springdale 260 bh

[Timmybish]

Apparently I need to go get me a bigger truck to have a grownup conversation at this table.

Im not sure if I had a Ford F550 towing a 17 footer at 3000 pounds that I wouldn't hear the same argument.....

I feel like you would say my truck should only pull a pop up with 3500 pounds and 300 tongue pounds so that I have room to pack for all of the things that take away from camping. no tv needed, no toys, just food, clothing, tools, blocks, hoses, cords, jacks and that kinda stuff, and I damn well better be able to pack all of that in the trailer for well under 2500# or I'm taking too much stuff!

I am not new to hauling trailers. I have extensive towing experience. Enclosed trailers, dump trailers, equipment trailers, car haulers and so forth. And with my truck now, and 3/4 tons and 1 tons. A bigger truck gives you more peace of mind yes, but if you are aware of your limits with each tow vehicle you are fine.

This thread is about finding Springdale 260 bh owners, not about how you need to have a 3/4 ton or larger truck to pull a trailer that is within spec for my specific 1/2 ton. I'm not looking for what if's, I understand that I need to be aware of what I put in it. Thats why they have scales to weigh in at, and I would use that and pack accordingly.

The plan is to do this for a few years, and if we enjoy it upgrade to a class A or a class C, not a bigger truck and trailer.

so maybe from here on we talk about the Springdale? Or people with floor plans similar? and not your love for big trucks with small loads?

[Timmybish]

To be fair... show me where in my post I asked people to weigh in on towing capacity?

lots of unrelated, unsolicited, while good advice. Don't be offended, but no one here weighed in on the actual post question.

I would feel differently if I asked "how much trailer can I tow?"

Sadly this paints a picture that this forum is unwelcoming, pushy, and not helpful.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Timmybish

I appreciate the feedback.

However, I am pretty confident in our lifestyle that this trailer weighing in at a mere 5140 pounds empty should be just fine.

I haul a 30 foot enclosed construction trailer weighing in over 8000 pounds with no WD hitch and don't have issues. I feel it back there trust me, but Im not climbing the rockies, and not going down steep grades, and that barely has sway on the highway.

We are not the type to "load up with stuff" to go so I am not going to come anywhere near the 2330 pounds that could go into the trailer.

I feel like some of this is a bit over kill and sounds discouraging to other newbies who might read this. This is discouraging and makes it sound like you can't have a small trailer with a 1/2 ton.

Yes it is important, and yes 1/2 tons are somewhat limited. But still capable.
1800 pound of stuff in and on truck in a 1500
2500 pounds of stuff in and on truck in the 2500 version
My wife and I are under 300, so even if it has a 1000 pounds of tongue weight which it doesn't, that leaves 500 pounds of stuff in the truck.
we would have to fill the camper with 3 x what we would ever carry to even come close to that tongue weight.
If you are mind full of weight then this is perfectly fine.

I agree to take the time and go to a scale and know what you weigh though

And you should be aware that a tire blow out, bad weather, other such events are handled better when the tow vehicle has a larger tow margin

Sure I'd love to drop 90 grand on a 1 ton duel axel fully loaded truck, but thats not whats needed to pull a trailer that will average less than 7500 pounds with a tongue weight of 800 pounds.

If I was out west, or changing significant grades I would agree that a 2500 would be nice.

If I was going to spend serious cash this would be a class A 42 foot diesel pusher conversation and a brand new jeep tow behind!

Mr. Timmy, I don't care what you pull the trailer with. After you have listened to guidance this is wholly up to you. I would caution you to NEVER mention your wife and weight in the same written sentence. This is the first law of all laws. It gets back to them somehow!

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Timmybish

To be fair... show me where in my post I asked people to weigh in on towing capacity?

lots of unrelated, unsolicited, while good advice. Don't be offended, but no one here weighed in on the actual post question.

I would feel differently if I asked "how much trailer can I tow?"

Sadly this paints a picture that this forum is unwelcoming, pushy, and not helpful.

Well Timmy you're correct. The members of this forum with their hundreds of years of combined experience don't have a clue. I apologize for not recognising your obviously vast experience.

I guess we should ignore anyone that comes in that could be considering towing unsafely and let them go about their life. I apologize that no one had an answer for your Specific question but this is a forum by and for Keystone owners and not a help desk where you get an answer to a specific question.

I hope you find what you are looking for. Good luck.

[travelin texans]

I think every post was civil towards you, may not of directly answered your original question, apparently no one on here has that make model, as most on here want slides for the extra room.
As for the weight police in us taking over the conversation, we've been exactly where you're at thinking I'll never haul that much "stuff", I said that exactly, guess what, every storage spot in/out of that rv was full of "stuff" that was absolutely necessary....... ONCE.
Once you've got that rv, load up the family, the dog, all your "minimalist stuff" & go pay the $10-12 to get it weighed together then only the truck & post your ticket with the stickers from your driver's door, think you'll be very surprised.
You don't have to have a bigger truck to have a "grown up" conversation on here, just be "grown up" enough to take the advice/experience here & check it out to keep your family, & ours, safe. Whether you do anything about it is totally up to you,but it's all been good advice.

[MarkEHansen]

Assuming the OP is still here ...

My wife and I had a trailer with a very similar floor plan to the 260BH over 15 years ago and sold it after a couple years of limited use. We went for a long time without camping and then decided we wanted back in.

When we saw the 2018 260BHWE (western edition of the trailer you're asking about) we fell in love - it was just like the one we had before - with some added features, like a cargo door outside of the bunk area - this was very, very handy.

Like you, we didn't want a slide, as we felt it just added something to break.

When we finally got a chance to go camping with our trailer, we came to realize it was just too small. The bed was too small, the living space was too narrow. It was hard for us both to occupy the trailer at the same time. There was no comfortable place for me to sit, so I sat outside most of the time.

After the first trip, we decided to trade it in on our current trailer, specifically because of the slide. It makes a huge difference in the space inside.

That's my experience.

[Texas Steve]

I have a similar trailer to what you are looking at (Hideout LHS 202) 25' no slides. Most of the time it is just me and the DW with the occasional granddaughter trips. I want to be able to take my dogs with me on some trips (2 Golden Retrievers @100# each) but no room. So we are currently looking for an upgrade to the TT. Not much bigger, but definitely need slides. I upgraded my 1500 Silverado to a 2500 HD not because the 1500 wouldn't haul the trailer, but I feel more in control with braking, sway control and cargo capacity. Its the new toys that get you every time! Good luck with your search and be safe!

[Timmybish]

Thank you. That is the feed back we are looking to hear. I am wondering though when it felt too small what kind of lifestyle would you say you were living? For example did you tend to stay around the camper during the day or just use it for sleeping and meals and end of day?
We typically wake up and leave the campground to go hike or explore. We would be concerned on a total washout day being stuck inside but then again have managed in a tent.
How easy was it to heat or cool the smaller no slide units? One concern I have is if the 13500 ac will keep the space comfortable.

[MarkEHansen]

The air conditioner was not a problem. The trailer is pretty small and the 13.5 kept it quite cool - in our experience. Our problem was the amount of space. We were not able to walk past each other in the main cabin, for example, without pushing by. We're both a little heavier than average, which has a lot to do with that, but even if we were both trim, there's not a lot of space.

I found the tri-fold sofa very uncomfortable to sit on and the dining area also uncomfortable. In our new trailer, we got it with theater seating rather than the tri-fold sofa and that helped a lot.

But, the biggest help was the slide. This really changes the dynamics of the interior. I would say before you buy, have a look at your trailer, and then have a look at a model like mine.

Of course, the worst case would be that you would buy without the slide, decide you need it and then trade up like we did. It's costs a bit more but it's not the end of the world.

Good luck in your search.

[Timmybish]

thank you again this is super helpful to hear.
We are on the fence about a slide... we love how open it feels, and it certainly makes the place seem way bigger, but it does add about 1000 pounds onto the trailer, and all of our friends have bigger trailers and have all had a trip where the slide broke or couldn't be extended for what ever reason and had their trip totally ruined.
And every single one of them have had a leaky slide at some point... That's the main reason we want to try and stay as small and simple as we can.
A few people have given good advice saying that you need to be able to camp with the slides all the way in because they all break and it's always when you can't fix it.

I grew up traveling in a 27' class A with no slide so I definitely remember the struggle trying to get past each other in the rig. I'm sure my parents felt it differently than I did though!

A lot of the campsites we want to stay at are also narrow and wooded, with a max total length of 30' bumper to tongue so that another reason we are really stuck looking at these smaller models. Some sites I'm not sure a slide would have room as well so I worry about getting stuck having to keep a slide in.

Have you ever had to keep your slide in? and if so how much worse was that compared to not having a slide at all? I guess I could be convinced to look at slides again.

[sourdough]

You were replying to Mark but who are these folks that all have slide failures? Won't come in? Broke? You need to expand your horizon on that.

In my years I've never, not once, had a slide "not come in" (however I've had them jerk, bind etc.). Does it happen? Yes. Is it common? No. It isn't an issue to even think about. No slide? Now that is an issue to think about. I used to have a trailer with no slide. I initially bought it as a toy for the family but using it for work would pay for it...and it did. Problem? I had DW and my DD. Trying to traverse the unit to cook, to go to the bathroom, pull out the couch, put it up, pushing each other aside, strapped to a chair because someone was standing; not only humongously inconvenient, it was maddening - and this was a bare bones RV about 25'. After 2 trips DW said she wouldn't do it again. We did but minimally and it had to go away.

I'm not sure where you want to camp but haven't been to many, that with forethought, were too small for a camper with a slide on one side. When you get to opposite side slides space size becomes more important. Just some thoughts.

Edit: You have mentioned Class A's and towing a Jeep. Have you driven a large Class A and tried to "maneuver" it? That was my thought at retirement. Picked one and told them I wanted to check it out. Took off down the highway and it was OK but like driving a bus. Got back to the big dealership lot and told them I wanted to "maneuver" it like I was positioning it. Nah. Don't need that. With the extra up front cost, maintenance and degradation of a drivetrain not used....I said no.

[MarkEHansen]

The slide on our trailer is not supposed to be used unless fully extended. That's the only time it is supported well enough. However, it doesn't stick out that far - 4-5 feet, I think - it's not much.

They do require maintenance and upkeep. From time to time they need adjustment and you should keep an eye on the cables and pulleys for wear or other issues.

For us, the downsides are not enough to keep us from owning one. You may feel differently. We wouldn't be without one now. In fact, we're still thinking about trading up to get a unit with opposing slides to provide a larger living space. Time will tell

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by MarkEHansen

The slide on our trailer is not supposed to be used unless fully extended. That's the only time it is supported well enough. However, it doesn't stick out that far - 4-5 feet, I think - it's not much.

They do require maintenance and upkeep. From time to time they need adjustment and you should keep an eye on the cables and pulleys for wear or other issues.

For us, the downsides are not enough to keep us from owning one. You may feel differently. We wouldn't be without one now. In fact, we're still thinking about trading up to get a unit with opposing slides to provide a larger living space. Time will tell

You need to try one....it will open up your world!

[Timmybish]

Hey Danny,

the 4 friends that had slide failures were fails to open at the campground. 2 people had schwintec style and had servo motor fails and a circuit board issue. One friend had a hydraulic line blow, and one had an electric motor fry on a rack n pinion.

We like small state campsites and off the beaten places. We don't know how we would feel about a big commercial campground like a KOA though. Some things are appealing as far as amenities and actual sites but SO MANY PEOPLE everywhere!

as far as motorhomes, yes my father had a 40 ish foot 1998? Monaco I believe. I didn't mind that though, but its certainly a learning curve. We also have lots of low bridges so the real challenge was fitting down the country without a random low railroad bridge. I think I miss the jeep the most though!

[sourdough]

Your 4 friends experiences will be outweighed by the thousands/millions that don't have that experience. Schwintek? Never owned one but talked to maybe 3 dealers that said they are problematic.

Small trailer, small sites, off the beaten path, no hookups...did that for several years. I loved, and still do, off the beaten path, in the outback camping. I don't take the RV for that.

To me it all depends on where you are in life, or about to be. When I was young I thought a TT, camping in some park, was insanity...and for us at the time it was. In short order we found that we liked more amenities in the unit. The more amenities, the bigger it got. At the same time we got older; more concerned about being "broke down" back there.

You are the only one that knows what you like, your families needs, physical abilities, financial status and future. Look at those with a magnifying glass to try to determine what you need. I would never own a non slide trailer again.

[SummitPond]

Growing up my family (4 kids and a dog) had a series of trailers, anything from a 16-foot Shasta to a 32-foot Holiday Rambler. None had slides. I don't know how we managed in the Shasta, but the HR seemed spacious from what I can recollect out of the cobwebs (the family took several cross-country trips in each).

We looked at trailers without slides when looking to get our own, but thought they seemed to restrictive (in addition to the floorplans not being acceptable). We've had cable- and (currently have) Schwintek-operated slides; knock on wood no problems with either. With the Schwintek you do need to do a full extend or retract; no half-way or the motors can get out of sync.

Have you considered a hybrid? No mechanism considerations there, yet they do expand the living space of the trailer.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by SummitPond

Growing up my family (4 kids and a dog) had a series of trailers, anything from a 16-foot Shasta to a 32-foot Holiday Rambler. None had slides. I don't know how we managed in the Shasta, but the HR seemed spacious from what I can recollect out of the cobwebs (the family took several cross-country trips in each).

We looked at trailers without slides when looking to get our own, but thought they seemed to restrictive (in addition to the floorplans not being acceptable). We've had cable- and (currently have) Schwintek-operated slides; knock on wood no problems with either. With the Schwintek you do need to do a full extend or retract; no half-way or the motors can get out of sync.

Have you considered a hybrid? No mechanism considerations there, yet they do expand the living space of the trailer.

Had Swchintec bedroom slide in my last 5er that was going in crooked, the factory tech said the key to this type of slide is whether extending or retracting hold the switch for 3 to 5 seconds AFTER you've heard the motors stop, this syncs the motors every time they're used. In 6 years of fulltiming, other than that initial problem, never had a problem with that slide, even opening/closing partially on occasion.
In the last 15-16 years we've had 3 5th wheels all with 3 to 4 slides & never had an issue with any not moving in/out & only with a very minor leak during blowing rains that I corrected with a seal adjustment. There is routine maintenance required on the systems & seals but nothing most physically able people can't do themselves.

[Timmybish]

This is all reassuring advice. None of our motorhomes had slides, but we did have roof leaks from time to time near ladders and vents that always needed to be addressed so I know I'll never get away from that worry.

I like the hybrids a lot, the wife is a hard no though. She calls them bear feeders. currently several of our favorite tent camping areas are under siege by aggressive black bears due to poor camper behavior. Sad for all the bears getting euthanized. I think she has a false sense of security though with a non hybrid trailer

I notice many of you are out west or south, I wonder if the extreme cold and wetness of where I live has affected the experience of the people we know?
Most people here store outdoors during winter, and keep their trailers 10 years or longer so maybe that is also skewing the experience.

I would love to get out west someday again, but not likely in the plans for many years.

Does anyone know why they make "west" trailers and "east" trailers? none of the dealerships here have had a clue. The speculated maybe due to high altitudes they may have different gas orifices or maybe different materials due to heat but they really were not sure.

[sourdough]

I don't know the specific answer to your question but maybe someone will. I do know that as we compared trailers before we bought this one I was comparing units in FL with units in TX (E vs W). We found actual design differences; not so much floorplans but one unit here in FL had the slides operated by a ram and schwintek sytems. The same unit in TX had all cable slides. There were other small differences as well so if comparing between the 2 be sure and look closely.

[Timmybish]

That makes sense we have not seen any cable slides at all I even asked one of the dealers and the kid told me they don't make them but I knew that was wrong from what I read.