5th Wheel

[PRush]

I AM REQUESTING A POLL FROM YOU EXPERIENCED TDR MEMBERS

REGARDING MULTI-PURPOSE 5TH WHEEL APPLICATIONS.

I WOULD LIKE TO POLL YOU TDR'S FOR ADVICE & OPINIONS FOR THE BEST 5TH WHEEL 30 FT. & UNDER THAT WOULD BE THE BEST FOR BOONDOCKING & RV PARK COMBINATION. I WANT A 5TH THAT HAS GOOD ARTICULATION, GROUND CLEARANCE, STABILITY,

INSULATION, AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRATY. I NEED A 5TH THAT WILL MAKE ME HAPPY & MY WIFE SEMI-HAPPY. HELP!!!



2003, 3500, HO, SRW, 4X4, 48RE, LSD,SB, LARAMIE. VW TDI BEETLE, VW GTI VR-6, SUBARU OUTBACK H-6 VDC.



PS. WIFE SEZ THE VW TDI & GTI HAVE TO GO B4 THE 5TH IS BORN.

 

[willyslover]

TURN OFF YOUR CAP BUTTON... it says on the net/forums that you are yelling



Welcome to the TDR . .

 

[klenger]

What you have described is the Arctic Fox line of trailers.



See them at http://www.nashtraveltrailers.com/



You can check out my fox with the link in my sig.

 

[BigMike]

Check out Forest River products. I have a Cardinal and it's great. You're probably going to get zillions of recommendations from people to buy what they own. I'd do some serious research online plus go to as many RV shows as you can. Buying an RV is worse than buying a car. It get real complicated. It will boil down to the floor plan you fall in love with. Other things that were important to me was storage, gray water storage. Get at least 80 gal if you're boon docking. If you plan to camp in colder weather, make sure all your tanks are in heated spaces. Many manufacturers have Artic packages. Make sure the 5er will fit your truck!! Also, be real sensitive to weight.



Good luck!

 

[rweis]

Our biggie is can you make the bed without being a contortionist?,



And is the potty in it's own room / vented / AND at the RIGHT height?



There are thousands of 5ers. When you get toward settled on a couple go to www.rvsearch.com and check $$ it also has a NADA link to check those $$.



Bob Weis

 

[ImagesThatSing]

Floor Plan Is the great equalizer

The floor plan is often really important if you are going to spend any amount of time (we boondock 3 days a week, and 3 additional weeks each summer) in the rig. I agree with all of the posts above regarding cold weather pre purchase thoughts, but we modifiy ours to meet our needs. Example, since we boondock so much, instead of the one battery that came with, I built and welded a second set of battery supports, bought 4 6 volt great quality batteries, and now we can easily run everything except microwave and air conditioning off the batteries without worrying about draining or hurting the batteries because of low drains. We run our generator hooked up to our good battery charger for 2. 5 hours on full, then top off for 45 minutes and this is good for days of normal use.

We love light so large windows and a large slide were very important...

and since we went to shows and looked for quite a while, when the right one became available, we knew it instantly.



Good Luck, we love, and I mean love the mini vacation we take each and every week. Will be leaving again tomorrow morning.



good luck!

 

[dbargy]

There is an organization called "RV Consumer Group". They are sort of like Consumer Union. They rate RV's. They are completely objective. A good outfit.



www.rv.org



They publish a book called "How to Select, Inspect, and Buy an RV".



Also, check out the "RV Forum" at

http://www.irv2.com/





My wife and I bought the book and ended up buying our fifth wheel a few months ago. We foung the book indispensible. It really helped us to ask the right questions and look for the right things.

Keeping within our budget, we personally decided to opt for a used higher quality trailer versus a new lesser quality one. We ended up getting a real nice used 27' Alpenlite. Has worked out really well for us.



Hope this is helpful. Good Luck!

 

[Barry]

I recommend to my customers to "Take a hard look at yesterday's quality before you buy today's junk".



Reasons:



1) Most RVs fall to 50% of their original sale price within 48 months. If the unit is a quality unit then the depreciation curve shallows out.



2) The type of folks that buy hi-line quality units generally take very good care of them.



3) Quality units just pull better.



4) Shop, look around. There is always a story where someone has become incapacitated or died.



5) I would rather drive a 5 year old Lexus than a new Hyndai!



mi dos pesos... ... ... ... .....

 

[dbargy]

Very well said, Barry. And 100% true!

 

[cwsoules]

We have an Automate and find it meets our needs very well. Look at automaterv.com for more info.

 

[PRush]

Sorry about the cap button willyslover but I am a hunt and peck kinda guy. No intention to come across as a screamer,at least not on line.

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions from all. I have been researching for at least 6 months via friends, internet, periodicals, etc. Just don't want to make that 5 figure mistake.

dbargy, I am going to take your advice re: "RV CONSUMER GROUP". I have heard from others that their research is solid.

Sorta sentimental on Airstreams, spent a couple of months in sub-zero weather in my parents Airstream in 1979 and it did the duty with no problems. Sure seemed as if I was in a submarine though.

Do any of you TDR'S have any experience or knowledge on the Everest fiver? Thanks!

 

[willyslover]

Barry Give us an Idea what a 30-34 footer [5er] in the 30K range will get a guy... just ball park info



BTW I'm getting closer to the club





PRush. . LOL we all are hunt and peck guys. . and BTW we get to scream once in a while LOL [just go check out the Other Forum and political discussions]



Again welcome to TDR

 

[RMcCulloch]

willyslover,



You might like to take a look at what PPL has on their website.



They're a consignment lot in Houston and update their pages frequently.

 

[willyslover]

RMc. . thanks

 

[Paul Somers]

See by your signature you have a 3500 4x4. Your tail gate is ~57" abrove ground. A 5th wheel <30' isn't going to push it down much. Every combination like this I have seen is the 5th wheel runs nose high and rear low. Can be fixed by flipping axels but then you have handling problems and your entry step is too high with out taking a box for bottom step. It also ruins resale of 5er. Before buying I would want to attach the 5er to truck to see what it looks like.

 

[willyslover]

tnx Paul I'll look very well before I plop down the $$$.....

 

[Ron Bissett]

Originally posted by Paul Somers

See by your signature you have a 3500 4x4. Your tail gate is ~57" abrove ground. A 5th wheel <30' isn't going to push it down much. Every combination like this I have seen is the 5th wheel runs nose high and rear low. Can be fixed by flipping axels but then you have handling problems and your entry step is too high with out taking a box for bottom step. It also ruins resale of 5er. Before buying I would want to attach the 5er to truck to see what it looks like.

As to the fact that the trailer is altered to accept the 4x4 truck by placing the springs over the axle ,I don't think you can find one owner of raised trailers that have handling problems . Also Do you not, think that other owners would look for a trailer, that fits there need, like 4x4 owners, that would have to spend $, time, and or effort, on this . The step problem is real , I used a welder and made a mod and at times have to use a self made step depend on where I park . One thing that some folks seem to forget is the rear of trailer could drag going in and out of some fuel stops . Thats when a raised trailer pay for its self also the dump valves have less chance to be knocked off . Ron Bissett in Metro Louisville KY :-{}

 

[Sarge]

Ron is absolutely correct. I have a Forrest River Americana that comes standard height at 4X4 ready. It is more aerodynamic for airflow under the bottom of the truck, and the ground clearence is great. I went with the Americana partially because of their ALCO axle. It is a torsion system inside the axle itself that eliminates the need for any exterior springs or shocks. Each wheel moves independantly, even on the same axle. The result is a 30' RV that tows like a dream, dosen't squeak like and old mattress, and while parked and the tires blocked eliminates the need for a pin stabilizer. If some one is having towing problems with their 5ver raised, someone set it up wrong, or the the hitch in the truck is not installed right. Be safe, and good luck looking in your shopping! Sarge

 

[RJOL]

I bought a 96 Alpenlite 32' fifth wheel and thought I'd have to do the spring over trick to fit my rig (see sig). As it turned out, it works without the axle mod. The 5th wheel rides just slightly nose high (you almost can't tell by just looking) and I still have just over 5" of clearance over the tailgate.

 

[Paul Somers]

More aerodynamic for air under bottom of truck

Don't tell CART, Formula 1 or NASCAR