gareengo wrote:
Hi RVers,
I am a relative newby truck camper guy and am looking at future options. I am looking to prematurely retire and get some form of 5th wheeler/travel trailer and go wandering. I have a dodge ram 3500 diesel dually that should tow anything. I just went to a dealership and looked at the offerings. I found a 32 foot with double king size slides that weighs about 10K that I really liked, but also looked at bigger offerings.
My newby questions:
1) If you are relocating about 10-12 times a year, how practical is it to have a 10K-15K weight 5th wheeler? or are they more for the sedentary folks who stay a long while and should I instead consider a travel trailer?
1.5) Is it the case that 40ft travel trailers are such a pain to tow that you wouldn't want to relocate frequently?
2) The sales guy mentioned that some of the larger 5th wheelers (38+ feet) may have a hard time fitting in certain campsites, along with the truck in front. What are your thoughts about this--can't you park truck along the side?
3) How significant (roughly) would be the difference in fuel economy with a 5K weight difference between trailers?
Thanks for your sage advice
Russell
From what others report, it's the older State and National Parks that tend to have a lot more issues with larger rigs. I'd have to say the same is likely true with just about =any= older CG. You simply have to read carefully the park's info and =call= them and ask if you will have any issues. Simple to post a question about a specific park here, or other RV fora, to see what others' experiences have been. Don't forget that, with a FW, it's not always about length; height can be just as much an issue in older CGs. Personally, we just don't need a large FW, as it's just the 2 of us, so I like to stay in the 30-31' range. You will just have to decide what kind of camping you like to do and buy accordingly. If you only plan on staying at resort-style parks, then go big; if you like to get off the beaten track, then smaller is better in most cases.
If my fairly limited RVing experience is any guide, setup and tear down are pretty simple, and even more so if you get a FW with an auto-level system, so moving really isn't an issue. You do have to learn your boundaries for extending slides, or you might end up with a hole in one or a broken window. (Had a friend do that a few years ago.) As far as weights go, if you're on wide-open roads (i.e. no stop signs), once you're up to speed, mileage won't be badly affected by weight. Yes, grades will hurt you some, but not too bad.
You'll actually get =better= mileage with a FW than with a TT of the same size, as he aerodynamics are better. Now, if you have a shell on your truck, that may change things enough that a TT and FW would be much closer, but most who have towed both have almost always reported better mileage with a FW. The single biggest thing you can do for mileage is STFD. :B
I towed enough trailers while farming that, when we decided to start RVing, I was firmly committed to a FW. Also, having towed a GN firmly solidified that decision.
Lyle
