My father and I are going to take a week to do some traveling some time in Feb and one thing we want to do is see a fifth wheel being made so I would like opinions on which factories we should visit.

If you are planning on visiting Northern Indiana (RV mecca) you have options galore. I've been on a few and whatever manufacturer you decide, you'll be watching whatever they are building on that day. They don't necessarily build only 5er or TT in any facility. They are almost always mixed, a 5er might be right beside a TT, and 2 different models might be right beside each other too.Once you figure out where you'd like to go, or what brand your interested in, do an internet search for that manufacturer, search around on their web site and you will find a contact phone number somewhere, and some times even times and day of week for tours. Once you've seen how one factory assembles RV's you've pretty much seen how all of them do it, even motorhomes (like Coachman near Middlebury, Indiana) and Dutchmen-Danali TT's and 5er's) in Goshen, Indiana.

You want to go from Florida to N. Indiana in February? Hats off to you.. With that said JAYCO has their FW factory tours a 12:00 Mon-Thurs. You need to call and get on the list or stop at the Visitor's Center and sign up. I recommend if your know what day and that you want to take their tour to call ahead. Have a fun trip.

DRV in Howe, IN will give you a view of what is different in a full time rig vs. a weekend unit. HEARTLAND I hear is a good tour but have not been there. NEWMAR is good if you want to see motorhomes. Randu

Take the Heartland tour where they build the Landmarks... It's impressive. We toured Bighorn/Landmark plant, Jayco, and a Winnebago facility... Ordered the Big Horn after comparing the details based on tours. In each case we called ahead and scheduled, but no problem in any getting appointments.

took the Heartland tour last sept.….it started at 3:30 after the workers left, they turned off the lights. we walked around with the night lights on . what crap, you couldn't hardly see ,and i considered it dangerous…. so take a flashlight with you

Which 5th wheel factory tour would you recomend.

jbeletti
Explorer
Oct 03, 2014
mslater wrote:
took the Heartland tour last sept.….it started at 3:30 after the workers left, they turned off the lights. we walked around with the night lights on . what crap, you couldn't hardly see ,and i considered it dangerous…. so take a flashlight with you

mslater - sorry to hear this. This should not have happened and has been addressed with the plants.
missourijan
Explorer
Sep 23, 2014
I also recommend the Drv factory in Howe, IN.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Sep 23, 2014
Here's some help:

RV Manufacturer Factory Tours

Thor-information and pretty cool video

Factory Tours USA

RVing Fun Time Guide

Just to get you started.
TakingThe5th
Explorer
Sep 23, 2014
edbehnke wrote:
get a hold of keystone.

Montana is one brand.

Goshen, Indiana

We took the Keystone Cougar tour. It was an after hours tour. OK but would have preferred seeing the process in action.
edbehnke
Explorer
Sep 23, 2014
get a hold of keystone.

Montana is one brand.

Goshen, Indiana
2hams
Explorer
Sep 23, 2014
You can also visit the Grand Design factory.

The RV museum has a scale model of a typical factory.
mslater
Explorer
Sep 23, 2014
took the Heartland tour last sept.….it started at 3:30 after the workers left, they turned off the lights. we walked around with the night lights on . what crap, you couldn't hardly see ,and i considered it dangerous…. so take a flashlight with you
MTPockets1
Explorer
Sep 23, 2014
Take the Heartland tour where they build the Landmarks... It's impressive. We toured Bighorn/Landmark plant, Jayco, and a Winnebago facility... Ordered the Big Horn after comparing the details based on tours. In each case we called ahead and scheduled, but no problem in any getting appointments.
Randu
Explorer
Sep 23, 2014
DRV in Howe, IN will give you a view of what is different in a full time rig vs. a weekend unit. HEARTLAND I hear is a good tour but have not been there. NEWMAR is good if you want to see motorhomes. Randu
GrumpyandGrandm
Explorer
Sep 23, 2014
You want to go from Florida to N. Indiana in February? Hats off to you..

With that said JAYCO has their FW factory tours a 12:00 Mon-Thurs. You need to call and get on the list or stop at the Visitor's Center and sign up. I recommend if your know what day and that you want to take their tour to call ahead.

Have a fun trip.