We are dealing with the potential loss of our current 5th wheel and currently waiting on the insurance company to determine what if anything they will do. You can see details here: Trailer DamageWhile we are waiting we started looking at new 5th wheels. The nearest dealer is a Jayco dealer and is where we purchased our current 5th wheel. It is a family run business that has been there for years. The two models that they have in stock are:Eagle HT 27.5RLTS 30"11" GVWR 99950Eagle 317RLOK 37' GVWR 12,250We liked both units and obviously the larger unit costs more but offers more as well.Smaller Unit Larger Unit1 15,000 A/C......................2 15,000 A/c both ductedElectric front and rear jacks.....Electric front and rear jacks No auto level system..............Has auto levelingNo outside Kitchen................Outside KitchenNo W/D prep.......................W/D PrepOne Awning........................Two Awnings 6 Gallon WH......................DSI 18 Gallon Equiv WH8 CU Ft Frig......................12 CU Ft Frig30 Amp Electric...................50 Amp ElectricLaminate Counter tops.............Solid Surface Counter TopsNo Fireplace......................Fireplace39 Inch TV in LR..................39" LR 32" BR 24" in Out Kitchen15 inch D rated Tires.............16 Inch E rated tiresThe big question is are the extra features on the larger unit worth the $11,000.00 difference in Price? I know we have the final say but looking for constructive advise.Both have the Morryde Suspension System. What is this and what does it do if anything for me?Regarding the water heater what is a DSI 18 gallon Equiv? Is it a 18 Gallon tank? Or does it heat water fast enough that you get 18 gallons an hour?Are there any members that have these units that can share feedback on what they are happy with and what they are not happy with?Are Jayco 5th wheels a quality unit or are they known for problems? Anything at all that we should know good or bad about Jayco?Thanks in advance for your constructive comments!Dave

Understanding that all you're going to get are opinions, Jayco is, in my opinion, as good or better than other RVs AT ITS PRICE POINT, at least when it comes to the mid-range 5th wheels. And, yes, the additional features are worth every bit of $11K - you couldn't go back and add them to the smaller 30 amp rig for $11K.Background for the above - we've owned 3 Jaycos, a Cardinal pop-up (our first RV) and 2 Designer 5th wheels.Rusty

The $11,000 difference is probably worth it, if you want a 37' FW as opposed to a 31' one. When we bought our 2102 HT 26.5 RLS, we didn't want a trailer that was 37' long due to where we store it next to our house and the capacity of the Ram 2500 six-speed manual that we had. After nine months, we traded for a GMC D/A combo crew cab that probably would have carried the Eagle you are looking at. For us, with just the two of us, the 26.5 works great and we have no desire to upgrade to a heavier, longer FW. As far as quality, I think that, as said above, at each price point, you will probably find that Jayco quality is at least equal to anything else out there. And, the 18 gal equivalent is, I think, a six gallon water heater with the ability to throughput 18 gallons of hot water an hour using both gas and electric. Our water heater is six gallon but is rated at a greater equivalent then that.

There are several different Mor-ryde suspension systems. They range from equalizers between the springs up to a full blown independent suspension. Just saying it has Mor-ryde suspension doesn't mean much unless the version it has is mentioned. Most likely it has some Mor-ryde equalizers only. They help a little to provide a smoother ride.B.O.

I think it is a given that those features are worth $11k. Question is, are those features that you want? If a majority of those features appeal to you, then it is probably worth it to you.Keep in mind that you are comparing an HT model (half ton, light weight model) to a regular model. So in addition to the features you mentioned, you will have the features that are standard on the heavier models. I didn't check the Jayco site, but I would bet the heavier model is also taller.

We have a 2016 27.5 RLTSWe have one 15k btu air conditioner. And so far for us it has been fine. however have not used it in the desert in the middle of the summer Would love to have the auto level but to be honest wasn't willing to pay an extra 3 or 4k for it. I can add it myself for that much if I wanted too.Didn't want an outside kitchenDidn't want W/D prepMore awning would be better but the one there seems to work ok but due to the slide it cant be any longer which could be niceThe water heater works fine for us. If using both gas and elec it heats up pretty quick. We have not run out of HW but we don't lounge in the shower either.The fridge is not overly large but has not been a problem for us. We have 50 amp service we do not have the second ac unit which is the only reason I can think of the unit might need 50 amps.The counter top well that remains to be seen on how well they hold up but so far so good.Ours does have the fireplace which is only used for a bit of heat instead of running the furnace uses less elec draw. Wont keep up the whole trailer when cold out but does fine when it is only cool and you just need a bit or for like overnight again if not too coldTV is fine. Did not want an outside tv see no reason for one myself and I darn sure don't want to hear anyone else's but to each his own. There is a space for a tv in the bedroom and has blocking for mounting one but it is in a very poor place and don't see how you could really hang one there without it being in the way entering an exiting the room. It above the curbside window and a bit towards the door ours is marked for it. Not a problem for us as we don't watch much tv while camping.The tires/wheels while I will change them out from the 15 to 16 size they do have a decent load rating and are not undersized for the trailer. IIRC they are rated for 2540lbs, trailer max weight is 9950 lets call the pin weight 1500 though it is more that leaves 8450 on the tires and the tires have a 10160 load rating so there is a good cushion. I also have a TPMS system added to the trailer and the tire temps are good with very little variation in temps between tires making me think it is fairly well balanced as well. So far we have been happy with the 27.5 trailer. It has not been perfect but none/few are. Nothing really major. Just yesterday I did change out the bathroom fan as it got pummeled by hail and leaked. I felt that the plastic covering for it was way to thin to be of any real value. Replaced it with a Fantastic Vent that moves much more air and the cover has a lifetime warranty. Though the new one cant really be ran in the rain like the old one was supposed to be able to due to its design. I think it really comes down to what you want in a trailer. If those items on the bigger one are must haves then there is your answer. You can also order a Jayco HT with much of that stuff included or what you want included. Obviously the price will go up as well. I wanted as short a unit as possible wife wanted longer well just more room. The triple slide gives you a ton of room in the living area. So we both sort of got what we wanted in that respect.

Jayco 5th Wheels Questions | Good Sam Community

alboy
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
Ive had 3 rv,s ,two single pane rigs,3rd has the dual pane Hehr windows,the best by far.Our extreme temps are in Palm SPRINGS, 32-90 DEGREES IN THE WINTER,never have to wipe the windows to see out. The single pane are always moisture covered in the later part of the day,just a real pain.
laknox
Nomad
Jun 22, 2016
dpgllg wrote:
Looking at the options that can be added I have two questions:

1. Is the MOR/Ryde "RPB" Rubber Pin Box at $637.00 a good investment? I understand that it helps eliminate front to back chucking. I am just not familiar with it at all. Can it be added at a later date relatively easy?

2. Will The Dual Pane Frameless Tinted Safety Glass Windows at $1492.00 significantly keep the unit cooler or warmer? I do not anticipate doing much cold weather camping. If it is cold out I want to be where it is warm!

Thanks to everyone for all there help

Dave

The MorRyde pin box would be an option I'd get, though it's not hard to add later on. Just have to have the tools to get it done, and some help to lift it into place.

From everything I've read about dual pane windows, for all but extreme conditions, I'm not sure they're worth it. Too many stories about them fogging up after a few years, then having to spend more than you paid for them to "fix" them. The biggest upside seems to be rigs with them tend to be much more quiet inside.

Lyle
RustyJC
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
If you're only camping in moderate climates where the temperature inside the RV is close to the outdoor ambient temperature, the double pane windows will have minimal value. On the other hand, if you're camping in extreme temperatures (cold OR hot) like we do here in Texas in the summers, then the double pane windows are WELL worth the money. In 100 degF temperatures, we need all the insulation we can get to cool the 5th wheel, and the double pane insulated windows in our current 5th wheel make a LOT of difference compared to the previous one that didn't have them.

Rusty
Itching2go
Explorer II
Jun 22, 2016
dpgllg wrote:
Looking at the options that can be added I have two questions:

1. Is the MOR/Ryde "RPB" Rubber Pin Box at $637.00 a good investment? I understand that it helps eliminate front to back chucking. I am just not familiar with it at all. Can it be added at a later date relatively easy?

2. Will The Dual Pane Frameless Tinted Safety Glass Windows at $1492.00 significantly keep the unit cooler or warmer? I do not anticipate doing much cold weather camping. If it is cold out I want to be where it is warm!

Thanks to everyone for all there help

IMHO, I would consider the MorRyde rubber pin box well worth the investment. After towing without it on our prior rig, I was amazed at the difference in towing comfort. It eliminated almost all chucking and really smooths out those seams when towing on concrete interstates.

No opinion on the dual plane windows, although I've read a lot of posts where folks report a good things about them.

Dave
dpgllg
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
Looking at the options that can be added I have two questions:

1. Is the MOR/Ryde "RPB" Rubber Pin Box at $637.00 a good investment? I understand that it helps eliminate front to back chucking. I am just not familiar with it at all. Can it be added at a later date relatively easy?

2. Will The Dual Pane Frameless Tinted Safety Glass Windows at $1492.00 significantly keep the unit cooler or warmer? I do not anticipate doing much cold weather camping. If it is cold out I want to be where it is warm!

Thanks to everyone for all there help

Dave
Itching2go
Explorer II
Jun 21, 2016
We have a Jayco Designer and are very pleased with the build quality, so I'd have no concerns there. Regarding your question related to an 18 gallon equivalent hot water heater, this is likely an Atwood heater with a 10 gallon tank and mixer valve. The water is heated up to a much higher temperature than a standard RV water heater, then mixed with cold at the outlet via a mixer valve to yield hot water at the standard temperature. The result is that you can get the same amount of hot water as that of an 18 gallon tank. We have this on our Designer, and it works very well, having never run out of hot water even when taking back-to-back showers. The only problem we've experienced with this was one time when the mixer valve got clogged with sediment. We replaced the valve with one purchased from Amazon that featured a screen on the inlet. Easy install as it screws directly on to the back of the tank. Don't recall the cost, but I don't recall that it was prohibitive.
NC_Hauler
Explorer
Jun 21, 2016
The HT 291RSTS would be perfect for your truck, leaves room for options also.

We've had our Jayco TH for almost a year now and love it..It'll be our full time home starting sometime this fall:)

Jayco also has a 2 yr warranty. A lot of manufacturers only offer a 1 yr warranty on their units

Jim
dpgllg
Explorer
Jun 21, 2016
garyp4951 wrote:
I like the HT for 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks, and you could tow the Eagle, but would be maxed out. I just went to a used HT because I got tired of towing a 12k 5er with a 3/4 ton, and did not want to upgrade my truck. If you get the HT be sure to check the level height of the pin box to your hitch height, and you may need to have the dealer install a Correct Track, and 16" tires to keep from being nose high when hitched. If you check my other threads, you can see what I did to mine to level it out.

We are leaning towards a HT 291RSTS model with the options we really want. The must have are 50amp service 2 a/c units and the 16 inch tire option. Next would be the auto level system. I am disabled so the auto level feature would be very helpful for me. The rest such as fireplace and such are negotiable.

I to was a little concerned about the Eagle and its size and weight. The Eagle would not fit in my driveway at 37 feet and although my truck is rated at 16,000 for a 5th wheel I'd rather not get close to the limit. I just was not aware that you could add the 50 amp service etc to the HT line.

Dave
goducks10
Explorer
Jun 20, 2016
dpgllg wrote:
krusegroup wrote:
We optioned a lot of the items in your second column onto a 35' Eagle HT BHXB. I didn't want the auto-level, but have almost everything else. We've just had it for a few months, but really love it!

I went online and loaded those options we really wanted into the smaller unit and it took the price up 6 grand which is not bad for auto level, 2nd a/c, and fireplace. I also upgraded the windows to frameless dual pane windows as well

Also thanks BarryG20 for your feedback. I'm glad your happy with your unit. It makes a person feel better before taking this big of a plunge knowing others that have done it and are satisfied.

If I'm going to order a unit I might really consider the 28,5RSTS HT the floorplan is similar but it has an island which the wife prefers.

Is there a Jayco Users Forum? I'd like tp look and see what people are saying

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/
garyp4951
Explorer III
Jun 20, 2016
I like the HT for 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks, and you could tow the Eagle, but would be maxed out. I just went to a used HT because I got tired of towing a 12k 5er with a 3/4 ton, and did not want to upgrade my truck. If you get the HT be sure to check the level height of the pin box to your hitch height, and you may need to have the dealer install a Correct Track, and 16" tires to keep from being nose high when hitched. If you check my other threads, you can see what I did to mine to level it out.

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