I am looking to buy a Quicksilver 6.0. Because I drive from California to Vermont each year with my dog I think this would be ideal! I have lots of preferences but am willing to take what I can find for the right price. However, one dealer told me that because I drive cross country each year that the larger wheels on the "Off "Road" pkg is more efficient. I drive a 2015 Rav4 XLE.
I don't know If I agree with the tire advice, I had a 6.0 and it towed fine with the road tires, (I traveled several hundred miles at a clip) off road tires generally offer better traction in the dirt, but on the highway will have more noise and road resistance, street tires have a lower rolling resistance compared to off road tires. Of course, I'm assuming that the off road package comes with more aggressive off road tires.
I agree with pjcd and maybe disagree with your dealer. If efficiency is the issue the larger, more aggressive off road tires are less efficient. More rolling resistance and weight. I assume you spend most of your trips on the highway so your tires should be optimized for that environment. Larger and more aggressive tires would help with tracking and braking in snow, ice, and mud which is why I run them; not for efficiency. Ground clearance and noise are only minor considerations on a trailer. IMO your foremost concern should be tire quality. Most trailers come factory equipped with the cheapest available tires that soon wear out or blow out. China Bombs are so named for good reasons. Buy the trailer that suits your needs and budget and outfit it with good brand name tires.
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the advice. It makes a lot of sense. I have only found two off road 6.0's for sale East of the Mississippi and neither have replied to my requests. One dealer claims that after 2017 they are changing their production procedures. I have no idea what he meant by that but he was trying to get his 2017 sold. Does that mean the new ones are better or worse? Who knows? But thanks again for your input.
I would not get the off-road package for long distance highway travel. The standard road tires are large enough to keep tire RPM reasonable. This past June, we took our 2010 6.0 on a 2,000 mile trip in one week. I've towed it as far as 650 miles in one day at interstate speeds. I've never had any problems with it at all.
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KZ/Thor parent company of Livin Lite did indeed substantially change the construction of the QS campers for 2018. Most notably they went from using an all-aluminum plank floor to a composite laminate floor (foam core with fiberglass and adzel upper and lower bonding layers) and now produce both floor and walls on the laminate press. Many other smaller changes were made as well... it is essentially a frame up redesign of the entire line. Search you tube and the livin lite forums for lots of posts on this subject. Whether these changes are considered good or bad depends largely on your expectations of what QS campers should be.
The advantage of a larger tire / wheel is fewer RPM's, essentially easier on the hub bearings. The tires on the off road package are indeed more aggressive than a similar sized road tire, but at 50 psi I doubt very much that there is much difference in rolling resistance.
I've had the 10.0 with both off road and standard tires and have gone back and forth on this one. Here is are my two cents:
Offroad Pros:
- I feel more comfortable with the larger tires at highway speeds.
- No issues with dirt roads or pot holes.
- The off road kit came with a 2200 lb. axle, so I was able to carry more gear.
- They really do look great with a truck or jeep.
Offroad Cons:
- Camper is much higher, so my wife and kids complained about getting in and out. Easily resolved with a step stool.
- I find the tongue jack has to be extended to the max with the off road tires to level it out, so it's a bit shaky if you're pushing the camper around your driveway\campsite.
Standard Pros:
- I noticed about 1 extra mile per gallon with the standard tires.
- Super smooth when towing.
- Tongue jack is perfect size and doesn't get fully extended.
- Looks great with the mini van.
Standard Cons:
- Although the wife and kids like the step up better, I find the camper to be too low for my tastes and I don't feel as comfortable with dirt roads and pot holes.
- The standard option came with a 1500 lb. axle, so I can't carry as much weight.
For the long term, once I wear out these standard tires I plan on upgrading to a 2200 lb. axle, lift kit, and 14 inch tires.
Quote from: Entropy3XD on November 29, 2017, 03:27:21 PM
I've had the 10.0 with both off road and standard tires and have gone back and forth on this one. Here is are my two cents:
Offroad Pros:
- I feel more comfortable with the larger tires at highway speeds.
- No issues with dirt roads or pot holes.
- The off road kit came with a 2200 lb. axle, so I was able to carry more gear.
- They really do look great with a truck or jeep.
Offroad Cons:
- Camper is much higher, so my wife and kids complained about getting in and out. Easily resolved with a step stool.
- I find the tongue jack has to be extended to the max with the off road tires to level it out, so it's a bit shaky if you're pushing the camper around your driveway\campsite.
Standard Pros:
- I noticed about 1 extra mile per gallon with the standard tires.
- Super smooth when towing.
- Tongue jack is perfect size and doesn't get fully extended.
- Looks great with the mini van.
Standard Cons:
- Although the wife and kids like the step up better, I find the camper to be too low for my tastes and I don't feel as comfortable with dirt roads and pot holes.
- The standard option came with a 1500 lb. axle, so I can't carry as much weight.
For the long term, once I wear out these standard tires I plan on upgrading to a 2200 lb. axle, lift kit, and 14 inch tires.
Do you know if the 2200 lb axle and life kit is bolt on? I am looking to purchase 10.0 with off road package, but there are very few available in my area.
The lift kits I've seen are bolt on. I actually need to give Dexter a call to spec out the parts. Here's another thread on the same discussion, with links to pics.
https://www.livinlite.com/forum/index.php/topic,636.0.html