13' Livin Lite Travel Trailers Info/News

Started by Silverfox, January 04, 2017, 03:13:45 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Silverfox

Anyone else out there enjoying their 13' Livn Lite TT?  Thought I'd  start a thread specific to the 13 footers. Just to get the ball rolling. I know they don't make them any more so that makes us special  ;)
We're lost...but we're making good time

Dirk

I love pulling into a camping park with my 13 BHB and setting  up beside a Grey Hound Bus size camper. We hear everything from can you sleep in that, to "how cute".
Have any of you changed to 14 inch tires , yes I understand it would involve a lift kit.

Silverfox

It's just my wife and I, and the dog. It's offers all the convieniences, easy to maneuver, easy to store, super easy to tow. Our 13 QBB is perfect for us. If we were purchasing today, we would get the 14 footer.  A little bigger, not much heaver and still a single axle.
I  personally think the trailer looks better with-out a lift kit and with the 13" tires. I know a lot of people might disagree but unless you're going off road a lot, I just don't see the need for bigger tires and wheels...they're round, they roll, they weigh less than the 14" tires and still get the job done. I'll also ad that they're still  a lot bigger than the little tires I had on my pop ups and boat trailers and those worked just fine over the years as long as you kept your bearings packed.

We're lost...but we're making good time

Paul

I love my 13QBB and use it at a seasonal camp site! I am the seasonal camper with the smallest trailer!
http://aluminumcamperforum.com
2014 Ford Escape
2016 Ford F150 XTR 2.7l ecoboost  4x4
2015 Camplite 13QBB
2018 Camplite 21BHS (on order)

Silverfox

Why not. Tiny houses are becoming very popular :D
We're lost...but we're making good time

Graham

After having owned everything from a high-end diesel pusher to a 8' pop-up, the 13QBB is by far the best camper I've had. It does everything we need it to do, and towing it is about as stress-free as you can get. I do wish it had a larger dry bath, but since we mostly boondock, it really doesn't make much difference.

Silverfox

Yes, it's "just right" for us too. I was lucky I was able to purchase one before they stopped producing them. A perfect fit just in between the 11' and the 14'. The 14' has the dry bath but is about 2.5' longer and of course heavier to tow. At first I thought the wet bath would be problematic, but we are adapting quite well. All the convenience without the headaches. I've added numerous upgrades to ours.  I was able to get a lot of ideas from touring some Airstream trailers and listening to some of the things others have done to their Livin Lites on the old board. Most of my upgrades look like they were installed from the factory, although in many cases the factory doesn't even offer them as options. I was very surprised how little you get with an Airstream considering they're almost twice the cost of a Livn Lite.
We're lost...but we're making good time

Ellen

Has anyone tried a propane inverter generator in their camper? We love our QB13 but if we don't get an electric site the battery isn't enough to run the fridge. We are considering a generator but not sure and we heard the inverter type is the quietest.


Ellen

Thanks! However, the issue is when we don't have electrical access.

StoneCampers

We love out 13RDB with tip-out!  We have 2 teens and 2 small dogs and are only able to get away for a couple days at a time with school, sports and work.  We find this camper is the perfect size for us. We, too, get the comments... Last time was a group of Airstream owners who all walked over to see it because "there is no way we could all fit".  They left quite impressed.  lol  Our last trip was spent in pouring rain, snuggled up watching movies and listening to the "sizzling bacon" sound of the roof.  Memories.  Love it.

Silverfox

The most amazing part of that story is that you can actually get your teenagers to go camping with you.  ;)
We're lost...but we're making good time

hankrdb13

We have a 2011 13 RDB and the fridge runs on propane when we frequently dry camp.  Doesn't your fridge also?

tek610

So, my wife and I picked up our new 2016 13QBB yesterday. It's our first time buying an RV of any kind, and I would rate my experience at Camping World as so-so.

As I expected, I knew most of what we went over in the walk-through from months of pre-purchase research. I did get answers to my questions, and I learned a thing or two, but importantly, I was able to go through the trailer pretty thoroughly.

A couple mysteries, tho- things that don't match up with the published specs.

15 inch wheels. Thought they were 13's on this model. Not complaining, tho.

Dexter 4400 lb axle. Is this the normal size? Pretty sturdy for a lite-weight roller like the 13QBB. The sticker claims a 4576 GVWR and a max cargo of 1675 with a GAWR of 3000. Again, the axle itself says 4400. Weird.

It has the aluminum roof and floor, and the old, laminate counter tops.

Champagne color. It's beautiful, it's what we've been hunting for, and miraculously, it was only 40 miles from my house. I traveled 1100 miles to find my perfect Jeep, and I was prepared to do the same for the right trailer. We really lucked out with this one.

HOWEVER- when I struck the deal and put money down last week, I told my sales guy that I would install my own brake controller. Later on, I emailed him to say that I would prefer a dealer install for the BC. He never responded directly to that email, but he notified me that he received it. When we arrived yesterday, I inquired about it and it was "being looked into" or whatever. As things moved along- walk through, financing, etc. I asked a couple more times. Well, then I'm told, "Good news! It's light enough, the guys said you don't need a brake controller!"

No, no, no. I am Mr. "First-time-towing-super-anal-safety-nervous-guy" and now I'm being told even if I wanted one, they can't install it today and oh by the way, you're all hitched up, parked out front, don't let the door hit ya on the way out.

Well- I went out and then had to ask for a hitch demonstration before I pulled off. Hello? Never done this before. Any tips? Sheesh. 

So then, I ask the nice guy showing me the hitch (different guy- but all the techs I met were knowledgeable and courteous) if he thinks I'm good with no BC, (and I was asking just to get home- job one is to install my own now).

He says, "yeah I'm sure you'll be fine, but- it's illegal. Don't get stopped."  Sheesh man- if I get pulled over, will I be able to actually, you know, STOP?

Well, I got it home, it towed easier than I thought and it stopped pretty good. After a BC, it will be smooth sailing.


One last thing- during my crash course in backing it up (at home), I crushed the 7-way cable in the hitch. I didn't notice until I was parked, so I unplugged it and pulled the battery. I have already ordered a replacement, and I won't have any trouble installing it. Just hope I didn't damage the system. The cord was shredded and definitely crossed up some signals. My Jeep has a marker and tail light out now, so I'll need to look at that too. Hope it's a fuse or two at best.

Thanks for "listening!" I appreciate all the help I've gained from this and the old forum.

Now, if it would stop snowing and warm up another 30 or 40 degrees!


John (and Janet)
John and Janet Phipps
2016 13QBB "Phipps' Pholly"
2000 Jeep Cherokee XJ

DavidM

John:

My personal rule of thumb (and I think it matches some state's laws) is that if the trailer weighs 1/2 or less of the TV then you will be ok without trailer brakes. So if your Jeep is a Cherokee then you were pretty close. But I agree with you, install a brake controller.

Your sales person was a total jerk!!!

They are pretty easy to install yourself. All plug and play. All new trucks and SUVs have a trailer brake cable and connector, usually just to the left of the steering wheel underneath the dash. Unwind it and pull it out and plug it in to the controller. Drill a couple of holes low on the dash to mount the controller and you should be done. I would use a Tekonsha Prodigy P3. eTrailer or Amazon has them for about $120.

So you say that you smashed the 7 pin cable. I assume that was while backing to hitch up so that your TV wasn't hooked up as yet.  This is how I think that the wiring is done: From the trailer's connector the main power from the TV goes to the battery and than aft to the converter. There is no fuse (not good) at the battery but maybe there is one at the converter. So you probably didn't blow the non existent fuse. The other wires are for lights and brakes and are powered by the TV and if it wasn't hooked up there would have been no current flow so no problems. If your TV was hooked up then it may have blown the fuse that supplies charging power to the battery.

But all in all you should be ok. If you DIY, just buy a 7 pin connector and cable and disconnect each wire in the junction box mounted on the frame and wire the new cable to it, keeping the colors the same.

David