Baby toy haulers. Yay or nay

So all you want is a fold up couch or bed?
DIY, toss in a shelf/bench/cabinet and call it a day.

 

It's an ATC. MSRP on my 2017 unit was just over $38K, but I was right at about $31K out the door, IIRC. This was a dealer-ordered unit, though. I doubt you can get as much a discount on a custom-ordered rig.

If you are stuck on a 4,000 lb maximum you are going to heave a real hard time finding something enclosed to haul even something as small as a Morgan in without risking putting your TV's payload/GVWR/axle ratings over the limit.

What specific vehicle are you trying to tow with? What is the cargo capacity/axle ratings?

 

Funny enough I just started looking at ATCs more today and there is a ton of value in them for how highly regarded their construction is. Older stock especially is looking like a really nice balance between a great build and great value.

I have a 2017 GMC Acadia with towing package. I've been thinking of getting a tricked out trailer but the right move might be just to sit tight until I can swap vehicles and get something with a better tow rating, at which point I could get a true toy hauler.

 

I agree. You will have what meets your needs without it being too much trailer or too much $ spent on amenities you wont use

 

Yea, you would be EXTREMELY limited with that vehicle. In fact I don't know of anything that I would consider a true toy hauler that I'd feel safe towing with an Acadia.

 

All you need is the walls and roof insulated with A/C and the right size and you're good to go. I have an 8.5x20 - taking up floor space is a queen size bed up front on an Amazon bed frame (that always stays down), a mini fridge 2 canopies (10x15 and 12x8) a 30 inch fan, an RTIC 60 cooler (on a wheel cart) and depending on what the power situation is, a Predator 3500 and two Honda 2000 gennys - with that, I can still fit 3 full size bikes and 1 grom (TRS's help ALOT) and leave everything in the trailer if it's raining and sleep in the bed without having to bring it down. If it was 1 bike and 1 grom, depending on how you set them up, I could have the sofa/bed down with the bed up front with everything still in the trailer. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of plumbing on the trailer, but I can't lie, recently I saw something where somebody suggested using a 5 gallon bucket with kitty litter to piss in at night and the fact that I even found myself thinking "hmmmmmm" made me take a real hard look at my bias against plumbing on a trailer. . .

 

I agree on the plumbing, its a lot of stuff just to take a pee or a dump, the same goes for the kitchen and fridge, we would never use that. Just specked out a 7x20 Featherlite, insulated with finished interior and floor, AC and wired with lights, awning, windows and some other minor things and it came to 27K!!!!! which is really high but still think its a better value than an actual toy hauler. That being said I don't want to spend that much and am working on getting that price down and may do the interior myself as part of the build or go with a cheaper trailer, Featherlites are $$$$$$$$$$ and don't know if they are still worth the premium. I will be looking at doing the same with an ATC but think the price will be similar, they are also working out a bid on a sundowner trailer that is supposed to be similar to a featherlite but cheaper and am waiting for bid on a basic steel cheapo trailer.

One thing I did not like is he said they insulate it with rigid foam verses spray foam which seems a little outdated now for a premium price.

 

Yea, for a while I was thinking about going the same route... but now that I taken a hot shower when I wanted without waiting in line at the track, drained the house in the middle of the night without having to walk to the bathrooms, cooked breakfast in the comfort of the living quarters and had all my perishables within reach in the fridge, it is hard to go back! Granted I got super lucky to find a well taken care of, used unit that fit my truck and everything that I needed at a great cost.

 

I used to be a trucker so I'm used to the Gatorade bottle and not showering for longer than I should LOL. Stepping up to bringing the whole house with really adds to costs like BIG TIME compared to being at one with nature and might actually do us some good, my wife and I have become soft over the years.

 

You seem a little too happy. Guess I should have priced it higher, so you'd have something to complain about.
J/K, Glad you are enjoying it as much as we did!

 

Ha! No complaints here, you hooked me up, and I appreciate it! But never the less, I’ve definitely enjoyed it so far.

 

"its the way of the road Bubbles, the way of the road. "

 

.....and you used to 'rough it' at the track not too long ago. Bike in back of pickup and slept in folding lawnchair with a casket like enclosure

 

That’s right! Still have that thing and I use it on camping trips... it’s super convenient! It survived the crazy storm at vintage days at Mid-o in ‘17 while tents and EZ ups were flying around.

But I came a long way from my humble immigrant roots... time to live it up in the grand USA style!

 

When I raced 25-28 years old, I crashed in the bed of my truck with a sleeping bag, so I get saving money.

When I went back with my son, I bought a used toy hauler about 1 year in. You can pick them up so cheap, if you don’t mind used I can’t imagine spending the money you are talking about on a new trailer without the amenities.

The boys would usually hang in our trailer. The A/C was great to cool the racers back off. Taking a shower without going halfway across the pits after waking up was freaking magical. Using the bath room at 3 am after a night of drinking was only steps away!!!!! LOLOLOL

You can buy decent toyhaulers for $4-10k. They have generators, fridge, shower, plenty of beds, heat, A/C, etc.

C’mon in, the water is clean and warm....plus I will make you a Margarita in the margarita machine, or give ya a beer, scotch, gin, what would you like?

 

Sitting here typing this while I'm here at Jennings for the weekend.

Supposed to get down into the high 30's tonight, but It's a crisp 70 degrees in here with the propane furnace coming on every so often.

Just finished some bacon and eggs that I cooked on the stove, and prepped the coffee maker to start a pot automatically in the morning, along with some biscuits that the convection oven bakes perfectly and some gravy.

I can't go back to the old ways.......

 

I've seen JWs up close. Neat ass little rig.

 

To piggyback of this. I'm thinking of one of these: https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers/wildwood-fsx/210RT/4193
Its going to be a weekend getaway 99% of the time, maybe 6 short (~2 hour) trips a year, and maybe 1 long one.
I have a Tacoma Off Road with a towing capacity of 6800lbs. This has an empty vehicle weight of 4700, so that gives me ~2k of cargo capactity. Is that enough wiggle room? Or cutting it close?
On the long trips I will run with tanks empty and fill up closer and stuff like that to minimize weight.

 

Will your Tacoma tow that camper? Technically, probably. Will it be a good experience? Probably not. It’s wide, tall, long, and probably heavier than advertised (they all are).

 

I'm going to be "that guy", it's not the towing capacity that is the problem it's the payload. The dry hitch weight is 575lbs but that will go up by a good margin, might come back down if you put a bike as far back as possible though.

How much payload does your Tacoma have? What is the rear axle rating?

A 28' trailer is also a pretty big wind sail for a Tacoma. To give personal example my 33' toy hauler would push my 2019 Ram 1500 around like a toy in stronger winds.