You are a B-A-D influence...

[steved]

I bought a small 5vr last night...



Advertised as a 23-foot, but I think it is actually a 24-foot... 1988 Aljo Aries by Skyliner MFG. It is in excellent shape, for the year... and for the $1600 I paid, it was a very good deal for this area. It is originally from TX. Axles have been flipped to make it high enough for a 2500... original owner used an F250.



I bought a hitch today... Reese Pro 15k (cheapest I could find). I have to get it installed, to even get the camper home...



It might be older and it might be smaller than some of the one's people have, but it is a very BIG upgrade from the slide-in walk-in closet we have been using. It is also VERY light... 2300 unladen, 3200 loaded... so it shouldn't affect my mileage.



steved

 

[Buffalo]

Steved,



Congratulations on the new, to you, trailer.

I have a 25' Nash (bumperpull) that weighs about 7000 lbs. loaded. My '03 tows it beautifully. I live in Phoenix, AZ. & have towed it all over the West (mountains) & as far East as the Toronto, ONT. Canada area.



I usually travel alone & it is really more trailer than what I need but, I liked the floorplan.



If this is your first trailer, be careful of water leaking into the trailer through seams, etc. Try to keep it as water tight as possible. Sealing the roof edges & openings, windows doors, etc. is a great idea.



Also, keep a close eye on the trailer tires. They don't seem to live as long as truck tires. At least, that's been my experience.



Good Camping!!!!!



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[steved]

Thanks Joe,



I know the truck will tow it fine, the main reason we wanted smaller was to be able to tow it through the national parks and such, and still get decent mileage over long distances.



The tire... that's the funny part. It has Cooper Lifeliner (car tires) on it... they have some very minor weather checking... should be ok until next spring. I find it very funny the it is light enough for car tires... they don't even show there is any weight on them. Not sure if I'll change from car tires, as long as it tows good.



It is our first trailer, but not the first camper. Our slide-in was leaking when we got it... I got a hands-on learning experience about sealing them up. This one shows no signs of leaking or having ever leaked... which is one of the main reasons we bought it. We also cover our camper with a HD tarp to limit the amount of water it sees...





steved

 

[ScottLewis]

Good move Steved. You already have experience in camping so this doesn't apply to you but way too many folks jump in to a big, brand new, costly rig their first time out. Then they find out the "should haves" and "why dids". I always counsel people to start out used and cheap, then move up from there.



We don't really sleep any better in our current fiver than we did in our first 17 foot pull trailer (well maybe a little better).

There's nothing wrong with car tires on the trailer as long as you're well under weight capacity and you watch for aging and damage.



Dan

 

[steved]

That's what we sorta did... just stepping up a bit. The main thing we couldn't see was spending $$$$$$ on something we use only several times a year... maybe if we lived in it, worked from it, or traveled more.



I hope the install of the hitch goes well...



steved

 

[jelag]

Steved... .

I can share with lots of experience that when I put anything behind one of my trucks the MPG drop 2-4 just from the increased wind resistance... .

However I own a 05 Jeep with the Hemi... and my 05 Dually gets better fuel economy empty than the jeep and is cheaper to run... . but that leather, heated seat and the ability to park the jeep in those tight places is so NICE...

 

[steved]

Steved... .



I can share with lots of experience that when I put anything behind one of my trucks the MPG drop 2-4 just from the increased wind resistance... .



However I own a 05 Jeep with the Hemi... and my 05 Dually gets better fuel economy empty than the jeep and is cheaper to run... . but that leather, heated seat and the ability to park the jeep in those tight places is so NICE...

Your in the same boat I am...



The slide-in dropped my mileage a little, and you are correct, it was all wind resistance on the flat ground. In the mountains, it drug me down slightly, but for the most part it was wind resistance on the flat land that killed my average mileage.



My Subaru is a lot more comfortable to drive to work than my truck... and at 30+mpg, I can't justify driving the truck!



steved

 

[KevinSmith]

The biggest thing you need to find are some good tires for that 5er. Goodyears will hardly make it across the country. Coopers are a little better. Nankang {i might have misspelled the name} has a 10 ply trailer tire that I have heard really good things about except that they are a little hard to find. Im looking for a trailer about like that for myself.

 

[steved]

The biggest thing you need to find are some good tires for that 5er. Goodyears will hardly make it across the country. Coopers are a little better. Nankang {i might have misspelled the name} has a 10 ply trailer tire that I have heard really good things about except that they are a little hard to find. Im looking for a trailer about like that for myself.

At a 3200# max GVW, I don't think tires will be as much of an issue for me as for other 5vrs. It has car tires on it now... at even 1500#s each, that's a 6000# capacity (even though it is a car tire).



I know I keep thinking about it, and for the life of me can't figure out how they cramped more stuff inside, built it bigger, yet only weighs slightly more than my slide in camper unloaded?????????????



But it must be correct... the tires on it don't even look stressed.



steved

 

[bmoeller]

No insulation and lots of plastic stuff to make it so light?

 

[steved]

No insulation and lots of plastic stuff to make it so light?

I wonder if the title is correct???



This one seems to be constructed similar to the slide-in... plus a metal frame and chassis... I guess I'll find out when I hook to it. If it is really that light, it should tow similar to my utility trailer... it weighs 2400 empty.



steved

 

[EEdmondson]

Steved,



Congratulations on the new, to you, trailer.

I have a 25' Nash (bumperpull) that weighs about 7000 lbs. loaded. My '03 tows it beautifully. I live in Phoenix, AZ. & have towed it all over the West (mountains) & as far East as the Toronto, ONT. Canada area.



I usually travel alone & it is really more trailer than what I need but, I liked the floorplan.



If this is your first trailer, be careful of water leaking into the trailer through seams, etc. Try to keep it as water tight as possible. Sealing the roof edges & openings, windows doors, etc. is a great idea.



Also, keep a close eye on the trailer tires. They don't seem to live as long as truck tires. At least, that's been my experience.



Good Camping!!!!!



Joe F. (Buffalo)

Buffalo, what floor plan do you have? I'm looking at the 25S w/swivel chairs option. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Buffalo]

EEdmondson,



My 25-S has the couch that folds into a bed. That is what I wanted. Could sleep more people, if needed & sit more people than the 2 swivel chairs. I'm not criticizing the swivel chair option, just explaining why I chose the couch. It fit my needs better.



I really love my Nash trailer. I bought it used (7 months old). The folks that originally bought it (in Calispell, MT. ) found it to be too large for what they wanted & traded it in on a smaller unit when they got to AZ. It still smelled new when I got it & the savings was very good. I wanted a trailer with a queen sized bed & the 25-S had many other features, of the floor plan, that turned out to be very nice. Large bathroom with a large, 2-door closet. My buddy with a 19-B calls my bathroom a "dancehall". (By the way, I had an Arctic Fox (Nash) 19-B before I bought the 25-S. It was excellent, also. )



The Nash has been very reliable. Hardly any problems. Nothing that has rendered the trailer unusable. The major change I did was to upgrade the suspension system to the Dexter Heavy-Duty Suspension System. Basically, it consists of new, greasable shackles & replaces the plastic bushings with greasable brass ones. I can't believe that Dexter, or any of the trailer manufacturers use plastic bushings on a trailer suspension. If you buy a used trailer, a sign that the bushings are worn out is that when you drive over a curb, like into your driveway, you wil hear a metalic 'popping' sound. I thought it was the ball mount.



I would highly recommend that you join AFNash.com (it's a free website for Nash/ Arctic Fox/ Desert Fox owners). There is a guy named "Chris Craft John" who posts on there & he is a "Wizard" with the mechanical things & upgrades for Nash products. Lots of other good info. on that site, also. That's where I found out about the Suspension upgrade.



I've towed that trailer in all the Western States & back East to diesel events in IN. , twice (Schied's Diesel extravaganza & Thunder in Muncie & Turbo Diesel Nationals in Columbus, IN. ), trips around MI, OH, WV, Toronto, Ont. CAN area & all states back to AZ. The trailer has never let me down.



When it comes time to replace this trailer, it will definately be another Nash product. They are reasonably priced & built well. Originally, they were designed for offroad use so, they were built with a bit more ground clearance than most trailers. I had a Wilderness (19') before I bought the AF 19-B. Both trailers were essentially the same size but, the AF went offroad with less dragging than the Wilderness. Much higher quality than the Wilderness, in my opinion.



Good Luck with your purchase. I can't imagine that you will be dissappointed. If you are half as happy with yours as I am with mine, you will love it. Any questions that I can help you with, please contact me.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[Buffalo]

EEdmondson,



The 25-S comes with 205/75/15-C tires. You can, easily, upgrade to 225/75/15-D's. Larger, stronger tire.



The 25-S is the point where Nash puts a larger frame on the trailer, also. I like Heavy-Duty!!!



If you live in a Southern, sunny climate, I would recommend putting a good grade of house type window tinting. It's stronger than the automotive type of tinting due to the fact that the auto type has to be able to adapt to compound curves. The house type just has to adapt to flat windows & can be made stronger.



I put Maxx-Air vent covers on all the vents but the one over the bed. On that vent, I installed a Maxx-Air (Turbo Max) fan that is reversible. That thing is great. Even when it's hot, you can sleep with the fan blowing on you. I think you could go through a hurricane and not get a drop of rain past the Maxx-Airs. I leave them open all the time for ventilation, except when it gets very cold (which doesn't happen often in Phoenix).



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[EEdmondson]

Joe,



Thanks for all the information. That's a great idea to have a vent fan over the bed, I have a ceiling fan over my bed at home and never have to use my A/C.



I also had the same thought on the tires and will try to upgrade when I order.

 

[steved]

Well, got it home today...



I see why everyone like a fifth wheel... you don't feel the trailer. No sway, no bob... nothing.



I have a couple minor things to address... mainly the external compartment doors... the latches are sorta wimpy IMO. I also found that one of the braces around the hitch had a broken weld... nothing that can't be tack welded. Need tires worse than I thought... 195x75r15s!!! I want to rewire the pigtail so that it is the correct length.



I looked at the axles... 2800#s per axle. Phillip/Dexter axles...



I am happy to say the 75 miles home was a uneventful ride!



steved

 

[Buffalo]

EEdmondson,



Regarding the Turbo-Maxx fan, I spent the best portion of two summers in my trailer hardly ever staying in RV parks (elec. hook-ups for A/C) back in the Midwest (MI, OH, IN, Ont, Can. , etc. )



My first hot night was in Oklahoma City, OK. It was pouring rain, hot & humid. Without the Maxx-Airs & fan, I would have had to have the trailer windows & vents closed & I would have wanted to die. When I went to bed, it was hot in the trailer so, I turned the fan on so that it blew on my bed. A short while later, I had to pull a sheet over me because it was getting too cool. A bit later, I reached for the blanket. Then, I got up & turned the fan speed down. Had a good nights sleep. Without the Maxx-Air stuff, I would have just lay there sweating instead of sleeping.



The fan really helped out many nights. Well worth the investment!!!!!



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[Jaysyl]

steved: good luck with your new 5th wheel. Maxx-air vents are great, we have 3 in our trailer.

 

[steved]

I know the slide in has a max-air, not sure about the 5vr. Haven't even gotten it into the driveway to give it a 100% going over...



steved

 

[steved]

Well, it now resides in my driveway... got a decent going over last night after coming home from a weekend of camping with the slide-in.

I found the original books squirreled away in the back of a drawer... I was correct in my thinking that the title is wrong. GAWF = 2400#, GAWR = 2400#, Unladen = 3200#s, Max GVW = 4800#s, 450# pin.

So fully loaded, I'm at the limits of the 1400#/tire limits of the car tires... got a bit more on the axles since they are actually 2800#s/axle based on the axle tag.

I think I can squeeze a set of 205/75r15s onto it... probably less than an inch between the wheels though... I have a set of 205x65r15s for free, but they might be too short.

Overall, nothing jumped out at me... no Maxx-Air vent covers, so that will be one thing added, probably replace the vents too since they are a little "stiff". Everything else looks good. Almost looked like the camper was used as an office for a while...

steved