Road trip camping with a large family

[EbS-P]

I've never towed a single axle trailer that has brakes on it. I've never seen a single axle trailer with brakes either. All of the trailers that I'm talking about are equipment or landscape trailers. A trailer with brakes takes a 7 pin plug and the vehicle should have a brake controller vs a 5 way trailer plug on a trailer without brakes. I've never seen a FWD vehicle equipped with a 7 way trailer plug. I've seen older half ton trucks and compact trucks that didn't have them either. Maybe they are making camping trailers with surge brakes ?

As an X farm kid. Everything I own gets converted to round 6 or 7. Break controller will be same wireless unit as my father uses on his Alto single axel camper. It plugs into 12v lighter. Easy to swap to other vehicles. Surge breaks would be equally decent but probably not as a retrofit.

 

[sloeffle]

That's good that they have single axle camper trailers with brakes.

Does the wireless brake controller you are talking about "sit in between" the a 5 pin and 7 pin plug ? I'm interested in seeing a pic of it, is there a website for it ? I can remember having to wire up a brake controller for the first "big boy" truck I bought a number of years ago, what a PITA.

 

[EbS-P]

That's good that they have single axle camper trailers with brakes.

Does the wireless brake controller you are talking about "sit in between" the a 5 pin and 7 pin plug ? I'm interested in seeing a pic of it, is there a website for it ? I can remember having to wire up a brake controller for the first "big boy" truck I bought a number of years ago, what a PITA.

I think this is the unit my dad has. Or something very similar. Amazon product ASIN B001P0ZA86
The curt unit that sits in between is new to me. I’ll have to read up on it. Certainly cheaper.

I think when you are looking at trailers small enough to be towed by a small suv or midsize sedan the trailer breaks are important. Really anytime you are pushing up to 80% or higher of your GCVWR you should have trailer breaks. I made that number up just now but and have no evidence if it’s a good number, but I felt ok (for the most part) pulling a 1200# trailer. With no breaks.

 

[begreen]

Agreed, the trailer should have brakes, to avoid breaks.

 

[Poindexter]

I am wondering about maybe getting the cargo trailer for camping gear and luggage. Individuals should have some kind of drybag or daybag in the main vehicle with the stuff they have to have in the main vehicle in their individual bags.

Keep the Odyssey for schlepping the family around local. Well maintained Honda will last virtually forever. Use the Odyssey for local / short distance camping trips.

Here is the rub. I have never tried it. Is it possible to rent an enormous SUV with a trailer hitch on it to load up the family in the SUV, tow the familiar cargo trailer, go to the Grand Canyon and put the wear and tear on the rental? I suspect it is no bueno, but it might be worth at least reading the rental agreement.

 

[EbS-P]

I am wondering about maybe getting the cargo trailer for camping gear and luggage. Individuals should have some kind of drybag or daybag in the main vehicle with the stuff they have to have in the main vehicle in their individual bags.

Keep the Odyssey for schlepping the family around local. Well maintained Honda will last virtually forever. Use the Odyssey for local / short distance camping trips.

Here is the rub. I have never tried it. Is it possible to rent an enormous SUV with a trailer hitch on it to load up the family in the SUV, tow the familiar cargo trailer, go to the Grand Canyon and put the wear and tear on the rental? I suspect it is no bueno, but it might be worth at least reading the rental agreement.

It may be possible. I looked at prices pre Covid as I was contemplating an upgrade. I’m pretty sure they were 500-700$ a week. I really wanted to see how the bigger vehicles drive and how comfortable the seats are. 18 hours straight is torture enough and probably impossible if the seats suck.

I’m going to quote my dad when he was van shopping.
Salesman: it has 10 cup holders and a DVD player.
Dad: GREAT! We will gets some drinks and a stack of dvds and be back to tests the seats! In 10-12 hours I should be able to tell if they are good enough for my bad back.
Salesman: (silence)…. I’m going to have run that by my manager.

 

[begreen]

Ya know, if it's considered an army, then might as well treat it as one, of course with a bit more style.
(Assuming gas mileage is not an issue)

 

[stoveliker]

That one is good to travel from NC to TN, but not over I-40, but just thru the mountains

 

[EbS-P]

My latest down the rabbit hole looking for specs was to compare the load capacity of a 2020 Odyssey to a 2020 Suburban ( really want to see how the independent rear suspension on the new Suburban tows heavy loads but haven’t researched it yet).

And ……. The Odyssey….. only 70# less than the Suburban…. That’s the just filling the 3 cu ft extra the Suburban has behind the third row.

Load capacity of a transit 350 passenger over 3000#

since the demise of the 3/4 ton full-size suv they just have become suburban mom people movers and not very good ones IMO. There I said it

It clear to me I am on the path to join a certain demographic that drives their very large family in a 15 passenger van. But I swear I’m not like the rest of them

 

[Ashful]

There’s no survey option for, “let cousin Eddie camp in the mud and mosquitoes, I’ll be at the Hilton.”

I like playing in the dirt all day, as much as the next guy. But at the end of a long day’s travels, nothing compares to a clean shower, soft bed, air conditioning, and beverage service.

 

[Poindexter]

_Hot_ shower @Ashful . I remember quite fondly the weekend I spent in Tangier. The bartender poured me a scotch. I looked at the little tiny puddle of not very good whisky in the bottom of the snifter and asked for a triple. I got two eyebrows out of the bartender but a reasonable wee dram. Excellent cigars in Morocco, and endless hot water, but the whisky doubled as insecticide.

With all of those kids in tow I am still in favor of taking Amtrak to at least Amarillo, maybe Albuquerque, even Flagstaff. Then rent an RV. They can look at scenery out the window just as well from Amtrak as they could from a rented SUV or a hard working Odyssey. The train will have a toilet or three.

 

[EbS-P]

Stopped by the Ford dealer today. Anyone wanting a truck is in luck. But no 15 passenger vans. In network they had 3 used, all 150, zero new vans.

9 month wait if I order a new one today. Used market seems inflated to me.

Autotrader - page unavailable

Covid strikes again. Guess that settles this discussion we will be pulling a travel trailer with the odyssey for a while.

 

[Ashful]

Enough time has passed that I don't remember all of this thread, and didn't bother going back to re-read old thoughts. But I'm wondering, if this is for a one-time need, why not just rent whatever is ideal? Seems much more practical than buying and then being married to the thing, especially in today's market.

 

[tlc1976]

I agree, as has been posted earlier. Towing capacity with a minivan is marginal at best. And remember that the numbers are usually for one or two 150# adults. The weight of the family members detracts from that capacity. And weight of gear adds up fast. I towed a single axle 16 ft camper with a minivan every summer maybe 20 miles one way. Me, a wife and 3 small kids and pretty minimalist. Kept to side roads. Even with the GM 3800 engine it struggled on hills. WD hitch and brake control was a must. It’s not so much the weight of the trailer, as the wind resistance. The camper weighed less than my 5x8 utility trailer full of firewood, but the wood was much easier to tow.

An RV is the best thing for a family like yours. Rent what you need for the trip. Overall will be cheaper than owning it, storage, maintenance, repairs. Give it back when you’re done and it’s not your problem for the rest of the year. Do it again for next year’s trip and you get another fresh unit, while someone else has done all the dirty work and associated expenses.

Just simple things like tires go bad with age, even though you’ll have barely used them, and they’re expensive to replace. Or having it stored and finding out you have to deal with rodent or water damage. It’s not if an RV will leak, it’s when. Batteries need to be kept up or replaced. So many things. Let someone else deal with all that.

 

[GrumpyDad]

As someone that has witnessed a large capacity van wreck on the highway littering luggage and bodies all over the place, because someone cut them off and the van flipped and rolled, I'll stick with something wide ...heavy....agile.

Or better, put no more than 4-5 people in a larger vehicle and rent a hotel. Campgrounds suck. Full of weird people and you sit literally right beside them. Not that I have anything against or wouldnt partake in it right now if offered, but I dont want the lingering smell of pot around my kids, them having someone wonder into my 'spot' to party it up with me.

At least that's been my experience with campgrounds, both tenting and using two different campers that I rented or borrowed for a couple of weeks.

Hotel it is for me. Sure it's twice the price of a camp spot which is sad, but I get a shower and a quasi breakfast every morning. I dont wake up sweating to death or having to walk to the toilet or empty mine. When I tented it was because I was hiking or biking through gods country. Im done with that.

F that. If you see me camping you know it's armageddon and I'm breaking out my stash.

 

[yooperdave]

Here ya go. Thank me by posting pics of the trip.

Cruise America RV & Motorhome Rentals

Ready to rent? We have the locations and are prepared to help you book your trip. The rental experience with Cruise is the best way to explore the outdoors.

www.cruiseamerica.com

 

[GrumpyDad]

Here ya go. Thank me by posting pics of the trip.

Cruise America RV & Motorhome Rentals

Ready to rent? We have the locations and are prepared to help you book your trip. The rental experience with Cruise is the best way to explore the outdoors.

www.cruiseamerica.com

That's an RV Clark.

 

[yooperdave]

That's an RV Clark.

 

[EbS-P]

Well I had to re read what I was thinking two years ago. We decided that this summer it fast and light. We will take the mini van. I added OEM roof rails (super easy. Way to go Honda!) and Jegs roof top cargo box. We will put a plastic tote or two on the hitch carrier. We need enough gear to camp for 4 night but two are close enough to family it would probably be easier to buy day passes to the recreation area.

Next summer will be a long road trip. We are deciding between a Ford transit and the Mercedes sprinter. Long wheel base passenger configuration. My only dilemma now is new or used and RWD or AWD. Wanting AWD really means one can’t be picky on the used market.

The idea to get off the beaten path and do some light overlanding. I’ve watch enough custom 4x4 builds on YouTube to talk the talk but have no real experience. The van life fad has now saturated the internet with so much content and content creators with more money than brains that it’s hard to find good common sense advice. No my future transit will not be getting a 5” lift and 33” tires even if your wife think it’s cool.

I want something good enough to get down a road/track that you can’t take a mini van down without much drama. a RWD with a lock diff would probably be good enough. I’m not rock crawling.

I did look at concession trailers the other day. I’m priced out of those once I get a new van.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I rarely use 4wd. If I’m going to get stuck, I’d rather get stuck in 2wd and then have the 4 to pull me out. Getting stuck in 4 means you’re stuck that much more, and it’s harder to get yourself out. Have a plan on how to get yourself out.

Stuck in AWD is like getting stuck in 4WD. It’s way harder to get out.

 

[brenndatomu]

Grandpa always said if you need 4x4 you are going somewhere you don't belong

 

[brenndatomu]

RWD with a lock diff would probably be good enough. I’m not rock crawling.

Surprisingly, when I use the electric diff lock on my work truck (Superduty) in 4x2, it makes very little difference...the truck just goes sideways instead of spinning one wheel...but that is with "all terrain/no terrain" tires too...now in 4x4, engaging diff lock means it'll climb trees if you want!

 

[EatenByLimestone]

.

 

[brenndatomu]

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View attachment 327952

Who took my keys?!!

 

[begreen]

Better take that trip soon or it will be visiting colleges instead of camping.