Opinions On Jayco Travel Trailers....

[Blaine]

I'm looking at small ones 16-18 feet....I checked out the T@B, and was not impressed what you got for >20K....The local Jayco place has some small ones for about 15K on special, with quite a few features.
It's important that I can take it up an unpaved road, and put it in a cul de sac, and be able to turn it around, with a come-along, if necessary.
Any opinions? Other recommendation?

[Griff]

http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides/

Lightweight models are often that... LIGHTWEIGHT! For pullin' behind your p/u? Sometimes for some extra clearance on the trailer, you need to replace the springs... or get differently arched ones. Depending of if the model you have comes with a straight or dropped axle. The trailer place should be able to fix you up.

Dual axles are ALWAYS better, tho' you might experience some difficulty making really tight turns. Forget trying to turn them by hand. Always use a receiver hitch, never a bumper hitch. Ever watch your trailer go down the road without your truck? ...hard to control 'em when that happens!

You might know this from pulling boats... but this is the handiest tool in a trailer hauler's life:

[Pete44ru]

.

Once upon a time, besides being a camper, I sold RV's @ a dealership, for about 5 years.

Most towable RV's can be ordered with a straight axle (for single axle rigs), ILO the normal drop-center axle - which will result in a higher ground clearance for the bottom pan.

Tight area maneuvering usually is enhanced by a shorter travel trailer.

For travel trailers, I would strongly suggest an inspectionof the insides/undersides of the seats, slide-out couches, dinette's etc to determine how they were constructed/assembled. (I would steer away from those assembled with staples ILO screws.)



BTW, travel trailers (and other RV's) are constructed from the bottom (frame) up, and from the inside, out - which translates into the viability of making alterations.

A frame is welded/painted upside-down, until the axle(s) are installed, then flipped right-side-up for assembly.

The clean/grey/black water tanks & their pluming are installed in the frame, then a wood floor is laid/secured atop the frame (check whether the maker used particle/chip board, or real plywood), the whatever flooring covered with linoleum and/or carpet.

The interior (cabinets, counters, bath, etc) is built/assembled atop the flooring before the outside wall & roof framing lumber is attached.

The wall & roof insulation (check for the type) is laid in before the exterior walls & roof are installed.

The remaining assembly is trim & accessory (upholstery, gas lines, reefer/icebox, sinks, toilet, stove, heater/furnace, propane tanks, roof A/C, side awning, etc).


.

[Larkbill]

Similar to boats, never buy new.

[Griff]

But, if ya are, go retro!!! My folks had an original one of these:


16', although theirs was red. We hauled it all over the place behind a '59 Chevy 1/2T p/u with the 250ci inline 6. Had a rack on the back of the p/u for a 14' aluminum hull boat and the 18hp Johnson outboard! Man that brings back memories!!!

[jnyork]

Similar to boats, never buy new.

This. There are thousands of people who buy these things, use them a couple of times and park them forever. You should be able to find one that's 3- 6 years old in fine condition if you look a little and don't need one RIGHT NOW. Patience will pay off. Of course, buy from an individual, never go to a lot.

When looking at a used one, just use the same tactics as looking at a used car , used gun or whatever: if it looks good, it probably is good, but make sure everything works. The only thing in an RV that car really hurt the ol' wallet is the refrigerator, make sure it will run on both gas and electric, and make sure the thermostat works. Water heater, stove, furnace etc are easy to check out. You will save BIG BUCKS and be happy. Be sure to get the equalizer hitch.

[jcw]

Look for a good used R-Pod.

[Blaine]

Look for a good used R-Pod.

Those are real nice, but maybe a little bigger than I can take where I want to go....

[harry]

So you want a pop up or a hard side ?

[Blaine]

So you want a pop up or a hard side ?

Hard side...for bears....

[Grizz]

off road travel trailers

https://www.google.com/search?q=off+roa ... AXsQsAQIGw

[Larkbill]

"Hard side...for bears...."

I think bears can get out of a hardside just as easily as a soft side.

[Blaine]

"Hard side...for bears...."

I think bears can get out of a hardside just as easily as a soft side.

[tman]

JAYCO is a well built trailer. Had a 32' for years, no problems, I've heard that they are built by the AMISH, but not sure?

[Blaine]

JAYCO is a well built trailer. Had a 32' for years, no problems, I've heard that they are built by the AMISH, but not sure?

I didn't know that. I checked, and you are correct.

[jeepnik]

Sadly gone, a result of the recession, I bought a HiLo trailer in 2008. Basically it is a telescoping hard sided trailer. When you want to travel you move a few things around inside and then lower the thing down. They get pretty darned flat when compared to just about anything but a tent trailer.

You do give up inside storage, but once you park it and raise it up the interior space is pretty much the same as and equally long regular trailer.

The big advantage is that you really reduce your drag when towing. Oh and storing it inside is easier too. I picked it up to tow behind my CJ-8. Normal trailers have so much wind effect they whip the little (compared to most pickups) around. The HiLo is so flat it is easily towed by the jeep.

These trailers don't have pop outs and stuff like that, but for towing ease and two people (maybe a grandkid if my boys figure out how that is done) there's plenty of space.

Now the HiLo's are getting harder to find parts for (truthfully I wouldn't have bought one had I known they would go out of business in a couple of years). And, I haven't looked around to see if anyone else is making something similar. But I will when it's time to replace this one.

[Blaine]

Sadly gone, a result of the recession, I bought a HiLo trailer in 2008. Basically it is a telescoping hard sided trailer. When you want to travel you move a few things around inside and then lower the thing down. They get pretty darned flat when compared to just about anything but a tent trailer.

You do give up inside storage, but once you park it and raise it up the interior space is pretty much the same as and equally long regular trailer.

The big advantage is that you really reduce your drag when towing. Oh and storing it inside is easier too. I picked it up to tow behind my CJ-8. Normal trailers have so much wind effect they whip the little (compared to most pickups) around. The HiLo is so flat it is easily towed by the jeep.

These trailers don't have pop outs and stuff like that, but for towing ease and two people (maybe a grandkid if my boys figure out how that is done) there's plenty of space.

Now the HiLo's are getting harder to find parts for (truthfully I wouldn't have bought one had I known they would go out of business in a couple of years). And, I haven't looked around to see if anyone else is making something similar. But I will when it's time to replace this one.

I've seen those....Nice

[Bill in Oregon]

Blaine, I was impressed by a Jayco Jay Flight Baja Edition trailer at an RV show in Redmond a couple of years ago. Seemed like it had a lot of clearance and was priced well. Do not confuse with the Jayco Baja line of pop-up camp trailers.