Buying a TT - advice?

[Steve St.Laurent]

Well guys I think I've found my TT. It's a '93 Fireside 35' TT model M-350DBR. Was only used locally in Michigan - longest tow was to the UP - less than 2,000 miles on it. It looks brand new except for some carpet wear. It's a year round trailer with the pipes and all insulated. Sleeps 9 with a queen sized bed in the front bedroom and 3 bunks at the very rear, kitchen just in front of the axles, a full bathroom too (tub). No rust on the frame or anything. I'm going to get it for $8000 including a sway bar and drop hitch. He towed it with a 3/4 Chevy gasser and I'm going to go tow it tomorrow night and finalize the deal - left him a deposit today. It looks brand spanking new expect for carpet wear. Let me know what you guys think and anything you think I should look at tomorrow - thanks!



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-Steve St. Laurent - President of the Great Lakes TDR
'98 QC LB (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, TST Powermax3, 275hp RV injectors, Joe Donnelly modifed Sachs Clutch, custom ladder bars, SW fuel pressure gauge, BD exhaust brake, Isspro turbo temp monitor, front Draw-Tite receiver, rear Draw-Tite class V receiver, BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's, (all the common stuff clipped)

 

[JohnB]

That's one big pull trailer. I don't know what you plan to do with it but size will limit where you go. I would tow it quite a bit if they will let you so you can see how you like that type of lenght and weight. Have fun and don't get in a hurry.

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01' 2500,SB, Club Cab, 5spd,3. 54 LS, Bright White, Camel Leather. Pillar mount boost & pyro, fuel presure guage. 2001 Sunnybrook 27' 5ver

 

[illflem]

Steve, I've been looking also, 35' is a big TT, but the price is very good. If I was to go that big I'd want a fiver. I don't know how many folks you plan on hauling but after looking around I've found that a 22'-26 footer is plenty big for my needs with two. Also have found that I don't have to travel far at all for a wide range of choices for under $5k used.

Tried to link you to where I was looking, it didn't work.

[This message has been edited by illflem (edited 04-10-2001). ]

 

[Guest00]

Sounds nice.
Vereify the water system, water heater, air conditioner

Take it on a freewaywhen it is windy and do a couple good down hills to see how it pushes. Do you think the low miles is due to towability ????.

The long TT's don't tow well in the mountains with long steep downgrades and crosswinds.

Check the DOT # on the tires for year of mfg.
Good Luck

The desert south west area is a retirement area and lots of older retirees get condos and sell rv's here or pass away and the relitives back east dump em localy in a grossly depressed rv market. That is why Barry does so much buying em cheap in Phoenix and towing em back to Texas.

 

[Okie-Go]

The price is right but take the advice and pull it, then pull it some more. That is a very long trailer to be pulling for any distance. I have tried both,traded a 26 ft. bumper pull for a 30ft 5er. Be careful!

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2001 quadcab slt 2500 HO 6spd. LWB,2wd,dk garnett red, trailer tow package,camper special, anti spin 3. 54 axle, speed liner,oversized stainless steel chicken slide,66 gallon in bed aux. tank,K&N air filter,Reese 20k hitch, Terry 2000 EX 30ft. double slide 5er, 2000 20ft gooseneck for haulin jeep, firewood and huntin stuff. 5X12 tagalong for haulin the 4 wheeler. Okie Newton

 

[Pete Peterson]

Sounds good Steve, but I must echo what the others are saying about the length of that unit. 35 foot in a 5'ver is alot easier to move than a TT. I have been places camping that I'm not sure I could get a 35' TT in.

But!!! If it suits your needs and you and the bride are happy then then the rest of us 7,000 members are happy too!!!!!!!Pete #ad
#ad

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Well guys - here's the new MOBILE home:

#ad

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I'm thinking about painting HOTEL ST. LAURENT on it for kicks! I'll be picking it up sometime this week or this weekend, but it's mine. I can't wait to camp in it at the SETDR/GLTDR get together in Gatlinburg!! #ad


I wasn't able to tow it behind my truck because his hitch didn't have near enough drop. I towed it behind his 110,000 mile gasser 3/4 chevy though and it pulled straight as an arrow, no sway, and no bucking up and down either like I expected - and that was with a straight ball with only a sway bar. I guess I'll find out how bad it is in the first storm while towing it - if it's too bad we'll just pull over and camp! If things get really tight backing it in somewhere then I'll just unhook and put it on my front receiver and then push it in. Thanks for the advice guys!

-Steve


[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 04-10-2001). ]

 

[M1A2]

Watch your where you put the majority of your weight when you load it. Something that big and long could sway with a drop of a hat if you don't get enough tongue weight. Mine has three bunks in the back also, just a little different layout. Kids love them! Good luck and Happy camping.

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1999 FLAME RED 2500 SLT, QC, 4X4 AT, 3. 54 AGATE LEATHER, JAYCO 325 BHS

 

[Idaho Native]

Steve,

Very nice looking rig! I absolutely love my 26' Dutchmen TT... pulls very well... even across South Dakota with some real heavy cross winds.

One gotcha' on any trailer is the wheel bearing lubrication. If it has only 2K miles on it, check them out very well. Nearly burned mine up moving from Louisiana to Nebraska. Good thing it was raining cats and dogs... didn't catch fire. If it has the "factory" lube in the bearings, it needs to be repacked before you head down the road.

Friendly advice from one who nearly lost the camper... and the family pet inside #ad


Loren

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1999 24V 2500 QC HD,5 Spd, Luverne Steps, Predator Topper
1995 Impala SS, Dark Cherry Metallic
1995 Dutchmen 26 foot travel trailer (the "excuse" for the diesel!!)
1997 Honda Shadow ACE 1100
(Too Many Toys)

 

[Fireman Dave]

Very nice looking unit, Steve! Enjoy it!

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2001 2500; SLT; 4x4; QC; LWB; Auto; 3. 54 LS; 265s; Camper; Tow; Sliding Rear Window; Travel Convenience Group; Cab Clearance Lamps; BedRug; Forest Green

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Thanks guys, it's a lot more (and a lot nicer) trailer than I expected to buy. But the deal was good, yada, yada.

Idaho Native - I asked him about the bearings, he said he greased them every season at the start of the year and for some reason I really believe him, but I will be checking to be sure. Thanks for the advice!

-Steve

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I brought her home tonight in 20 mph gusty winds (crosswind 90% of the way) and it pulled straight as an arrow, no sway at all! It's sitting next to the garage right now. I can't wait to go to the GLTDR/SETDR Gatlinburg event with it in 2 weeks. I didn't get home till after dark tonight, I'll take a pick of the whole rig when I hook up to it the next time in daylight and post it. It's pretty impressive - REALLLLLLLLLY LOOOOOOOOOONG, I figure around 62 feet from bumper to bumper! I'm shopping for extension mirrors now, so far I have one vote that says don't do the clip on to the stock mirror ones and go with Mckesh mirrors. Any advice - I can't see jack around this thing #ad
!! So tell me, is it bad form to do a burnout with a 35' trailer behind you? (it was an accident, honest) I'm sure not wanting or needing any more power (I'm running on level 3 with the trailer behind right now) and stopping is awesome too between the exhaust brake, brakes on two axles (only ever had brakes on one axle before), and the truck brakes! Life is good #ad


-Steve


[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 04-12-2001). ]

 

[JohnB]

I'm glad it worked out for you. As someone else said, I would pull the wheels and repack bearings and inspect the tires very close for sidewall damage from the elements.
Have fun!

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01' 2500,SB, Club Cab, 5spd,3. 54 LS, Bright White, Camel Leather. Pillar mount boost & pyro, fuel presure guage. 2001 Sunnybrook 27' 5ver

 

[OILBRNR]

Those clip-on's suck. Been there, done that.

Get the McKesh with the optional round convex mirrors. I really like mine.

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'99 4x4 • SB • QC • 3. 54 • LSD • AT • Leather • Mag-Hytec • Westach Guages • Line-X • Luevern Nerfs • Tommy Gate

Towing:
'99 28' Airstream Excella (~7000# dry)
'69 24' IMP Inca Twin Screw (~6000# wet)

 

[dodger22]

Congratulations Steve - enjoy! One thing you might check, take a utility knife and make a slit 2 -3" long in various places in the underbelly to make sure the insulation is dry(you can always put some duct tape over it afterwards). One day at the campsite a person who I did not know stopped by and bet me the money in her purse that the insulation would be wet. Sure enough she was right. It's a miserable job to pull all that insulation out, very claustrophobic.

Good luck,

Richard

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

We're having quite the wind storm here today so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to see how the rig handles gusty winds. Winds were reported at 30mph gusting to 50mph. I'm just using my 8" drop with 1 sway bar (no weight distributing hitch - tongue weight is only 660 lbs according to mfg). I pulled it around for 45 minutes, into the wind (big boost), away from the wind (practically coasting), direct x-wind, quartering headwind and quarering tailwind. It pulled GREAT, almost no sway at all. I could feel that things were moving around slightly but never anything that would have concerned me in the least. I took a pic of the rig while I was out too:

#ad


The wheel bearings are getting packed this weekend even though he said he repacked them last summer. I'm still undecided on the extended mirrors but so far McKesh is at the top of the list - they seem to be popular on iRV2.com.

-Steve

 

[zzman]

Nice rig Steve.
If I may suggest, if there isn't any casters on the back,
you may want to consider them. I almost tore my plumbing
up when I went down a step little dip in the road.
My T. T. is only 24 or 25 feet long. You look like you have
quite a bit over-hang past the axles.

Happy camping, it looks new. Nice trailer.
Ron

 

[klenger]

Steve:
Your trailer is 14 feet longer than mine, and probably twice as big as my daughter's dorm room! Really nice looking unit. My goal is a 27' Sunnybrook fifth wheel. Have a great time ... I love camping. Where do you plan on camping in Michigan? If you ever take it over "Big Mac", post pictures.

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Ken Lenger
2001. 5 2500 QC 4X4 SWB SLT, ETC/DDX 5 Speed, 3. 54 (no LSD), camper group, trailer folding mirrors, RBR CD/Radio, LT265/75R16E AT OWL tires, trailer tow group, Patroit Blue / Agate, Westin CPS Step Bars, Jordan Utlima Brake Controller, Weather_Guard 664 tool box/
Replaces 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 which is for sale.
Trailite 21' Travel Trailer, ~4000 lbs loaded.

 

[ltamarra]

Steve, congrats on "your new home away from home" rig.
I echo JonhB's advice on wheel bearing lube and tire's. Taking it one step further, I assume your rig has 15" wheels. That being said, check the brand of tires. If they are Goodyear Marathon's load D without the "S" (severe), have them replaced ASAP. I had two blowouts on our rig last year only to be informed after the fact that Goodyear will replace the tires free of charge with "S".
Good luck and ENJOY!!
Lou Tamarra
PS: check out http://www.irv2.com

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96 2500 SLT ext. cab, 4x4 w auto,4:10, LWB, BD exhaust brake w Torqloc, Rhino lining, Combo gauge & transmission temp gauge on A pillar, MagHytec transmission pan, PrimeLoc, & Optima Red Tops.
Tow Holiday Rambler TT Model 31CFS.

 

[dmurdock]

DAM steve, you could hide a small country in that thing! I think it's waaaaay to big for you and your family. . so, in the spirit of TDR friendliness, I'll take it off your hands... #ad


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'01 Eth 3500 4x4, Amsoil air filter, AutoMeter boost & egt on pillar mount. See My Truck and also be sure to read What tools & methods to use for an easy 1st oil change!!!
"Be happy you don't get all the government you pay for. " -W. C. Fields