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Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shortbed
I DO have a four speed with granny gear, but though I've owned this truck for over ten years and a 78 f150 for ten years before that, I have never towed anything
So . . . I've begun taking all your advice. This afternoon I had an experienced parts guy look at my front rotors and do a 'Whoa Nelly!' . . . they're pretty scored, pretty deep grooves. I will put that on my list . . . and this is really 'my' list, since, though I am a carpenter and not a mechanic, I do all this stuff myself.
There is also some play in the ball joint and that feels at the very frontier of my ability . . . balls joints on a four wheel drive. And last night I priced light truck tires online as well as shocks.
I've still got to figure out how to wire up the turn and brake wires and the electric trailer brakes (by the way how does one activate the trailer brakes before the truck brakes. What I've seen online suggests the trailer brakes are wired to the tow vehicle brake light wire?
And, yes, the truck is a short bed. Thanks for all those and all the other tips, guys.
Very helpful.
Jim
A good trailer brake controller (such as Prodigy) allows you to manually apply the brakes with a lever on/under the dash, but yes, they normally get triggered by the brake lights on your tow vehicle. There are many videos on Youtube showing brake controller installation. I had a 1990 Bronco with that 4.9/300 I6, great engine. This is for 1980-86 from Ford, I would suggest that your capacity is a bit less.
I see all these pictures online of beautifully restored, vintage travel trailers, matched perfectly with an adorable vintage car or truck in front to tow it. So, I go search to see what kind of vintage vehicle is suitable for towing a travel trailer, in terms of engine and body type, and I find all sorts of cautions and some flat out "don't do it" kinds of advice. Were all those pretty pictures I saw just vintage travel trailer porn?
There is an old movie called, "The Long, Long Trailer" starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. They are pulling a trailer (probably a 31-33 foot) with a Mercury sedan. Then look at "Junior Bonner". Steve McQueen is pulling a horse trailer with a Cadillac.
I think the older trailers were lighter than the ones we see now, no air conditioner, usually no bathroom, furnace is a rudimentary item, no slides. None the less, it would appear that "back in the day" people got along fine without a 3/4 ton pickup truck as a tow vehicle. Another thing to remember, back then, a 22-foot trailer was a medium-sized trailer, now it's considered very small.
I recently put a proportional/inertial Prodigy brake controller on my trailer towing vehicle and will never go back to the timed/ramped type controllers I had used in the past. I'll even pay the difference in price for any of my friends or family that might be tempted to go with the cheaper timed/ramped controllers. The ease of adjustment, the smooth "right now" availability of braking force, and the decreased strain on the tow vehicle was amazing. Sure wished i hadn't been so stubborn and cheap all these years. Don't be like me.
We didn’t ‘play by the rulesâ€, especially when there were no rules!
What are you looking for?
There are plenty of capable vintage vehicles, I’ve been driving them everyday for decades.
It's complicated, because I would like both a vintage truck as a daily driver, and a vintage trailer to use as a guest house or airbnb rental, with the occasional ability to bug out when there are mandatory evacuations due to wildfires - and I'm new to both. Plus, I have never towed anything in my life.
What am I looking for? The trailer must have a full bathroom with shower, because sharing the feeble bathroom in my small cabin with guests is not an option. It will need both a/c and a furnace, because the temperature around here goes from 0 to 100 degrees in 60 seconds. Finally, it needs to be self contained, because I have no idea how to hook up a trailer to household water and septic systems.
From what I've seen, this translates to a vintage trailer about 20 feet long, or much more rarely, 15-16 feet. Some have double axles, which I like - gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling of security. I live in a mountain community, so even short trips to empty the tanks will be on steep, winding roads, with beaucoup potholes and bumps until I get to the highway.
My truck, first and foremost, must have a standard transmission. An automatic transmission is a deal breaker. Second, it has to predate the 1970s. Even though I have less mechanical aptitude than my cat, I want to be able to learn to work on my own vehicles, just in case there is a zombie apocalypse or something, with engine components big enough to see, simple enough to understand, spaced enough to fit my hands around - and none of those pesky computer components.
Third, I prefer a long bed. Standard may be okay, but a short box is a deal breaker. Finally, I would really like, but may not be able to find in the practical sense, is a 4 x 4. My 17-yo Honda CRV, which is reaching the end of its useful life, is AWD, and that has saved my butt numerous times on these kinds of roads, especially in winter. However, the expense of finding, buying, driving and maintaining 4WD on a vintage truck might put it out of reach.
I like the Chevy C-10s and C-20s up to 1965. That's just an aesthetic preference. However, two different mechanics have told me they suck for towing. So now, I am looking at Fords, 1959 to 1971-ish. The "camper special" ones seem to be better equipped for towing, from what I've read. Big radiator, and...stuff.
It's complicated, because I would like both a vintage truck as a daily driver, and a vintage trailer to use as a guest house or airbnb rental, with the occasional ability to bug out when there are mandatory evacuations due to wildfires - and I'm new to both. Plus, I have never towed anything in my life.
What am I looking for? The trailer must have a full bathroom with shower, because sharing the feeble bathroom in my small cabin with guests is not an option. It will need both a/c and a furnace, because the temperature around here goes from 0 to 100 degrees in 60 seconds. Finally, it needs to be self contained, because I have no idea how to hook up a trailer to household water and septic systems.
From what I've seen, this translates to a vintage trailer about 20 feet long, or much more rarely, 15-16 feet. Some have double axles, which I like - gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling of security. I live in a mountain community, so even short trips to empty the tanks will be on steep, winding roads, with beaucoup potholes and bumps until I get to the highway.
My truck, first and foremost, must have a standard transmission. An automatic transmission is a deal breaker. Second, it has to predate the 1970s. Even though I have less mechanical aptitude than my cat, I want to be able to learn to work on my own vehicles, just in case there is a zombie apocalypse or something, with engine components big enough to see, simple enough to understand, spaced enough to fit my hands around - and none of those pesky computer components.
Third, I prefer a long bed. Standard may be okay, but a short box is a deal breaker. Finally, I would really like, but may not be able to find in the practical sense, is a 4 x 4. My 17-yo Honda CRV, which is reaching the end of its useful life, is AWD, and that has saved my butt numerous times on these kinds of roads, especially in winter. However, the expense of finding, buying, driving and maintaining 4WD on a vintage truck might put it out of reach.
I like the Chevy C-10s and C-20s up to 1965. That's just an aesthetic preference. However, two different mechanics have told me they suck for towing. So now, I am looking at Fords, 1959 to 1971-ish. The "camper special" ones seem to be better equipped for towing, from what I've read. Big radiator, and...stuff.
Most of the older trailers don't have a full bathroom, with the exception of maybe old Airstreams. A/C would probably have to be added, which might entail changing out the electrical system. No trailer is well insulated, you'll be using a whole lot of propane in the winters along with having to be careful with your plumbing to make sure it doesn't freeze. As people on the RV websites like to say, "the best way to winterize your camper is to take it to Florida".
Vintage trailers that small will not have a full bath and may not even have any bath.
Agreed, any truck before the 70s would need to have a standard, unless it's been replaced since then. Bear in mind you're talking about trucks over 40 years old--there will be lots of maintenance to do and to continue doing on these old vehicles. Brake lines will most likely have to be replaced, as well as any hoses. Wiring might need a new harness, steering system will probably need to be updated, etc. Unless you buy a restored pickup, but then you are talking about $30k and up
Trucks before 1970 all have standard or long beds, either 6.5 or 8 feet. There was no such thing as a short bed till they stared putting a second seat in trucks. And older trucks can be found with 4x4, but most before 1970 had 2x4 drive trains.
C-20s should be good for towing, they are 3/4 ton trucks, plus engine parts are easy to find for Chevys. The older Fords look great, and the camper special would be good for towing.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Yes, find a Early 70's 4x4 Ford Camper Special (F-250 or F-350) Disc Brakes in frt will be an advantage. Older rigs I insist on 4x4, as too many EXPENSIVE steering and suspension failures on 2WD.
Add aftermarket electronic ignition if it has not already been converted (Likely)
Ugh, you will be stuck with a carburetor. But... they worked for many yrs (But getting expensive to find and repair)
or (My choice)
1956 - 1960 Ford Pick-up body, Set on a 1st generation (1989 - 1993) Dodge Cummins Diesel 4x4 chassis + an upgraded rear axle Dana 80 with disc brakes.
If you go Chevy... Stick with a C20
I would stick with a vintage Airstream, as it will have the 'desirable resale / desire for renting + good components '
Have a STRONG hitch built (Not a bolt-on)
Get a new trailer brake controller and have someone GOOD set up and maintain your trailer brakes.
Consider where your existing Sewer / septic is, and add the RV waste hookup to your parking area (Covered area preferred) No need to be dragging the trailer to a dump site every week.
... Consider where your existing Sewer / septic is, and add the RV waste hookup to your parking area (Covered area preferred) No need to be dragging the trailer to a dump site every week.
AMEN! If you intend to use this where it's parked at your home, tie in your sewer to it. Fresh water too, although that could just be a garden hose. For that matter, a garden hose could work for your sewer line too. (Just don't use the same hose for both!)
I agree that getting a 3/4-ton or 1-ton would be your best bet, and a camper special would be the cat's meow. My first truck was a new '68 Chevy 1/2-ton, and I ended up with a cabover slide-in camper on it, however it was a light-weight one with no bathroom, no refrigerator (only "ice box"), no AC. It was still too heavy, but I was happy with the truck otherwise. I switched to 3/4-ton trucks for towing or hauling my campers (and still added overload springs for pickup campers).
Most of the older trailers don't have a full bathroom, with the exception of maybe old Airstreams. A/C would probably have to be added, which might entail changing out the electrical system. No trailer is well insulated, you'll be using a whole lot of propane in the winters along with having to be careful with your plumbing to make sure it doesn't freeze. As people on the RV websites like to say, "the best way to winterize your camper is to take it to Florida".
Vintage trailers that small will not have a full bath and may not even have any bath.
Agreed, any truck before the 70s would need to have a standard, unless it's been replaced since then. Bear in mind you're talking about trucks over 40 years old--there will be lots of maintenance to do and to continue doing on these old vehicles. Brake lines will most likely have to be replaced, as well as any hoses. Wiring might need a new harness, steering system will probably need to be updated, etc. Unless you buy a restored pickup, but then you are talking about $30k and up
Trucks before 1970 all have standard or long beds, either 6.5 or 8 feet. There was no such thing as a short bed till they stared putting a second seat in trucks. And older trucks can be found with 4x4, but most before 1970 had 2x4 drive trains.
C-20s should be good for towing, they are 3/4 ton trucks, plus engine parts are easy to find for Chevys. The older Fords look great, and the camper special would be good for towing.
Thank you for good information. Regarding the pre-1970 glampers in the 20-ft range, you might be surprised how many have full baths, and full insulation. What I didn't mention is the "glamper" category of trailers have typically been not just lovingly restored, but augmented with extra perks. These dedicated hobbyists often gut an old trailer to a bare shell to begin, and as long as they are replacing wood paneling, might as well get some insulation in there, right? One day I might be one of those industrious people who does the actual restoration, but to begin, I will be purchasing one of their lovely, completed glampers.
Yes, find a Early 70's 4x4 Ford Camper Special (F-250 or F-350) Disc Brakes in frt will be an advantage. Older rigs I insist on 4x4, as too many EXPENSIVE steering and suspension failures on 2WD.
Add aftermarket electronic ignition if it has not already been converted (Likely)
Ugh, you will be stuck with a carburetor. But... they worked for many yrs (But getting expensive to find and repair)
or (My choice)
1956 - 1960 Ford Pick-up body, Set on a 1st generation (1989 - 1993) Dodge Cummins Diesel 4x4 chassis + an upgraded rear axle Dana 80 with disc brakes.
If you go Chevy... Stick with a C20
I would stick with a vintage Airstream, as it will have the 'desirable resale / desire for renting + good components '
Have a STRONG hitch built (Not a bolt-on)
Get a new trailer brake controller and have someone GOOD set up and maintain your trailer brakes.
Consider where your existing Sewer / septic is, and add the RV waste hookup to your parking area (Covered area preferred) No need to be dragging the trailer to a dump site every week.
Good advice; thank you for helping me start to make sense of all the truck variables. Regarding the sewer hook-up, I am on a septic system, and I rent. I am sure there is a way to tap into the septic, but it is probably not worth the trouble and expense when I don't own the property. Definitely something to keep in mind for when I do get my own place, though.
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