Looking to buy a TT, feeling a bit overwhelmed...

seaninnj said:

We have the Winnebago Micro Minnie 2306BHS. We love it. We traded vehicles to the Ram 1500 to accommodate the towing better.

So far we have had no issues other than a few little things covers under warranty. We looked at the 2100 but went with the slightly larger 2306 bunkhouse. Good luck!


Buying your first TT is overwhelming. The best advice I can give is get a good weight distribution hitch. We have the blue ox sway pro and love it.

Well worth the premium, kinda like a Winnebago lol.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. My #1 "must have" are the bunk beds. Whatever trailer we choose has to have bunk beds. The Winnebago 2100BH has smaller bunks than I would like, but all the ones ive seen with larger bunks are pushing 30ft long, and thats just too long for my taste. In the coming months Im going to track down who has one close to my area that I can go look at.


EDIT: I just looked up the floor plan and size of the Winnebago 2306. How does your truck handle it? Whats your MPG? That model is right my alley.

Azdel is a must have for me primarily due to its delamination benefits. I would look at the Apex 245bhs or the Freedom Express 257bhs.

We have two really little kids so I opted for a smaller Apex 208bhs. We like 208bhs because its a 7.5ft wide and you dont require tow mirrors but for 8ft trailer you really should.

heefageLA said:

Thats the biggest reason I want a smaller TT. We're on a beer budget with champagne tastes, and the last thing I want is to buy something large and then get 6mpg when towing. There are some really nice 24 ft trailers with a slide that makes it feel more open. It will be several months before I commit to anything. Ill look into the right hitch also. Thanks for the feedback!

Click to expand...

5 people, 24ft? Don't think so. You will need a bunkhouse. Look for a 30' ultralite bunkhouse. Have fun

My son bought a 2018 Grand Design 2670MK last fall brand new. IIRC dry weight says 6700lbs. I towed it a few times with my 2013 1500 5.7 Hemi 3.55's 6 speed. Almost all towing was done on open highway. Handling wise it was great but it definitely worked on some of the hills. Traveling about 65 MPH I would be turning about 4000 RPM to maintain speed on hills. I got about 7.5 MPG towing on the highway. He towed it a few weeks ago 200 miles with a company owned 2017 Duramax 2500 and got 9 MPG towing it.

Whatever you get I'd stay under 6000lb dry for sure, probably 5000 dry to be safe

He 'lives' in his camper for his job so it is used every day and so far he has had no issues. Grand Design seems to be a little upper end. He needed the all-season package so his options were limited but so far he loves his camper.

Lots of responses.
Let us know what you end up deciding

There is an app online that I use and I would recommend anyone to get it that’s thinking about towing a trailer with the 1500 and even a 2500 truck.It is called RV tow check or RVTC. The app is easy to use just enter in the information that it asks for.

Loudram said:

They have a YouTube video for that too.

Click to expand...

I was of this thinking too, until I got a big pile up in the black tank. I'm sure part of the issue was my girls not using enough water when they would go. Whether it be #1 or 2 you really need to fill the bowl and much more so with #2. If you don't use a lot of water and skip the RV TP you will, at some point, get a pile up in your black tank and it's NOT any fun!

CantRepeat said:

I was of this thinking too, until I got a big pile up in the black tank. I'm sure part of the issue was my girls not using enough water when they would go. Whether it be #1 or 2 you really need to fill the bowl and much more so with #2. If you don't use a lot of water and skip the RV TP you will, at some point, get a pile up in your black tank and it's NOT any fun!

Click to expand...

Couldnt you use Rid-X or some other type of enzyme/bacteria to break it down? Put a little in there before it fills up to help keep the nastiness from getting out of hand?

heefageLA said:

Couldnt you use Rid-X or some other type of enzyme/bacteria to break it down? Put a little in there before it fills up to help keep the nastiness from getting out of hand?

Click to expand...

They have RV holding tank treatment that helps break stuff down and helps with the odor. Unlike septic you're emptying your tank every couple of days so there isn't much time for stuff to break down. You have to use plenty of water to help flush out the tank when you empty it.

As someone who has owned some kind of camper for about 40 years, I've noticed a few trends. First, there are only two big RV manufacturers: Forest River and Thor. Keystone was recently bought by Thor. As for trailer frames, axles, appliances, and even furniture, the brand doesn't make much difference because the major manufacturers all use the same suppliers. Almost all rv's are built very quickly and quality control is not very good. Even such vaunted names as Airstream are not what they used to be. You can check out a lot of user reviews on RVtrader's website. It is interesting that the exact same model of any brand will get both positive and negative reviews. As for coach construction, there are a few categories. The least expensive that I'm aware of is what is sometimes called stick and tin. This type of coach has a mainly wooden superstructure covered with aluminum siding. The smooth sided trailers can also have a wooden superstructure but quite a few of them have a mainly aluminum superstructure. These cost more and are often lighter than their wooden counterparts. The more upscale units have higher priced furniture and cabinetry and more bells and whistles. I currently own a stick and tin model (Forest River Cherokee 274RK). I've had it for two years and it has been pretty much trouble free and it is comfortable for me and my wife. I've had a smooth sided trailer. It was an RVision toy hauler and it worked pretty well too, but it was not as comfortable as our more conventional rig. As for towing, I've had several different trucks. They were all gas. Yes the mileage sucks but maintenance is cheaper and generally, so is gasoline compared to diesel. Right now I have a 99 RAM 2500 8.0 V10 regular cab 2wd (98K miles on the clock). It has a 2600lb payload, and will pull 12600lbs. That allows me to haul my RZR 900 or my street legal golf cart in the bed. No need for a toy hauler. The advice about payload considerations you've read on this thread is true. It's not just you and your wife, but the kids too and all of their stuff. My wife and I are old farts, so it's just us. BTW, my advice is don't haul water unless you have to. Fill up your fresh tank when you arrive at your campground if full hookups are not available. The advice about getting a unit with black tank flush is good. If, however, you should find a rig you like and it doesn't have black tank flush, there are third party solutions available to flush the tank. In the end, its not about saving money vs staying in a hotel. It's about the experience. Do as much research as you can, talk to as many people as you can. Whatever you end up with, I hope you will enjoy it. One other piece of advice that I don't think I saw on this thread as I scanned it. If you can find a rig you like with an outdoor kitchen, I think you will find it very useful to have.

Best of luck to you.
Don Williams a.k.a. librarian

Don't buy brand X because it sucks? They all suck. RVs at this price point are a total roll of the dice.

You MUST have a black tank flush? Absolutely crazy to shop for an RV based on such a small and meaningless criteria - they make an extension for a garden hose that has the same thing for $20 at Camping World if you feel the need.

MUST have at least X holding tank size? Another one that should be down the list pretty far. You'll find a way to get by with what it comes with. Sure, if everything else were equal and you could get a bigger tank with a certain unit go for it but to rule out an otherwise perfect trailer because of 10 gallons of some holding capacity is crazy. Carry some fresh water in jugs if that tank is too small, get a gray water tote if that tank is too small. Black tank capacity is the last to matter. You can go a long time on a black tank between dumps (and I have 4 kids so trust me).

Floor plan is by far the most important thing to shop for - within specs of your truck, of course. There are workarounds for everything being talked about in this thread but you can't change the floor plan if it doesn't work for you.

Because it's so entertaining to watch a trailer getting slapped together in less than 7 hours:
There is no time for quality work on this assembly line.

There are quite few youtube videos with factory tours or similar, interesting to watch and compare.

Something else to consider on black tank size. TP is your biggest enemy. By discarding TP into the bathroom trashcan rather than down the toilet you will greatly increase your capacity time and give you less problems later. You will be surprised about the lack of odors with this method and most of us take our RV trash out daily. We RV a lot since 1975 and this method works great, especially with a lot of kids along.

csuder99 said:

Because it's so entertaining to watch a trailer getting slapped together in less than 7 hours:
There is no time for quality work on this assembly line.

There are quite few youtube videos with factory tours or similar, interesting to watch and compare.

Click to expand...

This is crazy - I can't believe they brag about slapping these things together the way they do. You'd think they might have the workers slow down from a dead sprint as they are working to make the process look more careful for the video.

I can't believe they just put up a full wall then cut out the holes for the windows and doors. Does this mean there are no headers over the openings? Also, crazy the way they install the siding from the top down. How do they overlap properly? Eesh... I think I'm going to go sell my RV.

As for slapping the trailers together it's time to consider what the same unit would cost it production was slower and more meticulous. No doubt labor costs would increase dramatically and so would the price. I know many folks SAY they would be willing to pay more (maybe a lot more) for the same unit if it is built with more quality control, but when it comes right down to decision time, I suspect that price will win out more often than not. So, yes the quality control sucks on all of them. But who else can we blame except ourselves for buying these trailers? I do believe there's room for much improvement, but the only way to convince the manufacturers to improve the quality is to spend our money on more expensive trailers that are built to higher quality standards.

We all want lighter weight trailers. Along with that comes plastics and other material that is not the best for any build. Best built trailer I ever owned was a late 70's Great Divide 26 foot. Everything was solid wood and copper plumbing. It weighed over 9000lbs. empty. Seems there is no quality control at the factory anymore. Bought my 2017 and the mechanics told me it is up to them to repair all the defects when they arrive at the dealership. Thing is we are pulling houses down the road and must accept that we will be doing minor repairs from the time they roll off the dealer's lot.

Don Williams said:

As for slapping the trailers together it's time to consider what the same unit would cost it production was slower and more meticulous. No doubt labor costs would increase dramatically and so would the price. I know many folks SAY they would be willing to pay more (maybe a lot more) for the same unit if it is built with more quality control, but when it comes right down to decision time, I suspect that price will win out more often than not. So, yes the quality control sucks on all of them. But who else can we blame except ourselves for buying these trailers? I do believe there's room for much improvement, but the only way to convince the manufacturers to improve the quality is to spend our money on more expensive trailers that are built to higher quality standards.

Click to expand...

And that's what I did. It wasn't outrageously expensive either, about 18% more than a comparable Forest River trailer. So far nothing has rattled loose or fallen off, which I can't say for the previous FR product. Sturdier non-Lippert frame, axles with shock absorbers, arched roof, better furnace and insulation are worth it for me.

I have the Winnie 2401RG and tow with the v6 Ram no problem. Use the Blue OX WD hitch and after I got it dialed in it tows great, no sway. MPG is anywhere from 9.5 to 12.5 depending on the winds.

I have had mine just over a year an no warranty issues at all. One word of caution is the lightweight trailers can have things break when the kids get too rough. I had to fix one cabinet door (hinge broke) when caught 4 year old grandson hanging from it. Also support under bed broke from kids jumping on the bed. I replaced them with 1 x 4 for more strength.

After much research we decided on the Winnebago, they cost a little bit more but the exterior finish and the quality of the materials were just a step up on the other brands. The ducted ac and heat work great. The Winnebago Towables are fairly new but I am starting to see some used deals out.

People think Winnebago is great. My in-laws have only had their class A Winnebago for two winter's can't use it in the summer as something always breaks from their spring shakedown trip. Then takes Winnebago all summer to approve the warranty work. Get it back just in time to winterize it. 100k bucks wow. Not buying a Winnebago now.

I wanted a slideout too. But the slideouts were one thing that broke in the Winnebago. Now I'm sticking to the kiss principle. No slide outs. Plus slideouts are the first thing to leak. Thought the extra space would be nice but now I tell my wife we are supposed to be camping and will only be inside it when the weather is bad. Should be outdoors enjoying it. Plus they add close to 1000lbs.

I thought I found everything I wanted in a used 2018 keystone hideout 239ml. Outdoor kitchen. Double axles for smooth towing. Double propane tanks. Extra wide bunks. Jacknife sofa to queen bed. Then I walked through it. Plastic trim pieces popped off just by looking at it too hard. The back of the kitchen seats/ bed was thin as could be. I really wanted this trailer. But it was a no go for way too cheap build and it was only. Year old and found from the last owner got rid of it as the roof leaked and Thor didn't want to pay to fix it.

My price range is under 4k and my Rams tow rating is 5750. So now I'm with the Forest River 179dbk by either Salem or wildwood. Or the Ozark 1650bh. I don't expect these to be great. Just don't want the investment too high if my family doesn't like it. Don't want the weight too high if my truck doesn't like it. And for that price of about 13k I'm pretty handy at fixing minor things that I will find in my first shakedown camping

We could get a heavier camper but we have it in mind to go through the mountains next year so lighter is better. We would go heavier if we were never going past the 200 campgrounds Iowa has. Just some things for you to keep in mind. Also holding tanks only matter if you're boondocking.

AC units. Roof mount and ducted are nice and best for comfort. But expensive to replace. The side mounted ones can easily be replaced by buying one from Walmart very cheaply and convenient if it breaks down but they have a higher rate of leaking...

Forsakentalon said:

People think Winnebago is great. My in-laws have only had their class A Winnebago for two winter's can't use it in the summer as something always breaks from their spring shakedown trip. Then takes Winnebago all summer to approve the warranty work. Get it back just in time to winterize it. 100k bucks wow. Not buying a Winnebago now.

I wanted a slideout too. But the slideouts were one thing that broke in the Winnebago. Now I'm sticking to the kiss principle. No slide outs. Plus slideouts are the first thing to leak. Thought the extra space would be nice but now I tell my wife we are supposed to be camping and will only be inside it when the weather is bad. Should be outdoors enjoying it. Plus they add close to 1000lbs.

I thought I found everything I wanted in a used 2018 keystone hideout 239ml. Outdoor kitchen. Double axles for smooth towing. Double propane tanks. Extra wide bunks. Jacknife sofa to queen bed. Then I walked through it. Plastic trim pieces popped off just by looking at it too hard. The back of the kitchen seats/ bed was thin as could be. I really wanted this trailer. But it was a no go for way too cheap build and it was only. Year old and found from the last owner got rid of it as the roof leaked and Thor didn't want to pay to fix it.

My price range is under 4k and my Rams tow rating is 5750. So now I'm with the Forest River 179dbk by either Salem or wildwood. Or the Ozark 1650bh. I don't expect these to be great. Just don't want the investment too high if my family doesn't like it. Don't want the weight too high if my truck doesn't like it. And for that price of about 13k I'm pretty handy at fixing minor things that I will find in my first shakedown camping

We could get a heavier camper but we have it in mind to go through the mountains next year so lighter is better. We would go heavier if we were never going past the 200 campgrounds Iowa has. Just some things for you to keep in mind. Also holding tanks only matter if you're boondocking.

AC units. Roof mount and ducted are nice and best for comfort. But expensive to replace. The side mounted ones can easily be replaced by buying one from Walmart very cheaply and convenient if it breaks down but they have a higher rate of leaking...

Click to expand...

Take a look at Outdoors RV MFG well made but heavy and expensive - great in heat and cold - I have one
https://outdoorsrvmfg.com/

Lance makes good light weight ones.

I full time, boondock, and rarely use the AC.

I have solar with 2 golf cart batteries ... you should get that. If you spend $1k, it will pay for itself in about 30-40 nights