My wife and I are considering a fifth wheel to replace our 9 year old class A motor home because of cost and living space, and I have a question about leveling and generators. I really like the hydraulic levelers on our current motor home. Our previous class C did not have levelers, and I hated using boards and Lynx levelers for setup. Is leveling a problem in a 5th wheel? I know that most do not have leveling systems and that lengthwise leveling is done as part of the disconnect from the hitch. Is lateral leveling a problem. A salesman told me that it was hardly ever needed, but I remember leveling laterally numerous times in our motor home. I know that leveling systems are available as an add-on. Are they worth the money? I understand that most 5th wheels do not come with a generator and adding one takes up storage space. I really liked to be able to stop for lunch in our motor home and crank up the generator in the summer time for A/C. Also it was handy for the same reason when parking overnight at Wal-Mart. Is the lack of a generator a problem? Some have suggested a portable in the truck bed. Is that a viable alternative?

Auto leveling is great and worth every penny! I have two Honda 2000 portables that work great. I keep them locked with bicycle locks in the bed of my truck with an extended run gas can (also locked down). I considered all the prior advice on this forum then decided. Good luck

ky8t wrote:My wife and I are considering a fifth wheel to replace our 9 year old class A motor home because of cost and living space, and I have a question about leveling and generators. I really like the hydraulic levelers on our current motor home. Our previous class C did not have levelers, and I hated using boards and Lynx levelers for setup. Is leveling a problem in a 5th wheel? Leveling my fiver is no more work than leveling any other RV.I know that most do not have leveling systems and that lengthwise leveling is done as part of the disconnect from the hitch. Is lateral leveling a problem. A salesman told me that it was hardly ever needed, but I remember leveling laterally numerous times in our motor home. I know that leveling systems are available as an add-on. Are they worth the money? If your buying new simply order the level system with the trailer. It is as I understand a simple one button systemI understand that most 5th wheels do not come with a generator and adding one takes up storage space. I really liked to be able to stop for lunch in our motor home and crank up the generator in the summer time for A/C. Have never needed to do that when we stop for lunch. Of course we also do not live in the SW, but in The Pacific Northwest. If it is of concern to you then order the generator.Also it was handy for the same reason when parking overnight at Wal-Mart. Is the lack of a generator a problem? Some have suggested a portable in the truck bed. Is that a viable alternative?We don't overnight for cheap at places like Walmart, but having a big fuel thirsty generator mere inches from my head all night making noise is not my idea of a restful nights sleep. I would rather stop at a RV park and use their electricity it I need the AC running all night. Friends had a really nice Carriage fiver with a built in generator and the only time they tried to use it was when the house batteries were dead. Of course to start the generator they first had to connect their truck to the trailer so they could jump start it. The house battery also is the starting battery for the generator.

I just bought a 5th (Keystone Alpine), which has 6pt autolevel. push the button, it does all the work. push two buttons and it returns the 5th to where you removed it from the truck last. gennies.. what a pain.. I don't want one in the bed of the truck, its got to stay with the unit while we are gone during the day (taking pets we can't afford to leave at home). anything not IN the unit has to be locked down, else it will walk. the Honda's are great, quiet, (and small, aka portable). but you will have to have an aux tank to run them for any decent time.and they are not remote startable/stoppable (that I can tell). so I have found a 7kw onan cheap that needs repair, but now I have to get a fire enclosure built in the front compartment too. if u don't need A/C, then most everything else is will work. but I live in Texas.. it will be over 100 again today.Sam

You can get leveling systems added to 5th wheels that will work just like the ones on the MHs. You will need to level a 5th wheel just as often as you have to level a MH from side to side. Don't believe the salesman especially when it comes to how big of truck you will need for towing.A generator is a nice feature for the same reasons you used one on the MH. You do give up some storage space but remember you will have lots of storage in the bed of the pickup that you didn't have with the MH. There are boxes you can buy to fit in the pickup bed to provide security but allow easy use of the hitch.5th wheels can now be setup with all the automatic goodies you find in MHs which makes them just as easy to setup when you get to your destination.

One of the main reasons we purchased a new fiver in December, 2012, was to get one with hydraulic leveling - I "hated" dealing with the plastic blocks & wooden boards. The side-to-side leveling with a fiver isn't any easier than that with a motorhome without levelers. I wouldn't be without the automatic levelers again.I can't speak to your generator question - we don't have one. Mike

5th Wheel Leveling | Good Sam Community

33 Replies

sdetweil
Explorer
Sep 05, 2013
I just bought a 5th (Keystone Alpine), which has 6pt autolevel. push the button, it does all the work. push two buttons and it returns the 5th to where you removed it from the truck last.

gennies.. what a pain..

I don't want one in the bed of the truck, its got to stay with the unit while we are gone during the day (taking pets we can't afford to leave at home). anything not IN the unit has to be locked down, else it will walk. the Honda's are great, quiet, (and small, aka portable).
but you will have to have an aux tank to run them for any decent time.
and they are not remote startable/stoppable (that I can tell).

so I have found a 7kw onan cheap that needs repair, but now I have to get a fire enclosure built in the front compartment too.

if u don't need A/C, then most everything else is will work. but I live in Texas.. it will be over 100 again today.

Sam
donn0128
Explorer II
Sep 05, 2013
ky8t wrote:
My wife and I are considering a fifth wheel to replace our 9 year old class A motor home because of cost and living space, and I have a question about leveling and generators.

I really like the hydraulic levelers on our current motor home. Our previous class C did not have levelers, and I hated using boards and Lynx levelers for setup. Is leveling a problem in a 5th wheel? Leveling my fiver is no more work than leveling any other RV.I know that most do not have leveling systems and that lengthwise leveling is done as part of the disconnect from the hitch. Is lateral leveling a problem. A salesman told me that it was hardly ever needed, but I remember leveling laterally numerous times in our motor home. I know that leveling systems are available as an add-on. Are they worth the money? If your buying new simply order the level system with the trailer. It is as I understand a simple one button system

I understand that most 5th wheels do not come with a generator and adding one takes up storage space. I really liked to be able to stop for lunch in our motor home and crank up the generator in the summer time for A/C. Have never needed to do that when we stop for lunch. Of course we also do not live in the SW, but in The Pacific Northwest. If it is of concern to you then order the generator.Also it was handy for the same reason when parking overnight at Wal-Mart. Is the lack of a generator a problem? Some have suggested a portable in the truck bed. Is that a viable alternative?

We don't overnight for cheap at places like Walmart, but having a big fuel thirsty generator mere inches from my head all night making noise is not my idea of a restful nights sleep. I would rather stop at a RV park and use their electricity it I need the AC running all night.
Friends had a really nice Carriage fiver with a built in generator and the only time they tried to use it was when the house batteries were dead. Of course to start the generator they first had to connect their truck to the trailer so they could jump start it. The house battery also is the starting battery for the generator.
guidry
Explorer II
Sep 05, 2013
Auto leveling is great and worth every penny! I have two Honda 2000 portables that work great. I keep them locked with bicycle locks in the bed of my truck with an extended run gas can (also locked down). I considered all the prior advice on this forum then decided. Good luck

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5th Wheel Leveling

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