Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyguy66
What is your setup bill-e?
And i appreciate your advice.
I would probably go a dozen times a year and typically under 100 miles.
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So my original recommendation was around 6000lbs dry weight max (mine is 6100lbs)
My camper with hitch is 30' which I consider the largest I would want to tow.
We are fans of floorplans with opposing slides and kitchen islands. The central living space is huge.
You haven't clarified the need to sleep six. Is that for 4 kids who will always be with you or just for occasional guests? If it was for the kids then I'd say get more real bunks. My camper sleeps two in the bed and then we can use the couch and dinette for an additional 4 but the problem with that is you can't leave them set up. You have to set them up at night and then close them during the day, would be a real PITA if that was the norm.
Extra sleeping aside, I would go with a free standing dinette verses the bench seat ones. I find dinettes very constricting and would love to have a table and chairs.
50 amps is usually for a second AC or a fireplace. I know the fireplace looks good in the brochures but most folks spend their days outside in front of a campfire. If you like being outside I think you can forego the fireplace and the 50 amp service. The furnace in the camper will very quickly make you feel nice and toasty. Lots of folks use a Little Buddy propane heater for additional heat. My wife sits in front of a quartz heater at home, if I had a fireplace in my camper she would never leave
Speaking of campfires, we carry alone a campfire in a can. Runs on Propane and is good during droughts when they wont let you have a real fire. Also great to sit around on a cool morning having your coffee when you only need it for a little bit before you leave and go sightseeing or whenever starting a fire is a PITA.
Outdoor kitchen...I wanted one and my wife didn't. My son in law has one and we use it a lot....but really we only use the fridge. If you find a nice floorplan with no outdoor kitchen like my camper, they have these things called coolers or even the electric ones
I've never seen my kids use the sink. The drawers for cutlery is nice but you could make or buy a portable kitchen box (we tent camped with one for 20 years) and set it on the picnic table to reduce your treks into the camper.
Your current truck has more capacity then mine but it would be nice not to be at the weight limit. My son in law pulled a 35' 9000lb+ camper with his Nissan Titan. Enough power but was hairy on the road whenever there was wind or rain. It also caused premature failure of a number of suspension items. Towing overweight can be done, just not safely in my opinion...I used to worry about my grandkids every time he went out. He now has a Ultralight and no more white knuckles.
Things to consider that add to the GVW of the camper
WD Hitch and bars - 100lbs
Propane- 60lbs
2 Deep Cycle Batteries - 120 LBS
40 gal of fresh water for dry camping - 280lbs
Food
place settings and pots an pans. (in my last camper my wife probably had service for 8, every pot and pan you could imagine. I think it weighed a lot...we are only two
Stuff in passthrough:
4 chairs
folding table
campfire in a can
tool kit
misc trailer stuff like hoses, chocks, sewer connections
garbage can
rug
two tote boxes of stuff
Stuff in the truck for wet camping:
Wife
EZup
Grill and stand
firewood
Dog and parrot
I carry when dry camping (shooting matches):
60lbs of portable solar
100lbs of guns - truck
25lbs Misc shooting stuff - truck
50lbs of ammo = camper
280lbs of water - camper
90lbs of generators - truck
30lbs of gas - truck
Grill 15lbs - Truck (both wet and dry camping)
Not sure I answered your question...shorter and lighter is better in my opinion
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