it sucked - was in boost on any incline, chugging fuel etc. My 150 tows my mustang on an open trailer very well but it's still not the same as with the super duty

I think they're idea of towing it well is that their truck didn't fall the **** apart doing doing it

I tried to get him to rent an F250 just once because I knew it would change his mind.

On Mach 1 Registery I saw someone post a pic of his Colorado towing his Mach. The Colorado was on the bump stops and he said it towed great. I said he and I have very different ideas of towing great.

 

[C2tuck]

If you get an SRW 1 ton you can get it the same length as the 3/4 ton. Mine is a short bed as I daily it and while I could do the long bed I don't want to.



I used to get into a.....debate.....with one of those guys on another forum. His truck was loaded to 90% capacity and his plan was to add gears to make it better. He even said he was wore out by the time he got to the destination. Oh, and his family was in the truck with him

I have a short bed F-250 as I just don’t like the looks of the long beds personally, but they are a lot rougher riding when empty.