List of must haves for Full Timers - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Drywallmom · RV-Dreams Community Member

List of must haves for Full Timers

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

It's a hard thing to advise anyone. The needed things are the minimum of what you now have in your house.

The problem you are going to face is that the carrying capacity of a trailer is usually a percentage of it's weight, in general terms - the heavier the trailer, the higher the carrying capacity.

Your truck is going to be your limiting factor, I don't think a F 150 is rated to tow very much weight. Your first step is to determine the towing capacity of the truck and then look for a trailer with a good capacity. That's what you have to work with and pare down your possessions accordingly.

Or, if you can, get a bigger truck.

Good luck,

Mallo · RV-Dreams Family Member

It depends...

For example we must have....

A scratching post
A litter box
A place for both of those

But we have cats.

I like to cook so I must have....

A second stove for outside and the propane tank for it
Cast Iron fry pans (three of them)
Spices
Pantry space

The Brideandjoy quilts so she must have....

Sewing machine
Quilting stuff (can't even begin to list it all)
Fabric stash

My work requires me to have...

Cell phone and internet so there are things for that

What we must have may not have anything to do with what you must have. All you can really do is sit in the units and think about the things you do now and figure out how to pack that stuff into the space.

Mallo

mktobob · RV-Dreams Family Member

You are doing the right thing by asking questions about weight. We used to have a Ford F150 with the Triton 4.6L and ran into some issues. It was really under powered for our 26 ft camper. We purchased another F150 with the 5.4L and it made all the difference in the world. The 4.6L just didn't cut it when there was any kind of hill.
It can be done, but be very careful with the trailer and how much you carry.

Cindy T · RV-Dreams Family Member

I've been going thru my kitchen, pulling out items that I would really like to keep & weighing them on the bathroom scale. I'm planning a yard sale in May, and I'm trying to figure out what to get rid of. Some things that I'd like to take along, are rather heavy or just too darn big & bulky. Weighing things on the scale gives me some perspective and gives "weight" to the decision of what to keep & what to let go of.
You might want to start weighing & adding up the items that you consider to be "must haves".

Cindy T

laurly · RV-Dreams Family Member

We're going through one room at a time in our Stix & Brix - with my laptop, and with a spreadsheet program listing 'yard sale', 'RV', 'goodwill'. We try to picture using it in the RV, and if there's any doubt, it goes in the other columns. Although we have 2 years to go yet, we're trying to get a jump on it.

I figure if I don't use it that often in my house, I more than likely won't use it in the RV.

Laurie

Postalpair · RV-Dreams Family Member

Some of our "Must Haves" when we started full-timing was a back up plan and the equipment needed for your water systems. You cannot live without water.....and usually a potty. We always make sure that our fresh water tank is full, fresh and clean. We use a macerator pump, but have the 3" dump just in case.
Hubby says to tell you to pack your sense of humor, and your patience. It's always something....
We have been full-timing for 5 years now. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. BUT...we are only 2 people and our dog in our 40ft 5th wheel toyhauler. When you throw kids into the mix, you have a whole new ballgame. We have traveled with our kids in a pop up when they were young. And we have seen several families in 5th wheels, doing homeschooling, and making it work.

We send nothing but our best wishes to you and your family....

heyduke · RV-Dreams Family Member

only thing i must have is my wife...

you never know who is reading this stuff :)

dream reachers · RV-Dreams Family Member

I want to encourage you to fulltime but I want to caution you about trailer weights and truck capacities. Most trailers that can be pulled by a 150 are vacation type trailers which are not built for fulltime use [take it from one that tried it] I'm not saying it can't be done but most people that fulltime have a 3/4 minimum and more often a 1 ton or larger. Look for a well built trailer and then check the towing capabilities. Also check the carrying capacity, for fulltimers figure 2500# minimum for 2 people. When shopping for a trailer do not take a salesmans word for what type of truck can pull it. There is much information on this website. Study what Howard and Linda have compiled before you make any purchases. Feel free to ask questions after you study H&L's information if you need help. People on this site want to help you and the experiences of others can keep you from making a costly mistake. No one wants to see someone get injured from pulling a trailer that is way too heavy for the tow vehicle. I do not want to discourage you from your venture but I do want you to see things realistically from a safty standpoint.

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Heyduke,

Good answer! biggrin

Jim

2fortheroad · RV-Dreams Family Member

This may be straying from your original post a bit, but for you and your family's safety PLEASE take a hard look at your tow vehicle and how safely can you get from point A to point B.
I agree with Fred, there are not many units you can safely tow with a 150,and that's before you load it with your possessions. Another issue you might consider, you may up grade your trailer sooner than you will trade the tow unit. I would not consider anything less than a HD 2500 or a 3500.

-- Edited by 2fortheroad on Friday 30th of April 2010 02:56:19 PM

DorisandDave · RV-Dreams Family Member

As my DH says.."it's not so much the pulling you need to worry about, as the STOPPING!"

dream reachers · RV-Dreams Family Member

I was pulling a 2 horse trailer with a 1/2 ton truck the light turned yellow then red I tried to stop but the trailer pushed me right through the intersection and I wasn't driving fast. I went up to a 3/4 ton and doubled my braking power. That trailer loaded was about 4,000#

Drywallmom · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thank you so much for the information. We have thought about this too and we are going to slow it down and make sure that when we do this, it is done right. Though now that we know that we want to do it, it just makes it harder to tell myself to wait. I will take all of this in to consideration.