Space in the truck bed?

[modern_family]

Hello all,

We are planning on upgrading next year and we are contemplating a fiver. I really like having the full bed for storage though. I have 4 bikes that we bring everywhere and I am a bit shy about putting them on the back of the camper( lost all 4 once due to rack failure) as well as firewood, tables, portable waste tank, etc.. But, we really like the space and I am sure I will like the tow of a fifth wheel.

I have an 8' bed, how far back can the hitch be or is there really only one spot it can be installed (between the wheel wells) Is the space usable in front of it? I understand there is space needed for it to swivel, so you can't place items too high. Anyone have pictures of how you used your bed while the fiver is hooked up? Thanks for your help!

[CatInSnoho]

We haul our bikes on a front-mounted hitch on a Swagman S64650 rack from etrailer.com. We have used the rack for 3 or 4 summers with zero problems. I like being able to keep an eye on them. I personally would never haul anything on the rear ladder. The ladder on our Pinnacle flexes quite a bit when my 220 lb. husband climbs on it. I would feel terrible if something fell off the ladder and caused an accident. Not to mention, in WA state you can be cited and face a stiff penalty for failure to secure your load.

On your truck bed question, we haul firewood in a large Rubbermaid tote in front of our fifth wheel hitch. It is secured to the front cargo tie-downs. Behind the hitch we carry our waste tote if needed, again tied down. We have had the tie down straps come undone because of the wind. I would be leery of putting anything behind the hitch that wasn't heavy and very well secured. I think you will be amazed how much stuff will fit in the cargo area of the fifth wheel. Everything else goes in there - table, lawn chairs, lawn games, coolers, etc. I don't worry about throwing dirty stuff in the cargo area either, as it is covered with a very durable material and can be mopped up or shop-vac'ed. And you are camping - things will get dirty!

[Larryzv7]

butchfuzion wrote:
That screen room is nice! What happens if the wind comes up? Does the room help hold the awning?

The screen room will stay up in wind gusts 35-to-40mph, over that I take the screen room down. If I hear on my NOAA weather radio that there is going to be high winds I do not put it up, or if it is already up I take it down.

But otherwise it is very secure with stakes in the ground all around it and I put a nylon rope on each corner, staked in the ground, which helps hold the awning down. I also purchased separately 8-Camco Awning De-Flappers, which works great to stabilize the awning in windy situations.

Awning De-Flappers

[heaterswa]

We also mount our bikes up front on our FMR.

[butchfuzion]

That screen room is nice! What happens if the wind comes up? Does the room help hold the awning?

[klr650goldwing]

We put a receiver hitch on the front of our Ford. We haul the bikes up front where we can keep an eye on them. Works well for us.

[Larryzv7]

Modern Family, A lot of people who fulltime RV want all the comforts of home, because when you fulltime, your RV becomes your fulltime home, and for a lot of full timers roughing it never enters their mind.

I’ve had a number of party-like gatherings around my 5th wheel. Usually on Thanksgiving I get together with a group of fulltime RV’ers whom I’ve met out here on the road and we do a pot luck, but during summer months a lot of other campers envy my wading pool. I also have a very nice telescope and at night its’ great to zoom in on the moon or view the planets and far away stars. There is so much to do out here besides hiking and biking.

If you plan on full-timing it’s never too early to start doing some research on the kind of fulltime lifestyle you want. Think about things like income, budget, medical care, the kind of RV or tow vehicle you want, and where you want to go in your RV; like Alaska, or Panama, Canada, all over the U.S., etc.

How a person designs their fulltime lifestyle will dictate their experience. Some full timers don’t have any design they just point their RV and end up where-ever, but having a decent budget is very helpful. The “Full-time RVing” forum here on this website can assist you in your research.:)

N-Trouble, below is a link to the “Carefree Vacation” screen room which I have. It comes in different sizes and you purchase it according to the length of your awning because it attaches to the awning. The ladder I have makes setting it up very easy and it takes about 30-minutes, depending on how fast I am doing it. Sometimes I stop and sip a beer, etc. then it takes longer.:)

Carefree Vacation Screen Room

[N-Trouble]

I've never seen a screen room like that. How long does it take to put up/take down and who makes it?

[modern_family]

Now that is "roughing it" Larry;). Very nice set-up. I want to full-timing now (BUT, about 15 years too early unfortunetely) I bet you are the "party central"..

[sarhvac1]

we had an actual hitch receiver welded on the back bumper of the F W at the rv dealer when we bought ours and purchased a bike rack from Amazon The Cargo Carrier w/Bike Rack is 27" x 62" hold up to 4 bikes. Use as a Cargo Carrier or a bike rack with removable pins. Holds up to 500 lbs. listed as Tow Tuff Cargo Carrier with Bike Rack on amazon we had ours loaded with three adult size bikes not very lite ones and 2 zero gravity chairs. went up and down the east coast they don't move at all with a couple of extra straps! the hitch installed was only around 300.00 but don't have to worry anymore about no bikes when you get to destination...

[Larryzv7]

modern family wrote:
Larryzv7.. That is a great outdoor room. Being a full timer, must come in very handy!

That screen-room gives me a lot more space; sometimes, during pleasant weather, I set up a cot in the screen-room and spend the night sleeping outside in there. I also have a folding pool table which I set up and play pool with other campers whom I’ve met. I have also set up a blowup wading pool in the screen-room, my wading pool has an electric hot-tub type device which lays on the floor and shoots-out air forced bubbles in the water. It’s great to be in the wading pool on a hot night with a glass of wine taking in the stars.

[ependydad]

modern family wrote:
Ependydad... Thanks for the pics. You have a lot of stuff in there, just the picture I was looking for?

You'll notice everything is below the truck rails. That's about the only consideration. I can't have bikes back there as they're too tall and can get in the way.

The only other worry is the emergency breakaway cable getting pulled and locking up the brakes. Hasn't happened to me, but I've heard it happening to others.

[modern_family]

Ependydad... Thanks for the pics. You have a lot of stuff in there, just the picture I was looking for?

Larryzv7.. That is a great outdoor room. Being a full timer, must come in very handy!

[Larryzv7]

I used to carry my bike on my rear 5th wheel ladder and had no problems whatsoever. You can purchase a bike carrier that is especially made for that rear ladder. Today I carry an extra ladder attached to the 5th wheel ladder. The extra ladder is for when I want to put up my awning screen room.

But you can put the bikes on the roof of your truck in a two-step process; first you load the bikes into the bed of your truck, when the truck is unhitched from the 5th wheel, and then from the bed it is easier to lift the bikes onto the roof of the truck. This 2-step process is much easier than going straight from the ground to the roof.

I have a carry-all on the roof of my truck and I first load stuff into the truck bed and then from the bed into the roof top carry-all. I also keep a portable sewer and two gas containers in front of the 5th wheel hitch, and a trunk an 2-generators in the rear of the hitch. All of these items are lower than the truck bed rail and do not interfere with the 5th wheel when towing.

As a full-time RV'er I like my 5th wheel and find it easier towing and backing up than a conventional trailer, plus I have more storage space in my 5th wheel than I did in my previous conventional trailer. It depends on you and your preferences. I have heard from some who say they did not like the steps in a 5th wheel but I had a rather long staircase in my sticks ‘n bricks so a couple of steps in the 5th wheel is no concern for me, but that’s just me.

[ependydad]

It's not often, but we have loaded up our truck bed (everything was secured with bungees and straps):


I often have firewood, my campground grill top (The Awesome Grill) and a couple of little things in front of the hitch. Sop far, my sewer boxes ride in the truck bed on either side of the hitch.

Our bikes go inside on the dinette table. I wheel them up on their backwheel through the camper and then use waterproof blankets (aka Neat Sheets) to protect the table and bikes from each other. I'm debating either a pin box mount or on top of the truck (1 kids bike, my bike is pretty light, but my wife's is pretty heavy).