If you’re an active camper that loves to explore both the wide open roads and the smaller back roads, a toy hauler RV offers the best of both worlds. Not only do you have a rolling room to sleep in each night, your hauler also comes equipped with a garage to store all your toys.
The great thing is, most toy haulers are suitable for all four seasons, so you can bring along kayaks, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), personal watercrafts (PWC), golf carts, bicycles, motorcycles, and even snowmobiles. Or the space can be used as an office or additional bedroom. Whatever you’re into, you can take it with you and keep it safely locked up when not in use.
If a toy hauler might be what you’re looking for, RV Trader has put together a list of things you should keep in mind when shopping for one. Here’s what you need to know.
Drive or Tow
Toy haulers can be either Class A RVs or Class C RVs, travel trailers, or fifth wheels. In other words, you can have everything in one self-contained unit, or it can be a separate trailer that you either attach to the bumper of your tow vehicle or connect to the bed of your truck.
The advantage of having a separate tow vehicle is that once you disconnect your toy hauler and establish your base camp, you can still use your tow vehicle for sightseeing, grocery runs, and towing toys wherever you want to start your next adventure.
However, depending on the tow capacity of your Class A RV or Class C RV and the combined weight that you have onboard, it’s possible to also tow a vehicle. It may only be a small vehicle, but you’ll have an extra mode of transportation if you need to make a quick run somewhere, instead of packing up the RV every time you need to run an errand.
In both cases, it’s important to know the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), which is the maximum weight of the trailer when fully loaded, with toys, gear, and tanks topped off. Going above that either means you need to leave something behind, or you need a bigger vehicle.
For trailers, it’s also important to know the gross combined vehicle weight rating (GCVWR) of the trailer you’ll be hauling, as well as the maximum towing capacity of the tow vehicle. Putting too much load on your tow vehicle can cause a variety of issues that can be detrimental to your truck, and it can also be very dangerous in braking situations if you lose control of the tow vehicle.
Garage Space
If you already have the toys you want to take with you, you have a good idea of how much space you need to bring them along. If you don’t, but you know what you want to purchase, get measurements on everything so you know the capacity you’ll need for storage.
A typical toy hauler garage measures roughly 7 to 8 feet wide and 10 to 14 feet long. Some of the larger ones reach 20 feet in length. If you don’t need the extra space, it’s better to buy smaller. The smaller the garage space, the shorter the overall length of the RV, and the less expensive it will be to purchase. It’ll also save you on insurance costs. Larger and heavier RVs also tend to suck down more gas, so if you’ll be traveling often, this is something to keep in mind. Also, if you get a bigger rig with more than two axles, you may need a special driver’s license to operate it.
If you’ll be hauling heavy toys that don’t roll on their own (such as PWC), you might want to look for a garage that comes equipped with a winch. A winch is great for all your toys, especially when it comes to pulling ATVs and other vehicles up the ramp when the surface is wet. If traction is bad, the winch will come in handy.
Also, in some cases, the ramp from the back of the garage can be fully lowered to the ground to act as a deck. Add some magnetic screening, and you’ve got a lovely little site that’s convenient, comfortable, and bug-free.
Ice Fishing
For those who are into ice fishing, there are several manufacturers who make toy haulers that can be used as a fish house in the winter and a camper in the warmer months. These units come with a hydraulic system that will lower the trailer to the surface of the ice to distribute the weight of the trailer more evenly over the ice and put the bottom surface of the trailer directly on the ice. The interior of the trailer is equipped with a number of cutouts (with covers) on the floor, so you can fish right from the comfort of your trailer.
When you’re ready to get serious about your recreation time, let RV Trader help you find the toy hauler that best suits your needs. With thousands of listings to choose from, you’re bound to find the new or used rig you want to make your excursions extra special. Work hard, play hard!
By Barrett Baker
