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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / June 2008Towing
Thinking of buying a 1995 Coleman Roanoke and pulling it with my V6 2006 Chrysler Town & Country. Is there anything I should consider before purchaing? In article <53d0b90f-149f-470a-9943-9df9ee709c9d@e39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>, > Thinking of buying a 1995 Coleman Roanoke and pulling it with my V6 > 2006 Chrysler Town & Country. Is there anything I should consider > before purchaing? - Tow Rating If your van is NOT factory-equipped with their towing package, it is rated for 2,000-lbs. If your van IS factory-equipped with their towing package, it is rated for 3,600-lbs (3.3L) or 3,800-lbs (3.6). <http://www.trailerlife.com/towratings/2006/TowingRatings_p20_33.pdf> Tow rating includes the total weight of the camper, fully-loaded AND all passengers and luggage added to the tow vehicle. Without the towing package, you will likely exceed the 2k limit. You should contact a factory-authorized repair center to determine which components must be upgraded or added to a non-factory-equipped vehicle to gain the higher rating - if possible. - Camper Condition A 13-year-old pop-up camper, unless meticulously maintained and cared for is likely to be in poor condition. Have the seller open-and-close the unit and demonstrate that all systems work properly. Walk inside the camper. If you feel any soft or "mushy" spots underfoot, you should find another camper. The soft spots indicate dry rot (moisture/leak damage). Remember: Pop-up camping trailers are the "entry level" of entry level RVs. When NEW they are cheaply made. You would do well to have an RV-experienced person check the camper with you prior to buying. Good luck.  Signature:) JR They may be "cheaply made", but the prices I've browsed sure don't seem to indicate "cheap" at all! But maybe I'm just a cheapskate... Wesley > Remember: Pop-up camping trailers are the "entry level" of entry level > RVs. When NEW they are cheaply made. You would do well to have an > RV-experienced person check the camper with you prior to buying. Good > luck. > They may be "cheaply made", but the prices I've browsed sure don't seem to > indicate "cheap" at all! But maybe I'm just a cheapskate... Pop-ups no longer seem to be built for the purpose intended. Most choose them because of light weight, don't require a large tow vehicle and inexpensive etc. That's just not the case anymore. Todays pop-ups are high sided with ovens, microwaves and all the features of conventional trailers. Sounds great, except they're pushing over 3000lbs and cost well over $10,000 new. My first trailer was a 1991 Coleman Roanoke. It weighed 1200lbs loaded. It did not have a toilet or shower but was more than adequate. I towed it with a small Suzuki 4 door Sidekick with ease. Cost new was about $3000. Second pop-up was a 1996 Coleman Shenendoah. This was a large box very roomy with toilet and shower. Weighed about 2000lbs loaded. A big popup at a light weight. I towed with a Nissan mini pickup. Todays new popups are just too expensive and too heavy to serve the purpose I've always felt they are for. Theres a few exceptions but not many. I moved on to a hybrid which I love. Lots of room and not much heavier (3800lbs dry). > Todays new popups are just too expensive and too heavy to serve the > purpose I've always felt they are for. Theres a few exceptions but > not many. I moved on to a hybrid which I love. Lots of room and not > much heavier (3800lbs dry). My Fleetwood Niagara is big and fairly heavy, but the one thing that it has going for it is that it fits in my garage. It is an extremely tight fir, but it does go in with about 1 inch to spare on each side of the garage door. I pull it with a 2004 Ford F-150 4x4 5.4L and this combination works great for me. http://home.mindspring.com/~mejones/HST_State_Park_sml.jpg > My Fleetwood Niagara is big and fairly heavy My Coleman Shenendoah was identicle to the Niagara that year except the Niagara had a front storage box and electric lift. It was a big trailer but only weighed about 2000lbs. >> They may be "cheaply made", but the prices I've browsed sure don't seem to >> indicate "cheap" at all! But maybe I'm just a cheapskate... [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >many. I moved on to a hybrid which I love. Lots of room and not much >heavier (3800lbs dry). I remember my mom and dad going out and buying their brand new 1965 Apache pop top. Wasn't really a pop-top as we know them now. Big canvas tent on top of an aluminum box, actually. Nothing inside (i.e. no cabinets, benches, or other amenities) but a pull out bed on each end. I think sticker was around $500 for it. And they pulled it with a '63 Chev Biscayne with a 235 c.i.d. 6 banger/stick. 3 kids and a dog in the back seat. That's exactly my thoughts...and good points on weight and price you mentioned too. I've got a 20' Sunline travel trailer that weighs in at 3000# (according to the title). It boggles my mind that there are lots of pop-ups out there weighing as much or more than my full-size TT. The only advantage at that weight is a little less wind resistance. It's no wonder we hear of people having lots of towing problems (sway, etc) these days with pop-ups... Perhaps the higher gas prices will push manufacturers back towards reasonable... Wesley > > They may be "cheaply made", but the prices I've browsed sure don't seem to > > indicate "cheap" at all! But maybe I'm just a cheapskate... [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > conventional trailers. Sounds great, except they're pushing over > 3000lbs and cost well over $10,000 new. > The only advantage at that weight is a little less wind resistance. I would state that as "a LOT less wind resistance". In fact, I believe wind resistance accounts for the bulk of the difference in towing a low-profile trailer (pop-up, etc) compared to a full-height rig, almost regardless of weight. All one has to do is tow a pop-up for a few years then, using the same tow vehicle, switch to a travel trailer. The difference in fuel consumption is remarkable. Mine went from about 14 MPG to ~7 having added only about 1,500-lbs. It was that "wall" I pulled down the road that accounted for the difference. Signature:) JR > They may be "cheaply made", but the prices I've browsed sure > don't seem to indicate "cheap" at all! Aw, I guess CHEAP is relative. I have owned one "top-of-the-line" pop-up camper (bought new) and then a bottom-of-the-line travel trailer. The TT was put together with the same skill and care as the pop-up - which isn't saying much. Remember, too, that the BEST time to SELL is Spring. If you have the patience to wait until Fall and can "sit on" the camper over the winter, you will save money buying much later in the camping season. > But maybe I'm just a cheapskate... If that is true, RVing may not be for you. Especially given the current price and upward trend of motor fuel, RVing of ANY kind is an expensive proposition. Good luck. Signature:) JR It is expensive...but it could be a lot worse. Our travel trailer is a 1989 model and is in very good condition overall. I've got a decent amount of knowledge when it comes to RV repair and maintenance, so that saves a lot on expenses. The worst is the cost of fuel these days...but it's still a cheap weekend getaway when you can pull it 1/2 hour down the road and camp for $13 a night in the national forest w/o hookups. That's assuming they didn't increase the rate $3/night as they were threatening last year... None of this is even referencing the convenience (well worth it!) of having the extra space and familar environment for camping with a 2-year old and a baby... Wesley > > But maybe I'm just a cheapskate... > > If that is true, RVing may not be for you. Especially given the current > price and upward trend of motor fuel, RVing of ANY kind is an expensive > proposition. Good luck. On May 16, 11:54 am, Jim Redelfs <jim.rede...@NOSPAMredelfs.com> wrote: > In article > <53d0b90f-149f-470a-9943-9df9ee709...@e39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>, [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > :) > JR I bought a 1976 Lionel that was in pretty darn good condition. The floor was original and in good shape. The cables were also original and worked fine. I do get the impression that it was maintained well. James I tow 2001 COLEMAN CHEYENNE(w/ac) with our 1999 Chrysler T&C(over 100kmiles) with the larger v6, made 5 trips last year and have had no problems. The camper came with a sway bar but the trailer pulls fine no movement so I don't use it. Keep in mind that it is a v6 and take it easy, use common sense, leave lots of room for stopping. I don't think I would want to go cross country with it but we keep all our trips at 2-4 hr drive from the house. Be safe and have fun. > Keep in mind that it is a v6 and take > it easy, use common sense, leave lots of room for stopping. I don't > think I would want to go cross country with it but we keep all our > trips at 2-4 hr drive from the house. Be safe and have fun. UPDATE...Well, we ended up purchasing the 95 Roanoke. We had a hitch installed and towed it home this weekend. The minivan handled well. The only thing was the fear of bottoming out with everthing we had loaded (2 adults, 2 kids, dog, a weekends worth of clothes, etc.). After we got it home we checked it over again, stayed in it for the night and loaded it up with our gear. We had severe weather that night and it did not leak. There are no signs of mold (maybe some specks, but we clorox wiped them). There are no sagging spots in the floor. Now my questions are these... My father-in-law suggested air shocks (springs) to help keep the back end of our minivan a little higher. Any thoughts? Also, if the trailer was to leak, would it only be from the canvas area, or would there be somewhere on the hard top that might leak? Should I try to recaulk/reseal some of the joint areas? If so, how? Is the trim up the middle of the top a seam and should that be sealed? Thanks in advance for the tips and help. "kcwccc" ... UPDATE...Well, we ended up purchasing the 95 Roanoke. We had a hitch installed and towed it home this weekend. The minivan handled well. The only thing was the fear of bottoming out with everything we had loaded (2 adults, 2 kids, dog, a weekends worth of clothes, etc.). After we got it home we checked it over again, stayed in it for the night and loaded it up with our gear. We had severe weather that night and it did not leak. There are no signs of mold (maybe some specks, but we clorox wiped them). There are no sagging spots in the floor. Now my questions are these... My father-in-law suggested air shocks (springs) to help keep the back end of our minivan a little higher. Any thoughts? Also, if the trailer was to leak, would it only be from the canvas area, or would there be somewhere on the hard top that might leak? Should I try to recaulk/reseal some of the joint areas? If so, how? Is the trim up the middle of the top a seam and should that be sealed? Thanks in advance for the tips and help. ________________________________________________ Congrats on the purchase, enjoy it. I have been pulling a Coachmen Clipper for a while now (and a Coleman mid-range pop-up before that) with a Sienna. We load that bugger up too. I have considered those air bags that fit inside of the springs, and I am betting that is what your father-in-law meant. What they do is make it harder for the springs to compress, so it does not bottom out as readily, if at all. One can adjust the air pressure to match load. If I am remembering correctly (and it was a couple of years ago that I was considering this) it was a couple hundred bucks installed (?). I just never got around to doing it and now we have inherited a Class C so I likely never will now. I would also say that if it shows no evidence of leakage from that severe weather that you had it out in then you should be fine. That trim up the middle I believe is a seam. I am of the general opinion that resealing is always better than not sealing and finding out later that I should have sealed. (My caulking gun and I are pals) When it is closed up the only place it ought to leak from would be any joint that is showing. This would include the side doors and any joints in the sides. The top is covered well by the roof. These all still apply when the camper is open, with the addition of the canvas as the other possible leak points. Hope this might help, Tomes > That trim up the middle I believe is a seam. I am of the general opinion that resealing is > always better than not sealing and finding out later that I should have > sealed. (My caulking gun and I are pals) Any particular caulk you might suggest? "kcwccc" ... "Tomes" : > That trim up the middle I believe is a seam. I am of the general opinion > that resealing is > always better than not sealing and finding out later that I should have > sealed. (My caulking gun and I are pals) Any particular caulk you might suggest? __________________________________________ In my experience the butyl stuff works pretty well. You don't want to use house stuff due to all the flexing that happens with it. I got mine at an RV place, dunno if the likes of HD have it... Tomes > In my experience the butyl stuff works pretty well. You don't want to use > house stuff due to all the flexing that happens with it. I got mine at an > RV place, dunno if the likes of HD have it... > Tomes Has anyone used or heard of Eternabond? >> In my experience the butyl stuff works pretty well. You don't want >> to use house stuff due to all the flexing that happens with it. I >> got mine at an RV place, dunno if the likes of HD have it... >> Tomes > > Has anyone used or heard of Eternabond? It sounds like some good stuff, but I haven't had to try any yet. http://www.eternabond.com/ I've never used it, but I know some folks swear by it. If you can afford it - very pricey. Wesley > >> In my experience the butyl stuff works pretty well. You don't want > >> to use house stuff due to all the flexing that happens with it. I [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > http://www.eternabond.com/ > > Keep in mind that it is a v6 and take > > it easy, use common sense, leave lots of room for stopping. I don't [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Thanks in advance for the tips and help. I had looked into "air lift" bags but they would not work with my van because of the rear ac unit A good set of coil over load shocks should help (alot cheaper). That is what I would do if we were keeping our van. |
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