MarkPcar

There have been a lot of threads over the years about RV's, tow vehicles, etc. I thought I would add another option.

Personally, I've been all over the map from a short wheelbase/long overhang gas class A motorhome (death trap), to a big truck conversion with stacker (store that), to a diesel pusher (nice), to "I'm sick of taking care of the motorhome, I can handle the sleeze bag Motel 6 in Buttonwillow" (wrong), to trying to find a small RV that can safely and comfortably tow a race car trailer.

This is the answer I came up with and it is working very well...



The truck is a 2013 Chevy Silverado 3500 4WD LTZ Crew Cab and the camper is a 2013 Artic Fox model 990 with a slide out (floor plan below).

To keep the camper and truck stable I added air bags, a Hellwig Bigwig Sway bar, camper mounting equipment and a Superhitch with a 36" SuperTruss extension (more info below).

The camper is really nice with solid surface counter tops, queen bed, generator and all of the stuff you will find in a nicely finished RV. Fresh water capacity is 60 gallons, which is big bonus when compared to the typical 30 gallons found in small class C's or van conversion RV's.

To the camper I added a wireless rear view camera, so I can watch the trailer from up front, and a 145 watt solar panel to the roof which easily keeps the batteries charged.



Towing

There are lots of options for small RV's, but the real challenge is towing. Not just towing weight limits, but gas vs. diesel power and stability. It's hard to find (impossible?) a small diesel RV with a tow rating above 5,000 lbs. From a practical stand point, 5k is often pushing the limits of the brakes, suspension and chassis designs on small RV's.

This is what I find attractive about the truck/camper combo - towing capacity. Here are the numbers:

• The Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating of the truck is 30,500 lbs
• The curb weight of the truck is 7,871 lbs
• The camper dry is 4,000 lbs
• Add 1,000 lbs for fuel, water and gear.
• That is 12,871 lbs, leaving 17,629 lbs of towing capacity.

The limiting factor is the Super Truss 36" hitch extension. As I have it set up with a straight ball hitch, I have a 600 lb tongue weight and 6,000 lb trailer weight limit. If I went to a weight distribution hitch, those numbers double to 1,200 tongue and 12,000 lb trailer. So, a 20-24' enclosed trailer is very doable with a weight distribution hitch.



The Super Truss extension comes in different lengths depending on how far your camper extends past the back bumper. A longer Truss reduces weight capacity and shorter adds.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone who is searching for just the right track bachelor pad/RV/tow vehicle. I'm very happy with the combo, but considering going enclosed trailer again.

pu911rsr

Mark,

I've been thing along the same lines, seems like the is set up is a lot more versatile.

Phil

gt3-4me

Mark,

What didn't you like about the class A diesel that you had at Fontana back in 2011. We ran tribute together with the POC. I've been thinking of a diesel pusher for awhile so the wife and kid can come along. This set up seems a little limited for what I'm looking for.

Darin

jrgordonsenior

Mark I live vicariously thru your truck/RV experiments. How different is this combo to your F550 and the camper you had from a local manufacturer in Bend?....

MarkPcar

Darin, The class A Diesel pusher is a great option if your family is going to the track. After 10 years, my wife decided she isn't that interested in going to the races any more, so I decided to down size. With CA overall length limits I like the 36-38' length.

John, the built on camper on the Ford was great until I blew up the engine because it couldn't handle the overall weight. Plus, with my back issues the Chevy seats are way more comfortable than the Ford.

MarkPcar

One other option I have considered is a Gooseneck trailer with living quarters in the front of the trailer and car space in the back. Basically a heavy duty toy hauler. You see these a lot in the equestrian community and I'm surprised they aren't more popular with racers. Featherlite builds them.

ckkrause

I agree... this is a great way to go....

allen_skillicorn

What's the headroom like with those?

ckkrause, What are the dimensions of the enclosed trailer? How does the Boxster fit?

ckkrause

TPD Trailer...

Ceiling- 7',
Width between internal fenders- 85",
Internal length- 19'9"

Boxster fits fine, room for stacks of tires in front, even with a built in cabinets...

CK

jrgordonsenior

I really like the idea but how close are you to maxing out your towing capabilities with the F250?

disasterman

Here's my mini "super C". 12-13 mpg towing or not. Doesn't get blown around by semi's either.

gt3-4me

What are the spec on that rig. It looks like a nice alternative to a full class A pusher.

MarkPcar

Do you mean the head room on the camper? I think it is 6'6" - 7'. I'm 6' tall and I never feel cramped, except a bit when stepping up in to the wet bath which has a raised floor of 6".

ckkrause

If you mean headroom in the Truck Camper, it's 6' 6"... I'm 6'3" and do fine. The bed area in the cab over has room to fully sit up...

-CK

ckkrause

The trailer w/Boxster and all the race stuff is about 6500-7K lbs... Towing rating w/6.7 diesel is 14K...