Buying our first fifth wheel

[Sammie1]

My husband and I are looking to buy our first fifth wheel. Need all the help and advice we can get before we buy. What do we need to know? We heard length was an issue for getting into most parks so have decided to stay under 40 feet. Any tips will be appreciated!

[Sammie1]

Thanks, thats some good information for us to consider.

[Sammie1]

Deb and Ed M wrote:
As you look at 5ers - be sure to look at what you can (or can't) access with the slide(s) pulled in. In MY case, the slide blocks 2 of my 4 heat registers; if I wanted to run the furnace to warm the trailer as we go down the road (or at least an hour before we pull into a place for the night) - I can't. It's not a deal-breaker; the furnace does a good job of heating the place up fast once the slide is out. I also can't access my pantry with the slide in - so I just don't put stuff in there I might want to use/eat while on the road.

Can you get to the potty with the slide in?? That can be pretty important. How about usability of the bathroom: shower tall enough? Toilet far enough from a wall that you can "tend to things". Vanity offers enough room to actually use it? Can you dump the tanks easily? (Not located under a slideout?) Don't forget to have a hitch on the rear, to carry bikes or whatever.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

As you look at 5ers - be sure to look at what you can (or can't) access with the slide(s) pulled in. In MY case, the slide blocks 2 of my 4 heat registers; if I wanted to run the furnace to warm the trailer as we go down the road (or at least an hour before we pull into a place for the night) - I can't. It's not a deal-breaker; the furnace does a good job of heating the place up fast once the slide is out. I also can't access my pantry with the slide in - so I just don't put stuff in there I might want to use/eat while on the road.

Can you get to the potty with the slide in?? That can be pretty important. How about usability of the bathroom: shower tall enough? Toilet far enough from a wall that you can "tend to things". Vanity offers enough room to actually use it? Can you dump the tanks easily? (Not located under a slideout?) Don't forget to have a hitch on the rear, to carry bikes or whatever.

[rhagfo]

Sammie1 wrote:

Sammie1 wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

Sammie1 wrote:
My husband and I are looking to buy our first fifth wheel. Need all the help and advice we can get before we buy. What do we need to know? We heard length was an issue for getting into most parks so have decided to stay under 40 feet. Any tips will be appreciated!

I guess need to ask a few questions before giving advice.

1. Use? Weekending vacations, or retirement part time/full time

2. Ever towed a trailer before?

3. Empty nesters, or Family.

4. Love to cook, or like eating out.




40' is a good size unit if you haven't towed before. If you have and have the desire for some space then why not.
40' depending of construction can weigh between 14,000# to 20,000#, looking for sure at 350/3500 to 450/4500 TV.

Good luck on your search, and Welcome.

Answers
1. Retirement full time
2. Only towed a pop-up camper, no 5th wheels
3. Empty nesters
4. I love to grill; she loves to eat out
We will buy an adequate TV, whatever the weight dictates, like a F350 turbo diesel.
We want to do the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone & many other private campgrounds. What do u think?

Thanks

well, 5ers tow great so even up to 40', as long as you have enough TV, you will be OK. 40' will restrict access to some older state parks.

My wife, loves to cook on the road, so a large kitchen was important. You will have it easier, as you can go with the smaller kitchen.

Good luck on the hunt.

[Sammie1]

Sammie1 wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

Sammie1 wrote:
My husband and I are looking to buy our first fifth wheel. Need all the help and advice we can get before we buy. What do we need to know? We heard length was an issue for getting into most parks so have decided to stay under 40 feet. Any tips will be appreciated!

I guess need to ask a few questions before giving advice.

1. Use? Weekending vacations, or retirement part time/full time

2. Ever towed a trailer before?

3. Empty nesters, or Family.

4. Love to cook, or like eating out.




40' is a good size unit if you haven't towed before. If you have and have the desire for some space then why not.
40' depending of construction can weigh between 14,000# to 20,000#, looking for sure at 350/3500 to 450/4500 TV.

Good luck on your search, and Welcome.

Answers
1. Retirement full time
2. Only towed a pop-up camper, no 5th wheels
3. Empty nesters
4. I love to grill; she loves to eat out
We will buy an adequate TV, whatever the weight dictates, like a F350 turbo diesel.
We want to do the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone & many other private campgrounds. What do u think?

Thanks

[Sammie1]

rhagfo wrote:

Sammie1 wrote:
My husband and I are looking to buy our first fifth wheel. Need all the help and advice we can get before we buy. What do we need to know? We heard length was an issue for getting into most parks so have decided to stay under 40 feet. Any tips will be appreciated!

I guess need to ask a few questions before giving advice.

1. Use? Weekending vacations, or retirement part time/full time

2. Ever towed a trailer before?

3. Empty nesters, or Family.

4. Love to cook, or like eating out.

40' is a good size unit if you haven't towed before. If you have and have the desire for some space then why not.
40' depending of construction can weigh between 14,000# to 20,000#, looking for sure at 350/3500 to 450/4500 TV.

Good luck on your search, and Welcome.

[broark01]

Besides what you have listed (generator), if you will be staying a week or 2 at a time in national or a state park that does not have water or sewer hookups you will want a way to haul fresh water to and sewage away from the 5th wheel. This keeps you from having to hook the 5th wheel up to the truck and take it to the park dump station on typically narrow roads. Other things you might want (not need) are a portable satellite dish system and cell phone signal booster.

[laknox]

Sammie1 wrote:
So what is one of the most important thing we need to know, that you wish you would have known before buying? So we need a heat pump, generator, and some of the other extras offered. Second air conditioner, fans, etc?

We weren't planning on buying a dual wheel truck.

If you don't want a dually, then you're very much limiting what size FW you can handle. UNLESS, you're talking about a 450/4500 class with a single super-tire, as I've seen. The single most important thing (arguably) is not how much you can TOW, but how much you can CARRY. 20-25% of the weight of the FW will be sitting on the hitch, in the truck...along with you, your SO, passengers, the hitch, fuel, tools, and whatever odds 'n ends you carry in the truck. Decide on the FW first, then look at trucks. If the trucks to handle the FW you want are simply too big for you, then re-set your sights on a smaller FW.

Lyle

[dballentine]

Sammie1 wrote:
So what is one of the most important thing we need to know, that you wish you would have known before buying? So we need a heat pump, generator, and some of the other extras offered. Second air conditioner, fans, etc?

We weren't planning on buying a dual wheel truck.

If that's the case, then you probably want to re-think a 40'+ FW. In all likelihood, that's going to be too heavy for a SRW 1-Ton truck (i.e., a 350/3500).

There are several threads on this forum about truck capabilities and trailer weights; you should read them. A lot depends on the specific truck model you use, the trailer you select, etc. The "tow rating" you see in marketing materials is a "best case", and depends on a very specific combination of factors. For example, the TV is driven by a 150lb driver with no passengers or cargo, either in the TV or the bed.

As a rough guide...
28-32' = 10-12,000lbs = 2500 SRW
32-36' = 12-14,000lbs = 3500 SRW
36-40' = 14-17,000lbs = 3500 DRW

Weights are GVW, not Dry.

[fuzzdr]

Last summer, we traded in our Sprinter 277RLS tt for a Cruiser CF315 5th wheel. Then we traded our F150 with 5.3 L gas for a Superduty F250 CC 6.1L gas engine. As I didn't want the bed attachment taking up a lot of room in the truck in the off season, I installed a Reese Elite 5th wheel Slider hitch. That way, I can remove the hitch very easily and the supports remain under the truck bed between the wheels. Very slick arrangement. We are very happy with the rig so far. The trailer has a great entertainment area; leather reclining sofa across the back with double recliner chairs right next to that in the rear slide out. The rig tows and handles great at 32' 11". If I was travelling the mountains frequently I would have got the diesel engine- but I am not.
Good luck with your new rig.......

[Sammie1]

So what is one of the most important thing we need to know, that you wish you would have known before buying? So we need a heat pump, generator, and some of the other extras offered. Second air conditioner, fans, etc?

We weren't planning on buying a dual wheel truck.

[jevanb]

just get what ever she wants , whatever he wants is irrelevant, I bought 3 units in 5 years because she liked them, after each one she wanted other features, also get the biggest you can afford NOW.. because it is your first and will not be your last. if you get big now you will not lose money later

[kzspree320]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Private CGs.......not much of problem with length

But if you are planning on state/national forest CGs......35' can be a problem
And the biggest problem is negotiating thru CG due to narrow/windy roads around trees.

You can go either way....
Buy a big truck and then shop for 5vr that is within 'Ratings' of truck (payload, axle and tire load capability)
Buy 5vr and then get the truck rated to tow it.

I agree with this. If you stay with a 2500 or 3500 SRW, you are limiting the weight of the 5vr due to pin weight and cargo carrying capacity concerns. If you are willing to buy a 3500 DRW, only a few of the very largest 5vrs made would be too heavy.

[rhagfo]

Sammie1 wrote:
My husband and I are looking to buy our first fifth wheel. Need all the help and advice we can get before we buy. What do we need to know? We heard length was an issue for getting into most parks so have decided to stay under 40 feet. Any tips will be appreciated!

I guess need to ask a few questions before giving advice.

1. Use? Weekending vacations, or retirement part time/full time

2. Ever towed a trailer before?

3. Empty nesters, or Family.

4. Love to cook, or like eating out.

40' is a good size unit if you haven't towed before. If you have and have the desire for some space then why not.
40' depending of construction can weigh between 14,000# to 20,000#, looking for sure at 350/3500 to 450/4500 TV.

Good luck on your search, and Welcome.