Thank you very much for this video... I appreciate that you had the nerve to tell it like it is. Before I spend my next $20,000 on my first RV I need as much real life information that goes against the grain... And I especially appreciate you educating me as a consumer and the first timer to become more educated on what's important on a home in Wheels... Keep up the good work on the education. I am going to my first RV presentation and southern Pennsylvania. And put the salesman and their glossy brochures to the test as I narrow down a choice
Any RV manufacturer who, this day in age, doesn't use LED lights in their standard package should be avoided. This is a sign that their just cutting too many corners, most of which you can't see.
Wow...I just subscribed and this was so informative. Thank you so much for putting this together. I will be binge watching your videos. You speak so clear and concise and to the point.
Great advice many newbies or not so new rv'ers could easily miss or not think about until after purchase. Thank you for your videos. Enjoy watching them. :)
Thanks again for this video, I really appreciate it. So informative. I'm a newbie on this and your videos really helps asking questions and what to look when getting a RV or travel trailer. Keep it up man.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge! My wife and I are about to buy a 5th wheel, and your videos have been instrumental to making me look like a genius!! LOL Thank you sir..
This was a really good vodcast - thank you for the information. I felt like I learned some things I to keep an eye on and ask about as we look at trailers. I appreciate the heads up on the axle rating and cheap tires.
Really good video/suggestions. I wish I would have seen this before I purchased my first RV. I went inexpensive knowingly hoping to save money but sure enough, every failure point you listed happened with me.
I'm in the process of selecting a travel trailer right now. Thank you for taking the time to share this invaluable information. We are down to one trailer with 30 amp, single AC vs another one with 50 amp, two AC. The price difference is $1,000. Your video sealed the deal for me. I'll be paying a little more for the extra electrical service and AC.
A lot of very good info for the first time buyer. I guess I've been pretty lucky in regards to the A/C issues. I have a 33ft rig that has only one 15k btu unit. My wife and I did a week long trip where the temps were 100 during the day and high 70s at night. Our ac unit did fine. Set it to 70 and it cycled on and off nicely throughout the hottest part of the day. I guess we got lucky. Our unit is equipped with the highest R rating insulation and tinted windows. Plus we keep the blinds closed as well. Thanks for sharing your tips.
All 3 toy haulers we have owned were outfitted with the Northwest insulation package, ladders and walkable roofs for obvious reasons you stated. But these were toy haulers, so I can't speak for regular travel trailers or 5th wheels. Unfortunately, LED's and window tint weren't available from the manufacturer back when we purchased. What we did was, purchased those stick/screw on battery operated LED pods from Costco to cut down on the use of the units lights. We also kept the blinds closed or used the parks shade as much as possible. As for the AC units, we also optioned for the largest AC unit available at the time. The addition of a second unit was not available back then either but, due to the extra insulation added by the addition of the Northwest pkg. So the single AC units kept the inside cool and didn't get overworked during hot days while we were dry camping, at the dunes or Washougal MX Park.
this was awesome ... i am so happy that Marc and Trish, with keep your daydream .... told me about your channel (thru their video) .... it is awesome how much info you have ... thank you !!:)
I really appreciate this info as I would have had no idea about most of it. As a first time buyer planning to live full time this is valuable to me. Tha k you so much!
Something I found out about ladders; If they do not have a ladder installed then chances are your roof IS NOT a walkable roof. When we purchased ours it did not have one. I asked the dealer if one could be added. He told me yes but will cost me an additional $800 to $1000 and I could do it my self much cheaper. That was a lie. Oh, sure I can add one cheaper but it wasn't suppose to have one because I wasn't suppose to walk on the roof. Further, after purchasing the TT I found a video of my(well my model) camper being manufactured and it stated that it IS a walkable roof. Since that video was from the manufacturer I called them to get an answer. The answer was that I was not suppose to be walking on it and if I couldn't reach it from the sides I need to take it to the dealer for service. If I were to do that then I might as well be adding another $1000 per season for them to inspect the roof and reseal when needed. Trust me when I say, Get one WITH a ladder.
I need to make an update on this. After posting this, Keystone actually contacted me and told me that my TT roof WAS in fact walkable. That the person I spoke with was trained to err on the side of safety. That seems like a poor excuse to lie to customers but that's what they told me.
One of the big things about adding a ladder is making sure there is backing present in the walls to support the ladder. Most roofs are "walkable" but keep in mind that is sometimes meant as walkable for service and inspection and not throwing a party on the roof at a race.
Getting the question answered about where the manufacturer located those backing supports would be impossible IMO. From everything I have read and been told; the rule of thumb is if there is no ladder then it is not walkable even for service and inspection. Since there are no industry standards and can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer I wouldn't doubt that you're correct in that most could be walked on.
Rob Man .... I dont know what you mean when you say "walkable". ALL rv roofs can support the weight of a person, and much more. In winter, especially in the North, rv's will have thousands of pounds of snow on the roof. It's spread out across the entire roof. Also....Most AC units are 80 to 130lb. My point is similar to another commenter above - ALL roofs can support a person. Some roofs should only be walked on for service/maintenance work (rubber roofs), while others can be walked on daily as another area to store gear.
When you're buying an RV that costs in the neighborhood of $50-$75,000, couldn't you ask the RV Dealer to take off the cheap tires and put better ones on, or cancel the sale??
Cheap China Bomb Tires are what we wanted to avoid, so, we bought a Jayco White Hawk, which has Goodyear Endurance tires. I am not saying that there are not good tires out there, but, I never want another Chinese Tire. We had a blowout, which took out the side of our previous camper, and, at 40mph. The other important part of tires is the date code of the tire. In our case, and, being new at the time, we did not know that the manufacturer put tires on it that were already 3 years old when the camper was built. Shame on Coachman (Forrest River).
Man, looks like we did everything right. We purchased a 2020 Jayco White Hawk 32RL. It has 2 AC units, and, of course, 50 amp service. Also, has tinted windows, 2 30lb propane tanks, and the easy steps. Paid a bit more, but, so far, it is working out well. Last trip, outside temp in the shade was 102, but, was a comfortable 72 inside. Keep up the great advice!
Great video this is the kind of information I've been trying to find. The post sale stuff you wish you knew about upfront. Thanks for taking the time to post this very helpful information.
Man, i almost reported this as a stolen video since I hadn't noticed you had changed the name of your channel. Luckily I decided to do a little checking first. Really nice and informative video. In this case I did know much of it, but there were still a few nuggets I hadn't known. Thanks man!
How about a video on buying an old RV say under $5000. There are a lot of us whocant afford more but, we are the most vulnerable for disastrous repairs or lemons so any advice what to look for would be so appreciated.
Bar K buy a moisture meter and check floors, walls, and ceiling for moisture. More than 18% moisture, walk away. Get on a ladder and check the roof for damage and proper caulking. Then, have the seller hook up power, water, and propane and test absolutely every appliance/device. If the seller refuses, or if you cant test an appliance walk away or reduce $1,000 from your offer per non functioning/non tested device. Now grab a volt meter and test ALL outlets for power. Next, get under the trailer and check the frame for bent beams or cracked welds. Check ALL tires for tread and age (DOT mark). Bring a jack and jack up each wheel... Shake it to determine bearing play. Now hook up a tow vehicle and check all exterior lights and brakes. OK... Now you're ready to make an informed offer :-)
teon39 why?! That really is a shame because, regardless of what you buy, you should learn the in's and out's of RV's in general - especially if you plan on boondocking. ALL RV's will have problems (most owners of new RV's experience 6 problems, big or small, in their first year of ownership). If you simply take a few hours to educate yourself about how RV's are built, you will save thousands of dollars. Alternatively, bring an inspector with you, just as you would when buying a home, and pay a few hundred dollars for someone else to tell you if there are any problems, if they are minor or major, and what it would take to fix it. It seems like society in general is falling out of touch with our basic skills of building and fixing things .... Too many office workers who dont want to maintain their own homes, cars, rv's.... And just want to pay others to do it for them. Shame.
Our 24 ft (actual 27) 1500 btu does good on hot days our supped 1/2 ton towing Tundra. Thanks for solid advice. The windows are tinted and full shades w/ and an upgrade on insulation. We haven’t taken it past 105F. Park in the shade!!!!! We also use an inverter generator if need be, so 1 AC helps.
Have you ever thought about putting together a book? I'd buy it in a second. There is an incredible amount of detail of which one must be cognizant in order to ensure they're getting a good deal, good value, the correct trailer/tow vehicle combination, etc. I've watched quite a few of your videos and they're always very well thought out. You obviously have an incredible amount of knowledge and experience in the area, and are very logical in your rationale and conclusions. It would save me the trouble of having to scour your videos to document all the nuggets of knowledge and wisdom you've shared!
I would buy this book. My husband and I are going to full time for a year or more and I would love to be able to have an easy list for when we buy our tow vehicle and 5W. :)
Me and my grandmother are buying a 2018 keystone Laredo 332BH that we're paying cash for. We were originally gonna get a fifth wheel toy hauler for the extra space, until we realized we didn't need the extra space and most campgrounds can't hold a 40ft+ rv. Which meant more cost would've been added to make it off grid livable for longer periods of time. Also, a bigger truck would've been needed, and I'm more comfortable driving a 3/4 ton than a 1 ton. Plus, a 3/4 ton would've been easier to maneuver in larger and more denser populated cities compared to a dually. Plus I also found out through our sales rep, travel trailers are generally cost effective and easier to update and replace items should I choose to renovate in the future. Which I plan on doing anyway once I start having to replace things in 4-5yrs.
We have a single 13,500 btu A/C and 30 amp service on our 29' TT we've had for six years. Never had a problem with running whatever we want or keeping cool, even in 100 degree temps.
Yea a lot of his advice would never have anyone doing anything. You can't afford what is ideal for you, you'll never find it. It doesn't exist. Just get something close enough and go use it! The thing about RVing is going and doing, not analyzing and spending. The bulk of the cost should be fuel, food, and camping. My family's plan is to use 2-3x what the up front cost was in the first 5 years actually going out to use the setup.
I owned a 31' Terry from '03 -'09. 13,500 , btu. 30amp never had a issue. Camped at Myrtle Beach every 4th of July for 2 weeks A/C ran perfect. Kids&Dogs in&out camper all day.
Well, in our similar circumstance as y'all, our AC would keep up bcuz it was cool enuff in the morning to get the temp we wanted, and keep it, but of course the day it got +100 on us, we went on a road trip, didn't get back till the afternoon and the unit never recovered till late at night.
I'm hoping you will be at the Dallas RV supershow in a couple weeks. We are looking for our first rv for full time living and though I've watched most of your videos I still have my fears and questions and would love to pick your brain and even be something you could put in an upcoming video. I know you had a couple videos showing a gentleman some various models recently. Thank you for all the fantastic information you provide.
thanks for the info ,as for the single ac, its true that one ac might keep your 25 ft plus unit cool ,probaly working hard. i agree 2 is better if one is working turn one off .if one breaks you still have one ,also in the sceme of things with the amounts of money were spending the cost of a second ac is minamal for the peace of mind ,,,,thanks
You are rite . My opinion . 2 or 3 AC units . I sold my Winnebago Tour coach it had basement AC heat pump furnace it was the best . I bought Newmar King Air 2016 it had 3 15000 roof AC . Its is a 45ft 4 slides .
Great video. The info on axle rating was helpful, especially for toy haulers. In bumper pull toy haulers under about 30 feet, most use dual 5000 lb axles or less despite a dry weight of 7000 to 8000 lb and the need to potentially carry several thousand pounds of ATVs, UTVs, lots of water, generators, A/C units, fuel stations, gas, etc. As I look at specifications, one manufacturer who uses heavier 6000 lb axles appears to be Northwood. Have you any insight on toy haulers or Northwood in particular?
I think 2nd AC is a toss up. Just came from home Death Valley, 109 outside, 30' class A (Big Windows) and kept inside 20° lower, enough for us to stay comfortable. Additional fan helped.
20 degrees cooler would still be 90 degrees... that's not comfortable except when comparing it to the outside temp. you would have been more comfortable with a second ac
One thing you didn't mention, finding a park with 50 amp service is a lot harder than a 30 amp service. We stayed at 3 parks this last week and one had 50 amp service the other 2 did not. The one that had the 50 amp service only had a couple of spots that had 50 amp, they were $10 more per night, and were taken already. Just something to think about.
Yes, that can be a problem, unless you have a dog-bone. Most of us with 50amp rigs keep one just in case. And, while we cannot run both AC's at the same time, most everything else works just fine.
I like this video lots of useful info, but it would be nice if you didn't assume that everyone who is watching has a mechanical background... please point to what you are talking about ex: the axle... Please & Thank You.
The main reason I didn't mention slide toppers is that they are generally cost prohibitive for your lower cost shopper and also aren't a great option in some areas of the country, such as East Texas or areas with higher constant winds. They can make a lot of noise, not last very long, and hold water (unless you put a basketball under it). They are great as far as clearing debris while pulling in your slides, but not really a must have type feature in my opinion. Thanks for the feedback though.
Great video, except one issue; there are no trailers or 5th wheels that have anything near a R48 or R36, etc. insulation. Manufactures seem to pull these numbers out of the air. Think about the thickness of your home's walls, where you can have 6" of insulation that isn't crushed to provide these real numbers. There is no way an 1 1/2, 2" or even 3" wall is going to give you anything over an R16 value. The roof and floor are the most important and I wouldn't count on having anything over r20 value anywhere on your RV if you want to work with real numbers.
reality is.. you need to have a good/well built insulated walls 2 inch minimum. that would be way more of a benefit than an extra air condition. This is an older post. Most have led lights
When you mentioned the 2nd AC, does that mean if it's ducted 30 ft trailer, we still need a second AC? We're getting ready to buy a 2018 Rockwood 31 foot box
My first was Winnebago Tour class A it was 4 years old when i bought it in 2010. Then I bought this 2016 Newmar King Air . The first thing I did Check all fluids put the oild on something white this will let you see metal shavings Then i look at the Bstteries look at fate coads over all condition Then I start the Gen and The Engine This Newmar is a 600 cummins 12.5 Onan Gen Then i turn on the ACs turn them down to Max cooling My coach has 4 TVs i turn them on I check cabnets plumming fridge . I told the dealer i had to see it work . Because even if your warrenty is the best . Its down time . The Winnebago Tour heck i bought extended warrenty the repair times . I do the same i bave compart dedicated for tools . Abiut 10k un tool and few spare parts .
I'm a big dude at 350 and I am not confident that either the ladders on your typical rv are safe for me to use or that I should be walking on the roof. Any tips on getting some weight limits? I have a solar install planned on whatever we end up choosing since we'll be full timing and I'll be working my tech job mobile.
Question for anyone??? I have a 2018 GMC 3500 duramax If I am getting ready to purchase either pre owned or new - and have a choice. do I go with a 5th wheel or bumper pull travel trailer???? safety is an issue for me over price please give me your opinion :-)
thank you. Your videos are very helpful especially for me the first time buyer. Not sure what kind of experience we are going to have, so making a first time purchase could go really good for us or really bad. Do not want to short change ourselves when it comes to reliability, safety and of course comfort. Have you heard of Fox Mountain aka Artic Fox ? also looked at Rockwood. This search can be extremely tuff. Bighorn seems to be a good manufacturer as you have pointed out.
They are all pretty similar in construction. A few brands like Artic Fox are better rated for cold weather though. Most will do good so long as you take cold weather precautions, like hose warming cords and shield exposed areas. Having a heated underbelly and tank heaters will really help when it drops below freezing. Mainly, try to get a unit with the best tires and suspension you can. Morryde SRE and CRE as well as several other suspension upgrades and better tires can mean the difference between a horrible trip and a pleasant one.
Most important aspect is having a strong capable tow vehicle above all. That gets you out of a lot of predicaments. Having the Duramax is an excellent start. The next consideration is really your hitch and load leveling system. You can get a real capable load leveling and anti sway hitch for bumper trailers that make towing really safe and keep your bed open. That said though, a fifth wheel will always be safer for towing and you can have a much larger unit and have it tow like a shorter trailer because of the bed mount. If you go bumper, spend the money on a good anti sway leveling hitch.
what kind of advice can you give me on truck campers, that is what we want. we have a 3/4 ton truck to put it on, four wheel drive, 2500 I think that is what it is, it is called the snow cheif too and can take a plow on front too. 8 foot bed too
