Arctic Fox 32-5M, SRW Dodge 3500
Online owner's experiences with the Northwood Arctic Fox 32-5M fifth-wheel is pretty scarce, as is information on towing with SRW 3500s.
Because this RV is heavy, pushing the limits of SRW territory, I wanted to start this thread as a resource for anyone who would like to use this combination.
We bought our 2016 32-5M new, ordered it seven months ago, took delivery two weeks ago. I towed it 500 miles and slept in it to get home but our first trip is still a couple of weeks away.
During the PDI I was immediately impressed with the build quality of the Arctic Fox. It's not coincidence that they're heavy. I found one fault; the right front manual landing gear crank access tube wasn't lined up properly - a three minute fix. On the way home one of the ceiling fan blade mount screws vibrated out. Other than that I've spent a lot of time crawling around, poking, prodding, exploring, and haven't found any other issues.
Our options include the onboard generator, forward air, six point leveling system, a rear receiver hitch, dual pane windows, large fridge, king bed, adjustable awning, basement slide tray, tank pad heaters, Thomas Paine furniture, etc. We opted out of some items, including the swivel sewer hose and sound bar. The exterior height of the unit at its highest point, the forward A/C, is 13'3".
My truck is a 2006 3500, Cummins, manual six speed (G56), 3.73 gears, quad cab, 4x4, running 19.5 inch Sumitomo 245/70/R19.5 medium duty truck tires. These tires have a weight limit of 4540 lbs. per tire, the AAM axle is rated at 10,000 lbs., so I can safely carry the 32-5M pin weight. I'm running Tork-lift suspension bumpers and the truck had exactly two inches of rear sag, putting it essentially level while hitched up.
The coach obviously pulls much heavier than my Arctic Fox 26X TT, but it's more stable. I had no difficulty pulling sixth gear, 65 MPH, uphill, on all but the steepest of grades between Denver and Albuquerque. The holding tanks were still mostly full from the PDI (I asked Darrell at Discount RV Corner to leave them that way) and I had 90 gallons of waste Jet fuel (what I burn over-the-road) in the transfer tank. It felt safe, stable, and well-balanced. Surprisingly, my fuel mileage appears to be about the same as with my TT; 11-ish MPG. Jet-A is less dense than diesel and I was pushing a headwind, so we might eke out 12 MPG no-wind if we're careful.
I built an aft storage platform for my Yamaha Zuma 125 scooter (camp bike), ramp, and a rack for my spare 40 lb. propane tank. This combo weighs about 300 pounds, has LED tail lights, and uses the factory installed receiver hitch for mounting.
I weighed my truck, full of fuel, prior to picking up the coach; I'll weigh the coach prior to our trip in two weeks and post the results here.
Please, if you need information on this combination or coach, I'll gladly provide same. I'll even share my build sheet with you, minus the price quote from Discount RV Corner in Longmont. Samantha, there, did a good job, as has Northwood, but I'm not affiliated with any of the mentioned businesses.
If you want to judge me on weight limits, please do so elsewhere.
Happy travels!
Randy
P.S. I'd gladly post some pics but I don't know how....
Because this RV is heavy, pushing the limits of SRW territory, I wanted to start this thread as a resource for anyone who would like to use this combination.
We bought our 2016 32-5M new, ordered it seven months ago, took delivery two weeks ago. I towed it 500 miles and slept in it to get home but our first trip is still a couple of weeks away.
During the PDI I was immediately impressed with the build quality of the Arctic Fox. It's not coincidence that they're heavy. I found one fault; the right front manual landing gear crank access tube wasn't lined up properly - a three minute fix. On the way home one of the ceiling fan blade mount screws vibrated out. Other than that I've spent a lot of time crawling around, poking, prodding, exploring, and haven't found any other issues.
Our options include the onboard generator, forward air, six point leveling system, a rear receiver hitch, dual pane windows, large fridge, king bed, adjustable awning, basement slide tray, tank pad heaters, Thomas Paine furniture, etc. We opted out of some items, including the swivel sewer hose and sound bar. The exterior height of the unit at its highest point, the forward A/C, is 13'3".
My truck is a 2006 3500, Cummins, manual six speed (G56), 3.73 gears, quad cab, 4x4, running 19.5 inch Sumitomo 245/70/R19.5 medium duty truck tires. These tires have a weight limit of 4540 lbs. per tire, the AAM axle is rated at 10,000 lbs., so I can safely carry the 32-5M pin weight. I'm running Tork-lift suspension bumpers and the truck had exactly two inches of rear sag, putting it essentially level while hitched up.
The coach obviously pulls much heavier than my Arctic Fox 26X TT, but it's more stable. I had no difficulty pulling sixth gear, 65 MPH, uphill, on all but the steepest of grades between Denver and Albuquerque. The holding tanks were still mostly full from the PDI (I asked Darrell at Discount RV Corner to leave them that way) and I had 90 gallons of waste Jet fuel (what I burn over-the-road) in the transfer tank. It felt safe, stable, and well-balanced. Surprisingly, my fuel mileage appears to be about the same as with my TT; 11-ish MPG. Jet-A is less dense than diesel and I was pushing a headwind, so we might eke out 12 MPG no-wind if we're careful.
I built an aft storage platform for my Yamaha Zuma 125 scooter (camp bike), ramp, and a rack for my spare 40 lb. propane tank. This combo weighs about 300 pounds, has LED tail lights, and uses the factory installed receiver hitch for mounting.
I weighed my truck, full of fuel, prior to picking up the coach; I'll weigh the coach prior to our trip in two weeks and post the results here.
Please, if you need information on this combination or coach, I'll gladly provide same. I'll even share my build sheet with you, minus the price quote from Discount RV Corner in Longmont. Samantha, there, did a good job, as has Northwood, but I'm not affiliated with any of the mentioned businesses.
If you want to judge me on weight limits, please do so elsewhere.
Happy travels!
Randy
P.S. I'd gladly post some pics but I don't know how....
