top five 5th wheel makers

ReneeG wrote:

skipnchar wrote:
I would have doubt that very many folks on this forum have owned MOST of the brands they might report as best. I for one don't like to give advice about products I've never tried or had any first hand knowledge about. Here's a link to where you can get information from only folks who HAVE owned a brand and compare one against another.
http://www.rv-coach.com/RV/manufacturers/survey/rate_your_rv_results.html Owners rate their OWN RVs based on a standard list of criteria. Brands with the most responses will no doubt be the most accurate (not influenced by someone with an axe to grind or a "brand lover")

Good luck / Skip

Excellent point Skip.

I have a Citation Supreme which is a well built and very well insulated RV. The only trouble I have had with the unit is that the gel coat is cracking and popping after 10 years. So based on my own experience I would rate a Citation Supreme as one of the best but all it takes is a quick look at some of these other manufacturers to know that the Canadian built Citation Supreme does not come close to a Continental Coach.

skipnchar wrote:
I would have doubt that very many folks on this forum have owned MOST of the brands they might report as best. I for one don't like to give advice about products I've never tried or had any first hand knowledge about. Here's a link to where you can get information from only folks who HAVE owned a brand and compare one against another.
http://www.rv-coach.com/RV/manufacturers/survey/rate_your_rv_results.html Owners rate their OWN RVs based on a standard list of criteria. Brands with the most responses will no doubt be the most accurate (not influenced by someone with an axe to grind or a "brand lover")

Good luck / Skip

Well at least today, that link doesn't work

skipnchar wrote:
I would have doubt that very many folks on this forum have owned MOST of the brands they might report as best. I for one don't like to give advice about products I've never tried or had any first hand knowledge about. Here's a link to where you can get information from only folks who HAVE owned a brand and compare one against another.
http://www.rv-coach.com/RV/manufacturers/survey/rate_your_rv_results.html Owners rate their OWN RVs based on a standard list of criteria. Brands with the most responses will no doubt be the most accurate (not influenced by someone with an axe to grind or a "brand lover")

Good luck / Skip

Excellent point Skip.

I would have doubt that very many folks on this forum have owned MOST of the brands they might report as best. I for one don't like to give advice about products I've never tried or had any first hand knowledge about. Here's a link to where you can get information from only folks who HAVE owned a brand and compare one against another.
http://www.rv-coach.com/RV/manufacturers/survey/rate_your_rv_results.html Owners rate their OWN RVs based on a standard list of criteria. Brands with the most responses will no doubt be the most accurate (not influenced by someone with an axe to grind or a "brand lover")

Good luck / Skip

best?

Nobody ever suggests this builder when this question is posted,Thought I would throw out a link.
Seen one in person , Spacecraft is the only match for one of these -all the rest are second ,a distant second.
Used I would look for a Royals or a Teton,maybe a Elite suite.
(with a unlimited budget)

Forks rv ,spacecraft,new horizons ,lifestyle,moble suite.



Still in production?
budget?

:h Well then I should add you can live full time in ANY of them, should you so wish.

But, and this is a big one, how are some of these going to stand up to full time use???

The best answer is that some will not. They're just not built for it. Not built sturdy enough,

The best example I can give you is look at the utensil drawer in your kitchen area. Probably will be the most opened drawer in the whole trailer.

For weekender built rigs, used Fri-Sat-Sun 3 times a month for 3 months, (27 total days of use) that drawer is opened 3 times a day for 81 total uses a season.

So yes, it can have staples and plastic drawer glides.

But now take that same drawer 365 days a year times 3 daily uses. 1,095 total uses during a year.

1095 versus 81. Huge difference. And that is why the drawer in a full time capable rig better be built like the drawers in your stick house. Glued, screwed, dovetailed and metal type runners. No particle board or other light materials. Real wood, real quality. Real weight.

And the fifth wheel you choose to live in full time should be built the same way. Which means it is going to be heavy.

But, in the end, your choice. Remember that things in a lightly built trailer are going to stand up only so long before use past their designed expectations just causes them to break.

Buying used is not the problem here. Finding used in the quality levels you need is the major factor.

There are a lot of good, used rigs around in the quality level you need. However, most are heavy so be advised and beware. Have the proper truck that can handle the hitch weight of these trailers.

And please, please don't pay any attention to someone who tells you "this truck can pull it". Pulling is never the problem with a heavy fifth wheel. Most all newer trucks have plenty of power to pull these trailers.

The problem comes with if the truck can handle the hitch weight of the fifth wheel and not go over rear axle ratings, tire ratings, or the gross vehicle weight rating of the truck. For there are many, many trucks that have power to pull that cannot carry the hitch weight of a heavy fifth wheel.

Best of luck in your search.

We are very happy with our Sea Hawk (now Prairie Schooner) by Gulf Stream, but I wouldn't put it in the same category as the very top - Teton, New Horizon, etc.

Add Heartland Bighorn, Keystone Montana, Arctic Fox.

I'll add DRV, Travel Supreme, Alpenlite and Teton to the list. However, from your postings in the Truck Camper forum, you've indicated that you own a 2500 truck, IIRC. The aforementioned 5ers are heavy. As an example; about the lightest models of those mentioned in the 32-34' range would be a used 05 NuWa HitchHiker II LS, 30.5 RLBG Floorplan (32'-1" Ext. Length), empty pin weight of 1840 lbs, with a GVWR of about 13,500 lbs. If you have purchased your friend's 2001 f350 ford dually with a 7.3 diesel, you'll be right on the cusp of your tow rating.