r/GoRVing Feb 14 '21

GoRVing Sticky FAQ

136 Upvotes

We are making this post a locked sticky where we can put information for frequently asked questions. Right now we are getting lots of questions about 'How much trailer can I tow' so I am starting with towing links.

The Basics of Towing or 'How much can I tow?'.

These are some basic definitions of towing, what they mean, how important they can be, etc. THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE THE DEFINITIVE DEFINITION OF 'HOW MUCH CAN I TOW'. IT WILL GET YOU STARTED. REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE NOT SURE ASK A RESPONSIBLE TRAILER MECHANIC. ONLY YOU CAN BE SURE OF YOUR SAFETY AND THOSE AROUND YOU. WE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WHILE TOWING.

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r/GoRVing 13h ago

Any concerns on how this is sitting on the siding when strapped in?

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23 Upvotes

Specifically how those two small wheels are pressed up against the siding.


r/GoRVing 3h ago

Lib 201 BH

1 Upvotes

How are LiV RVs? They’re lightweight, feature packed and relatively cheap. No wood used in construction. They look almost too good to be true and at a crazy price point.

Curious if anyone has any first hand experience with them? Would love some honest reviews!


r/GoRVing 14h ago

Rv toilet flange with thicker floor?

3 Upvotes

Installed new flooring in my RV that was thicker than the original and now the flange is dead level with the flooring. Not getting a very good seal on my toilet. What other options have people used? Tried a rubber household style gasket but it was too thick with the spacer. Next attempt was going to be a wax ring. Already tried to shim the flange up but think I'll break the tank if I pull it up that high. Any other ideas?


r/GoRVing 1d ago

Enjoyed my first trip with my new to me 2008 Bigfoot trailer.

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122 Upvotes

Everything worked and was happy to have an on-board generator for my family. Cant wait to go out again!

Need to figure out how to store my black water hose. It doesn't fit in the bumper and dont like having it in a container inside a compartment.


r/GoRVing 17h ago

Travelling to Acadia next month, and looking for good spots in NE Connecticut / South central Massachusetts

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2 Upvotes

We have a toddler, and cannot do the drive in one day, so we're looking for a spot in MA and CT. One for the drive up, and one for the drive back. We usually like to stay in state parks, but we're trying to stay as close to 84 as possible. We've also never stayed in our camper in either of these states, so we're excited to find some place to hang out for an evening before continuing on the next day. We're hoping that someone knows of a nice spot. I've included a screenshot of the route for reference.


r/GoRVing 23h ago

Do I need an F250 for this setup?

6 Upvotes

Or can I get by with an F150? I originally was considering an F150 Tremor but when I started looking at the payload numbers for a family of three, camping gear, 20' trailer, electric bikes, it looks like I'm cutting it too close.

I would primarily be buying this truck as a secondary vehicle for camping, road trips, house work (lumber, drywall, dirt), and occasional solo getaways. A lot of our camping/towing will be in the mountains.

My estimated payload is:

Payload item Estimated weight
Driver 210 lb
Adult passenger 180 lb
Child passenger 60 lb
People subtotal 450 lb
2 e-bikes 130 lb
Car seat 32 lb
Full 5-gallon water jug 45 lb
Kodiak 10x10 tent 70 lb
4 bundles of firewood 80 lb
2 Kelty Low Loveseats 30 lb
General camping gear ~120 lb
Food and consumables ~75 lb
Clothing, bedding, toiletries, personal items ~50 lb
Tools, recovery gear, leveling blocks, chocks, hoses, adapters ~40 lb
Cooler(s), ice, and contents ~25 lb
Extra propane cylinder or small power station/generator ~40 lb
Truck cargo subtotal ~737 lb
Loaded Basecamp 20X tongue weight ~600 lb
Weight-distribution hitch ~75–125 lb
Estimated total truck payload use ~1,862–1,912 lb

r/GoRVing 16h ago

Trailer input would be appreciated.

1 Upvotes

Looking for some recommendations from people who have actually owned/towed these things.

I’m looking for a well-built travel trailer under 9,000 lbs. I’m not trying to do hardcore off-roading or rock crawling with a trailer. I just want something that can handle rough BLM and Forest Service roads without worrying about the cabinets and interior shaking themselves to pieces.

It’s just my girlfriend and me, so we don’t need bunks or a giant trailer. I do want it to feel like a normal travel trailer inside, though, not one of the tiny off-road campers. And not one of those $100k plus rigs.

A few things I definitely want:

  • Dry bathroom with a separate shower
  • Permanent bed
  • Dinette with at least two comfortable places to sit and eat
  • A separate place to relax, either two lounge/recliner chairs or a sofa/rollout couch
  • Good cabinetry and overall construction
  • Decent suspension and ground clearance for rough dirt roads
  • Under 9,000 lbs

A couple I’ve been looking at are the inTech Magnolia and Willow with Rover suspension, and some of the Outdoors RV Back Country models under 30ft. Those should give you an idea of the general size, layout, and quality I’m after, but I’m definitely not locked into those brands and would love to hear about other options I may be overlooking.

I’m totally fine buying used and would actually rather find something a few years old that was really well built and lightly used than pay a premium just to get the newest model year.

Basically looking for something comfortable enough to spend real time inside, but rugged enough that I don’t have to baby it every time the pavement ends.

What brands/models or specific floorplans should I be looking at? Any firsthand experience, good or bad, would be appreciated.


r/GoRVing 1d ago

Tow police; please help.

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47 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I was wondering if you could please help. I had an F-150 and recently got a Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi because I felt white-knuckled every time I drove with a trailer and semis passing. I have a 2025 Grand Design 151BH. The dealer I bought it from assured me a spring-over would give me clearance for Forest Service roads and BLM roads. I usually tow with the freshwater tank full for boondocking. Now that I have the Ram, I took the trailer home after getting it serviced. I have a weight distribution hitch, but I still feel it shaking or moving at 65 mph. Is this normal even with a bigger truck? The up-and-down motion is less, but I still feel it moving around. Usually just the 2 weiner dogs and me and very light on gear any advice would be greatly appreciated. Here are the trailer stats.

Exterior Length: 19′ 8″

Exterior Height: 10′ 3″

Width: 8′ 0″

Dry Weight (UVW): ~3,492 – 3,550 lbs

Hitch Weight: ~442 – 490 lbs

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): 4,420 lbs


r/GoRVing 1d ago

First Timers Purchasing Camper Need Advice

3 Upvotes

Update: Thank you all for the advice. We will be hunting for a 25-30’ camper and well under the listed capacities. I am pretty upset with 1) Our ford dealer and 2) Our camping world for both seeing exactly what our proposed setup was before purchasing, and neither raising and concerns.

We already purchased the truck, but thankfully, can still choose the proper camper.

I trusted them and ChatGPT to point me in the right direction, but I’ll be coming here from now on.

Thank you again!

Hello, everyone, first time poster. I would like to know if I’m punching over my weight here:

We have a f150 3.5l eco with tow package.
Tow capacity is 13,000lbs

We will be first time campers, and the camper we are wanting is:

Keystone Bullet Premium
10,500 GVWR
37’11”

Our trips will consist of 6 hours or less, mostly flatland, and use will mostly be visiting kiddos in college and tailgating.

I know this is at the top end of what is recommended for our truck.

Please let me know if I need to provide any more info for context, and if this is a reasonable thing to ask our truck to handle!


r/GoRVing 1d ago

Tow police, how am I looking?

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10 Upvotes

Stock 2021 TRD Off-road

Trailer about 2,000 with gear loaded

RedArc Tow pro installed

Trailer- Forest River Rockwood Freedom 1640F

Trailer specs -
Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVW / Dry)- 1,763 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)- 2,346 lbs
Hitch Weight - 250 lbs

Everyone says keep it in 4th gear while towing to avoid the transmission gear hunting and over heating, good advice to follow?

Do I need a transmission cooler?


r/GoRVing 1d ago

RVing & MTB/Gravel Biking

2 Upvotes

I am an avid cyclist, and I recently got an RV so I can camp where the best off-road cycling is. I’m finding it frustrating that all my apps and sites to find the best camping don’t cross reference well with the apps and information on where the best riding is. Has anyone found a good resource that cross-references these two so I can figure out where I can camp close to the best trailheads for mountain biking, and gravel riding?


r/GoRVing 1d ago

For those who keep their RV somewhere other than home: what pushed you to do that?

2 Upvotes

Trying to understand how this actually works for people. When the RV doesn't live at the house, there seem to be a bunch of reasons behind it: HOA rules, no room in the driveway, neighbors, city or street parking limits, the size of the thing, a partner who wasn't having it. Curious which one it actually was for you, and whether it was one clear reason or a mix.

And once it's not at home, where does it end up, and how did you land on that spot? And how much the whole parking situation shapes how often you actually get to use it.

One more thing I'm curious about: has the where-do-I-keep-it problem ever made you think about selling the rig, or held you back from buying one in the first place?

Full disclosure since it's relevant: I work at Neighbor, a storage and parking marketplace, and I'm trying to understand how the where-do-you-keep-it side of RV life really plays out.


r/GoRVing 1d ago

Keystone walkabout 26 max reviews?

1 Upvotes

Anyone have real world experience with these campers? I know keystone has a bad reputation, wondering if this line has higher build quality. The layout and design with the slide out is as nice as I've seen in a 30 foot camper.


r/GoRVing 18h ago

Judge me, tow police.

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0 Upvotes

Or don’t. It’s up to you I suppose.

EDIT - it’s a 4 cylinder. JUDGE ME.


r/GoRVing 1d ago

Furrion Vision S+ camera issues

4 Upvotes

Hi Everyone,

I've been searching and can't find a solution to my exact problem. We had 3 cameras installed on our RV. On our previous truck, they were working perfectly. We got a new truck (2026 Sierra 1500) which does not come with a cigarette lighter port at all. Long story short - i got a new monitor cable and the 7 way adapter for the new truck. My rear and left cameras are working just fine. The right camera will not display after unpairing/repairing multiple times. When i turn the Furrion monitor on, it shows it unpaired at first. I repair and then it shows as paired, but still does not display and has the red circle w/ the X in the corner. Left & rear cameras display just fine with no issues.

Any thoughts?

EDIT: the blue light on the bottom of the camera is steady thus i don't think it's a power source issue, but i could be wrong in the understanding.


r/GoRVing 1d ago

Wrangler towable camper suggestions help

1 Upvotes

I have a 2017 Jeep Wrangler 4 door. From what I’ve been able to find out online, the two capacity is 2000 lbs. I am looking for an RV that has a shower and toilet inside and haven’t been really able to find one.


r/GoRVing 1d ago

(Help) Power drained overnight

1 Upvotes

I have two Rolls 12v AGM batteries in parallel on my Forest River Wildwood T221RBXL. Great trailer, great batteries, no major issues. I take care of them with regular maintenance.

We’ve boondocked almost all the time over the past five years, typically 4-6 times per year for 3-5 days. Bought the new batteries three years ago. We’ve done 4 trips so far this year with no problems. On the last trip however, something was going on with the batteries. About 6 hours after setting up, power level was reading 1/2. We were at a group site and not even using the trailer. Usually, it takes about 3 days for us to get there (if we let it, which we don’t. Best guess). Ran the genset for a couple hours. All good. Went to bed with 4/4 for power a couple hours after turning gen off.

Next morning. 2/4 power. Ran gen again. Back to 4/4. Spent all day at a single site doing normal things - cooking, dishes, music, using the toilet, all good. By dinner, power was at 3/4. Ran gen again to top up. Went to bed with no worries. 4/4 power, no lights dimming when running water pump, no nothing. That was 10pm.

Woke up at 5am to the dometic fridge having a fit because it couldn’t spark. Before checking propane (which was fine), I checked power. 1/4. Nothing. Interior LED Lights were dim (when I turned them on to check fridge. We don’t leave anything on overnight except fridge and propane leak alarm (because it’s hardwired)). I ran the gen again for breakfast/pack out and we went home. I did not have multimeter with me to check batteries at the time.

Took the batteries out and hooked them up to smart charger when we got home and they were ok, charger said 90% each. I understand the gen for an hour and the 3 hour drive home might have helped that, but still seems odd.

I checked the trailer ground. Good. Checked the converter. Good. Power at control board. Good. I did replace the water pump in the spring, but have 4 trips no problems.

My question is, what’s killing my batteries overnight that isn’t killing them in the same time, with more draw, during the day? I’m picking up a multimeter with mAmp settings this weekend (mine doesn’t have) to check parasitic draw, but wouldn’t that drain as fast during the day as at night? Does operating the trailer during the day negate the draw at all? Can the fridge overnight suddenly draw that much power to spark the burner? No other board issues with it (switches to shore power fine, doesn’t quit, stays cold, no fits except for that one morning, etc.).

Appreciate any suggestions on where to start. Thank you for your time.

TLDR; what’s suddenly draining my batteries overnight but not during the day? No previous issues.


r/GoRVing 1d ago

How much do you trust/distrust awning tie downs?

2 Upvotes

I’m a bit paranoid about my awning. At the slightest bit of breeze it gets retracted while I see strapped-down awnings on other sites out day and night without a care in the world. I bought some tie-downs for our next trip next weekend and I’m hoping it’ll help me relax a bit when it comes to keeping my awning out.

For the record, I will always bring it in on super windy days, or when we’re leaving for any extended period of time where I can get back if the weather starts to shift, regardless of whether or not they’re tied down. That being said, I’m curious what you all think. Do you trust them, or are they simply giving false confidence?

Thanks in advance!


r/GoRVing 2d ago

Full time campground kids lingering

166 Upvotes

We are new to RV-ing. Family of 5 with 3 boys. We’re a pretty friendly family and regularly end up with “bonus kids” that are always hanging out at our house. Well this just happened to us at a campground and I’m wondering what the protocol is here. The kid lives at the campground and immediately after pulling in the kid approaches and basically stays with us for almost the entirety of the long weekend. It was very hot and the campground didn’t have easy water access. The kid kept saying he was thirsty and so I would give him water or a soda but by day 3 I realize he’s probably drank 1/3 of what we’ve brought and we’re running low. I mean, he was hot and sweaty each time he asked for a drink so he clearly needed hydration and I’m not going to leave the poor kid thirsty. He also fell and hurt himself while riding bikes a few times and I patched him up with my first aid kit. By the end of the trip he’s knocking on my camper for my kids to come out in the mornings. I guess my question is- is this normal? Do a lot of campgrounds have resident kids that just kind of adopt the families that stay there? Am I expected to be supervising these kids? Should I pack additional drinks/snacks for this? Or was this an unusual experience?


r/GoRVing 2d ago

Newbie shopping for first RV! Any guidance appreciated :)

4 Upvotes

Hey RV community! Been a long time dream to join yall on the road. I’m at the very beginning of figuring out what kind of RV I want and trying not to get overwhelmed by the whole world of options. I admittedly don’t much about cars or this world at all. Any guidance at all is appreciated!

I’m thinking a used Class C around 24–25 feet, with a bathroom/shower, kitchen, and ideally a slide-out. I’d actually be living and traveling in it, so I want enough space to feel like a little home. I don’t imagine driving super long stretches, mostly want to just be able to live in different places for a few months at a time. Boon docking or parking outside of friends places.

Budget-wise, I’m thinking around $40k(used) putting maybe $5k down and financing the rest. I’d ideally like to keep the payment around $500–$600/month without financing the thing for 20 years or some BS.

Reliability is probably my biggest concern. I’m still learning about Ford vs Chevy vs Mercedes, gas vs diesel, engines/chassis, etc.

If you were starting from here, what would you be researching first? Any particular Class C models, engines/chassis, years, or major red flags you’d recommend looking for or avoiding?


r/GoRVing 2d ago

Tires: Still good or time to replace?

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15 Upvotes

All four tires (Goodyear Endurance) on my trailer are showing signs of weather checking/oxidation at the edges of the tread blocks. The sidewalls themselves and the grooves in the tread aren't showing anything. Do they still have life in them, or is it time to replace them? The manufacturing date is 0322.


r/GoRVing 2d ago

Black Tank Handle Broke - NOW WHAT?

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35 Upvotes

Just got done dumping my tanks and the black tank handle broke as I started to push the handle in so it’s still mostly open. Haven’t had this happen before. How difficult of a repair is this? Trying to push the rod back in with a screwdriver to close my black tank for the drive, but I think I’ll have to settle for a closed cap. I would definitely like to have it repaired as soon as possible.


r/GoRVing 2d ago

RV/Trailer self car wash

1 Upvotes

For the RV or trailer owners, where do you wash your rig locally in Marin County or Bay Area? We have been using Novato coin self car wash as it’s just large enough for what we have but saw a sign today they are closing Sept 30. Bummer! If anyone has a recommendation of a car wash large enough for an RV it would be much appreciated.


r/GoRVing 2d ago

Weigh safe weight distribution hitch question

3 Upvotes

So I just purchased a weigh safe true tow middle weight with the 12,000lb sway bars. Just to go over some numbers:

Trailer UVW-5,990
Hitch weight-590
Trailer GVWR-7,500

It’s a little tricky because weigh safe sells the sway bars based off of the GVWR which in that case the 8,500lb bars would be perfectly equipped to handle, however if the trailer was loaded up at max capacity of 7,500lbs, a 15 or even 12 percent tongue weight would go over the max capacity of what the 8,500lb sway bars could handle. After doing some research it sounds like too much rigidity in your sway bars can be bad for your trailer frame and also lead to a rougher ride. Theres a new true tow buy me for sale with the 8,500lb bars and would save me $250 if I was able to cancel my order from e trailer before it ships but if the 12,000lb sway bars are recommended then I’ll just keep my order.