Educate me on toy haulers

[RevolverGuy]

I need an education on toy haulers.

I didn’t know there was such a thing until my gear-head BIL passed recently. I’m being offered his 2000 20’ Gator for $2,000, but it’s in obvious need of a good bit of sweat equity. IDK if I want to screw with it.

Anyway, now that I’ve discovered them, I’ve decided that could be the perfect solution for storage & sleeping on my little place near Jacksboro.

My requirements are:
Room to sleep 4 max (usually just me.)
AC & good ventilation a must-have.
Room for a 4-wheel ATV + tools, maybe a small pull-behind disc.
Generator-ready (no electric or water on property)
Gate operable by one old guy (me.)
Weather and vermin-resistance since it will stay parked there.

Kitchen & bath are nice-to-haves, in that order, but not required.

Under $10k.

 

[justmax]

PPLmotorhomes.com

 

[Eastexasrick]

I go to several equipment auctions a year, and there are always toy haulers there. Dealers show up not to sell but to augment their stock. Your price point and want list is about what they pay. Start watching craigs list, Facebook marketplace, and RV trader. Pricing is very cyclical, driven by Hunters, and RVers.

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2005-Eclipse+Recreational+Vehicles-ATTITUDE+26FSAK-5027041501

 

[toddnjoyce]

No RV is weather or vermin resistant.

 

[pronstar]

I’ve had two RV-type toy haulers, One was a 23’ Stellar and then i graduated to a 42’ Cyclone with a garage. Loved it but sold it and my diesel pickup prior to moving to Texas.

I regret selling everything, especially this combo.

They’re memory-making machines.

If the metal is in good shape, you can do far worse than a 23-year-old unit. New RV’s are generally built to a crappy standard, so if you have the desire and a bit of know-how you can easily build a better mousetrap to your own specs…RVs are relatively simple.

Best advise i can give is to ensure the toys you put in it don’t leak fluids. It sucks when your sleeping quarters smells like gas.

The rear door should have spring-assist to make opening and closing easy.

Check hubs, wheel bearings and especially shackles…lots of folks don’t maintain their shackles and it’s a recipe for disaster.

I always ran LT tires on my trailers, ST trailer tires are garbage under heavy loads in my experience. Plus ST trailer tires generally have just 55 or 65 mph speed ratings.

 

[TreyG-20]

Be very thorough when looking at used trailers. The roofs fail all the time with the heat and hail we have here and create serious leaks. Toy haulers are even worse with those back doors. If you get one throw a metal cover over it for protection and it should last for years.

 

[General Zod]

This was the best toy hauler in my opinion - it even came with cars to haul. It was my favorite toy until my dad backed over the trailer one day.

 

[Grumps21]

Have you considered building out a cargo trailer? Plenty folks on motorcycle forums do these all the time

 

[Axxe55]

No RV is weather or vermin resistant.

if it sits in one place long enough vermin will find a way into it!

 

[RevolverGuy]

Be very thorough when looking at used trailers. The roofs fail all the time with the heat and hail we have here and create serious leaks. Toy haulers are even worse with those back doors. If you get one throw a metal cover over it for protection and it should last for years.

What kind of metal cover???

 

[Eastexasrick]

Pole and beam with an R panel roof

 

[Vaquero]

Pole and beam with an R panel roof
View attachment 394508

Yep

 

[Eastexasrick]

if it sits in one place long enough vermin will find a way into it!

Park it and they will come.

We use "sticky" traps, poison boxes, and good old victor mouse traps. poison boxes, and mouse traps are placed inside of cabinets were Luna cannot access them. Sticky traps also catch stray arachnids

 

[Vaquero]

If you look at an RV (any make, any model)
Open every cabinet, top and bottom.
Poke around at the ceiling and floor inside the cabinets. The roof to wall seam is the weak point of these things.
I've never had mice in either of mine.
I attribute that to cats and other night hunting creatures. No tree canopy and I keep the grass short around mine. I figure a few birds of prey ain't bad to have around.

 

[Eastexasrick]

If you look at an RV (any make, any model)
Open every cabinet, top and bottom.
Poke around at the ceiling and floor inside the cabinets. The roof to wall seam is the weak point of these things.
I've never had mice in either of mine.
I attribute that to cats and other night hunting creatures. No tree canopy and I keep the grass short around mine. I figure a few birds of prey ain't bad to have around.

I agree, once the roof leaks the structure will soon be compromised, unless you catch it right off.

We see mice. Solid trees for a thousand yards, no to little grass, mostly pine needles. We get them in waves. None for months then several at a time, then gone again. So we are always ready for the next influx.

 

[John Sam Rayburn]

I need an education on toy haulers.

I didn’t know there was such a thing until my gear-head BIL passed recently. I’m being offered his 2000 20’ Gator for $2,000, but it’s in obvious need of a good bit of sweat equity. IDK if I want to screw with it.

Anyway, now that I’ve discovered them, I’ve decided that could be the perfect solution for storage & sleeping on my little place near Jacksboro.

My requirements are:
Room to sleep 4 max (usually just me.)
AC & good ventilation a must-have.
Room for a 4-wheel ATV + tools, maybe a small pull-behind disc.
Generator-ready (no electric or water on property)
Gate operable by one old guy (me.)
Weather and vermin-resistance since it will stay parked there.

Kitchen & bath are nice-to-haves, in that order, but not required.

Under $10k.

ToyHaulers are RV's.

RV's are built cheaply. They are designed to only survive the term of the loan before they are rotten.

IMO, $10,000 turning a used Commercial Quality cargo trailer into a camp cabin would be a better investment of your time & money.

If you really don't intend to move it very often, $10k will buy a LOT of 2x4's, siding, plywood, and shingles.

 

[thescoutranch]

As mentioned before, the achilles heel of RVs, especially in Texas, are the roofs. The Texas Sun is brutal on the rubber membrane. Once it starts leaking by the time you notice it it’s already started to do it’s damage to the sub structures, ceiling and walls. If you decide to go this route, you would definitely want to erect a metal carport over top of the RV where it sits, the higher the better. This will help your air conditioner if you ever use your generator to run it. If you have the opportunity, I would also gravel the space under the RV to minimize the habitat for mice and critters and such.

One of the nice things if you want the cargo trailer route is that they predominately have metal roofs, so the chance for leaks is minimized.

 

[thescoutranch]

Another option is you could go the route of possibly a horse trailer with a camper upfront. Not sure what the sell for in the used department but I believe they come with metal roofs which would address the leak problem and still give you the benefits of a toy hauler

ETA
For example

95 featherlite weekender slant load - trailers - by owner - vehicle...

1995 Featherlite 5'weekender, slant, gooseneck, all aluminum, 3 horse trailer, 7'tall. new tires and spare, 4000LBS weighs, lined and insulated.

austin.craigslist.org

 

[AZ Refugee]

I bought a 2003 20' Carson Gun Runner in January of 2004. At the time I lived in Flagstaff, AZ. I used it a lot year round I the summer through December I used it for A TV trips, and hunting around Flagstaff and the North rim of the Grand Canyon . Winter months of was used in the desert. I tried my best to maintain it and keep the roof (metal) sealed. The last time I used it was February of 2014. When I moved back to Texas in May of 2014 it went in to storage. I intended to use it here, but life got in the way. Mice got inside in short order, and the roof started leaking. Once I noticed the roof leak, I tried to seal it, but failed so I took it to an RV place. They suceeded, but the damage was done. I ended up selling it for $4,000 because the floor had rotted at the rear My cousin wanted it and fixed the floor I definitely got the $12,000 I spent to buy it out of it in enjoyment for the 10 years I used it. If you can get and stay ahead on the maintenance they are a good time. Good luck.

 

[jmohme]

As others have said, the roofs are the week point. Once they start leaking things start rotting.
Also, consider that RVs are really not built to live in full time.

I have had my toy hauler since 2011 and use it 44 weeks of the year.
I use mine as a mobile showroom for my customers at horse shows to view images from the show. I use the front to live in during the multi day/week events.
The old beast is really starting to show its age and I am currently looking to replace it with a converted cargo trailer that will probably outlast me.

If you do go with a toy hauler RV, I would recommend one with smooth fiberglass side panels. These are usually metal framed where the metal corrugated trailers are wood framed and just don't hold up as well.