Pop-up first timer

[vjm1639]

My thoughts on the AC (and I live just a wee bit south of you ---DH is actually from Baltimore) is...we wouldn't want to be without it in this area!  It has greatly improved summer camping anywhere near our hot, humid, summers...not to mention, its good "white noise" for sleeping.   DH had a hard time getting me to give up my tent...but once he started talking about how much more we could comfortably go camping, I changed my mind.  

[fritz_monroe]

Mainly, just to stay within the weight limits of the trailer. I seem to hear a certain amount of stories about bent axles and uneven tire wear on these trailers. They are very lightly built and the tolerances appear to be very close.

This brings up a whole new issue.  Weight ratings of trailers.  For instance, we are looking at the Jayco 1207.  This says that the weights are as follows:


Unloaded vehicle weight (lbs.)     1870
Approx. hitch weight (lbs.)           185
Gross vehicle weight rating (lbs.)  2950
Cargo carrying capacity              1080

To me, this means that the trailer itself weighs 1870#.  It also means that I could put an additional 1080# into this trailer.  This would include 23 gallons of water weighing in at 191#.  a propane tanks at 20#?  This would allow for about 800# of additional stuff, right?  The Jeep is rated at 5000#, and subtract from that the weight of the trailer at max, 2950#, leaves us an additional 2050#.  My entire family does not weigh this much.

Am I missing something here?  I just don't get the figures.

F_M

[wavery]

This brings up a whole new issue.  Weight ratings of trailers.  For instance, we are looking at the Jayco 1207.  This says that the weights are as follows:


Unloaded vehicle weight (lbs.)     1870
Approx. hitch weight (lbs.)           185
Gross vehicle weight rating (lbs.)  2950
Cargo carrying capacity              1080

To me, this means that the trailer itself weighs 1870#.  It also means that I could put an additional 1080# into this trailer.  This would include 23 gallons of water weighing in at 191#.  a propane tanks at 20#?  This would allow for about 800# of additional stuff, right?  The Jeep is rated at 5000#, and subtract from that the weight of the trailer at max, 2950#, leaves us an additional 2050#.  My entire family does not weigh this much.

Am I missing something here?  I just don't get the figures.

F_M

Your figures are correct but you would be amazed at how fast that 1080# gets consumed. I would be a little leery about towing long distances close to the max anyway.

I have a feeling that most bent axles on trailers are due more to "Shock loading" from rough roads than from the actual standing weight of the trailer. Bottoming out the trailer due to max weight on a rough or bouncy road would be like dropping 5 tons of bricks on the trailer. Shock loading can easily be 10 times the standing weight. Just like hitting a nail with a hammer as apposed to the standing weight of the same hammer.

The problem comes in when you cannot tell that your trailer is bottoming out (and you can't). You can always tell when the TV bottoms out and it is much less likely to happen.

[fritz_monroe]

Your figures are correct but you would be amazed at how fast that 1080# gets consumed. I would be a little leery about towing long distances close to the max anyway.

Won't surprise me at all.  I know from backpacking how fast weight adds up.  I definately would not tow close to max.  I wanted to make sure that I'm not missing something.  I used to think that that weight was in addition to anything that was in the TV.  Of course looking back, that really wouldn't make sense.

I was first looking at the hybrids.  My DW was concerned about wildlife, but I reminded her about camping in the tent with black bears in the area, and she calmed down a bit.  We found that to get the floor space we were looking for, we'd have to get a trailer that wouldn't be easily towed.  So we went back to our original idea of a pop up.  

F_M

[ForestCreature]

This brings up a whole new issue.  Weight ratings of trailers.  For instance, we are looking at the Jayco 1207.  This says that the weights are as follows:
 
 
 Unloaded vehicle weight (lbs.)     1870
 Approx. hitch weight (lbs.)           185
 Gross vehicle weight rating (lbs.)  2950
 Cargo carrying capacity              1080
 

 Am I missing something here?  I just don't get the figures.
 
 F_M

Don't forget that the "unloaded weight" does not include any options you choose that are not standard to the model, fridge, furnace, AC etc.
 
 Our Aliner weight is around 1200 without options, by the time all our options were installed it tops out at 1850.
 

[fritz_monroe]

I'm less concerned about the heavier items than the bulky items, like sleeping bags.  Do you use sleeping bags in a PUP?  Cooler and food can go in the TV, but I want to make sure there's room in there for the family.  

We actually tend to pack fairly light.  My view of packing is if we forget something, we obviously don't really need it.  If it was really important, we wouldn't forget it.

BTW, Another that we are looking at is the Fleetwood Highlander So you can see we are looking at the larger units.

[ForestCreature]

You'll be twords the top end capacity of the Jeep by the time all is packed , the biggest downfall I see is is the 6cyl. It'll huff and puff all the way up decent sized hills.
 
 We use sheets and blankets, sleeping bags when I'm either to lazy or don't have time to make the bed up before we go (a luxury of not having a bunk end, the beds not limited by the roof closing onto the bed)
 
 You asked about lists of must haves, if you're a tent camper you probably have the main necessities for camping. Tim5055 has a good list, here's the link...hope this one works for you
 http://www.title-3.com/Camping_Checklist.htm
 

[Azusateach]

I don't know what kind of dog you have, but I've got a 70# Lab, and she shares the back end of my Explorer with a cooler and Rubbermaid container when we travel.  She's got her pad back there & seems to have plenty of room to sleep.  That being said, my cooler isn't huge, and the Rubbermaid isn't that big either.  

Play around with how to pack things.  It took me 2-3 trips to figure what worked for me.  Bedding (blankets & 1 sleeping bag) stay in the trailer all the time.  If the sheets have been slept on less than 5 times by the same person, they stay on the beds.  Otherwise they go into a laundry bag, get washed, and then put back into the bag & thrown inside the door of the trailer.  Same thing with towels.  They'll fit into smaller spaces & are lightweight if that's a worry.  Clothes in a duffel work for me, and I've heard several people say that each family member has their own & they get stored on the bunk ends when the trailer is popped up.  Those, too, can be thrown inside the door for travel.

Have fun picking out your trailer!

[massatari]

HI,, good thread,, good board.   I am in almost the exact same situation.. same TV  05' jeep liberty v-6..   I'm EXTREMELY nervous about towing with this vehicle.  We plan on equipping the trailer that we are purchasing with a weight distribution hitch and sway bars.  The trailer is a Fleetwood Bayside and I am obsessing over the weight.. anyone have any thoughts on this TV-PUP combo?
THANKS FOR LOOKING!!

[mike4947]

As For the popping up to get supplies. We learned very early if we needed it on the road it got packed in something portable and got left in the doorway or within reach inside the camper. No need to raise the roof more than an inch to open the door.

[Gone-Camping]

I think you'll be fine placing most of your stuff in the trailer, just keep an eye on the weight. If you put too much in the back of that Jeep you'll wind up with a whole different problem, and I doubt the Liberty is any stronger than the JGC is in that dept. I really beilieve if you have your 'stuff' well balanced throughout the trailer and the Jeep, keeping the weight down the best you can and making sure you have about 15% more weight to the front of the trailer you'll be good to go!

Remember, Jeeps have a great tow rating...read that as pulling power! They don't have so great rear springs in them! Kind of curious what the GCVW rating is for the Liberty (this is the combined weight rating for both the Jeep and whatever it's towing and all it's cargo etc?)...

[PITPOP27]

Great thread!

I love the Niagara - that's my vote for your family, heehee. We're currently looking at a 2000 Fleetwood Coleman :rolleyes: Timberlake.  Going to look at it tomorrow. And we are totally green around the ears as well!  Great answers and looking forward to viewing YOUR thread more :p

[fritz_monroe]

I love the Niagara - that's my vote for your family, heehee. We're currently looking at a 2000 Fleetwood Coleman :rolleyes: Timberlake.  Going to look at it tomorrow. And we are totally green around the ears as well!  Great answers and looking forward to viewing YOUR thread more :p

The Niagara is the one we are leaning towards also.  We like the floor plan and the DW likes the walls around the potty.  We are swinging by a local dealer to take a look at some Jaycos and Fleetwoods.  Another thing that we like about the Niagara it comes standard with the furnace, fridge, toilet, stereo and microwave.  Although I don't really see myself using a microwave while camping, you never know.

The dealer has a 2005 Fleetwood Newport.  It appears to be pretty close to the 2006 Fleetwood Sequoia.  Anyone know anything about the Newport?

[wavery]

The Niagara is the one we are leaning towards also.  We like the floor plan and the DW likes the walls around the potty.  We are swinging by a local dealer to take a look at some Jaycos and Fleetwoods.  Another thing that we like about the Niagara it comes standard with the furnace, fridge, toilet, stereo and microwave.  Although I don't really see myself using a microwave while camping, you never know.

The dealer has a 2005 Fleetwood Newport.  It appears to be pretty close to the 2006 Fleetwood Sequoia.  Anyone know anything about the Newport?

We didn't think that we would use the microwave either. We end up using it a lot.

Ever try cooking bacon in the microwave?? Yum

Great for baked potatoes and just heating coffee water.

You can run them off of a 1500w inverter too. You just run it for a few minutes so it's not a big battery drain. Great for early morning when you don't want to disturb the neighbors with the generator while dry camping .

[tlhdoc]

The dealer has a 2005 Fleetwood Newport. It appears to be pretty close to the 2006 Fleetwood Sequoia. Anyone know anything about the Newport?

My dealer in PA listed the Newport at $11,247 during the summer of 2005.  That included an awning.  There isn't a slide out on the trailer.  The floor plan starting at the rode side rear of the trailer is Shower, stove/oven, dinette.  The dinette does not block access to the bed.  It sits along the wall not across the end of the trailer.  On the curb side of the trailer starting at the rear of the PU there is a hutch with the refrigerator, a small section of counter with the microwave under it and the sink.  In the 2005 brochure it shows only a single bowl sink, not the double bowl the other Highlanders have.  Next is the door way and then a counter with storage under it.  There is a step at each end to help you get into the bunkend.