Good evening, everyone!
I bought a lightly used ‘23 T@b 400 on Tuesday and I’ve been thrilled with it. I came from a Flagstaff A-frame trailer that I bought for towing efficiency with my EV pickup, an F150 Lightning. The Flagstaff was good for efficiency, but it wasn’t holding up to the 12,000 miles I pulled over the last year, and I was seeing signs that I needed something more robust. The T@b build quality is in another world from Forest River, and I’m really enjoying it.
The downside is efficiency. I settled on Nucamp because I was looking for something that could efficiently slide through the wind. The only models I could find had the Boondock package and its 3” lift, and I’ve been disappointed with the efficiency. I’m consuming 30% more power than I was, which makes it difficult to make it more than 140 miles between charge stops. I’m planning to replace the aggressive 235/75R15 tires with the standard 205s when I get home, but that’s only going to get me an inch lower. What’s the difference in suspension between the Boondock and standard package? Is there a way to remove the lift and bring it down to regular height?
Thanks, everyone!
Comments
The misconception with the teardrop shape (especially the taller 400) is that it’s aerodynamically friendly. Somebody on here did some modeling and found that it really isn’t…especially when paired with a truck. There tends to be some turbulence between the bed of the truck and the tall front wall of the trailer. It acts like a huge wall.
2020 Tacoma TRD Off-Road
2013 Toyota Highlander 3.5L V6
I mentioned tires in my initial post; the base shoes are almost 2” shorter than the rubbers on the Boondock. I’ll probably replace them in the springtime.
I asked about the axle because some manufacturers use lift brackets that bolt to the bottom of the frame. I almost bought an Airstream Basecamp with that setup because it would be easy to remove the blocks. It’s almost impossible to find the Basecamp without the X package, much like every Tab 400 I found had the Boondock package. It’s apparently not as easy to lower this one.
I appreciate the feedback, and look forward to getting to know the community on here. Other than towing efficiency, I’ve been really impressed so far!
2015 RAM 1500 Outdoorsman Quad Cab
South Jersey
Gas is cheap, so I’m probably using my old Expedition to pull to Texas next month. That’s got a similar rear profile to my truck with a topper, so I’m curious if I lose 40% of my unloaded fuel economy. If less, it might be worth buying at a topper. I came really close last spring, but opted for a Retrax tonneau cover instead.
St Catharines, ON
2013 CS-S us@gi
2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
Switching to the standard axle lowers 2in.
"Just Enough"
2021 T@B 320S Boondock/ 2012 Tacoma 4 cylinder truck / 2023 Tacoma 6 cyl. truck
2024 T@B 400 Boondock Black Canyon
2024 Kia EV9