Questions about High Walls

[exploreco]

Can someone please help me to understand the differences or advantages to a HW pup? We aren't going to get anything this year, but just looking. The wife would like to get a hybrid for its convenience, but I just prefer the size of a the pup.

Been looking at just getting a pup with a dinette slide out which would be a larger box and give us extra room inside, such as a Jayco Jay Series 1208. But then we started seeing these HW's. Looks to me like they are bigger and give some more options inside like an oven and built in micro, bigger, fridge? The wife likes the oven. Don't like that most of the bigger pup's all seem to have potti/showers. For us, not an option we will use and the space would use of space would be better but seems like all of them have them.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Snow]

Couple of things to consider first.. can your current Honda handle the extra weight of a HW or a HTT ?? and can it handle a WDH it required?

On to your question .. A HW pup allows for taller counters and cabinets (IIRC they are equal to or very close to residential height) and being a such they allow a stove to be installed and in many cases a larger fridge. With the increased cabinet height you also get more storage space, and possibly more useable storage..

Down side is they tend to cost as much or more then some HTT's and smaller TT's..

 

[exploreco]

Couple of things to consider first.. can your current Honda handle the extra weight of a HW or a HTT ?? and can it handle a WDH it required?

Probably a no to the weight for my current Honda. From what I can tell from the ones I have seen online we would be at or a couple hundred over the 3500# tow rating. Now, with that said, we would like to upgrade to a newer Pilot that would give us a 4500# tow rating. Would also consider something else, but we really didn't want to drive something big like a Tahoe everyday, although, I would love to have a nice F150 Honda says no to a WDH at least for my model, although I have seen some have done it. Not sure if the newer models have changed that though. I was not aware a WDH was required for towing a HW, but makes sense.

 

[Snow]

It may not need a WDH, but if it does, better to know before you buy. If your looking for a F150 then look at the Ecoboost with max payload and max tow packages, weight rating will be enough to tow a 5th wheel and give you V6 economy to boot.

 

[pupateer]

Are you looking for new or used? My 2004 Jayco 12HW weighs 2500lbs dry. Has the stove/oven, bigger fridge, slide out, etc... It does have a toilet/shower that we don't use, but have modded it to be a towel rack/storage holder on top and dirty clothes hamper underneath. Here's a pic of the mod. We keep our clothes in the Sterlite container.

 

[Snow]

You are better to use the GVWR instead of the dry weight.. dry weight is just that, dry, as in no battery, no propane tanks, empty water tanks and nothing in the trailer ...

 

[Unstable_Tripod]

^^^YES.^^^ Dry weight is essentially irrelevant because you will not tow the trailer at that weight. Calculate tongue weight based on gross too.

 

[pupateer]

^^^ I understand that, but I'm still well below 3500lbs...

 

[Loraura]

It may not need a WDH, but if it does, better to know before you buy. If your looking for a F150 then look at the Ecoboost with max payload and max tow packages, weight rating will be enough to tow a 5th wheel and give you V6 economy to boot.

I'd honestly look at the non-ecoboost V6 first. Properly equipped its got a 5700(3.55 ratio) or 6600 (3.7 ratio) tow rating (if memory serves me) and gets better milage than the V6 ecoboost.

For a 5th wheel or big TT I'd say ecoboost, but for almost any pop, I'd say it's a waste of $2k for ecoboost plus the hit in MPG.

Read up on the ecoboost engines. We considered it when we bought our 2012 F150 super crew V6 and found that there were a lot of complaints online from ecoboost owners saying that after a year or so their MPG on the ecoboost dropped drastically and the dealerships could not figure out why or how to fix it.

The Ecoboost V6 gets better milage than the regular V8, not not as good as the regular V6. The only reason I could see to get the ecoboost was if I wanted to pull the house off the foundation.

 

[exploreco]

HW would be used from the prices I have seen on some of the new ones. If I go that high, will probably just jump over and get a hybrid like the wife really wants. Jayco 23B. Although that model is more than a HW.

I would really love to get an F150 and that would make a great TV.

This was the reason I told the wife we had to stay with a similar pup. Next thing you know you are $50k into vehicles

 

[Rusty]

I love our highwall because
- It sets up easier ... no swinging up the sink anymore
- It is roomier .. has a dinette slide out
- It has much more storage
- No more backaches bending over using the sink because it is so low in a non-high wall
- It has all the appliances ... microwave, oven, bigger fridge, cassette toilet/shower (we use the toilet all the time)
- I can even put a bike on the inside of the camper if I want and the top still closes with plenty of room because of the higher walls

We think of going to the darkside once in a while, but we really like our Starcraft 3608 ... it meets all of our needs for our family of five.

 

[exploreco]

I love our highwall because
- It sets up easier ... no swinging up the sink anymore
- It is roomier .. has a dinette slide out
- It has much more storage
- No more backaches bending over using the sink because it is so low in a non-high wall
- It has all the appliances ... microwave, oven, bigger fridge, cassette toilet/shower (we use the toilet all the time)
- I can even put a bike on the inside of the camper if I want and the top still closes with plenty of room because of the higher walls

We think of going to the darkside once in a while, but we really like our Starcraft 3608 ... it meets all of our needs for our family of five.

Are you going to be able to make it to the fall Rally Rusty?

 

[Rusty]

Doubt it, both of us work and kids in school, I work full every other weekend

 

[kmh1596]

To us, the biggest difference in the Highwall is having an oven, a freezer, and in our instance, a hard-walled bathroom with a porcelain toilet. The height of the sink on our Williamsburg (swing-level galley) was actually 3-4" higher than the highwall is, but I know not all non high-walls have as high of a sink.

It makes it feel roomier, much taller ceilings usually as well.

 

[dbbyleo]

We bought out first pup this year and went with the HW (2006 Fleetwood Niagara). When I started looking around, I didn't even know what a HW was... but as I browsed thru for sale listing, the amenities on these HW really started to stick out to me.

For us, the indoor shower was a requirement. And we use all the time (whenever we have full hook ups).

You'll love the larger fridge you get with these full counter height rigs.

And I can't tell you how much we appreciate ALL the counter space we have (at least in the Niagara).

Oven and Micro... is another added bonus, but we've personally haven't had much use for it (yet).

Lastly, it has fresh, grey, and black water tanks. Pretty good capacity too. But most of all, no toilet cassette to deal with. I have no experience with the cassette, but with the Niaraga, dumping is no sweat with just one sewer connection.

I've had some tell me that they've owned 2 previous non-HW... and then finally bought a HW... and they said they wish they would have started with a HW to begin with.

As far as weight... you do need to consider the GVWR. I have a 2006 Toyota Tacoma (TRD Off Road w/ Tow Package). On paper, it has plenty of capacity to tow the rig. Beyond that, I added WDH (Reece Strait-line), Aux Tranny Cooler (B&M), and Air-Suspension (AirLift Ride Control). Living in CO and our mountain passes, I think the tranny cooler was a must. The rest was for good measures and extra safety provisions.