Rig selection

[beachguy12]

I need some advice on the pros and cons on reducing my transportation livery for race weekends.

Currently, I haul a 28 foot travel trailer with a 1996 F-250 Crew Cab (460 motor) while my wife pulls the Crossle 32 on a single axle open wheel trailer with a Yukon XL (6.0 motor). It would sure be nice to only have one rig. One of the key issues is that we regularly haul over that little hill known as the Grapevine.

Since we love to go camping in the mountains and along the beach, a monster fifth wheel with garage would really limit the areas we could get into.

I am considering a 28 foot fifth wheel and pulling the open trailer behind it. In California, I can go to a maximim combined 65 foot length in combination as long as the trailer doesn't exceeded 28.5 feet king pin to rear axle.

Any inputs/ideas?

[Brian]

Most people who need a house at the track with them tow a trailer with a motorhome.

Brian

[RobLav]

What about a 30-34 foot fairly modern Diesel motorhome pulling a small aluminum enclosed 16 foot trailer?

[chrisw52]

why not trade you '28 foot travel trailer for a '28 foot toy hauler? Park the crossie 32 in the living room...

[robertkroll]

I need some advice on the pros and cons on reducing my transportation livery for race weekends.

Currently, I haul a 28 foot travel trailer with a 1996 F-250 Crew Cab (460 motor) while my wife pulls the Crossle 32 on a single axle open wheel trailer with a Yukon XL (6.0 motor). It would sure be nice to only have one rig. One of the key issues is that we regularly haul over that little hill known as the Grapevine.

Since we love to go camping in the mountains and along the beach, a monster fifth wheel with garage would really limit the areas we could get into.

I am considering a 28 foot fifth wheel and pulling the open trailer behind it. In California, I can go to a maximim combined 65 foot length in combination as long as the trailer doesn't exceeded 28.5 feet king pin to rear axle.

Any inputs/ideas?

You need to have a custom high trailer built for you with a lift. Then you can stack the cars. I have seen it done, but expect it to be expensive.

-BoB

[Brian]

Stack what cars? From what he said, he tows an open trailer with a Formula Ford on it, and an RV to sleep in at the track. And he likes to camp, which leaves the "set up cots in the car hauler" approach out...

Brian

[beachguy12]

We considered a motorhome. The problem is when we go camping we like to travel around the area. See some sights, fish at a few lakes or streams, etc. Hard to do is camp is already set up.

As for the toyhauler, the CINCFAM (Commander in Chief-Family) is very concerned about the smells (tires, fuel, lubes). Unless you get into the mega-dollar units they also tend to be cramped and a bit spartan.

[Josh Pitt]

i use a a 1 ton diesel and have a lance 1160 camper in the bed.
http://www.google.com/search?q=lance...iw=792&bih=365

the above link shows pictures. i chose this one because it has a slide out, and the side entry door so i dont have to deal with the trailer tongue getting in/out( this is a big deal).
I then use a torklift superhitch with an appropriate length extension and their tie downs.

I pull a crossle 32 in a 24 ft enclosed trailer. ~ `10-12 mpg, and i can maintain the rig so much more easily than when i used a motorhome. tires are not nearly as expensive etc. the big motorhome was nice, but i realized that i really dont spend that much time in it to justify the need for such a rig. the race weekends are busy with the races and socializing

like you, i use this rig other than racing so camping and such is the same access as any standard truck.
I did this same combo with a gasser and it was not good, with the diesel its a rexaling drive.


if you have questions just let me know.

[lancer360]

The though of maneuvering a triple scares me. My understanding that they are nearly impossible to back up. You would need to check regulations state to state, but some do not allow triples. If you want the mobility then I see two options.

1. Toyhauler and use the truck for mobility.
2. Mobile home with a stacker trailer and put a small car under the Crossle for mobility.

I know if one person that uses a toy hauler and I have been in his trailer several times and not noticed any smells. Granted that was at the race track so everything pretty much smelled like rubber, fuel and lube.

[Dick R.]

We considered a motorhome. The problem is when we go camping we like to travel around the area. See some sights, fish at a few lakes or streams, etc. Hard to do is camp is already set up.

As for the toyhauler, the CINCFAM (Commander in Chief-Family) is very concerned about the smells (tires, fuel, lubes). Unless you get into the mega-dollar units they also tend to be cramped and a bit spartan.

Class B "motorhome" too small for the camping part? Ours is fine as a place to be during the day at events but we stay in hotels. Really only decent for "2 small people" for camping but great mobility since just a tall, heavy, conversion van. Go to a B+ for more room. Get one with enough engine, etc. and a small enclosed trailer could provide additional storage, etc. space. (Ours is too gutless for an enclosed trailer ).

For "at the races" use would a B be large enough? If so, use it to tow a smaller camping trailer for camping if more space is only needed for camping. If more than just you and your wife put a couple of kids in the van with you two in the travel trailer (or the opposite). Get a B with enough seating for the drive.

Examples: http://www.pleasureway.com/ http://www.roadtrek.com/

Dick

[AJWALKER]

I was faced with a similar logistics of supporting racing and camping. I was sleeping in my 14ft V nose enclosed trailer if my wife didn't go and getting motels if she did. We traveled out west by flying out a moteling it with a rental car. After much reseach we decided on 27ft Vista class A motorhome. It was short enough to get around padock areas with a trailer on and provided enough space for extended holidays in the Rockies. We tow mini cooper and BMW 650 on a trick car dolly for holidays and BMW goes across the back of the car trailer for racing. The motorcycle at the races has been great after a day of racing we can take a nice ride into Watkins Glen for ice cream and come back with a great sunset. Having the RV at the track allow me to work on the car more without leaving my wife at the motel. She has AC, satellite dish, and her dogs. Life is good. We have just completed our reservations for this years holiday consisting of 6000miles, 6 national parks, 15 campgrounds.

ajw

[Rick Kirchner]

Ive done exactly what you would like to do, for 10 years. Towed a 28' Carson toyhauler (25'box) with a 89 K2500 350/700R4 (killed that truck in 1 year) followed by a K2500HD 496/Allison.

Great set up for the track. Mounted the toolbox just inside the door, acts as the far stop for the car. Just reach inside the door for tools. No problems at all with smells of tires, fuel, oil - because I didn't store the car in the trailer. Fuel went in the back of the truck, as did a Kipor 3KW gennie. Tires went on a rack in the front.

The Carson was a 1990. Back then the beds/couches were pretty elementary, and I deleted the Queen bed over the back half of the cargo area because of clearance issues on my property. The couches were lousy couches, the beds were worse beds, and there was little storage for anything other than food and kitchen stuff. However, a newer toyhauler with a bed on electric lifts, flexsteel sofas, and more cabinetry would have made all the difference in the world. The carsons are damn tough trailers and very cost effective.

The shower was a little cramped, but beats the heck out of no shower.....and at least the toilet was always clean.

At buttonwillow I used the RV park frequently or got fugitive power off the bathroom, tire shop, or gas pump area. The Gennie wouldn't run the A/C but I found with proper "thermal management" I could keep the inside reasonably cool throughout the day, even when it got to 105 outside. At Willow Springs I was just SOL. Fontana has all the hookups you need.

The only complaints we had about camping in this unit was the general lack of comfort and storage. We finally bought a blow-up fold-out queen bed on a platform that we put in the back for camping. That way we could leave the couches as couches, put a plastic table between them, and make a nice travel trailer out of it. If you have a bed in the back then all is taken care of. For camping cargo you would need to rig some kind of shoring system to keep the stuff from flying all over the inside of the trailer. In any case, it was fine for a race or camping weekend, but we frequently used it for a week to to days at a time, and then the compromises really showed up. If I had it to do over again I'd get the gennie installed in the trailer, then it will run the A/C.

The only race car compromise was the need to use trailer wheels (the tallest I could make - 19's with very tall knobbies on them) and then a set of 12' ramps off the edge of the back door. I installed levelling jacks on the top edge of the door so I could get the angle right.

Here's a couple pics of the rig - one shows the jacks at the back and the other the rack on the front as well as the toolbox inside the door.

Lots of guys around VARA use short gasser MHs, Class As and Class Cs, and live with the slow pull over the mountains. We eventually bought a 30' DP and a shorter box trailer. I can still go to the mountains just have to be a lot more heads up about it.

[Daryl DeArman]

We considered a motorhome. The problem is when we go camping we like to travel around the area. See some sights, fish at a few lakes or streams, etc. Hard to do is camp is already set up.

As for the toyhauler, the CINCFAM (Commander in Chief-Family) is very concerned about the smells (tires, fuel, lubes). Unless you get into the mega-dollar units they also tend to be cramped and a bit spartan.

Motorhome and small trailer for the track.

Motorhome and Suzuki Samurai / jeep being flat towed for camping trips.

Done. I too considered a toyhauler with separate garage with the same intended use as you. In my opinion it results in a compromise when camping, and it also results in a compromise while at the track.