Size Matters!

Dave & Ginny wrote:
Don't worry about the size of the rig......worry more about your abilities to park (and pull) it. Just make sure you have enough truck for the trailer. Then practice practice practice in a very large parking lot.

I've camped in several state parks with a 32ft limit with my 40ft 5th wheel without any problems.

Well said Dave. The bigger issue of all is the operator's inability to navigate around with the longer trailers. I have witnessed on numerous occasions where they seem to forget about the length and most importantly the tail swing on tight turns. It is really a shame that most decide to practice in CGs and on the highway instead of parking lots. I am sure I am not the only one that has been passed by one that forgot about the extra 10 or so feet on the back. As for the OP, dude get what you want and feel that you need. Nobody on here will be living in it, but you. When you come across a CG that you can't get in, move on to a better one and yes I am one of the long haulers with a 44' TH. :R Have a great day! and enjoy retirement.

avvidclif1 wrote:

hbensley wrote:
If the rush is the same as the first time I towed over real mountains with my other diesel, "That grin won't come off with a belt sander!"
I had a 6.0Liter GMC 2500 that pulled pretty good when you had the RPMs up. It screamed loud and sucked fuel at those RPMs.

How is 2 more wheels on the back going to make climbing hills any better? Unless your old diesel is one of the older ones.

Clif,
My first tow vehicle was a gasser 3/4 ton. My second was a 1 ton SRW Dodge Cummins.
It's the gear ratio in the transmission as well as the torque curve that makes the big difference. My 2006 with the 48RE tranny didn't have a low enough 1st gear. The 68RE has a lower 1st gear than the 48RE. The AISIN has an even lower 1st gear ratio than the 68RE. The old diesel had 'only' 625 torque and the new one has 850 torque.
The dually is supposed to be better on curvy roads and maneuvering with the added stability of the extra tires.
Another factor is I will be well within the tow ratings of the tow vehicle: 19K Gross Trailer Weight and the truck has a max trailer towing capacity of 28.5K. I was over GCWR with my other truck by 3K fully loaded. I towed it one time like that and never towed again with that truck.

Just want to say thanks very much for the valuable insight. We have decided on the Keystone Montana High Country 305RL - 34' and about 20% under the truck tow capacity, so we are good to go. Hope to meet some of you down the road!
Again, Thanks!
Dan & Shirley

Don't worry about the size of the rig......worry more about your abilities to park (and pull) it. Just make sure you have enough truck for the trailer. Then practice practice practice in a very large parking lot.

I've camped in several state parks with a 32ft limit with my 40ft 5th wheel without any problems.

jmtandem wrote:

I have been camping for 25+ years, all over eastern and southern USA, size of unit has never been a real issue.

Everytime the size issue comes up several folks are quick to note that the larger the coach the less places to be able to use it. I think that this is to a large extent overblown and unrealistic. There almost always will be RV parks within a few miles of any attraction that can accommodate any size RV. Why limit the size of your RV just to be able to use a specific campsite or two that is very small. Going into retirement, the OP most likely will be traveling quite a bit and can simply pass on the smallest campgrounds for ones with larger sites that accommodate the larger coach.

As retired folks, the OP most likely can benefit from the room of a larger coach if for no other reason than to be able to have some personal space, spread out, have the kids/grand kids camp with them, carry more stuff, etc. Room is almost everything inside the coach when spending lots of time in it.

It would have been interesting to have been able to differentiate the thread's responses by those not retired and those that are retired. I think the campsite size issue for retired folks spending weeks or months in the RV would pale in comparison to the need for interior space, amenities, and interior comfort. For young folks that just have to camp in the site next to the lake or creek, no other site will do, then the RV size might be a greater consideration.

What a great post...wish I would have wrote it...I travel the country with our 36 foot Big Horn for work. In the five years we have had the fiver, I have not found one campground that I could not get a suitable site...for either work or play trips.

I am sure there are some places it won't fit...but I will just move to another spot where it will. Size matters..and if you are living in the fiver a lot...bigger is better...

Regards

RVs can be a bit like boats. The further offshore you go in a boat, the closer the pointy end gets to the blunt end. Likewise, the longer one spends in a RV the smaller it gets. The smaller it is to start with the faster it gets even smaller.

Somewhere for each of us there is a good compromise size that has the comfort for long term living but is not too big where it cannot be taken into the nicest CGs which all too often were built at a time when 30' plus rigs & slideouts were not even thought of. The bigger you are the less chance there is of a site in one of these NPs or SPs that can take you. It is physics. Yes, size matters.

jmtandem wrote:

I have been camping for 25+ years, all over eastern and southern USA, size of unit has never been a real issue.

Everytime the size issue comes up several folks are quick to note that the larger the coach the less places to be able to use it. I think that this is to a large extent overblown and unrealistic. There almost always will be RV parks within a few miles of any attraction that can accommodate any size RV. Why limit the size of your RV just to be able to use a specific campsite or two that is very small. Going into retirement, the OP most likely will be traveling quite a bit and can simply pass on the smallest campgrounds for ones with larger sites that accommodate the larger coach.

As retired folks, the OP most likely can benefit from the room of a larger coach if for no other reason than to be able to have some personal space, spread out, have the kids/grand kids camp with them, carry more stuff, etc. Room is almost everything inside the coach when spending lots of time in it.

It would have been interesting to have been able to differentiate the thread's responses by those not retired and those that are retired. I think the campsite size issue for retired folks spending weeks or months in the RV would pale in comparison to the need for interior space, amenities, and interior comfort. For young folks that just have to camp in the site next to the lake or creek, no other site will do, then the RV size might be a greater consideration.

Exc post. The wife and I are not retired (well I am) so we just do the 1 week at a time with weekends throw in. Our 28' 5'er works great as we spend most of the time outside. And the occasional times we spend a day inside it works well enough. However were we to hit the road for 1-2 months or longer I would want more room for sitting as well as storage. Having two opposing slides would really open up things inside.
If we wanted to go to an RV park and just hangout for a week, do some laundry and kick back, then something bigger would really be appreciated. JMO.

I have been camping for 25+ years, all over eastern and southern USA, size of unit has never been a real issue.

Everytime the size issue comes up several folks are quick to note that the larger the coach the less places to be able to use it. I think that this is to a large extent overblown and unrealistic. There almost always will be RV parks within a few miles of any attraction that can accommodate any size RV. Why limit the size of your RV just to be able to use a specific campsite or two that is very small. Going into retirement, the OP most likely will be traveling quite a bit and can simply pass on the smallest campgrounds for ones with larger sites that accommodate the larger coach.

As retired folks, the OP most likely can benefit from the room of a larger coach if for no other reason than to be able to have some personal space, spread out, have the kids/grand kids camp with them, carry more stuff, etc. Room is almost everything inside the coach when spending lots of time in it.

It would have been interesting to have been able to differentiate the thread's responses by those not retired and those that are retired. I think the campsite size issue for retired folks spending weeks or months in the RV would pale in comparison to the need for interior space, amenities, and interior comfort. For young folks that just have to camp in the site next to the lake or creek, no other site will do, then the RV size might be a greater consideration.

You need a Dually.:C

jmtandem wrote:

Hello All – We are new to RV forum. We have had smaller rv’s in the past, but now in retirement are looking to buy a 5th wheel TT. Currently looking at 35 to 39 foot long. We will equip to dry camp, so as to have the most choices of campgrounds. We have room to store the unit at home, and I am pretty comfortable with backing/maneuvering. Plans are to eventually do some long distance travel around the USA, starting in So Cal. What I would like to know is what experiences (good or bad) you have seen or had that make you favor one size vs. the other. Thanks in advance for your “seasoned” insight.

You have had smaller RV's and you know about them. You have not had a larger RV and since you are looking at retirement, get what you think you want. Getting into a campsite is only one issue regarding size and perhaps the least important. If you can't stay at a national forest campground, you can stay at an RV park nearby that will accommodate your size. Don't make the size thing an issue as it relates to not being able to go to places you want. You will need a truck that is plenty stout to tow it and that has lots of payload capacity. If you purchase a smaller RV and don't like it you will wish you had bought the larger one. RV's get real small in inclement weather, go bigger if you plan to spend time inside.

X2
I have been camping for 25+ years, all over eastern and southern USA, size of unit has never been a real issue.