Looking for comments from triple axle DRV owners

HERO Maker · June 19, 2016

As a few know, the Teton pictured below was totaled in a Hail Storm and we are looking real hard at used fivers that might come close to what we had. That is a hard thing to do, as ours was custom built with many upgrades. We had extra pantry space, adequate closet space (for full timers) and just a little over 5,400 lbs of carrying capacity (which my DW claims she still had 150 lbs to go to fill it!).

So I'm hoping that you triple axle DRV owners out there might comment on how your rig is working out for you. As you can see below, we have no problem with our tow vehicle. So we are looking at used heavy trailers with lots of storage capacity as mentioned about.

Have you had your rig individual wheel weighed? How did that come out?

Have you had a problem with load / balance?

What suspension system do you have?

I totally trust 17 1/2 inch wheels with H rated tires, but if yours is different, have you had any problems?

Feel free to PM me if you prefer. I know that negative comments probably won't get posted on the open forum.

Obviously post your bragging comments about your rig and help sell us on the DRV product.

Thanks for the help.

I will try and join the DRV owners group and post my question there also.

Al F · June 19, 2016

Is (or was) there any chance you could have taken the insurance money and had the rig repaired? While not the same, our daughter has had the insurance company total a car of hers not because the car couldn't be repaired, but because the repair quote was about 55%-60% of the value of the car. She took the money and had the car repaired.

Just thinking with all the upgrades & that you really like the trailer, keeping and repairing the rig could be a way to go.

After all for insurance purposes, taking the value of an 11 or 12 year old rig and then looking at about 60% of that value, it doesn't take that much damage to cause the insurance company to "total" the vehicle.

Bill LeMosy · June 19, 2016

Rocky, you'll want to hear what Henry Szmyt has to say about DRV's triple axle trailers and low pin weights. Mark and Dawn Jones might also have things to say as DRV owners.

GlennWest · June 19, 2016

I assume you wasn't interested in the 03 Teton listed a short time ago. I had a 2006 DRV 33' with dual 8k axles. I had 4800# pin but they are building units now with less pin than I had and 43'. Also it is NOT your Teton. My Teton is so much better built and so much better materials used. So much tighter, no air leaks. Not downing DRV because Teton was a higher priced unit. I would research the pin weight on a DRV. Don't know when they started this but you need 25% pin on a heavy long unit. I would want axles as far back as possible, less swing and good towing.

rynosback · June 19, 2016

I would post something on the Thor forum in the DRV section.

rynosback · June 19, 2016

Is (or was) there any chance you could have taken the insurance money and had the rig repaired? While not the same, our daughter has had the insurance company total a car of hers not because the car couldn't be repaired, but because the repair quote was about 55%-60% of the value of the car. She took the money and had the car repaired.

Just thinking with all the upgrades & that you really like the trailer, keeping and repairing the rig could be a way to go.

After all for insurance purposes, taking the value of an 11 or 12 year old rig and then looking at about 60% of that value, it doesn't take that much damage to cause the insurance company to "total" the vehicle.

I did that with a car also. But keep in mind that you could not have full coverage on the 5ver again, as it would have a salvage title. As no insurance company will pay out a trailer value twice.

HERO Maker · June 19, 2016

Al and Rynosback,

The Ins. Co. totaled it on a 2" hail storm, and then 2 1/2 weeks later it get hit really bad by 4/1/2 to 5 1/2 inch hail, letting a whole lot of water in. I was starting to feel like the insurance co. and not trusting how much water got into unseen places, and was still there. Thought real hard about attacking it and got bids ranging from low to Dallas Area HIGH! But decided we would save the amount of $$ to pay the salvage value and look for something a little newer. If I could have had the thing scraped off the frame and another one bolted down, now that might have worked! But probably a little pricey!

Thanks Bill, I hope I hear from them.

Al F · June 19, 2016

Wow! It really got beat up. With water leaking in all over, totaling it and going to a newer 5'er sounds like the right way to go.

September 20, 2016

Where the heck were you ... I'll try to stay away from there.

HERO Maker · September 20, 2016

Wylie, TX was blown away by these two storms. It may take two years to get all the roofs replaced and windows done. Just left there again, and there were still a lot of tarps on roofs and plywood over windows.

We got blessed and ended up with a 3 month old Mobile Suites Houston at a price that we would never have thought of paying. And it is all paid for by donations that came in when others heard about it!

We are still in the "what really happened stage" of this whole thing. God has a funny way of working ALL things out!

September 20, 2016

What a wonderful ending to your ordeal. I haven't been through a bad hail storm yet, but in Castroville, TX we spent one night that had high winds and heavy rain with some light hail ... no damage, but the 5er was rocking' from all that wind. Sleepless night for sure. Not really much anyone can do when Mother Nature goes on a rampage.