If I land a good job this year, preferably before mine lets go, I am in the market for a different vehicle for towing out to the races....And we also take the trailer and load it up with four wheelers and go for a weekend to some pretty tough to get to areas.

Been looking at trailers with a bathroom, shorter Toters like the PonyExpress Kodiak, and even short RV's or slide in campers....Most are very expensive, but I see a lot of guys using them. What has worked best for you guys?

The slide in campers are limited and most do not have a bathroom or require hanging way out over the rea of the bed and would hit my trailer. Even looked at these flatbed ones, as probably my best option, but they are $30k and I need a different truck, but it would fit my needs if I switch trucks.

http://www.northstarcampers.com/products/hardwall-truck-campers-american-hero/

Next was the shorter RV's....Same price, but I have not driven one, and most are not rated for my trailer of 10K

http://www.vehicles-classifieds.com/deta...2071297225.html

Then there is the Toters.....Not cheap. Wife unit would probably shoot me over that one.

http://www.racingjunk.com/Toterhomes/182...-trailer.html#3

The hillbilly in me would want to put one of those flatbed campers onto a long frame medium duty truck. Would be cheaper then a full out toterhome it seems.

I am making the switch from a Dodge 3500 to a medium duty more then likely a freightliner when I find the right one. My situation is a bit different though, I don't need the living space but haul 2-3 full sized trucks on a flat deck.

I generally just need space for me at the races, and the wife and kid when we go four wheeling...

I also like the flatbed option, but would want that on either a 4500 or 5500 chassis....Probably my best bet.

Looks like this guy just sold his....Kinda what I need.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/143040-Northstar-American-Hero-flatbed-Camper-2012

[img]http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/at...047&thumb=1[/img]

Always go larger than you think you will need, just like trailers.

There should be ton of toters out there for sale since so many have been built in the last 25 years. Go for one. Get the most HP you can afford. Send your money on the drivetrain not the interior if you have a budget.

It looks like his total cost is around the same as a toterhome would be. Used might be a bit cheaper. The ability to take the camper off when its not needed and potentially 4wd would sell me on the 5500. The payload and GCVW shouldn't be an issue.

That's what I keep thinking....Its the cost of going to a dually and then the camper that gets me. But it would be the best way to go. Then I never have to worry about the weight of the trailer and the truck could be used for other things.



Was looking at these too, but they seem under powered..

http://www.mhsrv.com/2006-georgie-boy-landau-w-2-slides-2450ds-used-class-a-tx-i1464762

Most of those, if not all, have a 5000 lb. max tow capacity.

Yeah, I don't get it, my F53 Gulfstream is the same thing. The frame and brakes are huge in it. Can't even feel my car-hauler on it.

No shortage of power with that V10 Ford, that's for sure, and good on fuel too.

What about one of these Dodge chassis RV's?

http://albany.craigslist.org/rvs/5912565531.html

Interesting I have never seen one of them. GVWR should be 10,500lb chryslers max trailer weight is 13,450lb and the interesting part is if equipped with the camper group, which I assume this would be the GCVW is 20,000.

So unless that camper is way heavier then it looks, that seems like an awesome little rig

What would the camper tow group consist of?

Bigger alternator
Oil cooler
trans cooler
power steering cooler
rear air bags maybe

So far all I have found advertised is overloads and sway bars.

The offroad guys usually use a flatbed trailer with a camper on top.


While not the prettiest option, it works.

Very slick rig IMO! I like it. Unhook the trailer and your ready for regular transportation with your pickup. Great use a of space too, slick!

Great option if you don't want to own a dedicated rig. Slide that camper off and you still have a flat deck. I often wondered about mounting a small pop-up over the 5th wheel for sleeping.

Toterhome

Lot of them for sale - guys getting out of tractor pulling.

Look on " pull off.com "


Jim

Bank told me that the Blue Book removed all the RV stuff.....So no way to finance it. And I still owe about 10years on my house, so ain't using that route either.

I have felt your pain dude. I know my toterhome is not for off road like what you want to do. But here is how I got mine. I used it for racing at first pulling a 49' trailer. Then I sold my race trailer and use it now for vacations. WE have had many killer vacations in it with many more planned including in April we go back to the Outer Banks in NC.

Years ago I tried to finance a smaller 300HP toterhome and could not get financing. I was trying to get it through a dealer who specialized in toterhomes and large hi end race trailers. No could do so I kept using my dually for few more years.

Then 2001-2 a person special ordered this 2002 freightliner toterhome and a 51' Wildside Mini semi both custom painted red. The paint jobs cost a fortune the dealer was telling me as I was there at his lot buying a 49' used race trailer and pulling it out of there with my duallie.

The new red toter and semi was sitting there, what a sight to behold...way out of my league I was thinking at the time.

4-5 months later the dealer called me and told me the owner of the red toterhome traded it back in, both the toter and trailer for a new pair of rigs.

He ordered a large diesel pusher and a new stacker trailer.

The dealer said he could and did get me 10.5% financing then on the toterhome only. The 51' mini semi sold to someone else.

I agreed and bought this toterhome from the dealer with 4400 miles on it and 6 months old a couple years after trying the first time. They delivered it to me up at Indy at the last NHRA division race in Sept 2002. Bought it sight unseen other than online pictures and seeing it in Don's dealer lot that day freshly painted. I trusted the dealer, Don Pedan from Country Motors Sales. He never did me wrong and knew about trailers and toters. Don showed me a invoice when new and I paid 44K less than when it was new!

Then I refinanced my home mortgage about 8 times over the years and at one point I put the RV/toterhome on the house mortgage which was at 2.75% at the end. Then paid off the house a while back and have owned my toterhome free and clear now.

I have had it now since Sept 2002 and have driven it almost 100K miles. The Freightliner chassis has never broke down, has a Cat C-12 505HP engine and a Allison full auto trans with double overdrive. The FL112 had 10K worth of upgrades ordered for the engine alone(505 motor, 2 stage jac brake, locking diff, air dump for lower steps at the campground and on and on, and overdrive trans gets great fuel mileage while handling huge power). This is a Freightliner RV chassis with air ride. Been a real pleasure to drive around the country as you can imagine. My wife and I stay in it full time for up to 2 weeks at a time fully self contained with hi end fixtures inside.

Summer of 2015 Monument Valley, 90000 miles and 12 years old look how straight it is. NRC Conversions did the conversion in Middlebury Ind up near Elkhart Ind. The camper capitol of the world.

Has a 16' long box on it, enough for 2 of us and a dog. Full bathroom with shower and large fresh, gray and black water holding tanks



Been to many of these over the years. My towed cars are protected from rock chips on a open trailer pretty dang well as it turned out because of the rear tire enclosure of the toterhome. There are never any dead bugs on the windshield of the car being towed even after 5000 miles because the toterhome is so large. A open trailer does not even put my toter through any stress, real easy on it and fuel mileage. Actually a small trailer helps with the ride as we have bob tailed to places also. Carry 200 gallons of diesel fuel and our diesel genset can run off of it close to a month. Have done a week+ at a time at the US Nationals.

They wash my RV, car and trailer, this is in Vegas after driving from Cincinnati so it looks good in the campground.

Everything including the kitchen sink goes with us.

We have been to all these states pulling a trailer. We both love the uniqueness/power/handling of the toterhome and it has become part of the family. Always the only red camper in every campground we have been to and it has been a lot of campgrounds over the years. People still stand there and take pictures of it even today.

Never give up hope is my point, work hard and play hard!

That thing is SWEET!

Here's a really nice one I just found that was seized by the government and is going up for auction....



http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/rvd/5964774462.html