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OK groovy guy and groovy gals (am I dating myself here?) I've been thinking. As this is always a dangerous thing for me to do I thought I'd come here to see what others think of my idea.
For a while now I've been thinking/window shopping for a super C motorhome I was going to use to pull a trailer with my Motorcycle and a small pickup/Jeep CJ 5 or 7. Over this week I've been watching Full-Time Freedom Week and I heard mention of a Class A toy hauler. This intrigued me.
I will not give up my motorcycle yet so that's not optional. I also currently own a 2008 Ford F150 that can be flat towed. I also own a tow bar but I'm not sure it's heavy enough. In any event I was thinking that I could save myself some grief and length if I could find a Class A toy hauler and use the "garage" to store my motorcycle and tools etc. and then tow my F150. The F150 weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,000 lbs. One issue I can think of is getting a 7,000 lb. plus tow bar but I'm pretty sure that can be done as I see folks pulling full size Jeeps. The other thing I thought about was I would probably be in the neighborhood of 40 ft on the motorhome which would limit some of my options for parks. Does anyone have any thoughts about things I have forgotten about or problems I'm creating for myself other than the difficulty in finding a Class A toy hauler?
Can’t offer any info on a class A toy hauler, but you could put your scoot in the bed of the pickup and flat tow that behind a class A. Just a thought.
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Ron and Janice
2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system
2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114 LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW
The biggest questions I can see are CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity) and weight for the toad. The Class A Toy Haulers I've seen were all front engine/gas powered motorhomes. If you plan to fulltime I think these two numbers may not work.
The few toy hauler motorhomes I've seen were all 36' or 38' units. That alone would limit their CCC's.
The motorhome we used our first five years was a 34' Class A gasser. We had to limit our toad to a Honda Fit because of weight and we had to constantly review our basement storage to stay within limits.
The numbers will tell you if it is possible.
There are 10,000# tow bars available.
Good luck with your search.
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Russ & Terri Ranger
Travel since July 2013
Home base: Buckeye,AZ
Wandering the USA & Canada in our Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40' PDT Motorhome
Travel so far: 49 States - International Travel -19 countries
Towing your F-150 isn’t an issue as there are a number of class A coaches doing so. In fact while it’s way more the exception, I have seen class A’s pulling F-250’s. RonC has the suggestion I would explore and that would be to carry the bike in the pickup bed. There are a number of manufacturers that make a device you pull you bike into a channel then it is winched onto the bed of the truck.
Put it this way there are options so the best advice would be to really do the research into what would work best for your situation.
Yep, I found the 10,000 lb tow bars last night after I posted. As to putting the bike in the bed of the pick up it would work but it won't keep the bike out of the weather, something I'd really like to do. One of the issues is the bike is a full dressed Harley Davidson so whatever I would use to load the pickup bed would have to have 1,000 lb capacity, probably not an insurmountable issue. The other issues is the front engine gas issue - probably insurmountable, unless someone makes a front engine diesel. I've seen some Show Hauler toy haulers but they're out of my price range. I guess we'll have to keep looking and thinking.
I have a 36' class A diesel. I have a Can-Am Spyder to take with me. When I go FT, I may also want a small car to get around in. For now, I take the Spyder on a flat-bed trailer. Later I want to get an enclosed trailer to carry the Spyder and a tiny car, like a Smart ForTwo. I'd also consider a lift for the Spyder and a car I could tow 4-down. Of course, by the time I'm FT, my situation may change.
But in my searching/shopping for an RV, I considered toy haulers - 5er and MH. Thor Outlaw comes as a class A or C, but I don't think I would be comfortable living in those full-time. The 5ers are nicer, but require much more investment.
If I was thinking in your direction I’d be concerned first with limiting my options on where I could go...both by the rules and practically.
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Winnebago TT 2101DS & 2020 Silverado LTZ Z71. 300 watts WindyNation solar w/MPPT, 2 Trojan T-125s. TALL flag pole. Prefer USFS, COE, BLM, USF&WS, NPS, TVA, state/county camps. 14 year Army vet-11B40 then 11A - old MOS 1542 & 1560.
Keep in mind that whatever the garage space is, that much is taken out of the overall space. In other words, if you are looking at a 40' toyhauler with a 12' garage you are looking at, essentially, a 28' coach.
Some people have mentioned that gasoline/oil (engine) odors seem to migrate forward. Others say otherwise. I suspect that it may be a combination of sensitive noses and air circulation.
We tow a Lincoln MKT behind our 40' MH. We book sites that are at least 40' with some clear space behind the bumper. On short sites I back the MH in so that the rear tires are close to the bumper and the engine hangs out over the grass, rock, or whatever. That usually lets us put the car in front. Unless we've gotten a pull-thru site, we unhook at registration. Jo Ann handles the paperwork while I unhook. So far I've always been waiting for her.
Could you buy/build a cap that would be tall enough to let you put your motorcycle in the bed of the truck? That would keep it out of the weather and provide a place for at least some tools. The only down side is that you would have all of that stuff with you every time you went to Wal-Mart.
Yea I've been thinking about the custom made cap thing. I could do it if I could find the time, some oak framing, some 1/4 or 3/8 plywood a couple of pounds of stainless steel screws, some resorcinol glue and some fiberglass to cover it and it would be OK. Or maybe I could find a commercially made one for a reasonable price. I'm starting to migrate back to my original idea of a trailer, sell the F150 and get some sort of small pickup, Jeep CJ or maybe a dune buggy. I'd like to have 4 seats, which the F150 doesn't have, in whatever I get and at least some off road capability for fishing holes. Problem is I don't like to compromise but I'm thinking this whole journey is going to be a compromise. As far as shortening the coach, I'm aware of that but for the most part it's just going to be my wife and me so 28-30 feet should be alright. We'll see.
