Thinking about rv'ing

[rrab1]

Hi all,Wife and I are thinking about giving rv's a try and I was thinking going used first eighteen month's to two years old. What has better resale value a 5th wheel or bumper pull? What size for beginner? Water and sewer hook-up's are they a pain? We will take all the responses and give them alot of weight in our decission. Thank's Don & Lynne

 

[RMecum]

Don and Lynne



I think you'll find as many opinions as there are types of rigs... everyone thinks what they have is best... so here's mine. I've been towing trailers since I was a teenager. I had a 16 foot ski boat when I was a junior in high school. I'm on my sixth travel trailer, a 29 foot Airstream Soverign. My last three trailers have been Airstreams, they are the best. Some people will tell you a fifth wheel is the only way to go but I think since I've been towing trailers for so long that a fifth wheel is only a little easier to tow and back up. The Airstream is put together like no other trailer. The shell is built, rivited together sealed and pressure tested for leaks and then everything that is inside goes in through the door. Not so in other wood type trailers... they will all leak eventually. A friend of mine had a fifth wheel that needed a new fridge and they had to disassemble the door frame and side skin of the trailer to get the old fridge out and the new one in.



My Airstream weights in at about 6000 pounds loaded and tows like a dream behind my Diesel Dodge. It's a perfect combo. They're pretty spendy new but mine is an 87 and I bought it 6 years ago for $8000 and the only maintenance I've done is a wheel bearing pack (for my own piece of mind) and a new set of tires. I looks like new, they are timeless in style and always turn a head.



As far as what size... I guess it depends on what you thnk you can handle. I've found bigger trailers are easier to back and you could probably find someone to give you instruction and a place to practice with a new rig. You've gotta have good mirrors, know how to use them and be aware of how long your rig is when you're hooked up and cruisen' the interstate.



Hooking up the hook ups and leveling off the rig when you get in to camp is just one of those things. I have a routine, takes 15 or 20 minutes... no big deal. I get the rig level side to side, use leveling blocks under tires as needed then unhook from truck and level fore and aft. Then I hooks up water, sewer, power etc if I have it. When you're dry camping you need to make sure you top off your fresh water tank before you set up.



I could go on and on (which I thnk I have) and I'm sure other people wil have stuff to tell you about their favorite rigs but the best thing is you meet nice people RVing and you can see a lot beautiful country. Send me a PM if you like if you have any specific question I can answer.



Mike

 

[BK]

Try and rent for a few trips and see how it goes.

Since you have the truck and a probably a hitch, well, start with a regular travel trailer.

While I like all the room and stuff you get with a 5th wheel. I like having my truck bed for the things I need it for. And I like having a cap on my truck bed. So I stick with a TT.



We had a pop up for about 10 years. But once our daughter got older, room was a problem and so was privacy.

After you've camped a few times in a trailer, you'll figure out what you really want for a layout. There are many different layouts.

Camper shopping becomes a lot like house shopping.



We have one child. We bought our latest 99 TT with the idea in mind that there were only a few years left for her wanting to go with us.

So she sleeps in the fold out couch.



See if there are dealers by you that will rent. By us there are atleat two that do rent.



We do a lot of dry camping, well did until the rules changed at our favoriate spot. Once the secret was out, to many people abused a good thing and weren't the responsible campers they should have been.



Last trip with popup, fav spot.

#ad




Same spot, new camper back than.

#ad




What a morning... just think a few more miles east and they're paying about $1K a night for the same view and water.

#ad




rest is here, if you want to look...

http://www.tdr4x4.com/dt/index.htm



South shore of LI, you can't do it like this any more.



Now it looks like a parking lot on the beach with 150 campers cramed into less than a mile of beach.

Now it basically looks something like this: :{

#ad

 

[RColston]

DO IT!! My wife and I have been using an RV (5th Wheel) for about 5yr for our getaway home away from home. Love it, period. Buy a used one that is mechanically sound for starters. It will help you better decide on your future purchase. We bought a 3yr old 36' Hitchhiker Premier (96) that was a repo. Last year bought a new 39' Teton. We thought we would downsize... but noooo. All of the hookups are very simple. Overweight problems do arise however so be careful to buy something that you are comfortable with if you are too heavy. I have met, with out a doubt some of the nicest people in the different RV park's while traveling around the country.

 

[R-N-R]

I use a 28' TT with an anti-sway hitch. Although I've never towed a 5th wheel, I believe this type of hitch equalizes the driving differences between a 5vr and a TT in terms of sway control, turning radius, etc... However the 5vr seems like it is significantly easier to hook up, at the expense of using your truck's bed for larger items. I've also read that over 30' and your camp site selection starts to become limited. My perception is that 5vr's also have more storage space and TT's have more floor space. But I suppose that is very model and size dependent. I am 6'3" tall, so if I want to stand up in the bedroom, typically over the truck bed, then my 5vr selection becomes more limited. I recommend going to a RV show if you have one coming near you. An internet search will allow you to look at floor plans from most of the manufacturers, that will also give you an idea of which way to go. RVing/camping is a wonderful way to spend time with your loved ones. We also host several weekends with relatives. As far as setup goes, it takes me about 45 minutes to be completely setup with awning lights, etc... I enjoy my comforts, so I have accessorised pretty heavily. Camping World seems to really enjoy my being an RV'r... . :-laf



Hope this helps,

Bill

 

[rrab1]

Guy's Thank's for the replies, we went to the dealer's here in St. Louis area today and they are all closed on Sunday, They need there days off too The hitch that comes on the 2000 Dodge what can it handel? Any recommendation's on hitches Thank's Don

 

[R-N-R]

Reese

Pullrite

Hensley

HitchFinder

eTrailer

HitchTrader



I am not positive, but I think the factory hitch handles 5,000#/500# tounge weight, with weight distribution it increases to 10,000#/1,000#

 

[BK]

I'm about 99% sure RnR is correct.

I remember that the stock factory hitch was supposed to be more than capable with the weight distribution hardware, compared to what I tow, which is about 6Klbs dry.

Then came the recall and out went the stock hitch.



Since we have trucks that are soo capable for towing, I went with something that was just a bit stronger than what the truck was rated for since I think I put some extra stress on things when off road.

I went with the Reese Titan class V. Rated at 12000/1200 15000/1700.

Off road I take the sway control and weight dist hardware off.

 

[MikeBeggy]

I agree a 1000% with RMecum. I have owned many different TTs and the Airstream is way superior in every aspect. Ours is a Safari the we have put close to 50k trouble free miles on. We are part time RVers so having a surprise free experience is very important to us. (not that a full timer would like trouble). Our Airsteam has been places a lot of travelers won't consider going. Other TTs I've had would show cracks in the exterior skin, frame and suspension areas. I also get 12 to 14 mpg at 70 mph towing.

 

[RCook]

If you'd like to try out trailer travel with one that is easy to handle and not too expensive (helpful in case you decide you want something different after some experience), you might consider a 2-4 year old TT in the 19-22 foot range. Check the condition of all the equipment, including running gear, before you buy.



We have a Prowler 19E that we bought four years old. It's been excellent, and has traveled with us all over the west, including Alaska. A much nicer built version of a similarly well-thought-out floor plan (and actually about a foot longer) is a 19' Arctic Fox. Our friends have AF's 22G, another nice small unit. Floor plan is key. You will want to compare a number of different ones to see what might be more practical for you. You can look at many on the web - Arctic Fox is at:



http://www.northwoodmfg.com/



You might be surprised how well-equipped and comfortable a small TT can be - although there's certainly not as much lounging space as in larger units. We think our 19 is pretty luxurious for the two of us and our dog, but then we grew up on tent camping. Small TT's are a breeze to tow with the pickup, and fit easily into small Forest Service camp sites.

 

[Grizzly]

If it's just you and your wife consider a cab-over camper. Just don't exceed the GVWR. Get one totally self contained with shower, microwave and generator. A cab-over will go anywhere your truck goes and no need to worry about running gear. My Lance is big enough for my wife and I. We love it. I would consider a 24' 5th wheel second. TT are scary. Grizzly

 

[joemyers]

If it's just you and your wife consider a cab-over camper. Just don't exceed the GVWR. Get one totally self contained with shower, microwave and generator. A cab-over will go anywhere your truck goes and no need to worry about running gear. My Lance is big enough for my wife and I. We love it. I would consider a 24' 5th wheel second. TT are scary. Grizzly

I agree with this. I towed and Airstream for about 20 years and agree that they are a great TT, but when everybody was gone and didn't need the extra space I moved to a TC and have never regretted the move. JMTCW

 

[CarlJensen]

Best reponse I have seen so far is rent one first. It lets you try out the life style first and what you can and can not do in a TT or 5ver. It is a little pricey to some but a good idea to get the feel of the life style. A couple of weekends and you should get a pretty good idea of what you guys want a coach to do for you.

 

[Gene Arnold]

Don & Lynne,



I started with a 1969 Airstream TT in 1983, having no previous experience with a trailer. I checked out some towing books at the library, read Trailer Life, etc. and started in. I took the rig to an empty fairgrounds parking lot and did a bunch of practicing (u-turns, hard stops, backing, etc. ). I recommend this to all rookies.



I sure agree with Mike about Airstreams (I’ve had two. See my signature for the present one), but there are some caveats. A big complaint is headroom (you pay for the superior air resistance qualities). I’m 6’3” and am not bothered by it. Another drawback is less storage. We get along fine, but have no kids. Don’t know your age, but you'll need thick skin because of the myth that the Airstream is an “Old Coot Trailer. ” I qualify as an Old Coot so it doesn’t bother me; I just smile and think of my great fuel mileage and the timeless character of the silver bullet.



Someone already talked about not being able to get into some campgrounds because of size. This is a very real problem. Calculate where you are likely to want to camp then buy accordingly. Many Idaho locations are limited to about twenty-five ft. I enjoy my big one, but to tell the truth, I’d get more practical use from a shorter model. I weighed the issue of fiver vs TT when I bought. I chose the TT largely because I wanted to haul my motorcycle on the truck. I’m very happy with my choice; but different strokes for different folks!



Be prepared to do some dumb things when you are a rookie (and I hate to admit it, but some of mine have been recent – like forgetting to shut my blackwater valve and unhooking the hose from the connection – not a pretty sight!). I think you’ll like the RV experience, especially if you have kids. I wish I had started when mine were still at home.



Gene

 

[RustyJC]

One thing you'll find is that most RVers started as tent campers, then made the progression through pop-ups to TTs or 5th wheels. That was certainly our case. We learned something with each RV we owned, and had a better idea of what our requirements were for the next one we bought.



There's a lot of merit to the idea of buying a good used RV for your first stab at the RVing lifestyle. Being able to determine the difference between a "good" and "junk" used RV is critical, however. The biggest enemy to a used RV is water damage, so a prospective buyer needs to know what to look for and how to recognize it. Secondly, be sure that all the accessories and appliances work correctly - replacing a refrigerator can cost more than buying a home fridge!



I'd suggest spending some time on RV-oriented forums such as iRV2.com. There are a lot of experienced folks there who will be more than glad to share their input with you.



Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy your RVing experiences as much as we have and still do!



Rusty

 

[cwsoules]

We started with a used high quality 5th wheel with the idea of buying a new one after we had some 5th wheel experience. Now 40,000 trailer miles later we still have our same trailer as we like it very well.



The load limits quoted above are the same as the one printed on my hitch on my truck. My 2000 Dodge has a GVWR of 8,800# and a GCWR of 18,000#. Our single slide 29' 5th wheel weighs loaded about 10,400# and my truck loaded with what we "need" in the truck about 7,150#. I end up with a truck loaded with the 5th wheel attached about 300# over the GVWR and under the GCWR by about 400#.



Be careful when trailer or 5th wheel shopping to go by the numbers. Get the printed GVWR of the 5th wheel and assume the pin weight will be 20%. If you have the truck, load it with what you expect to have in it on the road, add Mom and the kids, dog, etc and get it weighted with a full fuel tank. Add the estimated weight of the hitch you expect to use and then use this weight in doing your calculations. I listened to a sales person about what my trailer should weigh loaded and did not do the calculations correctly. I might have bought a 3500 instead.



At any rate if you are looking at 5th wheels and have a 2500 you will be unlikely to find a 5th wheel with one slide over 29' which will not overload your truck.

 

[Eric_77]

I have gone the rental route rather than the purchase route. (granted it has been a few years since I did this, last was in 2001, and rates may have changed to make it less viable)



We would rent a trailer/Motorhome that fit out needs for that weekend sometimes it was just 2 people sometimes 4-6. Sometimes we needed generator sometimes we didn't, but all the time I would have an issue with where to store one if we owned it. The insurance storage adn mortage on one was more than double what the rental was for how often we would ever use one per year. Just an option to think about.

 

[BK]

With the ones by us, they sell the rentals as used units at the end of the year.

So if you rent and find one you really like, and it's all you wanted. By us, there's a good chance you could buy it. And there are always similar new ones on the lot too.

 

[Fireman]

Best money you could spend !

Would be joining the R V Consumers Group (RVCG). It isn't cheap, but you get books on how to select, inspect, and buy used RVs. Safety and other aspects of RVing. Also you get the RV Ratings guide, which covers over 25,000 different models and can be an indispensable tool when shopping for a trailer.



Fireman

 

[Randy E]

Travel Trailers

rrab, if you decide on a TT, I have a 2004 Fleetwood Pioneer that is new, it was won in a contest (Big Toys for Big Boys) on a morning radio show. It may be just what you are looking for. It's a 18T6 cat. number. If you are interested, let me know. I am not too far from you. Randy Eakins

PS: I hope I haven't broken any forum rules with this post. If I did, delete it.