Easier winter drive: 4x4 RV or truck+enclosed?

[Nick568]

Hey guys, I was wanting to get some opinions on what would be the easier setup to drive on the winter roads for sledding. When I say easier, I'm only focusing on the driving experience. What's going to be less white-knuckle and what's going to be less stressful.

The reason I ask is because I'm currently weighing a couple different options and am getting to the point where I'm going to need to commit to an option soon. (within a year)

So, which of the following is easier to handle/drive on the winter roads:

A 25-31' Class C on an E450 chassis with a 4x4 Quigley (or similar) conversion pulling a 4-place aluminum open trailer
-or-
A pickup pulling a 20'-27' enclosed?

I know on the truck side of things, there's a lot of things one can do to make the tow easier: larger truck, weight distribution/anti-sway, inline vs deckover, etc. So I'm wondering more in general, what people think would be easier to take down the road? I currently have a truck and have been driving on the winter highways for several seasons now, but never anything larger than my 2-place trailer in the winter. Now I'm at the point to where I can upgrade to a 4x4-converted Class C, or a new trailer. The new trailer is by far the cheaper option, but I'm afraid of hauling such a giant-ass wind sail with me on the icy roads. I've already experienced gusts large enough to blow my truck and 2 place off the road, so I'm not quite sure about going with the enclosed trailer route. If the roads I travel were a lower speed limit, I also wouldn't worry as much. But most of the roads I take to get to my riding spots are 65 mph. But also, I wonder what the stability would be of the RV when it's windy?

I don't know, maybe I just need to man-up and not worry about the wind as much. But I'd like to hear some of your guys' opinions on the matter to help me be more likely to make the first choice the correct time rather than having to try both options just to possibly switch back to the first option again.

Thanks!

 

[Absledder]

Personally I've driven an rv in the summer when it's windy and the large surface area isn't exactly fun to drive with. Either way a large crosswind is a pain, but I think a truck and enclosed with a properly setup hitch would be easier

 

[the_real_wild1]

i think the best setup for 4 sleds on icy roads is a sled deck on a long box single wheel one ton with winter studded tires towing an open two place trailer with the other two sleds. I have a class a motorhome and agree. In the summer, driving in windy conditions suck. In winter it would be scary, even with 4x4. I have also owned a small enclosed (16') and even it can be sketchy on ice. I have a sled deck now and have had three sleds so far and it has been the best setup. Also the winter studded tire thing is a huge improvement.

 

[Zrock]

you could go with something like one of these as well for winter towing to keep the crap off your machines.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=snow...a=X&ei=-f4CVd2UGYz1oAT-j4GQAg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

 

[Snort]

I would think that the RV is going to catch a substantial bit more wind than the enclosed and the dual rear wheels of the RV are not the best for snow and ice.

 

[plio7]

I wouldn't even consider an RV as an option for winter imagine the headaches getting that pig stuck in a staging area. Or trying to maneuver it up some of the roads to get to sledding area's..... Truck and trailer

 

[Nick568]

Thanks for the replies and input, guys. Much appreciated.

Like I said, I've never even stayed in an RV. Only popped inside them a handful of times at shows, etc. Never driven one. (Never driven truck+enclosed either)

It's sounding like the prevailing opinion is that if wind is one of my big worries, then a RV would be the worse solution.

If I were to go the enclosed route, my setup would likely be the following: my current 2014 tundra as the tow vehicle. Set up with brake controller, weight-distributing/anti-sway hitch. Already have the Nokian Hakka. studded tires (best winter studded tires I've had yet) on the truck. I've got an ARE topper/canopy which does create a bigger profile for the wind, but might help with the aero/drag for the trailer I figure. If nothing else, it allows me to put most of the crap in the truck instead of the trailer.
Trailer would be a 18'-22' all-aluminum insulated enclosed. Most likely 8'-8.5' wide, but definitely not a deckover. I figure a smaller, lightweight enclosed with a properly set-up 1/2 ton should be fine. It is just a 1/2 ton, but it's not like I'm going with a 4-place deckover.

I'm thinking for the enclosed route an 18'-22' non-deckover all-aluminum enclosed pulled by a 1/2 ton with a proper hitch setup and good tires would be a decent starting point. From there I could assess if airbags would help with stability any (rear-end on my truck is super soft. Great for daily driving, but I think it'll allow for too much 'bucking' with a larger trailer.), and I've seen a lot of supporting opinions that those gimmicky-looking Air Tabs things do help with stability in crosswinds and for oncoming semi's passing you...another option to explore down the road, possibly.
I'll also be choosing the shortest trailer that'll meet my needs. (ability to carry 3 sleds with ease, and cram a 4th in when required) So I figure that will help too.

 

[Absledder]

Thanks for the replies and input, guys. Much appreciated.

Like I said, I've never even stayed in an RV. Only popped inside them a handful of times at shows, etc. Never driven one. (Never driven truck+enclosed either)

It's sounding like the prevailing opinion is that if wind is one of my big worries, then a RV would be the worse solution.

If I were to go the enclosed route, my setup would likely be the following: my current 2014 tundra as the tow vehicle. Set up with brake controller, weight-distributing/anti-sway hitch. Already have the Nokian Hakka. studded tires (best winter studded tires I've had yet) on the truck. I've got an ARE topper/canopy which does create a bigger profile for the wind, but might help with the aero/drag for the trailer I figure. If nothing else, it allows me to put most of the crap in the truck instead of the trailer.
Trailer would be a 18'-22' all-aluminum insulated enclosed. Most likely 8'-8.5' wide, but definitely not a deckover. I figure a smaller, lightweight enclosed with a properly set-up 1/2 ton should be fine. It is just a 1/2 ton, but it's not like I'm going with a 4-place deckover.

I'm thinking for the enclosed route an 18'-22' non-deckover all-aluminum enclosed pulled by a 1/2 ton with a proper hitch setup and good tires would be a decent starting point. From there I could assess if airbags would help with stability any (rear-end on my truck is super soft. Great for daily driving, but I think it'll allow for too much 'bucking' with a larger trailer.), and I've seen a lot of supporting opinions that those gimmicky-looking Air Tabs things do help with stability in crosswinds and for oncoming semi's passing you...another option to explore down the road, possibly.
I'll also be choosing the shortest trailer that'll meet my needs. (ability to carry 3 sleds with ease, and cram a 4th in when required) So I figure that will help too.

bags will definitely help. I've spent a fair amount of time in tundras from 07's to 14's (all with airbags) with quite a bit of it towing and it doesn't take much to make it squat when the bags are empty. I've towed a small enclosed with it during the summer and it tows good but unless its an inline you'll want to make sure you have tow mirrors. And expect to fill up often. I'm sure by now you've realized what a small tank those trucks have, and it gets a lot smaller when towing lol

 

[the_real_wild1]

You can get three mountain sleds in a 8.5x16 enclosed. You can also throw the forth in the bed for added traction. If you must go that long of trailer towing with that truck I would get a 7x21 or 7x24

 

[TylerG]

You can get three mountain sleds in a 8.5x16 enclosed. You can also throw the forth in the bed for added traction. If you must go that long of trailer towing with that truck I would get a 7x21 or 7x24

not with a topper on the box he can't...... also the shorter box on the tundra might cause interference between back of sled and trailer

 

[the_real_wild1]

Could take the topper off in ten mintutes

 

[Nick568]

Yeah, I'd prefer to leave the topper on. I don't have an easy way to take it on/off myself. Even with the enclosed, I figure I'll still appreciate the dry storage. I had a folding tonneau on my previous truck (and a canopy on the truck before that), and having all that room is so much more useful for me since I regularly take lots of boxes full of lots of computer parts from the office to the airport.

I was thinking something like this for an enclosed:
2500 lbs, ~4200 lbs with 3 sleds, ~4700 lbs with 4 sleds. Add in a couple hundred lbs for options and gear and call it close to 5000 lbs, but under 5500 lbs most likely. All aluminum, I don't hear many complaints about Triton, my local Triton dealer is a great guy, and my current 2-place is a 1995 Triton that still doesn't have any cracks in the aluminum. I figure the lower clearance should make it nicer to pull as well. I'm thinking an 18' model though would be a better fit (Triton doesn't make an 18' in that series that I've found on their website) if one is available for that Triton or a similar from another reputable brand.

I know there's easier to pull that'll keep the sleds covered, but I want something I could do some overnight trips in. I figure at most I'd be doing (4) overnight trips a year due to the proximity of my main riding areas. The idea with an enclosed or RV for me would be to hit the highway loaded Friday night, then have Saturday and Sunday to ride. Couple locations I'd like to go to more often that just aren't feasible as day-trips.

Thanks for the input so far guys! Keep it coming!

 

[0neoldfart]

I would be concerned about the "tail wagging the dog". Although the pickup may be able to tow your trailer legally, the wind area on any enclosed is something to be concerned about, especially with a lighter pickup or SUV. I've had several truck / trailer / deck combinations over the years, and I (personally) prefer a 1 ton SRW pickup with weight in the back, pulling a low bed car hauler (Mirage 28' Teton Sport). Very stable even in high wind, the brakes work well, and the added mass of the truck keeps everything in check, especially running winter specific tires with studs. If the trail requires pickup access, I drop the trailer and deck two sleds up. I'm certain this isn't something you wanted to hear, but the fact is a small 1/2 ton pickup is less then ideal in winter conditions pulling a "barn" down the road. If you want to test that theory, grab a 4x8 sheet of 3/8" plywood and carry it broadside in the wind. You can do it, but it won't be fun...