Coming back for my second round after 5 years--UPDATE

[jkwilson]

About 5 years ago I thought my wife and I were close to retirement and I posted here seeking help with rig size, tow vehicle sizing and all the other things somebody new has to figure out. I thought I was within a year or two of having plenty of free time. Unfortunately, life got in the way and we were lucky enough to be "burdened" with a major role in raising a relative's teenaged children.

So now we are looking at retirement again!

Just a brief background so you can understand my knowledge level: I live on a family farm. Most of the land has been rented out since I was young. I've been involved raising cattle and hogs, hay production and just about anything you'd ever do on a farm. Driven everything from a bicycle to a semi. Not trying to sound like I know any more than anybody. Fact is in some ways it might put me at a disadvantage. I'm used to low gears and low speed with the flashers on when things get heavy.

So my wife and I have been RV shopping several weekends in a row. We've generally settled on about a 32' rig that weighs 8500 unloaded with 1539lb hitch weight. 13' tall to figure wind into things. Wife loves the floor plan and the kitchen. Seems like a good settling point for our first rig for one or two week regional trips and maybe a long haul out west. We had decided that a full queen bed, kitchen island, larger than typical refrigerator and comfortable seating were our priorities. Not going to spend months in it. Intentionally not mentioning specifics because I'd like to concentrate on choosing a tow vehicle and not get sidetracked.

So what would you tow it with? I'm not a brand fanboy. I know what the specs say will tow it, but I want to know what I'm going to be happy with towing it. A truck has always been a tool to me, not a club membership. I figure 10,000lbs loaded, but how much will my pin weight go up with the load? Is a gas engine ever an okay choice? What about a hitch? I need a gooseneck ball for farm trailers, so does that push me toward B&W? Is bed length a big deal with slider hitches?

I know I'm asking a lot in a single post, so don't feel bad if you don't answer everything. I'm reading through everything I can to try to come up to speed on my own, but every situation is a little different.

Thanks in advance.

[dwayneb236]

40' trailer. Never not found a place to camp, never turned away.

[jkwilson]

DownTheAvenue wrote:


You never mentioned 5th wheel in your original post, so I graviated to a tow behind trailer.

Ahh!

Aquaintance has a 35ft TT. I know he has wished for something more maneuverable and easier to find a site for. The height of the big 5th wheels scares his wife for some reason.

[DownTheAvenue]

jkwilson wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:
You asked about a tow rig, but I have to tell you that a 32 foot trailer is, in my opinion, way to big to take on any trip. Maneuvering into fuel stops, many campgrounds will be a challenge. Forget getting into any national park and many state parks.

In choosing a tow vehicle, look at the trailer's gross vehicle weight rating. The tow vehicle should be rated to tow 120% of that figure.

I appreciate the input, but I'm a little puzzled by your answer. To see a shorter 5th wheel other than the half-ton towables is pretty rare on dealer lots throughout Indiana and Northern Kentucky from what I've seen. Fact is most lots were full of larger rigs but we felt we were gravitating to the smaller ones.

You never mentioned 5th wheel in your original post, so I graviated to a tow behind trailer.

[Toolguy5]

jkwilson wrote:
So we pulled the trigger.

Spent the last several weeks choosing a floor plan and space that we were happy with. That led us to look at several brands of island kitchen, rear-living models. We finally settled on a Grand Design 303RLS and bought an F250 FX4 SRW with a 6.2 and 3.73 axle. Would have liked more axle, but they are a very, very scarce beast on the used market.

Rig has a GVWR of 11995 and 9265 empty. We like the floor plan and most everything about it.

After some shopping, we found a 2014 303RLS very close to us in very good shape. Gave up some of the newer features like the second awning, the convection oven, and the extra height for 16" tires and more clearance, but we are pretty happy with what we got and what we paid. We had shopped new, so we knew the trade-off. Came with the second AC already installed. As a bonus, the previous owners left many accessories with the unit. Sewer hose, vacuum cleaner, chairs, cleaners, brushes, hoses, decorations, vent pillows, sun shades etc..

I went with the Andersen Ultimate gooseneck version. I'm impressed. Installation was fast and easy. Hookup is simple and it tows very well. Still need a little checkout to see what my turning limits are.

The 250 with 6.2 tows it well. 5 or 6 miles of winding county road at 45MPH and then 25 miles of pretty hilly interstate driving. I'd have gone Diesel if we expected more road time.

Congrats. Happy Trails

[Toolguy5]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
You asked about a tow rig, but I have to tell you that a 32 foot trailer is, in my opinion, way to big to take on any trip. Maneuvering into fuel stops, many campgrounds will be a challenge. Forget getting into any national park and many state parks.

In choosing a tow vehicle, look at the trailer's gross vehicle weight rating. The tow vehicle should be rated to tow 120% of that figure.

We have a 36' 5er and have been all over the USA. Never had a problem getting in anywhere.

[2001400ex]

Nice work!!! Grand design makes great trailers. I'd have bought one of their toy haulers weren't all over 12k pounds. That being said, make sure you have 6 inches of bed rail clearance. I have the Anderson and already hit mine once, just barely and it was going very slow so it didn't do damage.

[Mike_E_]

Sounds like a great combo.

Congrats, and all the best.


Don't think you'll have much issue with turning/backing with the Andersen (there is always a chance of things going sideways though with anything), but when I was researching hitch/pinbox combos Andersen told me that the Reese Sidewinder is not to be used with their hitch. Just a tidbit of info I thought I'd pass along.

Mike

[Dave_H_M]

Oh boy, now you went sand did it. The diesel folks are gonna mzake you run in the rear of the pack. :B

i switched from an old rattler to the 6.2 Ford in 2012, pull 10K through the smokies normally 2 times a year. I have never looked back.

Have fun out there!

[jkwilson]

So we pulled the trigger.

Spent the last several weeks choosing a floor plan and space that we were happy with. That led us to look at several brands of island kitchen, rear-living models. We finally settled on a Grand Design 303RLS and bought an F250 FX4 SRW with a 6.2 and 3.73 axle. Would have liked more axle, but they are a very, very scarce beast on the used market.

Rig has a GVWR of 11995 and 9265 empty. We like the floor plan and most everything about it.

After some shopping, we found a 2014 303RLS very close to us in very good shape. Gave up some of the newer features like the second awning, the convection oven, and the extra height for 16" tires and more clearance, but we are pretty happy with what we got and what we paid. We had shopped new, so we knew the trade-off. Came with the second AC already installed. As a bonus, the previous owners left many accessories with the unit. Sewer hose, vacuum cleaner, chairs, cleaners, brushes, hoses, decorations, vent pillows, sun shades etc..

I went with the Andersen Ultimate gooseneck version. I'm impressed. Installation was fast and easy. Hookup is simple and it tows very well. Still need a little checkout to see what my turning limits are.

The 250 with 6.2 tows it well. 5 or 6 miles of winding county road at 45MPH and then 25 miles of pretty hilly interstate driving. I'd have gone Diesel if we expected more road time.

[jkwilson]

jarata1 wrote:
Good luck for n whatever you choose and by the way GOOD FOR YOU for helping out family you seem like good people

How could you sleep at night otherwise? I couldn't. I guess some folks can.

[jarata1]

Good luck for n whatever you choose and by the way GOOD FOR YOU for helping out family you seem like good people

[kzspree320]

I certainly don't think 32' is too long. Ours is a little under 35' and we have had no problems. I favor state parks. Ours is 13'3" high, 10,600 unloaded, and loaded weighs a little over 12K. I pull it with a 2016 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi and 4.10 rear axle ratio. Pulls great. Tow rating is about 16K, but I wouldn't like to pull more than about 13-14K with it. Does it pull like my previous diesel - NO- but it pulls well. Towing the fiver I got about 11 mpg at 65 mph with the Cummins diesel and I get 8 mpg with the 6.4 hemi. I could pull anywhere in TN and KY at 65. Yes, in Colorado it may take me a few more minutes to climb the mountain pass than the diesel, but I can live with that. I think the 2500/250 gassers from any of the big 3 with the right rear end would work well. I think 32' is a great size, but DW wanted bigger so we compromised at 35'. Good luck.

[garyp4951]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Dry weight of 8500#
Dry pin weight of 1539#----roughly a 18% pin weight---that is bit light

Load 2000# in stuff, food, pot/pans, linen etc
10500#
Wet pin s/b close to 2100# plus (20% or higher ...light pin causes 'chucking')

Any of the current brands/models in gas and 250/2500 would be capable of towing 12K....but if new go 350/3500 for few $$$ more (higher 'payload'----250/2500 can be limited by payload rating)


32'.......good choice
We have a 34' 5th wheel 14K 13'4" tall and towed it FT for 7 yrs moving locations weekly....all over the USA
State/National/COE CGs, fairgrounds, city parks, private CG, public CGs and boondocking out in the tulies
Traveled secondary/back-roads using Mom/Pop---local fuel stations.
Had to back out of a couple but so what. Just part of the towing experience. :B

Turnover ball installation in truck bed and then a Andersen Hitch

Slider only really needed with a short-short bed (5.5')
Now a days front cap is curved making for more turning radius, extended pin box and then Andersen Hitch can be flipped for more

32'---good choice

John, This is good info for you, but you have more choices on the hitch type with a turnover ball.

[jkwilson]

op wrote:
So what would you tow it with? I'm not a brand fanboy. I know what the specs say will tow it, but I want to know what I'm going to be happy with towing it. A truck has always been a tool to me, not a club membership. I figure 10,000lbs loaded, but how much will my pin weight go up with the load? Is a gas engine ever an okay choice? What about a hitch? I need a gooseneck ball for farm trailers, so does that push me toward B&W? Is bed length a big deal with slider hitches?

JIMNLIN wrote:
I assume the 32' is max length and not the trailer mfg number as I've seen one mfg trailer with a 32 xcpqr that was 38' long and had a 15500 gvwr.

The rig measures 31'11" maximum length.

JIMNLIN wrote:
We can't tell you how much weight you will load. My 11200 lb 5er has 2200-2400 lb pin weight depending on how long the trip will be. My 2500 Dodge/Cummins short bed with a Reese 16k sliding hitch....Almond color has no problems anywhere at any speed on any mountain pass with this size trailer.

One of those questions requiring ESP. Even I have no idea what I will load in it or how much it will weigh.

JIMNLIN wrote:
Rams 6.4 hemi or Fords 6.2 and GMs 6.0 seem to pull 10k-11k fine for folks. I would want at least the 4.10 gears with that size trailer. They carry much larger tow ratings however I see some gas owners bit into the 14k-15k tow ratings and many aren't happy.

My experience on the farm has been the bigger gassers with the 4+ rear axles performed well, but I have very little experience with them on sustained highway driving.

JIMNLIN wrote:
If your farm trailer(s) require a GN then the B&W setup would be fine. I have a couple of GN trailers up to 16k and use a old Reese GN plate that pins to my trucks bedrails.


Bed length ?? I have both and one doesn't work any better than the other
Short bed crew cabs are one of the most popular on the road pulling a 5th wheel rv trailer according to both larger RV dealers in my area. Your choice.
We have several brands of sliding hitches.
The Anderson ultimate type steel and aluminum hitch and Pullrite 2400 lsr 52 lb hitch systems. Ideal for your use.
Pin box like the Reese Sidewinder pin box system eliminates the need for a sliding hitch.
Spend some time on all the hitch mfg website and see what may work best for you.

I appreciate the input. I don't mind spending money, but like to do so wisely.