Prowler TOO BIG! Seeking advice

WalkTheLine · Apr 9, 2018

My wife and I along with our two kids (12,9) purchased a Prowler 32LX 8 months ago. We love it and have taken it on about 8 trips now all over LA, MS, AR, and FL. We're now at the point where we feel we know where everything is, we have the correct supplies, and have made a few repairs already. Our only problem is....it's too big!

Now I know that's not necessarily a bad problem but my wife thinks we could get by with a smaller trailer. The last straw was I managed to get it stuck in the ditch in front of our house trying to make the right turn before backing it up the 300' down our gravel road. Had to call a tow truck and all that. She wants me to look at smaller Airstreams now.

I looked at a few as I grew up enamored with them but after looking around and doing research, they're expensive as heck and I don't think the quality is much better. Plus, Thor, which owns Heartland, also owns Airstream, so I am inclined to stay with our Prowler except for the size issue.

So, my first question is....if we downsize from a 32' to a 24-26' TT, will it be that much easier to maneuver? Does lopping 7-5' off the end make that much difference? (Tow vehicle is a 2016 F250 gasser short bed).

My second question is....keeping in the Heartland family, if we were to downsize soon, would the Northtrail 24 be a step up in quality from the Prowler? Or, if we went smaller, what do y'all like?

We have a major 2-3 week family vacation planned September for the Grand Canyon and just want to make the best of this once-in-a-lifetime experience for us and the kids.

Many thanks,
David

JohnDar · Apr 9, 2018

WalkTheLine said:
My wife and I along with our two kids (12,9) purchased a Prowler 32LX 8 months ago. We love it and have taken it on about 8 trips now all over LA, MS, AR, and FL. We're now at the point where we feel we know where everything is, we have the correct supplies, and have made a few repairs already. Our only problem is....it's too big!

Now I know that's not necessarily a bad problem but my wife thinks we could get by with a smaller trailer. The last straw was I managed to get it stuck in the ditch in front of our house trying to make the right turn before backing it up the 300' down our gravel road. Had to call a tow truck and all that. She wants me to look at smaller Airstreams now.

I looked at a few as I grew up enamored with them but after looking around and doing research, they're expensive as heck and I don't think the quality is much better. Plus, Thor, which owns Heartland, also owns Airstream, so I am inclined to stay with our Prowler except for the size issue.

So, my first question is....if we downsize from a 32' to a 24-26' TT, will it be that much easier to maneuver? Does lopping 7-5' off the end make that much difference? (Tow vehicle is a 2016 F250 gasser short bed).

My second question is....keeping in the Heartland family, if we were to downsize soon, would the Northtrail 24 be a step up in quality from the Prowler? Or, if we went smaller, what do y'all like?

We have a major 2-3 week family vacation planned September for the Grand Canyon and just want to make the best of this once-in-a-lifetime experience for us and the kids.

Many thanks,
David

Keep what you have and practice backing it up more. The smaller and lighter the trailer, the more it develops a mind of its own in reverse.

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Gaffer · Apr 9, 2018

5th wheels are much shorter than bumper pulls because the hitch point is about 5 feet closer to the cab.

avvidclif · Apr 9, 2018

Before I took the BIG hit on selling the trailer I would do my best to learn to back it. Go to a big empty parking lot with a bunch of gallon water jugs painted bright orange. Set up different scenarios and learn to back thru them. Practice is the ONLY way to learn to back.

kowAlski631 · Apr 9, 2018

Pull the trailer to an empty parking lot and practice backing into spaces. It's really not difficult to master. Just need to practice it. If I learned on a large bumper pull and again on our 5th wheel.

Martha

JohnD · Apr 9, 2018

Might be a little easier to maneuver a smaller trailer into a tight spot, but not much, unless the current rig is just physically too large to fit the spot you want to park it in.

Not only will you take a huge hit on the trade-in, but chances are after you downsize and the kids get a little bigger you'll be wanting all of that indoor space back!

Visit the Heartland Prowler RV Owners Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307339586436356/

WalkTheLine · Apr 9, 2018

JohnD said:
Might be a little easier to maneuver a smaller trailer into a tight spot, but not much, unless the current rig is just physically too large to fit the spot you want to park it in.

Not only will you take a huge hit on the trade-in, but chances are after you downsize and the kids get a little bigger you'll be wanting all of that indoor space back!

Visit the Heartland Prowler RV Owners Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307339586436356/

Thanks everyone! I admit I do need to practice more. One of the issues I face is out driveway is almost 900 feet long and has ditches on both sides, is thick road rock, and trees all along the way. There is a small area where I can back in and turn around about half the way down. What I do is drive down past the turnaround spot, back up into it then pull forwards headed back up towards the road, then back
up about 300-400 feet to the house. It’s insane and takes maybe 20 min on a good day.

Im going to talk to my neighbor and see if he’ll let me join his road and mine so I can do a pull through instead. That would be easier! In the meantime I’ll keep practicing.

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mlpeloquin · Apr 9, 2018

You might want to invest in a wireless camera system with cameras on each side as well as the back. That way you can easily tell just where your trailer tires are. Took me a while to tell if I am going to slide right in or start over when backing up. I have a backup camera, but do not use it anymore. I used it in the beginning for backing up and not hitting the rig behind me in the storage lot. I have electric mirrors and keep adjusting them as I back in so I can keep the rear of my fifth wheel in view. Don't be shy about getting out and looking at the blind side a few times as you back in.

Shortest Straw · Apr 9, 2018

WalkTheLine said:
My wife and I along with our two kids (12,9) purchased a Prowler 32LX 8 months ago. We love it and have taken it on about 8 trips now all over LA, MS, AR, and FL. We're now at the point where we feel we know where everything is, we have the correct supplies, and have made a few repairs already. Our only problem is....it's too big!

Now I know that's not necessarily a bad problem but my wife thinks we could get by with a smaller trailer. The last straw was I managed to get it stuck in the ditch in front of our house trying to make the right turn before backing it up the 300' down our gravel road. Had to call a tow truck and all that. She wants me to look at smaller Airstreams now.

I looked at a few as I grew up enamored with them but after looking around and doing research, they're expensive as heck and I don't think the quality is much better. Plus, Thor, which owns Heartland, also owns Airstream, so I am inclined to stay with our Prowler except for the size issue.

So, my first question is....if we downsize from a 32' to a 24-26' TT, will it be that much easier to maneuver? Does lopping 7-5' off the end make that much difference? (Tow vehicle is a 2016 F250 gasser short bed).

My second question is....keeping in the Heartland family, if we were to downsize soon, would the Northtrail 24 be a step up in quality from the Prowler? Or, if we went smaller, what do y'all like?

We have a major 2-3 week family vacation planned September for the Grand Canyon and just want to make the best of this once-in-a-lifetime experience for us and the kids.

Many thanks,
David

The shorter the trailer the more difficult it is to back up IMO. Longer trailers are more difficult to back up in tighter areas. We used to own a Northtrail and it is my opinion it is a step up from the prowler.

JohnDar · Apr 9, 2018

With a driveway that long, maybe you could have a wide gravel pad built near the house where you could pull straight in and then back your trailer onto it. Or just drive around the house and face it out again.

danemayer · Apr 9, 2018

If you have a little room for a gravel turnaround, it would be much less expensive to put that in rather than take a loss on the trailer.

Gaffer · Apr 9, 2018

There was a post awhile back that had a video of someone talking an experienced driver into a tight space in an RV park. They walked along the drivers window facing the trailer. Directions were to turn the wheel the direction the spotter wanted the trailer to go. Makes perfect sense and I have used it to talk a novice into a spot more than once.

WalkTheLine · Apr 9, 2018

danemayer said:
If you have a little room for a gravel turnaround, it would be much less expensive to put that in rather than take a loss on the trailer.

Looks like the consensus is correcting the driveway situation. I may look into the backup camera system as well. The TT has a hook up for it, just need to get a camera.

Thanks!

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Gaffer said:
There was a post awhile back that had a video of someone talking an experienced driver into a tight space in an RV park. They walked along the drivers window facing the trailer. Directions were to turn the wheel the direction the spotter wanted the trailer to go. Makes perfect sense and I have used it to talk a novice into a spot more than once.

That's EXACTLY what my wife and I do. Ironically, the main issue is not really backing it up--- that just takes patience. The problem is making that right turn after turning it around in the turnaround area. If the trailer was just a bit shorter it would make it a lot easier but cheaper thing to do is fill in that section right there with clay and gravel to build it up nicely and then that would be a huge help.

avvidclif · Apr 9, 2018

Figure about a min 10k hit on the trailer. That would pay for a lot of improvements in the driveway situation.

BusManRG · Apr 9, 2018

WalkTheLine said:
My wife and I along with our two kids (12,9) purchased a Prowler 32LX 8 months ago. We love it and have taken it on about 8 trips now all over LA, MS, AR, and FL. We're now at the point where we feel we know where everything is, we have the correct supplies, and have made a few repairs already. Our only problem is....it's too big!

We have a major 2-3 week family vacation planned September for the Grand Canyon and just want to make the best of this once-in-a-lifetime experience for us and the kids.

Many thanks,
David

Even if you do decide to take the hit and downsize, I wouldn't consider it before your trip. As you stated above, this is a once in a lifetime trip in a rig that you know and enjoy. The issue is at home, not on the road, right? Enjoy the trip before you make any changes. All new units have quirks and issues. Sounds like you've already got those ironed out, no need to have to deal with anything on the road.

Sandy

'Lil Guy' · Apr 9, 2018

Just takes practice to get comfortable backing or parking a rig. Give it time and like they say, find an empty lot and do a little practicing. Believe me, when you downsize, you're going to miss every inch you give away. Wait till your camping for a week and it rains so you're stuck inside. These things can really close in on you.lol

kowAlski631 · Apr 10, 2018

'Lil Guy' said:
Just takes practice to get comfortable backing or parking a rig. Give it time and like they say, find an empty lot and do a little practicing. Believe me, when you downsize, you're going to miss every inch you give away. Wait till your camping for a week and it rains so you're stuck inside. These things can really close in on you.lol

These campers shrink in the rain - I swear they do!!

Get children in there during inclement weather and you'd swear that they are the size of a postage stamp.

Gary521 · Apr 10, 2018

A friend of mine downsized a couple years ago for the same reasons your wife is bringing up. Well, that lasted one year before they upsized. There just isn't the space in a smaller travel trailer for your stuff.

Kinguni · Apr 14, 2018

WalkTheLine said:
Thanks everyone! I admit I do need to practice more. One of the issues I face is out driveway is almost 900 feet long and has ditches on both sides, is thick road rock, and trees all along the way. There is a small area where I can back in and turn around about half the way down. What I do is drive down past the turnaround spot, back up into it then pull forwards headed back up towards the road, then back
up about 300-400 feet to the house. It’s insane and takes maybe 20 min on a good day.

I'd probably be tempted to back the trailer all the way down the driveway. Easy to keep a long trailer going straight.

RossRagan · Apr 16, 2018

My wife ani just purchased a M245 which is the same as the North Trail 24BHS and we already are trying to figure out where we are going to put everything we want to take with us....and we haven’t even taken it out of our driveway yet. Don’t know what we would do if we had to pack for kids as well.

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