5th wheel floor plans

[TimfmCT]

My wife and I are looking for a used 5th wheel to leave on a site in Florida. We travel in a MH and are not familiar with 5th wheels at all.
Because of the location of the site windows on the driver side would be a priority but the door on the passenger side.
Does anyone know of a source of floor plans etc. to try to find the 5th wheel we'd like?
Or info on 5th wheels with windows on the driver's side.

[TimfmCT]

Thanks for the info, I'd be interested to see how much they cost.
I am still wondering if the combo units commonly come with 5th wheels.
I've noticed "heat strips" can be added, but I haven't seen much about heat pumps specifically.
thanks again

dballentine wrote:
Looking at Camping World, there are several AC/HP units available, price range of $1K to $1300. You could swap the existing AC only for a combo unit, or if the 2nd AC position isn't used, just add it. It looks like they're all made to fit the standard 14x14 ceiling vent opening.

As you know, HPs are only good down to 35 degrees or so, but in Florida that might be all you need, most years anyway.

[dballentine]

Looking at Camping World, there are several AC/HP units available, price range of $1K to $1300. You could swap the existing AC only for a combo unit, or if the 2nd AC position isn't used, just add it. It looks like they're all made to fit the standard 14x14 ceiling vent opening.

As you know, HPs are only good down to 35 degrees or so, but in Florida that might be all you need, most years anyway.

[TimfmCT]

dballentine wrote:

TimfmCT wrote:
Do many 5th wheels have heat pumps?

My impression is not many.

If they were your only heat source, you'd have no heat if you were dry camping w/o a generator. I have seen some A/C units with built-in resistance heating, like you might have in a small portable electric heater.

Park Model trailers might be available with heat pumps, since they're intended to be set up in one place and not moved very often.

We have a motorhome that has an a/c unit with a heat pump. It also has a propane furnace.
For example I've noticed that not many 5th wheels have generators. Maybe heat pumps are not popular either. I'm wondering if a/c with heat pumps and a propane furnace are common.
We want to change over to a 5th wheel and leave it on a site in florida. We are finding that with the motorhome we have many opportunities to use the heat pump instead of the propane furnace. Maybe space heaters are more appropriate for 5th wheels. That;s why I'm wondering about heat pumps.

[dballentine]

TimfmCT wrote:
Do many 5th wheels have heat pumps?

My impression is not many.

If they were your only heat source, you'd have no heat if you were dry camping w/o a generator. I have seen some A/C units with built-in resistance heating, like you might have in a small portable electric heater.

Park Model trailers might be available with heat pumps, since they're intended to be set up in one place and not moved very often.

[padredw]

SORRY. This was for Peaches and Cream on the previous page. Didn't realize there were more posts following.

OK, this is as close as I can come:

2007 HitchHiker II model UKTG 32.5
33' 10" actual length, 10,120 "dry" weight, 13,675 GVWR

I added second AC
I have 50 Amp service

NuWa is no longer producing, but does offer service and has new and used HitchHiker and other brands for sale.

[Stefonius]

ikoolu wrote:
No 1 thing to look for - is there room on BOTH sides of the bed to get up in the middle of the night to tinkle? real pain if not -

No 2- can you stand up in it - nothing like to bend over all the time to get into bed or get the clothes out of the closet - we are both over 6ft so the HR Alumascape was our choice after looking at i bet 100 different units and floor plans

Amen to that second point! At 6'5", it was hard to find a unit that did not present an interior concussion hazard. We ended up with a North Ridge (sister to the Brookstone), because the slideouts have an interior height of 6'7".

[RVcrazy]

Be sure that you measure the units that interest you. The labels usually don't tell you the actual length.

[TimfmCT]

Do many 5th wheels have heat pumps?

TimfmCT wrote:
Thanks for that tip.
I am now wondering because we plan to place it on our site and leave it there should we consider options to include or exclude.

Mountain Mama wrote:
When I've been shopping, I like to look at PPL Motorhomes website as they show the floorplans of all units they have for sale. (Yes, they sell 5th wheels too). It gives an idea of what is out there and things to figure out what I like/want and don't. If you see a brand with a floorplan you like you can then go to that mfgs. website and see what they currently offer. We've never bought from PPL I just like to use it for "window" shopping! Good luck!

[dballentine]

It takes time, but you can almost always track down floorplans and specifications by going to the manufacturers' websites.

I started by going to (and bookmarking) RV Top Ten, which has a list of links to every RV company, and which brands they make.

I'm now going through and visiting each website. I add the manufacturer to my bookmarks, and sometimes even bookmark specific model pages, if they look to be within our length and weight window. Most sites also have a dealer locator, so you can visit dealers other than Lazy Days.

From browsing the web, it appears that at least some dealers will sell for 20-25% off of MSRP.

[peaches_cream]

I have been researching used 5th wheels for a few mo. now. My complaint is trying to determine the length of unit, GVWR of unit, if 50 amp or 30 amp. Most ads leave 1 or all of this info out. I then have to research each unit to find it does not meet my specs. I am looking for a 6 to 8 yr. old unit, 12,000 lbs. GVWR rating or lower, 34 ft. or less, 50 amp with 2 a/c, and prefer 2 slides and a king bed. Anyone know of a unit that meets those specs? If you own 1 that meets those requirements, please give me the name and manf. # so I can search for 1.

[ikoolu]

No 1 thing to look for - is there room on BOTH sides of the bed to get up in the middle of the night to tinkle? real pain if not -

No 2- can you stand up in it - nothing like to bend over all the time to get into bed or get the clothes out of the closet - we are both over 6ft so the HR Alumascape was our choice after looking at i bet 100 different units and floor plans

[TimfmCT]

Thanks for that tip.
I am now wondering because we plan to place it on our site and leave it there should we consider options to include or exclude.

Mountain Mama wrote:
When I've been shopping, I like to look at PPL Motorhomes website as they show the floorplans of all units they have for sale. (Yes, they sell 5th wheels too). It gives an idea of what is out there and things to figure out what I like/want and don't. If you see a brand with a floorplan you like you can then go to that mfgs. website and see what they currently offer. We've never bought from PPL I just like to use it for "window" shopping! Good luck!

[Mountain_Mama]

When I've been shopping, I like to look at PPL Motorhomes website as they show the floorplans of all units they have for sale. (Yes, they sell 5th wheels too). It gives an idea of what is out there and things to figure out what I like/want and don't. If you see a brand with a floorplan you like you can then go to that mfgs. website and see what they currently offer. We've never bought from PPL I just like to use it for "window" shopping! Good luck!

[TimfmCT]

Thanks for the replies. I'll just reply after the most recent one.
We went to the largest rv dealer in the area. Lazy Days in florida.
WQe looked at a bunch of 5th wheels within our criteria - - - except the price point!
We are limited to 35ft MAX due to site boundaries. Found most to be longer than that. Saw a nice one called a Cruiser 5th 34ft.
Does anyone have info on what the mark/up is on one "retailing" at 29k?
I'd be interested in any tips on what to avoid or any must haves.

Deb and Ed M wrote:
As previously noted, I think ALL 5ers will have windows on both sides; and generally the door is on the passenger side.

For a random "looking for stuff" website, I like General RV. I'm pretty sure it's www.generalrv.com It will let you sort their new and used inventory by size and floorplan (and price). Would give you an idea how different models lay out, although we discovered that in certain sizes, like our 28-footer, there's only a few variations.

IF you will have a pretty view on the driver's side of the trailer, you might like a rear living quarters with a couple of lounge chairs/rockers at the back of the trailer, to give you the view to the side?? In my trailer with a Super slide - couch and dinette on driver's side slide outward; you really couldn't see the view from the couch because your back would be towards the vista.