Looking to get into fifth wheel camping

bulldog95 wrote:
We are looking for a model with a bunkhouse, I would say between 37'-45' long. It would be for my wife, 9 yr old daughter, myself and a 90lb American Bulldog. Maybe a friend of my daughters too. We went to the RV show in Hershey last year and we were hoping to get one before the next show in September.

IMO, you're going to have weight issues if you're looking at rigs that long, especially if you settle on a higher-end unit. Quality = weight. NEVER consider "dry" pin weight and figure about 20-25% of the FW's GVW as a "worst case" pin weight. If your truck can't handle it, then downsize the FW or upsize the truck.

Lyle

bulldog95 wrote:
I have a Chevy 3500 drw diesel capable of towing 16k.

As I said before, it's not what you can =tow=, it's what you can =carry=. How old is your truck? BIG difference between cargo capacity from 2000 to 2016!

Lyle

bulldog95 wrote:
My family and I are looking to purchase a fifth wheel. We are looking at campers between 2013 and new. We have a budget of around $45k. I was wondering what brands to look at for a quality built unit and what brands to stay away from. Thanks for any advice in advance!

Posting without reading ahead...

If you already have a truck, you need to balance it's payload capacity with the FW you'd like. Ignore "tow capacity", for the most part, and concentrate on how much it can =carry=. Rear axle weights and tire capacities are important numbers to know.

Second, decide what floorplan you like best. Need a bunkhouse? Is an outdoor kitchen important? Need 2 bathrooms? Need a toyhauler? So many different options that are available, but there are probably only about 15-20 basic floorplans, no matter which mfr you look at.

Third, what kind of camping do you currently enjoy? Are you a dry camper? If so, then tank capacities may be a deciding factor. What about solar and batteries? If you're strictly a full-hookup camper, then tank sizes are low priority, as would be solar.

Fourth, are you thinking of long trips or just being "weekend warriors"? If you plan on towing a lot, then niceties like flexible pinboxes and/or hitches will make the ride a lot more comfortable. Upgraded axles and/or brakes might also be in order. =Definitely= better tires if "China bombs" are currently mounted, in either case.

As a first-timer, I'd encourage you to buy pre-owned, even if it's not exactly what you think you might want. It will allow you to get your feet wet as well as figure out if what you think you want =now= is really necessary or if something you never though of is absolutely =required=! :-)

Lyle

Thanks for all the help. I will most likely not be staying at many state parks, but I'm not sure. We are looking for the best deal that don't break the bank. We will most likely be getting a bunkhouse that way our daughter has her own space and if she brings a friend along they can hang out in their own area. Also the dog will most likely be hanging out with her and they can chill in their own space. Your comments have helped greatly and any additional comments will be greatly appreciated also!

We have a Palomino Columbus 385BH. It's a 5 slide bunkhouse with an outdoor kitchen and a half bath in the rear for the kids. It has tons of storage inside and out. Island kitchen with a residential fridge, theater seating, free standing table and chairs in the dining area. We absolutely LOVE our camper!!

bulldog95 wrote:
We are looking for a model with a bunkhouse, I would say between 37'-45' long. It would be for my wife, 9 yr old daughter, myself and a 90lb American Bulldog. Maybe a friend of my daughters too. We went to the RV show in Hershey last year and we were hoping to get one before the next show in September.

Heavily consider the type of camping you want to do. 37' - 45' will pretty much keep you out of national parks and likely very limited at State Parks. If that matters to you, keep it under 35', otherwise have at it.

Brands - we had Forrest River Sandpaper and would NOT recommend one. We are picking up our New Jayco in a week or two. We are getting the Eagle HT 29.5BHDS. That floor plan seemed good for us, and at 35', we should still be able to get into most State and National Parks were we like to camp.

Just a consideration when looking for your new 5th. wheel--------A 40' 5th wheel is loooooooong! You might find some of your choices for RVing being limited by the length. You need to consider what areas you would be RVing the most in and then start checking RV parks, state parks, etc etc to see if you would fit in their RV sites. Boondocking, no problem. Example, you would not be able to use any state parks in Calif. So many considerations:) My 34' Big Horn has been outstanding and yes others might not have had good experiences with the Big Horn. I RV in most of the western states and ocean coast areas about 6 months a year.

I totally recommend Cedar Creek, our Daydreamer is built like a "preverbal tank" and as a retired master carpenter/finish contractor the workmanship is above all other brands I have seen in my many years of RV'ing! Now with that being said the one thing you need to keep in mind is it's mostly the equipment such as A/C units, water heaters, appliances and such that **** out which has nothing to do with the builder so after a time you'll need to replace these items and lucky for you that this forum is here with untold cumulative years of RV'ing experience to help. Having known others who have bought new and used units from different manufacturers I believe Cedar Creek has THE BEST after-the-sale customer service in the industry which as far as I'm concerned is THE most important factor when parting with your hard earned dough! Cedar Creek has done repairs on my fiver WELL AFTER their warranty obligations had passed only reminding me that they truly stand behind their products!!

Red Green: Remember, I'm pulling for ya. We're all in this together!

djgarcia wrote:
The couch that can be opened to a bed with an air mattress is an option for your daughter. The period of time your daughter will be RVing with you is limited and once she does not RV with you, will you be satisfied with the floor plan??

That is a good point. Ours has a couch that folds out to a self inflating air mattress that is actually pretty comfortable. Plenty big enough for two kids and it sits right in front of the living room tv. The downside of that is the kids won't have "their own space". Some units have a nice back bedroom/entertainment space that is kind of closed off from the rest of the unit, with it's own half bath. Keep looking!!

If I was in the market for a BH today, this floorplan would be at the top of the list. The bonus room has huge rainy day benefits as the layout goes well beyond bunks.

Jayco 377RLBH