F250 Heavy Duty vs Light Duty, vs F350 (1984)

[Nothing Special]

You'se guys have good thoughts. If we had a bumper-pull trailer I could pull it with either Blue or Big Blue. Blue would be the choice if our kids were to use it as there are four of them. But Big Blue would allow us to go to the mountains and then off-road during the day.

And, the front receiver bit is a big plus. Huge in fact. We have a tricky exit from the driveway to the street with brick pillars either side, and getting a trailer in or out is a pain - especially in. So I really like having the front receiver and walking it in with the t-case and tranny both in low.

We're really hijacking this thread, if anyone cares...

Gary, if you do look at trailers of any flavor, one thing to consider is slide-outs. I kind of didn't want any when I was shopping for a motorhome. It seemed like it would be add complexity and more places for water and mice to get in. That's all been true, but not as much of an issue (at least so far) as I feared, so I'm not too disappointed that our motorhome and my parents trailer both have one slide-out.

But something I hadn't really considered is how useable the camper is with the slide IN. in our motorhome everything is accessible and usable with the slide in. There's room for someone to work in the kitchen, but not enough room for someone else to walk past them. And there's only marginal leg room for people sitting on the couch, and people walking by the couch need to be careful of other's feet and legs. But you can get everywhere and use everything.

In contrast, in my parents trailer you can't open the fridge all the way, you can't open the bathroom door at all, and you can't get to the back bunk room without some gymnastics that I have a hard time doing at 56 years old (plus it's hard on the dinette).

None of this matters much when you're camping. But it makes a huge difference travelling. You're not allowed to "camp" at rest stops. But you can stop for a while. I feel a lot better not having to run the slide out when we do that. And even just putting groceries away if you make a stop to resupply, it's nice not needing to take up the extra width.

So for me, any camper I buy in the future I'll be looking at how usable it is with the slide(s) in. Not to say I won't consider one like my parents trailer. but it would be a big strike against it.

[Gary Lewis]

We're really hijacking this thread, if anyone cares...

Gary, if you do look at trailers of any flavor, one thing to consider is slide-outs. I kind of didn't want any when I was shopping for a motorhome. It seemed like it would be add complexity and more places for water and mice to get in. That's all been true, but not as much of an issue (at least so far) as I feared, so I'm not too disappointed that our motorhome and my parents trailer both have one slide-out.

But something I hadn't really considered is how useable the camper is with the slide IN. in our motorhome everything is accessible and usable with the slide in. There's room for someone to work in the kitchen, but not enough room for someone else to walk past them. And there's only marginal leg room for people sitting on the couch, and people walking by the couch need to be careful of other's feet and legs. But you can get everywhere and use everything.

In contrast, in my parents trailer you can't open the fridge all the way, you can't open the bathroom door at all, and you can't get to the back bunk room without some gymnastics that I have a hard time doing at 56 years old (plus it's hard on the dinette).

None of this matters much when you're camping. But it makes a huge difference travelling. You're not allowed to "camp" at rest stops. But you can stop for a while. I feel a lot better not having to run the slide out when we do that. And even just putting groceries away if you make a stop to resupply, it's nice not needing to take up the extra width.

So for me, any camper I buy in the future I'll be looking at how usable it is with the slide(s) in. Not to say I won't consider one like my parents trailer. but it would be a big strike against it.

Starliner - If you want I can start a new thread and move the trailer & camper posts there.

Bob - I would never have thought of the issues with a slide-out when it is in. Thanks!

I remember so well stopping at grocery store on our trips, and not being able to put the groceries away w/o running it out would be a huge pain. And we've stopped at lots of rest stops, and to have to put it out then could be a big problem as well.

But, you do like having a slide-out? How big of a deal is that if you are out for two weeks at a time? What about with kids?

In the back of my mind I'm thinking about our kids, who have kids. So they might want to borrow one if we had it and we should consider them as well.

However, they aren't the experience trailer-pullers or RV'ers that we were. Not that we've done it a lot, but when we've racked up a lot of miles to California, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Florida, etc. And I say that to suggest I should keep the trailer smaller rather than letting it grow. Both Big Blue and Blue have GVWR's of ~11,000 lbs so the trailer shouldn't come in more than 4,000 I would think.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Starliner - If you want I can start a new thread and move the trailer & camper posts there.

Bob - I would never have thought of the issues with a slide-out when it is in. Thanks!

I remember so well stopping at grocery store on our trips, and not being able to put the groceries away w/o running it out would be a huge pain. And we've stopped at lots of rest stops, and to have to put it out then could be a big problem as well.

But, you do like having a slide-out? How big of a deal is that if you are out for two weeks at a time? What about with kids?

In the back of my mind I'm thinking about our kids, who have kids. So they might want to borrow one if we had it and we should consider them as well.

However, they aren't the experience trailer-pullers or RV'ers that we were. Not that we've done it a lot, but when we've racked up a lot of miles to California, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Florida, etc. And I say that to suggest I should keep the trailer smaller rather than letting it grow. Both Big Blue and Blue have GVWR's of ~11,000 lbs so the trailer shouldn't come in more than 4,000 I would think.

GCVWR's....

[Nothing Special]

.... But, you do like having a slide-out? How big of a deal is that if you are out for two weeks at a time? What about with kids?

In the back of my mind I'm thinking about our kids, who have kids. So they might want to borrow one if we had it and we should consider them as well.

First off, it's hard to find campers without slide-outs now. So especially if you're looking at used ones that aren't that old you'll have to take what you find.

As far as do I like slides in a camper? Yes and no. As I mentioned above, the practical side of me doesn't like added complexity (we did need to have the motorhome serviced once when the slide motors got out of synch and I needed to lean on it hard to get it to go back in so we could drive home). And I'd rather not have a big hole cut in the side that needs seals on moving parts to keep water and rodents out. But the extra room they offer is nice. For just two people, camping for a week or so, if I could have my ideal it wouldn't have any slides. But for a family with 4 kids, or for 2 people living out of it for a few months, a slide or two would be very welcome.

As to kids borrowing it, we went through that thought process as well. What Lesley eventually convinced me of was that we should get a camper that would work well for us. Anything that met that need would work well enough for our kids to borrow that the "beggars can't be choosers" rule would say it was good enough!

However, they aren't the experience trailer-pullers or RV'ers that we were. Not that we've done it a lot, but when we've racked up a lot of miles to California, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Florida, etc. And I say that to suggest I should keep the trailer smaller rather than letting it grow. Both Big Blue and Blue have GVWR's of ~11,000 lbs so the trailer shouldn't come in more than 4,000 I would think.

As Jim says, it's GCVWR that matters. I don't know what Blue or Big Blue have (my '97 has 18,000 lbs). But I agree that 4,000 lbs would be a good target. I don't know for sure what my folks trailer weighs but it's a moose (above I guessed it at 5,000 - 6,000 lbs, it's rated for 7,600 lbs max). But it sleeps 6 in beds, 10 if you add the couch and dinette as double beds, and could pretty easily accommodate a family with 4 kids on vacation. At the other end of the spectrum, Lesley and I, with our two sons camped out of an 8' slide-in camper. The boys slept in a tent after they got older, and we did all of our cooking and eating outside. But there's a lot of room in-between those options. It shouldn't be hard to find a 4000 lb trailer that would meet your needs.

[Starliner]

We're really hijacking this thread, if anyone cares...

Gary, if you do look at trailers of any flavor, one thing to consider is slide-outs. I kind of didn't want any when I was shopping for a motorhome. It seemed like it would be add complexity and more places for water and mice to get in. That's all been true, but not as much of an issue (at least so far) as I feared, so I'm not too disappointed that our motorhome and my parents trailer both have one slide-out.

But something I hadn't really considered is how useable the camper is with the slide IN. in our motorhome everything is accessible and usable with the slide in. There's room for someone to work in the kitchen, but not enough room for someone else to walk past them. And there's only marginal leg room for people sitting on the couch, and people walking by the couch need to be careful of other's feet and legs. But you can get everywhere and use everything.

In contrast, in my parents trailer you can't open the fridge all the way, you can't open the bathroom door at all, and you can't get to the back bunk room without some gymnastics that I have a hard time doing at 56 years old (plus it's hard on the dinette).

None of this matters much when you're camping. But it makes a huge difference travelling. You're not allowed to "camp" at rest stops. But you can stop for a while. I feel a lot better not having to run the slide out when we do that. And even just putting groceries away if you make a stop to resupply, it's nice not needing to take up the extra width.

So for me, any camper I buy in the future I'll be looking at how usable it is with the slide(s) in. Not to say I won't consider one like my parents trailer. but it would be a big strike against it.

Alright, since you guys successfully hijacked this, (LOL), I must add this. A Non-Bullnose, Non-Ford dream vehicle made 2 years by Chevy as the Chalet, and GMC called Casa Grande, (opposite of Tiny Home), and I add this because Gary mentioned off-road camping and coffee. These things are crazy cool.

A better image here:

[Nothing Special]

Alright, since you guys successfully hijacked this, (LOL), I must add this. A Non-Bullnose, Non-Ford dream vehicle made 2 years by Chevy as the Chalet, and GMC called Casa Grande, (opposite of Tiny Home), and I add this because Gary mentioned off-road camping and coffee. These things are crazy cool.

A better image here:

70813_Side_Profile_Web.jpg

Yeah, there were several of those kind of things back in the '60s and '70s. I know there were versions based on the IH Scout. And of course the VW van. I'm not sure what others. Definitely cool, but I don't think many of them have survived.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Alright, since you guys successfully hijacked this, (LOL), I must add this. A Non-Bullnose, Non-Ford dream vehicle made 2 years by Chevy as the Chalet, and GMC called Casa Grande, (opposite of Tiny Home), and I add this because Gary mentioned off-road camping and coffee. These things are crazy cool.

A better image here:

70813_Side_Profile_Web.jpg

I can make a new thread for all this.

Just tell me where you want to cut it.

GM seem to have liked that pallete it the '70's

The TVS seemed so futuristic back then!

With a 455* fwd transaxle from a Toronado the floor was a composite skateboard just 16" off the ground.

[Starliner]

Yeah, there were several of those kind of things back in the '60s and '70s. I know there were versions based on the IH Scout. And of course the VW van. I'm not sure what others. Definitely cool, but I don't think many of them have survived.

A mint one with 50k miles sold at Mecum for 10 grand.

I didnt realize that was a slide in, I thought is was one piece.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Alright, since you guys successfully hijacked this, (LOL), I must add this. A Non-Bullnose, Non-Ford dream vehicle made 2 years by Chevy as the Chalet, and GMC called Casa Grande, (opposite of Tiny Home), and I add this because Gary mentioned off-road camping and coffee. These things are crazy cool.

A better image here:

70813_Side_Profile_Web.jpg

I always thought the 'Big House' was where you went after you were convicted?!?!

[ArdWrknTrk]

A mint one with 50k miles sold at Mecum for 10 grand.

I didnt realize that was a slide in, I thought is was one piece.

I guess it's a Blazer?

Looked like a Shortbed with an overhanging slide in when you first pictured it.

I thought 'thats bizarre. Why kill your departure angle when you could have a flush camper in a regular 8' bed?