Trailers Looking for suggestions.....

[ioujc]

I am now serious about purchasing a travel trailer. Anyone have any ideas suggestions or warnings about the various brands?
From my perusal the best quality appears to be in Dutchman and Coachman. Anyone agree or disagree with that? Or have other different info??
Currently I am looking at Coachman Catalinas, as the floor plan seems to "fit" for me. Looking at the 27 foot and with 1 or 2 slides. I will be going with a used model as my pocketbook is only able to afford that.
Generally it will be a stationary home for me here on my property and only very occasionaly be used for road trips......because my truck would be "stressed" to pull something that large, I will rent a truck to do that.
My reason for going this direction is two fold. I plan to renovate the house and want someplace to live where I don't have to completely stop and clean the place up every time I begin a project, and two, this will provide a way to "move" to another location with friends if the SHTF and there is need for a group of folks to band together.
I'm open to all hints, ideas and suggetions, as well as warnings for things to avoid.

 

[Publius]

With the price of gasoline the big campers are a dime a doz and note you will more likely need a 3/4 ton or bigger pickup truck to move them. Now wintering in a camper is not easy as many would think as they're not easy to heat and many go for the oil filled radiator type electric heaters as you will go broke using LP gas to heat with. When inspecting a camper look at the ceiling and inside the cabinets for signs of water damage or leaks, also the outside the corner seems that run up the back onto the roof and down the front for signs of separation. There many things that may not work when buying a used camper so its hard to make a list of every thing.

 

[ioujc]

Thanks Publius!

You made me r-think buying right now. If gas continues to go up, and we know it will, then you are right, there will be lots of these and more coming available all the time. I was thinking that I had to hurry because of it being winter and prices will go up in spring....which they will, but not on these big ones so much.

Tell me about winterizing one of these things. How hard is it? I plan to set it up on a concrete block foundation about 4 feet high, then fill in a little bit underneath with sand and gravel. I would also put rigid foam insulation around the inside of the blocks and hopefully that would work. What do you think?? There will be some increased "roadway" on one side, consisting of sand bags covered with dirt and gravel so that it can be driven off for trips or in an emergency. I do want to anchor it somehow, because there are a number of people around here who would take it and think nothing was wrong with that!! I figured to maybe remove the wheels when it is on the "foundation"?? What do you think?

Also, it can't be any worse to heat than my house....I removed some of the plaster on an outside wall, and there, staring me in the face, was the outside siding with only 2X4s in between!! This place was built in the late 20's. Still has a fuse box that has the old long brass fuses in it! I have heated with a wood stove until now, but my Arthur-(itis) now protests this is too much for a little old lady! I have been installing propane heaters and devined that I need ot do extensive work before this will work successfully....like adding insulation!!

Thanks again for the tips on water damage, I have seen that, even in some of the pictures online. I think I will go with a metal sided one, as I think of the plastic ones as "egshells" which can be easliy "broken". Hopefully the metal ones will be more stable and last longer????
So, all of you RVers, chime in here....help educate me!! Please....

 

[Green Co.]

Publius nailed the major concern in purchasing any used travel trailer, or RV for that matter. Most are a metal (aluminum sheet) over wooden frame. Works good for a few years, but the constant movement will cause leaks, usually in the corners Publius mentioned, but any seam in the roof is susceptible. The problem is, it takes a small leak to ruin the inner wallboard, which is generally easily replaced. But many don't let the wood dry out proper, which the soft white woods rot quickly, creating soft spots & letting leaks start again rather quickly. Many times, you won't see or even know of this damage.

If you suspect inside ceiling work has been done, closely inspect the exterior metal to see if it has also been repaired. If you can determine the ceiling joists, press them to insure they feel firm. Same with the wall studs, firm pressure. There should be no give.

All that being said, I have had good luck with Coachmen travel trailers, tho they had no slide-outs. Jayco travel trailers (not the pop-ups) were also good. My bad experience came from a Wilderness trailer, the roof seams just didn't appear to have as much "fold-over" as the others mentioned. It was prone to leaks after pulling for a summer.

Good luck, good hunting!

 

[Publius]

Putting a camper up on blocks thats going to in place for a few years is Ok as it will make it more stable and you put the blocks underneath the frame and shim using pieces of wood so its level and then underpin using plywood or other suitable material to inclose the under side and this underpinning will help with keeping your water supply line and sewer line from freezing and even help keep the floor of living compartment little warmer. I don't know how your land and location of the house is but you will need to setup a water line and some kind of septic system or set the camper over the top of the sewer line and tap into it. The electric heaters I was telling about above is the easiest way to heat a camper in the winter, the PL/Propane gas heater thats in every camper will go threw 30 pounds of gas in about three or four days and at that rate you will go broke fast, get the electric heaters and save the LP gas for the stove and hot-water heater and there is an electric element you can buy for the hot water heater and really easy to install too, so you can save more on the LP gas and then the PL gas its just for the stove.

I have used a camper for hunting on logging trails many times and the temps can drop down to zero here and there is no underpinning so the black & gray water holding tanks need to drain as its being used or it will freeze up in a matter of hours and the heater just runs a lot and it still feels kind of cold inside so sleeping bags come into play. I can live in comfort for a week while hunting and I will end up using 60 plus pounds of LP gas for a one week stay in the woods hunting, I don't do this anymore as its getting to expensive, have to go back to using a tent.