Toy Hauler
- Thread starter donbrown
- Start date
D
dragon12
Well-known member
I purchased one this fall with all intentions of using it this winter. I am now thinking I have a lot to do in order to use it for the sleds. I am worried about the sleds melting off on the way home and how to get the water out of the trailer without it molding. At first I thought about leaving the heater on to dry them out, but I am thinking having the furnace running and the fuel in the sleds venting off may not be such a pleasant thought. I still want to use it but i am not going to trash it in the process.
If you have the option get the heated water tanks (fresh, grey, and black), that way you can use the water systems into the winter.
I would look into a winch to pull the sleds into the trailer if you have a 2-stroke. Getting them out will be a chore unless you like everything in your trailer smelling like 2-stroke oil.
Watch out when you purchase a trailer as a lot of manufacturers have gone out of business and warranty might become an issue. If anything, make the dealer give you a written promise to take care of all warranty issues with your trailer.
To winterize our trailer all we did was drain the fresh water tank and put about 5 gallons of rv antifreeze into the tank. We ran anti-freeze through the water heater until it turned pink (color of anti-freeze) and then used the bypass vavlves to get the anti freeze to the rest of the fixtures. We then ran all the water until it turned pink. I am sure there are other things you could do, but this is what we have done so far.
I saw a post on here awhile back about someone who uses a toy hauler that had some good ideas. Hopefully they will chime in and give us some more information. If I remember right they would park it in a heated garage/barn when they got home and would unload the sleds and leave it open to dry out. I don't have that option so I will have go down another road.
If you have the option get the heated water tanks (fresh, grey, and black), that way you can use the water systems into the winter.
I would look into a winch to pull the sleds into the trailer if you have a 2-stroke. Getting them out will be a chore unless you like everything in your trailer smelling like 2-stroke oil.
Watch out when you purchase a trailer as a lot of manufacturers have gone out of business and warranty might become an issue. If anything, make the dealer give you a written promise to take care of all warranty issues with your trailer.
To winterize our trailer all we did was drain the fresh water tank and put about 5 gallons of rv antifreeze into the tank. We ran anti-freeze through the water heater until it turned pink (color of anti-freeze) and then used the bypass vavlves to get the anti freeze to the rest of the fixtures. We then ran all the water until it turned pink. I am sure there are other things you could do, but this is what we have done so far.
I saw a post on here awhile back about someone who uses a toy hauler that had some good ideas. Hopefully they will chime in and give us some more information. If I remember right they would park it in a heated garage/barn when they got home and would unload the sleds and leave it open to dry out. I don't have that option so I will have go down another road.
R
RobG
ACCOUNT CLOSED
I have a 2006 Keystone Raptor (5th wheel toyhauler). I picked it specifically for the ability to use for snowmobiling.
The underside of the trailer (living area) is completely enclosed and insulated. The tanks are all heated. The frame is aluminum (not the main trailer frame, but the trailer "box" itself is). The garage floor is covered in "diamond plate" rubber.
Meltoff from the sled will just run down the floor and out the crack under the back door. Without wood framing, I'm not concerned about mold. Plus, when the trailer is stored, it sits at an angle so the water will run out even more easily, rather than stand.
The only thing I haven't figured out how to handle yet is another layer of protective rubber on the garage floor (and on the ramp door) to protect it from the carbides. I think I'll see if I can't find a roll of rubber material similiar to those truck bed mats, and have it cut to fit. Might get pricey, but it's better than a sliced up garage floor.
Another thing I want to do is insulate the underside beneath the garage. The living area is already done, but the garage area is open. It really isn't a big deal, but it'd be nice.
To answer the question about which trailers to buy... look for one with an aluminum structure instead of wood. Look at the garage floor and make sure it's well-sealed so that if water does any "seeping" there isn't anything to damage. Try to make sure the water lines and tanks are insulated if not heated too.
If you camp in really cold weather, get one WITHOUT any slide-outs. My Raptor only has one (living area), which I will keep retracted at night to reduce the amount of area that has to be kept heated. With such a tall roof, the furnace has its work cut out for it.
Try to get one with extra storage space for batteries. If you can find a way to heat the battery compartment, do so (I need to do this too), since batteries don't hold a charge well in cold weather.
A local guy, who will hopefully see this thread and respond, bought a regular trailer (not a toyhauler -- he carries his sled on a sled deck and then tows the trailer), specifically without slides, and as small as he could get while still having enough ammenities. He then removed most of the interior, cut and installed extra insulation anywhere he could fit it. He cut holes in the kickpanel areas of the cabinets to get more warm air in there to keep the water lines from freezing. I may have to do that to my Raptor sometime.
Rob
The underside of the trailer (living area) is completely enclosed and insulated. The tanks are all heated. The frame is aluminum (not the main trailer frame, but the trailer "box" itself is). The garage floor is covered in "diamond plate" rubber.
Meltoff from the sled will just run down the floor and out the crack under the back door. Without wood framing, I'm not concerned about mold. Plus, when the trailer is stored, it sits at an angle so the water will run out even more easily, rather than stand.
The only thing I haven't figured out how to handle yet is another layer of protective rubber on the garage floor (and on the ramp door) to protect it from the carbides. I think I'll see if I can't find a roll of rubber material similiar to those truck bed mats, and have it cut to fit. Might get pricey, but it's better than a sliced up garage floor.
Another thing I want to do is insulate the underside beneath the garage. The living area is already done, but the garage area is open. It really isn't a big deal, but it'd be nice.
To answer the question about which trailers to buy... look for one with an aluminum structure instead of wood. Look at the garage floor and make sure it's well-sealed so that if water does any "seeping" there isn't anything to damage. Try to make sure the water lines and tanks are insulated if not heated too.
If you camp in really cold weather, get one WITHOUT any slide-outs. My Raptor only has one (living area), which I will keep retracted at night to reduce the amount of area that has to be kept heated. With such a tall roof, the furnace has its work cut out for it.
Try to get one with extra storage space for batteries. If you can find a way to heat the battery compartment, do so (I need to do this too), since batteries don't hold a charge well in cold weather.
A local guy, who will hopefully see this thread and respond, bought a regular trailer (not a toyhauler -- he carries his sled on a sled deck and then tows the trailer), specifically without slides, and as small as he could get while still having enough ammenities. He then removed most of the interior, cut and installed extra insulation anywhere he could fit it. He cut holes in the kickpanel areas of the cabinets to get more warm air in there to keep the water lines from freezing. I may have to do that to my Raptor sometime.
Rob
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