New To Towables Forum

[NuVintage]

Hello everyone,

My wife and I have been pulling and enjoying a Little Guy 6 Wide Tear Drop for the past 2 years, but due to a major spinal fusion 2 1/2 years ago, we have had to make a bit of a change in our camping style. We just purchased a Riverside White Water RETRO 150 trailer. We have not picked it up from the dealer yet. The Riverside trailer had all the amenities we were looking for in a small15 foot package and the build quality seems to be quite good. Does anyone else have this RETRO 150? If so, what are your impressions of the trailer? Are there concerns we should be aware of? We have never had a trailer with 'gray water' and 'black water' tanks, toilet, shower, etc.

Our 6 Wide pulls like it is on rails, with it's torsion axle. The RETRO has leaf springs and I'm wondering if it is going to have sway problems? Our TV is a 2007 RAV4 'Limited' V6 with a Tow Package and Firestone air assist bags installed in the coil springs. Might we have to purchase a Hitch Stabilizer? Hope I haven't asked too many questions, but it would be nice to meet another RETRO owner.

Clyde and Linda - Squaw Valley, CA

 

[NuVintage]

Since no one is going to reply to my post, I'll just add an update to my original comments.

After having an Electric Brake Controller installed in our TV, we made the 3 hour trip back to the RV dealer to pick up our 'Retro' tiny trailer. We made necessary adjustments to the hitch height and checked to be sure all the lights worked properly. After they finished explaining how all the systems work and what we should know about the trailer, we made several passes in front of the dealership (a long, wide, lightly traveled road with a turn around at one end) to adjust and test our brake controller. That was my first experience with one of those. It was easy to adjust, so we headed for the highway and pointed our car toward home.

It took about 30 minutes to feel comfortable with the additional weight and slightly bouncy feeling of a trailer with leaf springs instead of a torsion axle. After the first 30 minutes my grip on the wheel relaxed and from then on I felt totally in control. About half way home, I pulled in to a rest stop to check for heat build up at the wheels and to make sure everything was still closed and locked. I don't think we are going to require a hitch stabilizer, of course, we hadn't added any cargo, so that assessment may change.

For the last few days, I have been getting to know the trailer, repairing things that weren't up to my quality standards, applying lubrication to window tracks, hinges, latches and rehanging the screen door to make it close and latch perfectly. I enjoy doing things such as this, so I don't hold it against the manufacturer. The fit and finish is pretty good considering it is an entry level trailer. I mentioned above that I thought it had a 'gray water' tank. It doesn't. So we ordered a portable 18 gallon gray water tote, with wheels that pulls behind our TV to the dump station. I won't have to struggle lifting and carrying water. It has a 5 gallon 'black water' tank and a 11 gallon fresh water tank. The trailer has 3 drawers beneath the two burner stove that had the most incredibly flimsy support system at the rear of the drawers I had seen. So some time was spent in that area, essentially rebuilding the drawers and gluing in braces in order to strengthen and support the drawers properly. I know it's done better than if I had complained and taken it back for warranty work. Well, what can you expect from minimum wage employees who put these things together?

Today I ordered Vintage style aluminum Drip Caps or "Eyebrows" which I will install above all the windows and door. This one thing will make this trailer really start to look Retro. I am also replacing the existing vent fan installed in the shower area with a 4000R Fantastic Fan. Unless this trailer falls off the frame or some other catastrophic thing happens...we are quite pleased with our purchase. We are waiting for our custom 8" memory foam mattress made with a 2" Natural Latex top to be delivered. Note that this trailer meets all the requirements for California's Permanent Trailer Plate. $38.00 initial registration with the DMV and $10.00 every 5 years thereafter.

Hope this helps with the decision making of anyone else considering the purchase of the Riverside White Water Retro 150 Tiny Travel Trailer.

Clyde and Linda

 

[LEN]

Sounds good. Most likely the reason no one responded is you are in a very small minority with that trailer so a lack of knowledge. Now YOU can be our Xpert.

LEN

 

[NuVintage]

Thanks LEN, I figured it was something like that. I know what an Xpert is, haha! Good enough, I'll do what I can. Thanks for your reply.

Clyde

 

[Grandview Trailer Sa]

I looked at the Riverside Retro to maybe be a dealer...I decided to pass. Mamma taught me if I could not say good things, keep my mouth shut....

 

[NuVintage]

I looked at the Riverside Retro to maybe be a dealer...I decided to pass. Mamma taught me if I could not say good things, keep my mouth shut....

Well, thank you Kenneth for your encouragement and friendly advice! Most informative.

Clyde