Help, and Hello from long time readers - RV-Dreams Community Forum

bonnie and clyde · RV-Dreams Family Member

Help, and Hello from long time readers

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

First of all, welcome to the forums as an active member. I'm pretty sure that in addition to following Howard and Linda's journal, you have probably been following a lot in the forums as well. If so, then I have no doubt that you have already learned a lot. It just sounds like you need a bit of encouragement.

While we don't know how big your fifth wheel is, hopefully it is large enough to be comfortable without being too large for the pickup. At any rate, if you take things kind of slow and careful, you shouldn't have too much trouble. One of the biggest things is to look for places to fuel the truck, should you be pulling the fifth wheel at the time, that is pretty open so you don't have to make too sharp of a turn to get into the pump area. Preferably, look for truck stops to fuel up until you get more comfortable with driving the combined rig. Also, pay attention to the area you need to navigate AFTER you fill up when leaving to get back on the road. It isn't necessarily fun to have to back up around corners if you don't have to.

As for leveling, I'm not sure you have to be EXACTLY level, but you certainly want to be fairly level for everything to operate correctly and also for you to not experience the feeling of being on a listing ship. While I've not towed an Open Range, I've towed other fifth wheels, travel trailers and even driven 18-wheelers. Fifth wheel trailers are MUCH easier to tow than travel trailers, especially in a wind. While some travel trailers need weight distributing hitches and anti-sway bars, those aren't needed with a fifth wheel.

In addition to making sure you don't make sharp turns into somewhat crowded places, also be alert for low clearances. That shouldn't be a problem for you because you have already experienced that with the Minnie Winnie. The difference is that in the pickup, you will be sitting lower than you might have been in the Winnie, so be sure and allow for that little difference.

Take the opportunity to look over your owner's manual and other literature that came with your coach (fifth wheel), and that should lessen some of your concerns about how things are to work. Spend as much time in the coach prior to going to Florida to get familiar with things, especially as to what needs to be cleared out of the way to retract any slides.

Since you are from Pennsylvania, if you are going back there after the 6 weeks in Florida, I suggest that you winterize your coach before heading back home. If necessary, get someone in the campground where you will be to assist you with that little chore. But, you certainly don't want to go back north with water still in some of your lines and tanks.

Good luck, good traveling, and have fun. Just be alert and cautious and you should be just fine.

Terry

Ivey · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Bonnie and Clyde. Welcome to the forum. We are your neighbours. We are in Burks Co. Pa. Enjoy your trip to Florida. Just relax, drive carefully and follow Terry and Jo's advice. You will do fine. As we drove the route you will probably take, getting fuel on the way was not difficult, even with a 5th wheel.

Unfortunately we will not make Florida this year so get a little sun for me while you are there.

Vicky

bonnie and clyde · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry and Jo--thanks for the welcome and good advice. I appreciate the tips and encouragement. Our rving has been a big adventure, and this will be a new phase.
Ivey--thanks for the welcome. We are hoping Florida will be a welcome change from the cold up north. We will try to send some sun your way.
Bonnie and Clyde

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome to the forum Bonnie & Clyde. We're new members here and like you guys have been following Howard & Linda's adventures for a while. We're motorhome people so I can't help you much with the 5th wheel questions other than a couple of things that come to mind.

About the refrigerator, most of the owner's manuals I've seen just state that the rig has to be level enough for you to be comfortable to live in it. I guess that would mean not exactly level but not so out of level that you slide out of bed!

Terry had a good tip about fueling - we have the same requirement with a motorhome. It's important to not get yourself into a situation you can't get out of. That means looking to be sure you have lots of room at the pump to exit, counting of course the offswing of the trailer. Maybe your truck can turn sharply but the trailer won't follow in the same path! I always look for an open end pump.

It would be a good idea to do some practice turning and parking in an empty parking lot before you're ready for prime time. Actually, I think Howard did exactly that when they first got their rig. That will also help a ton with backing up experience as would be needed at some campsites.

Also look out for gas stations where the roadway slants downward to the entrance and then the parking lot goes steeply upward. When the truck gets on the uphill part, the trailer is still on the down hill. You can actually get stuck if the trailer tail drags on the roadway surface. Voice of experience here... it almost happened to us!

We're still living in the stick house just outside of Jacksonville, FL so if you have any Florida questions, drop us a private message.

Good luck!

-- Edited by RVRon on Thursday 6th of January 2011 08:44:15 AM

bonnie and clyde · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks RVRon--next Thursday we bring the 5th wheel home and I am hoping to do some practicing in a local shopping mall. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the snow forecast next week disappears. Enjoy the weather in Jacksonville.
Bonnie and Clyde

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome Bonnie and Clyde! Sounds like a great adventure. The 5th wheel is easier to manuver than a travel trailer. We pull a 40ft 5er and it's pretty easy going down the road. As others have said, it's just the manuvering in tight places that can get you. If you get a chance to practice in the parking lot, make lots of right and left turns paying attention to where you need to start your turn to get the trailer to turn where you want it to. And fill up at the truck stops with lots of space to manuver until you get used to it!

Have fun and welcome!

Ken & Sarah · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome Bonnie and Clyde, you'll do great. It is good you are nervous it will help you be careful and consider situations as they occur. I try to fuel my truck each night we stop, we don't drive far enough in a day to run out of fuel. With a diesel I fuel at a truck stop when hitched to the 5th wheel, otherwise I fuel at the car islands.
You will make mistakes, we all do, but as you learn from them and continue reading this forum you will become seasoned before you know it.

2fortheroad · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome Bonnie and Clyde, and congrats on the Open Roads. We have friends that have one and they love it.

As it has been stated in the above post practice, practice, practice!! Its one thing to pull a trailer down the road, but eventually you are going to be in a situation that you are going to have to back-up the trailer in a tight spot. I have seen some couples using walkie talkies to communicate instead of hollering out directions.

One other thing I would like to mention, is to keep extra distance between you and other vehicles, not just for stopping, but also for evasive maneuvers.

Have a great time in Florida and keep us posted of your adventures.

janni · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hello and Welcome to the forum. New to fulltime since November and moved from a 22 ft b+ to a 41 ft. dp with trailer. We watch for gas stations and fuel when it is convenient and not when low on fuel, fridges work even when not spot on most of the time, cross our fingers every day that all systems go as we know little about this rig(yet), and hand radios are a must for us. Oh, and about the Grandkids? Still haven't figured that one out totally......miss them like crazy! I do talk to them on phone and installed skype on computer so that helps. Good luck and have fun.

Delaine and Lindy · RV-Dreams Family Member

The F-250 will handle the Open Range just fine. We are in Sebring, Florida and will be here until Mar 2011. Since your familar with RVing you will be fine. As for issues you will have issues but there are thousands who are just a click away to offer advice and assist you in what ever way they can.

As for Fuel, all you have to do is just Google Diesel Boss or Gas Buddy and they will give you all kinds of info. I highly you get the book "Next Exit" it will give you tons of info. I also recomend you use Map Quest and get a GPS system. Those items will save you many times.

As for Grand Kids we always go and visti them prior to departing for our trips. But we see them on the web-cam and talk to them by phone weekly.

Others will have different ideas, however we normally only travel 250 to 300 miles a day and always have reservations, and call ahead to the RV park your going to. Which puts us out of the park between 8:00-9:00 am and in another RV park between 3:00-4:00 pm. We never get in a hurry........

We have never winterized a RV, however we very seldom travel in extreme cold weather. But this winter we did travel in cold weather and had no issues with anything freezing up...

The weather here in Sebring, Fla has been great, have rode the Bikes to the YMCA each day for our workouts. Good Luck on your travels.

bonnie and clyde · RV-Dreams Family Member

Carol and Johnny--thanks for the welcome and turning tips-practice I need---------Ken and Sarah-thanks for the welcome and encouragement----------Ron and Sharon-thanks for the welcome. I like the idea of walkie talkie's. With the Winnie I could always see Bonnie, but the 1 time I backed up with the new set up, I realized it is a LOT different--------janni-thanks for the welcome and tips-walkie talkie's it will be Bonnie and Clyde

thebearII · RV-Dreams Family Member

If Bonnie is providing directions for backing up the 5th wheel, she should always position herself so that she can see you in the mirror. As the trailer moves she should be moving to make sure you can see her. Anytime I lose sight of my DW in the mirror as I back up, I stop and wait for her to move to where I can see her. I don't depend on being able to hear her yell stop if I'm about to hit something. I want to see the scared look on her face....

It's also good to let Bonnie practice backing up the 5th wheel. It will help her get a feel for how the trailer moves. Once she feels how the trailer moves and reacts as you backup, it will help her when she is giving you directions.

Another thing we do is to decide where I want the rear corner of the 5th wheel to end up. I place a big rock or wooden block at that spot. I can usually see the rock or block in my rearview mirror so I know where I'm aiming for. It also provides a reference point for my wife as she directs me.

Here's a big caution.... make sure whoever is helping you backup the truck to hitch up the trailer doesn't get between the truck and the trailer to watch the hitch. Makes sure they stand off to the side.

Like others have said, practice, practice, practice. I even went to work a couple of days in the truck and 5th wheel, when we first got it, so I could get used to maneuvering it on city streets, in freeway rush hour traffic and parking lots.

Good Luck in your future travels.

bonnie and clyde · RV-Dreams Family Member

Delaine and Lindy--thanks for the helpful info. I love the "Next Exit" book. I was not aware of Diesel Boss or Gas Buddy. We are hoping to Skype with the grand kids if the campgrounds have Internet. I like your driving schedule-have a great winter in Sebring.
Larry--really appreciate all the tips on backing up. I'm getting excited to pick up the 5th wheel next week and start practicing. We leave the last week in January. The info. is very helpful.
Bonnie and Clyde
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