Better RV Brands?

[dkoldno7]

carriage

carriage cameo great 5th wheel,made for year around rving.

We own a 32 ' cameo ,had it for two years ,great 5ver, no major complaints, we live in Alaska and brought our fiver home in 2009,up and down the alcan only had one tire go bad. We are very pleased with our unit. When we ordered it we did have extra insulation added,so far we were in Whitehorse at -10,we stayed warm nothing froze!













dkoldno7

 

[FPettijohn]

Harvey & griz

Glen Curtis in 1937 built a 5th wheel trailer to travel to Florida, It was a really elegant piece for its time. He is better known for his inventions in aviation and his great museum is in Hammondsport NY. http://www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org/

 

[Grizzly]

Interesting, Click Here

 

[HBarlow]

I know about Glen Curtis but have not visited his museum.

 

[ENafziger]

Eric, I did't mean to make you feel bad, that wasn't the intend. Your 2011 trailer is a long time from a 2002, which is an 11 year gap and I'm not sure who the manufacture of you trailer is. They don't put mortise and tenon cabinetry and diamond plate aluminum on the front of cheap trailers.

Hey George!

Thanks for the info... and certainly no hurt feelings here! I'd much rather have a straight up answer that takes the wind out of me, than a fluffy half truth to make me feel good!

I'll check the axle make/ratings tonight and see.

I'd love to spend some more time, but my new bride's job is the limiting factor. At the suggestions made here, she's going to as if she can get another week off without pay... that would put us at 30 days for the trip, which would still be quick, but would let us slow down and enjoy a little!

The plan is to drive pretty hard the first 3 or 4 days (16 hrs/day or so) until we get to the "pretty" stuff in British Columbia/Yukon Territory. Then hopefully for the next 2 weeks, we'll drive around, stopping at whatever peaks our interest. I'd like to do a little canoeing, mountain biking, and hiking as needed to stretch the bones a little.

Thanks for the advice guys...

--Eric

 

[Grizzly]

Eric, If you want to find out more information about a trip to Alaska, do a search for a thread called, " Alaska trip in a cab-over-camper, by grizzly". It's 172 post, 4 years old and loaded with where to go, what to see and what isn't worth the time to go to. I started the thread a few months before we set out to Alaska. We did take two months and still feel that we could have taken more time. We will take more time on our next trip when my wife retires, hopefully soon. If you have trouble finding the thread, let me know or call Robin of TDR for help.



george

 

[GaryOwen]

Here it is!



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...forum/151781-alaska-trip-cab-over-camper.html

 

[HBarlow]

Thirty days is a pretty short amount of time for an Alaska trip. I think I spent 30 days just driving up there and back. It is a very long distance to Anchorage. I was gone from home about six or seven weeks and I took no side trips. I just drove up there and back and other than a couple of days off at military base RV parks in AK to do laundry and take a break I drove every day. I did travel at a somewhat leisurely pace but the pace is mostly forced on the RVer by road conditions.

Keep in mind, the farther north you get the slower your rate of travel will be and the fewer miles you can travel in a day due to frost heaves and broken pavement.

I think my last day traveling to Tok was something like 150 miles of travel.

 

[ChrisOlson]

Hello
Mr Barlow is very correct

Last month drove from haines Alaska to Anchorage and Back When Leaving Haines Junction in canada the roads are beautiful all the way to destruction Bay then the frost heaves Kick in from there to beaver creek thru the US customs and pretty colse to TOK frost heaves are pretty serious, also 16 Hours pulling a trailer is serious work I am sure Mr. Barlow will agree as he was a RV transporter for a very long time if I recall Both mr Barlow and Grizzly are a wealth of Knowledge on the Subject of Alaska and Road trips in General. I have heeded their advice on many occasion it would do you good to study their posts their Alaska adventures and pulling trailers as well and as I have offerd before anyone comming in Juneau look me up frosty cold ones and fishing. MY DW and I love to entertain vistors to our city. Eric Please keep us posted of your adventures.

Chris

 

[HBarlow]

Actually, Chris above knows far more than I do about Alaska as he lives there and Grizzly has made twice as many trips to AK as I have, two for Grizzly vs. only one for me.

I would like to go again but I'm not sure I want to pull my big fifth wheel over the Alcan Highway.

An old Navy buddy of mine has a fifth wheel he has pulled extensively since 2000. When he went to AK he bought an inexpensive used 24' conventional box travel trailer, repacked the wheel bearings, adjusted the brakes, and put a set of tires on it then pulled it to AK instead of his fiver. When he returned home he sold it for what he had invested in it.

Hundreds of folks from the lower 48 pull large heavy fivers to AK or drive 1/2 million dollar motorhomes to AK every summer, it can be done with care. I think I would enjoy the trip more in an expendable basic box trailer though.

 

[Jim W]

I have never driven to AK with any type of vehicle but I do know that driving 16 hours a day with a trailer, will kill you.

My wife and I did a trip to the bad lands in SD two years ago and we drove 10 hour days with our 5er. We started from Oswego Il, and stop in MN half way there. We stay at a small campground with out un-hooking for the night then drove to our destination. This was 500 miles a day stoping only for fuel and rest stops to empty the coffee.

I have pledge to the DW never again, we now limit our selves to 300 to 350 miles a day, when pulling the 5er. I would also buy a book called the "Next Exit" this should help you also.

Good Luck.

Jim

 

[Grizzly]

If you can survive in smaller quarters, a slide in truck camper would be the best RV for an Alaskan trip. I have to admit, on our last trip in 06 my wife and I did get a little claustrophobic after two months in an 11' 3" camper. With a camper you don't have extra wheels, brakes, suspension and hitch to worry about. Of course you do have to have the right size truck for the size of camper. Many folks do well on a 8 and 9' camper for the Alcan Hwy.



I feel that the 27' Arctic Fox we now have is built for that type of terrain and it's not too big. It is heavy however. I hope we get to use the AF on the Alcan soon.



Speaking of which, I highly recommend the Cassiar HWY over the Alcan HWY. Click Here It's far more scenic and more wildlife. It's also more rugged. You'll go through Stewart, BC and be sure to cross the border into Hyder, Alaska. For Hyder, click here. You do hook up with the Alcan Hwy in Whitehorse, Yukon, then you take the Alcan to Tok and on to Fairbanks.

 

[Grizzly]

I have never driven to AK with any type of vehicle but I do know that driving 16 hours a day with a trailer, will kill you.

My wife and I did a trip to the bad lands in SD two years ago and we drove 10 hour days with our 5er. We started from Oswego Il, and stop in MN half way there. We stay at a small campground with out un-hooking for the night then drove to our destination. This was 500 miles a day stoping only for fuel and rest stops to empty the coffee.

I have pledge to the DW never again, we now limit our selves to 300 to 350 miles a day, when pulling the 5er. I would also buy a book called the "Next Exit" this should help you also. Good Luck.

Jim

A book you must purchase before a long trip to Alaska is a current Milepost. Get it two months before your trip and study it.



george

 

[Bill Carlyle]

Eric:



I wish I had the courage to take my 5 th wheel to Alaska, We are concerned that we might get it dinged up. We have a dooley and could put a truck camper on it but I would miss the room on rainy days.



Go and let us know how much fun you had.



Bill

 

[Grizzly]

Eric:



I wish I had the courage to take my 5 th wheel to Alaska, We are concerned that we might get it dinged up. We have a dooley and could put a truck camper on it but I would miss the room on rainy days.



Go and let us know how much fun you had.



Bill

A large truck camper with a slideout may work for two months plus, then sell it, unless you want to make the trip again.

 

[Bill Carlyle]

Grizzley



I have thought about a trck camper but we like the comfort of our rig. I need to wait untill we are thinking about trading and then go because when we do go we want to stay all summer.



Well it is something to dream about anyway.



Bill

 

[Grizzly]

Bill, I know what your're saying, and you will get a little claustrophobic after spending a whole summer in a camper. Alaska is so worth going to that you can make other adjustments, such as when you get to a place you like, such as Anchorage, rent a cabin or a condo for a week or two or three. You can unload the camper and go to so many town and places around Anchorage, Fairbanks and Valdez in the truck only. You can also fly into Anchorage and rent a Motorhome and do all the touring you want, but be prepared to pay big bucks for the Motorhome rental. You may have to give up the comfort of your big rig, but it's not forever. We gave up the comfort of our big two story house, so it's doable.



I don't know what kind of mileage you get pulling your big triple axle, but I'm sure it's not good and you may be looking at 13, 14K miles from Florida to Alaska and back at the high cost of diesel. Plus larger 5th wheels and Motorhomes seem to have more problems with frost heaves and all the road construction that goes on the summer months on the Alcan Hwy.



Again, Alaska is so well worth going to that you'll want to go again and again.



george

 

[rrl989]

Bill,



Truck campers might not be a small as you think?. Check out this triple slide ! Truck Camper Magazine - TCM EXCLUSIVE: 2010 Eagle Cap 1165

 

[HBarlow]

I don't remember where but I saw an advertisement or price listing for a new Lance slide-in camper with a price tag of $40k somewhere recently. Wow!

 

[Bill Carlyle]

Grizzly



At one time I had a three axle trailer but now have a 2 axle 5th wheel, 36 ft. with 3 slides. My fuel milage is 19 solo and 12 towing. When I get a chance I will look at your Alaska trip ina cab-over camper.



Bill