5th wheel with front living area

[rnamiddleton]

We are wanting to purchase a 5th wheel with the front living area, but I would like to know the pros and cons. One dealership told us that alot of people complain because there is no underneath storage. Does anyone have one and what kind and what do you use to tow it with..thanks for any info...

[Rob_Fla]

We recently bought a Redwood 38FL and love the changes to the floor plan, works great for us 🙂

The changes to the floor plan is what made the sale for us.

[jrpend]

We don't own it, but in a recent trip to a RV show, my wife and I fell in love with a Redwood 36FL. If I had the truck for it would have probably left the show with it on the back. Alas....

We did not notice any significant reduction in the underdeck storage - a small tool box common on the side of other Redwoods was missing. I think the wardrobes were a bit smaller since in front bedroom models they tend to use the odd shaped area in the nose for a wardrobe.

We liked it because it was cozy up there and the additional space in the back was put to good use.

Just my $.02.
Rgds,
Jerald
PS - Anybody from Thor/Redwood reading? We think you messed up the floor plan in the 38fl....

[Aridon]

We don't care for that particular floor type. We spend a decent amount of time inside our RV and I wouldn't want my ceiling that low in our primary living area. Especially since its much taller in the other areas of the RV and feels much more open if you don't close it all in by putting the master down there. I just don't see it.

[Halmfamily]

We currently own a Sandpiper 366FL. Overall we enjoy the front living room but we do have a lack of underside storage and must put the grill and cooler on the kitchen floor. Make sure you are comfortable with not sitting directly in front of the television. If you can find a FL with TV in one of the slides and couch in the nose it will be a better layout. We are currently looking at rear living room models due to these reasons and we want a view when sitting in the living room, windows too small in a FL. Good luck in your search.

[masonburdette]

Just purchased our Open Range 386FLR and love it. Doesn't bother me that I can't use the bathroom with the slide in, a push of a button resolves that easily. I love Open Ranges and hope to go to the homecoming next year.

[Bamaman11]

I love the forward living 5th wheel designs. But they're the most expensive of floorplans.

Unfortunately, my 3/4 ton diesel pickup is just not equipped to handle such a load. You need a 1 ton dually at a minimum to handle one.

[jimandlaurie]

We love our 3750FL Montana. We have plenty of indoor storage. The outside storage keeps us from packing more Cr** than we need to. The big thing besides the entertainment room we have, is having 2 doors and access to kitchen and head when traveling without putting out any slides. . That was a big thing for the DW. Also I won't break my neck if I have to go out the bedroom window in a fire or emergency.

[525pilly]

We have an older 32' Terry "Sky Lounge" that we really like.

On the Plus Side:
Stand up headroom from to back.
Lots of glass in the living and dining areas make the living area light and airy.
A physical separation between the living and dining areas. We are not fans of the great room concept, but can still converse between the areas.
A greater sense of privacy.
More kitchen counter space than some front BR models.
Easy to keep the front warm and the rear BR cool for sleeping.
Second outside door.
Less noise and light intrusion from the front into the BR.
More stability, don't notice anyone moving around in front while sleeping in back.
On the down side:
Slightly higher, but only 6 inches more than front BR according to advertising literature.

Some complain about the steps into the LR area. We find they are easier than getting into the trailer from the ground. We usually don't go into the LR unless we plan to be there a while so it is not a problem.

We spent over five months in Alaska in it, and found the storage, both inside and outside, to be adequate for our needs. We would definately get another.

We tow with a pre-turbo SRW F250 7.3 diesel, averaged over 10 MPG on the Alaska round trip, about 5800 miles.

[Georgew48]

We are on our second year with our Cardinal 3800FL and love it. We spend 8 months a year in it and it works great for us. My brother-in-law is 6'6" and has no problem standing with room left over. We love the large bath and large rear bedroom. The Cardinal has more outside storage than some other models because they use cable slides for the two living room slides and this makes more basement storage because you don't lose space for the Hyd actuators. The other three slides are hydraulic. The living room has two 10 foot sofas and a 55 inch big screen TV. Their is a 32 inch TV in the bedroom and basement. Better have a big tow vehicle though as this unit is 43 feet long and heavy. I get 12MPG towing with my 2013 F350 CC DRW 6.7 diesel. Leaving in the morning for South Dakota and Colorado.

[RWalt]

We now have an 2013 Alpine 3495. Our last trailer was a big country 3250 and all our stuff fits fine. The biggest three items that we wanted with the new trailer were a second A/C, king bed and no recliners. Having the rear bedroom is great. We have two sons pre teenager and we can use the rear door to go outside without waking them. We camp 30 or so nights a year and no longer then 7 nights (Disney) and having the recliners was a pain. They were comfortable once out but they bounced around a couple of trips and tore up the window treatment. With the trips we do having the theater seats is a better opinion. I can move the tv to face me.

Several of the new front living rooms have more storage then a regular 5 wheel. The rear bed room is raised and there are 3-4 pass throughs look at the big country. So they have a raised front and rear. It is interesting.

[wkswenson]

We have a Cedar Creek 38FL and love it. When towing any side rig like this the last thing I am worrying about is mpg - it is what it is. (currently 12 mpg).

Our storage is slightly smaller than other units we have seen but works for us.

[Mighty_Thor]

We have an old Jayco with the front living room and picked it for that very reason. Our front is lower profile so it tows nice but at 6'4" I do have to duck down when moving about in the front room. For my wife and most others it is NP. On the other hand, we don't do that much standing in the living room, so it suits me fine. Kitchen and dining are full height. In the back bedroom we have plenty of inside storage and I can stand up to get dressed and undressed in the bedroom. I have tent camped enough to know that I prefer to stand while getting dressed.

[Miles_Away]

Storage and head room should be a good as any other fiver, at least in the ones I have seen. Two advantages not yet mentioned here are that because the bed room is in the back, you are not sleeping on the "second floor", which makes emergency exit out a window a much shorter drop. Another advantage is that most front living room rigs will have two entrance doors (front & rear).

[goducks10]

Redwood has a nice one also.
http://www.southernrv.com/2014-redwood-residential-vehicles-rushmore-38fl-new-fifth-wheel-ga-i809061