Towing a park model home?

[BikeBoatHike]

Hello. Have any of you towed a park model home or tiny house? I am thinking about purchasing one, but I need to know what is involved with towing one and if my truck will be powerful enough to do the job.

[sourdough]

Maybe you could provide more information? What type of tow vehicle? Vehicle specifics. What exactly are you planning to tow? Weight etc.?

[Pull Toy]

Welcome to the forum. As mentioned by sourdough, we need specifics to make an educated assessment. That being said...

1. To the best of my knowledge, all of the "Park" models that I've ever seen are meant to be hauled professionally, to a site and installed semi-permanently, or permanently. Most of the newer ones have a panoramic front bay window, and sliding patio doors, neither of which is conductive to being pulled down the road on a regular basis. I would say that if you are looking for convenient portability... NAH! Stick with a 5er and appropriate tow vehicle.

2. My opinion, (just mine) is that the "Tiny Home" thing is kind of like going around your elbow to reach your thumb. A well laid out RV is a much better option, assuming you want tow-ability, and universally accepted mobile construction standards. The "Tinies" that I'm aware of are all one-off units, or limited runs, built by carpenters, not camper experts, and probably have little or no resale value, to a very limited buyer market. They're a novelty in my mind. I would say again, that if you are looking for convenient portability... NAH! Stick with a 5er and appropriate tow vehicle.

Good Luck,

[CWtheMan]

http://campingearth.com/blog/park-model-campers/

[GMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by Pull Toy

2. My opinion, (just mine) is that the "Tiny Home" thing is kind of like going around your elbow to reach your thumb. A well laid out RV is a much better option, assuming you want tow-ability, and universally accepted mobile construction standards. The "Tinies" that I'm aware of are all one-off units, or limited runs, built by carpenters, not camper experts, and probably have little or no resale value, to a very limited buyer market. They're a novelty in my mind. I would say again, that if you are looking for convenient portability... NAH! Stick with a 5er and appropriate tow vehicle.

Good Luck,

I've watched those tiny home programs on tv and have always wondered why they just don't get a decent sized RV. Pretty sure they are less money, are set up much nicer and are standard to some extent. A one-off tiny how looks like a nightmare to me.

[Ken / Claudia]

I had a 8ft wide, with tip outs it was 12ft, 40 ft long park trailer. Never moved it. Was going to buy a another in a log style but, at around 65,000. I bought a 1200 sq ft MH from fleetwood for about the same price. So, a 400 sq ft park trailer or 1200 sq ft 3 bedroom,2 bath home the later won. Pulling a park is no big deal if it is under 8.5 ft wide and you have a HD truck. But, remember you cannot stop and use it like a RV, they have no holding tanks, made to run on 110v.

[bsmith0404]

It all depends on what has been done to it and what you have for a truck. Park models are transported from the manufacturer just like any other RV. So initially, there isn't any difference other than the transporters not wanting to tow them because they pull hard and you get terrible fuel mileage. Once they've been set up at a park, you just have to take into consideration what modifications have been made and get it back to tow specs.

[JRTJH]

There are three or four different "park model" types.

First, there's the large travel trailer that's capable of being towed as well as used on a "permanent" site.

Second, there's the "adapted travel trailer" that has much of the "mobility features" like self containment, 12 volt lights, water pump, etc removed and replaced with "house style" equipment, such as a "house refrigerator", a 10 or 20 gallon electric water heater (no LP capability), floor ducting for air conditioning, but no rooftop units, home style furnace, removeable trailer A frame and other "modifications".

Third, Small mobile homes, built to "mobile home standards" rather than travel trailer standards. True "1.6 gallon flush toilets, home style bath tubs, no holding tanks, no fresh water tank, no 12 volt system, often "2 stories" or "1.5 stories" with a loft and stairway to the top level, vinyl siding, shingle roof, home style windows, etc.

Fourth, 'little houses" as seen on TV. Often a "one of a kind" home built or contractor built house, built to no specific standard, usually custom fabricated to include "must have's" that the owner wants.

The first category, large travel trailers, can be towed just like they are, by a properly equipped tow vehicle.

The second category, adapted travel trailers, can often be towed, but not used for camping, but some of the "adapted equipment" may not "tow well" or may cause the trailer to be extremely heavy and not "towable without special equipment"

The third category, often is too wide (8', 10' and 12' models) or too long (up to 45' is legal in most places) to tow without a permit. Additionally, this type may weigh much more than the typical "hd truck" capacity.

The fourth category is "anybody's best guess" about how it will hold up to the rigors of towing.

On the Keystone website, there is a category called "Destination trailers". There are two brand names, both appear to be "large travel trailers" that have been adapted to the "seasonal campground" style of camping. They have fresh water tanks, holding tanks and much of the equipment is "RV style" so the trailer can be used without full hookups. However, even with them, in the owner's manual (the same one that we all get from Keystone) there is a provision for obtaining warranty work in which Keystone agrees that since this type trailer is "permanently sited" a mobile warranty provision is included.

So, it seems that even Keystone agrees that "destination trailers" are not "as mobile as the rest of their fleet"......

[captcolour]

Originally Posted by GMcKenzie

I've watched those tiny home programs on tv and have always wondered why they just don't get a decent sized RV. Pretty sure they are less money, are set up much nicer and are standard to some extent. A one-off tiny how looks like a nightmare to me.

Let's build a stick house, put it on wheels, and subject it to gale force winds for 12 hrs at a time on purpose. Sounds like a good plan to me!