New 5th Wheel advice - RV-Dreams Community Forum

tuck2family · RV-Dreams Community Member

New 5th Wheel advice

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Simular to you .. we to expect to do fairs, etc.. swap meet etc..

I ordered a 43' Drv lexington fro RV's4rless in TN.. They are the best for Drv's..And I think DRV's are the best.. Period.

we got that one , because it has a second bedroom with bunk beds.. we plan the bunkbed to be shelfs.. and the whole room to be our storage and office. That leave the rest of RV in peace and comfort..

There is not alot of room in any of them.. We wanted the toyhauler for the storage.. but could not find a quality one. Considered a class a, and pulling my race trailer.. but figured it would be a pain to pull the Jeep out of the trailer all the time..

We'll see.. I'm a newbie.. and do everything 3 times.. lol

Also pulling it with the same truck you bought...

Redwod sales man put me in a rushmore more slide and said move up and down.. the floor moved alot.. like I'd fall though.. said they where not built well.. Like a redwood or Landmark.. I believed him.

-- Edited by The Junkman on Sunday 6th of July 2014 06:19:59 PM

-- Edited by The Junkman on Sunday 6th of July 2014 06:22:12 PM

-- Edited by The Junkman on Sunday 6th of July 2014 06:23:01 PM

-- Edited by The Junkman on Sunday 6th of July 2014 06:26:28 PM

tuck2family · RV-Dreams Community Member

Our biggest must have is the living room space. We want chairs to face the TV and recliners and couch. We really wanted a front living room and looked at the Solitude, but in talking with dealers we were told most people don't like front living rooms because it takes away from space under the 5th wheel. And I'm not sure I'm ready to jump into a huge investment on the 5th wheel until we finally decide if this is the best for us. i am pretty happy to hear that you have the same truck pulling a 43'. We like to take our grandson with us, he is 4 and needs space in the rv for nighttime trucks and color books! I'm really leaning towards the 37' I read an earlier post and it seems average to start.

tuck2family · RV-Dreams Community Member

lol my husbands truck comes in next week, he wants me to ask you how you liking yours?

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

The front living room idea seemed cool to us in the beginning.. But we sat in one for 30 min.. And it felt small sitting there..Also, I think I would spnd most of the time in the living area..Not the bedroom.. So up and down those stars all day would become a pain I think..

Look at the frames, insulation, braking and suspension too.

Yep.. most stick with around 37'. I figured I would be cramped with any size.. so got a big one.. We also need storage..the rear storage will also help off set pin weight on the truck.

Trying to find out now if I can "overload" the trailer.. as I know I will..lol

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

tuck2family wrote:
lol my husbands truck comes in next week, he wants me to ask you how you liking yours?

Not sure what you got.. mine is fully loaded.. longhorn.. I love it. Best truck I ever had, and I had many.. chevy, ford.. too.

Very comfortable.. air in the seat, power everything, navigation, some things I'll never use..lol.. Did you get the 2014 or with airride ?

Handle great. Never had a dually. Got used to it quick.. and it will be our daily driver on the road... And I prefer that over our 2013 Jeep 4 dr rubicon.

Awsome truck. Your gonna like it.

Just installed Air ride wireless rear airbags.. not that I need it.. but can't hurt to have them..Plus I have a 4 post lift, so I i can do it now.. easy..

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Anne,

I don't know if you have a "timetable" yet as to when you will "pull the plug" on buying your RV. So, if you have time, I'd suggest going to various RV dealers and talk to them about what it is you want your RV to do for you. If they don't ask questions related to your planned lifestyle, then either get a different salesman or go to a different dealer. You want someone that asks questions of you so that they can better show you things that would fit your needs.

When on the lots, take time to spend 30 to 45 minutes in each one, "pretending" to cook meals, use the different bathroom facilities, and other "normal" lifestyle things you do with all those that will be living in the RV. That way, you can get a logical look as to how much each of you may be in the others' way in accomplishing tasks.

Look at the frame, axles, suspension, wheels and tires as those are the very foundation of the RV. Personally, for a full-time RV (even if one isn't in it year round), I'd not get anything with less than a 12-inch frame. The length of the RV will be important if you are planning on eventually full-timing year round. There are a lot of full-timers that are in 36-foot fifth wheel trailers, and a few that are more minimalist that are in shorter. The floor plan is what will determine what will work for you.

Personally, I can't speak to very many of the current manufacturers because in the last couple of years, I've not been in any brand other than the DRV's. There are a lot of folks out there in Jayco's and others like the Crossroads that are full-timing, but pay close attention to detail when comparing the various models. I've been in an RV that seems to be popular that uses small 1/2-inch tacks to fasten the latches for a built-in pantry. The one I saw, although brand new, had already seen the tacks pulled out.

Good luck with your research and planning. Also, your truck should be plenty big enough even for pulling a DRV Elite Suites or Mobile Suites and those trailers are heavier than most others.

Terry

tuck2family · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thanks for the info we looked at the DRV's. We kind of wanted to one here pretty quickly, but now we are thinking we may want to go to some RV shows. used? new? not sure, just want to be sure we get something that will work for us. I think we are leaning towards the front living. Thanks again, love this site.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would have bought used if the wife would have let me.. lol.

I have a bad back.. that's why the stairs pose a issue ..

I got tired and bored looking at them.. Right or wrong, I moved past that decision faster than most..

Look around. some smokin deals on some used ones out there.. and most manf discount 25% or more off msrp..

Good luck.

0nTheRoad · RV-Dreams Community Member

I would suggest you go to at least one RV show, a BIG one if possible, the bigger the show the more selection to look at.

You mentioned that you want to use the RV for weekends but also snowbird for several months. These two lifestyles are very different, weekenders can do very well in a small space but if you use that same coach for extended living you could get very cramped, very quickly. So decide which would better suit you.

As mentioned, look at quality, how well is the rig put together, price is relevant, you generally get what you pay for, anew RV with a lower price point will generally be inferior to a more expensive unit equipped similarly. the more expensive brands are typically better built and have better materials. So you need to determine what you want and what you can afford.

Buying used will save you money, but there could be tradeoffs, you might be buying someone else's problems. You might not get a warrantee.

Bottom line...do your homework, don't rush into this decision. Know what you want before making the purchase.

FYI...with the truck you have you can haul virtually any fifth wheel on the market!!!

Ann-Hank · RV-Dreams Family Member

I wish I was able to get to the fridge with the slide in. If we stop at the grocery in route, I have to climb up and over the counter to get to the fridge.

In 2012 we bought a 2005 36' Mobile Suite that we feel we got a good deal on from a private party. We had to have the rood replaced, seems that a lot of manufacturers don't connect the vent in the water closet to the outside mushroom. It just blows up into the attic space. Our roof rotted from the inside out. We also have to replace the windows, all the seals have failed and the windows have fogged up.

Even with the added expenses, we are very happy with what we have.

Good luck

-- Edited by Ann-Hank on Wednesday 9th of July 2014 02:31:03 PM

FastEagle · RV-Dreams Family Member

What we did when we got serious was start the list of things to do/get etc.

Absolutely gotta have. Washer dryer combo or stackable and located on main level. We got the combo and it‘s just forward of the axles.

Just gotta keep the load within the limits of the truck. We got a 14.1K 37’ with three slides.

Do we need a second A/C? Nope, upgraded the single to a 15K.

The biggest mistake we made - we didn’t know to do it - was not upgrading the tires and rims. It’s best to do it at the dealers location and make it a deal stopper.

Get pig tails, 50 amp to 30 amp and 30 amp to 15 amp. Now days I use the 15 amp when I’m in the yard loading-up or unloading.

Get a gray water sewer cap. We have stayed at a number of campgrounds with gray water dumping and one on a regular basis.

Think about a generator if you’re planning on dry camping. We never do but we still have a Honda 2000 for emergencies. It’s just 45 lbs and fits into the box in my truck bed.

Flush mounted metal box for the truck bed. When full timing we added a second “V” box where the tail gate was. The box is lighter than the tail gate.

On your very first trip find some scales to see how you have things loaded.

You have the truck for rigs in the 15500 GVWR range. That would put my older Dodge dually over it’s GCWR.

Good Luck and have fun.

FastEagle

fasteagletravels.blogspot.com/

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would put a good used Teton way above anything new on market aside from custom units. I have personally looked at most on market and nothing produced today compares. My previous was a DRV and it not in same class.

tuck2family · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thanks for the info. I am finding out rather quickly that weekend trips and snow bird winters are very different. However, I believe our snow bird winters will not be spent in one place so now I am thinking we need a 34' fifth wheel so we can camp wherever we want and it won't be so hard to maneuver on our trips. My husband gets restless, so staying in place for 3 months I am positive will not happen. So now the search is on again, in another direction. Great advice on here, Im getting edgy and want to get one soon, so many events coming up that we are going to miss without a fifth wheel, and hotels are hard to find with a pet. Hope we are making the right decision on size. We really came down a way down from the 40' one.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

tuck2family wrote:
Thanks for the info. I am finding out rather quickly that weekend trips and snow bird winters are very different. However, I believe our snow bird winters will not be spent in one place so now I am thinking we need a 34' fifth wheel so we can camp wherever we want and it won't be so hard to maneuver on our trips. My husband gets restless, so staying in place for 3 months I am positive will not happen. So now the search is on again, in another direction. Great advice on here, Im getting edgy and want to get one soon, so many events coming up that we are going to miss without a fifth wheel, and hotels are hard to find with a pet. Hope we are making the right decision on size. We really came down a way down from the 40' one.

You need to get a dealer and sit around in some.. Even ones your not really interested in. 34' to 40' is a good sized swing. I bet the avg 5th wheel is in the 36/37' range..

I sat in a 38' one .. and new I wanted a big one.. Not enough room in any of them, in my opinion.. but there is only so big you can go with these things..

jayc · RV-Dreams Family Member

Check out the new Landmark 365 series that is just in the process of being released. There will be a complete revamp of the line and all floor plans will be affected. They will be displayed at the huge Hershey RV show soon.

kb0zke · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome. There are lots of varying opinions out there, and you will have to figure out what really applies to your situation. Since you already have the truck, that will determine what you can buy for a trailer. Load the truck with full fuel, yourselves, and all of the stuff that will be in the truck when you are towing - especially the hitch. Then go weigh it. Subtract that weight from the truck's gross weight rating. That will give you an approximate maximum pin weight. You will also need to get the weight on the rear axle as you are ready to travel (but without the trailer) and subtract that weight from the axle weight rating. The lower of those two calculated weights is the maximum your pin weight can be. Now subtract your truck's gross weight rating from the gross combined weight rating. That is the gross weight of your trailer. Don't pay much attention to the weight the sales person quotes. Look at the data plate on the trailer. You can't use any trailer that has a gross weight of more than what your truck can handle.

Now start looking at the coaches. There are only so many ways that the interior can be arranged, so now you will be looking at floorplans. Don't worry about the quality or the price of the rig. Find those floorplans that will work FOR YOU. As Terry said, pretend to do various tasks. If you are looking at coaches with slides, see what you can and can't do with the slides in. Can you use the bathroom? Can you get to the refrigerator and the dinette?

By this point you are narrowing your choices. You know what the inside of the coach needs to be like, and you know how much it can weigh. Now you can start looking for specific coaches. I'd suggest that you consider used upper-middle level coaches, like a Landmark or Bighorn. I suspect that most DRV offerings are going to be too heavy. I know you would like to have a new coach, but most people go through several coaches before they get the right coach. When you buy a new coach and then trade it in fairly quickly you will take a huge financial bath. Let someone else take that bath.

Rob_Fla · RV-Dreams Family Member

I will add my 2 cents here, we just traded in our Jayco Pinnacle on a Redwood 38FL Front Living.

Our Jayco Pinnacle was a great 5th Wheel at its price point, Jayco builds a quality 5th Wheel and stands behind it with a 2 year warranty.
Jayco is one of the last family owned RV companies out there, our Jayco held up well to fulltime use, we would recommend one to anybody looking for a 5th Wheel in that price range.

So far we are really enjoying our Front Living floorplan, it is one of those floorplans that people either love or hate (kinda like the Ford, Chevy, Dodge thing) but it works for us.

Good luck in you search for the right RV that works for you, like many when you find the right one, you will know it !!!

hasanchez · RV-Dreams Family Member

Goodness gracious........I am like a lot of other folks "researching and researching" this topic. Full retirement from my 2nd career isn't going to happen for another 2-1/2 years. I am very happy that I found the "RV.Dreams Forum". You fine people are JAMMED PACKED with great information. I'm hearing......Landmark, Bighorn, Jayco, DRV, & Montana. Holy cow........and let's not forget the RV Acronyms! That's an education in itself! Anyway..........so much to learn.......and a lot of RV shows to go to (within reason). Whew!!

Bottom line........glad I'm beginning this process so far out in advance. There is going to be a lot to consider all the way around...........and then my wife and I want to have fun!

Henry

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

Greetings Anne,

Since you are looking at a front living room model, you might want to consider the Open Range Mesa or Roamer 346FLR models. They are 38 ft fivers with a 361 sq ft floorplan (4 slides.) They have a basement storage in both front and rear combined with a unique sunken kitchen design. Fully loaded, it's barely within my 3/4 ton's weight limits, but will be nothing for your Dodge to pull. Here's a link: www.rvtrader.com/listing/2014-Open-Range-Mesa-Ridge-346FLR-111890569

Open range's top of the line 3X full-time rated fivers are nice too, especially the brand new front living room, 41ft model 3X377FLR. www.highlandridgerv.com/whats-new/new-floorplans.php

Chip

Fullswedge · RV-Dreams Community Member

hasanchez wrote:
Goodness gracious........I am like a lot of other folks "researching and researching" this topic. Full retirement from my 2nd career isn't going to happen for another 2-1/2 years. I am very happy that I found the "RV.Dreams Forum". You fine people are JAMMED PACKED with great information. I'm hearing......Landmark, Bighorn, Jayco, DRV, & Montana. Holy cow........and let's not forget the RV Acronyms! That's an education in itself! Anyway..........so much to learn.......and a lot of RV shows to go to (within reason). Whew!!
Bottom line........glad I'm beginning this process so far out in advance. There is going to be a lot to consider all the way around...........and then my wife and I want to have fun!

Henry

Henry, i'm with you, My head is spinning!