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Trying to figure out best 5th wheel? Advice appreciated

Jim_Irish
Explorer
Explorer
Wife and I are retiring next spring. Have looked at many brands of 5th wheels.
Our wish list on this is:
1. Easy to tow-aprox. 30-33 ft so we can get in state parks(have a ram2500 diesel-2020)-Next summer traveling out West for a couple months.
2. Has to be cold weather capable given we have boys in college playing D-1 sports in spring and fall in upper MW. We will be up and down many freeways...
3. Wife wants a newer model with the newer lighter interior.
4. Would like a model that we can access the bathroom and refrigerator while traveling.
5. Has to be sturdy/well built given the time we will be in it and I am not handy.
Somewhat narrowed down the list :
GD-reflection 150 -260rd 30ft
Pinecrest-looks to be well built and everything I read on it looks good.305rlp
Montana High Country - perhaps to long at 34 ft?295 rl-however meet a pastor yesterday that just bought 6 months ago and swears by it.
Artic fox and outdoors rv- tougher to get being in Atlanta and not cracked on interior

Ok- am I missing anything

Jayco -half ton
Wildcat......

Appreciate any feed back.
Regards,
Jim
40 REPLIES 40

richardcoxid
Explorer
Explorer
Outdoor RV makers of Timber ridge (27RKS) etc and Northwoods maker of Artic Fox are sister CO’s located about 2-3 miles apart in La Grande, OR. They were both started by Ron Nash (now deceased) and have the same manufacturing philosophy.

You said that you were going “west” next spring why not order from Dennis Dillon RV in Boise, Idaho or Thompson RV in Pendleton, Oregon and pick it up there.

Outdoors manuf. have a manufactures site on “irv2.com” and a Outdoors owners section on Facebook.
2017 GMC Denali 3500 4x4 Duramax
2019 Outdoor RV (ORV) Timber Ridge 24RKS

JAC1982
Explorer
Explorer
Jim Irish wrote:
Bought it yesterday. 10 week wait. We are very excited.
Now onto figuring out hitch and best way to learn how to drive it.


Woot, congratulations! If you're on Facebook, there's a few Keystone Montana and Montana High Country owners groups that are really helpful.

We have a BW Companion hitch. Works great for us.

I think the best way to learn to pull it is to take it to a big empty parking lot at first, and just drive it around to get the feeling of it, practice backing it up where there isn't anything to hit behind you, etc. Use the parking spot lines to help. Then drive it on some less busier roads to get used to that... just work your way up to the interstate, just like when you were learning how to drive in general.
2020 Keystone Montana High Country 294RL
2017 Ford F350 DRW King Ranch
2021 Ford F350 SRW Lariat Tremor

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
Just to show one thing I was completely prepared for. Had to cut a pc of 1-1/8" plywood to fit between the brake pads. Also had to secure it and the caliper as the sealed bearing had shifted on the spindle. It was popping hot when I pulled over. Dust boot was melted away on caliper piston. Secured everything and drove another 150 miles to my days destination and ordered parts from Kodiak the next day and did the repairs right there at my Campsite.

So yea I kinda like to have what I need to do whatever I need.

Happy now???

BTW that's over 7k setting on the TrailerAid Plus.


2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
Point is you need to keep an eye on the RV VS back window area when making a tight move. Like I said CHITZ happens at the end of a long day.

No compromises.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
Jim Irish wrote:
Bought it yesterday. 10 week wait. We are very excited.
Now onto figuring out hitch and best way to learn how to drive it.

How to drive it ?? You mean learn how to pull it.:). We all had to do this at one time.
Have you ever pulled any size/type of trailer previous.
First off forget about keeping up with those that speed or the flow in heavy traffic until you have more experience. Swing wide on turns and watch both outside mirrors for other vehicle close to you. You'll do fine.
A hitch.
Just like a trailer there is no best 5th wheel hitch. We have about 5 good brands that will do the job. Most RV dealers can have several brands they sell. You can't go wrong with the Reese/PullRite/Curt/B-W/ Andersen.
The PullRite has three designs. One is the most popular auto slider (Superglide).....the the std 5th wheel PullRite....and the Superlite series design like the Andersen. The Andersen and PullRite Superlite weigh in the 40-60 lbs range depending on steel vs aluminum frame. Both are a GN ball type hitch. Check out PullRite and Andersen websites.
See what your dealer has to sell and work with him to throw in a hitch as part of the deal...some will....some won't.
Your short bed Ram may not need a slider with the new 281 CK Montana High Country. The trailer is new and no weight specs on Montana web that I could find but it should have the rounded/notched front corners made for short bed trucks....no slider needed. This is where your dealer should be able to help with which truck brand and bed length you have.
Short or long beds is a preference just like truck or trailer brands or vehicle colors.
I've made a living using long and short beds pulling GN/5th wheel/bumper pull trailers and couldn't tell one from the other with the same size trailers up to 38' and 24k lbs.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
As far as I know any hitch mounted on center of axle or slightly toward on a short bed , cannot back 90 degrees that I’m aware of . Ford has the best chance at it being the longest . But with that said , how far the pin box sticks out , and the profile of the front cap may permit some . No concern to me , I’ve cranked my fifth wheel into some pretty tight spots without a problem , but no not 90 . But there is that BIG compromise, a sliding hitch :B

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
Cummins12V98 wrote:
ANDERSEN Kingpin ahead of axle turn truck at 90 RV does not hit cab?

Started towing Professionally at 18 so that’s 45 years. Big deal.

Things loose in a bed are dangerous and tend to disappear.

.

Who in the world in there right mind wants to back a fifth wheel 90 degrees . I wouldn’t if I could , or have I put myself in a situation where I had to, just isn’t going to happen.
As said aware of what’s going on .

You know Ron , things in the back of a pickup are what the truck was made for . There is such a thing as securing things . I’m sorry , I just don’t have the same phobia of things getting stolen or having to have four or five padlocks on a hitch .

It would of been nice what that huge tool box is needed for tools and what repairs you are prepared for , I’m thinking the answer would be interesting :h plus if I wanted a tool box back there , there would be one . Don’t want one . I do just fine without, as many do .

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
Cummins12V98 wrote:

Here we go. Five 5th wheels over a 25 year period. All longbed trucks, last three have the same HighWay Products bed height tool box that's 30" front to back. Been full timing since 11/11 and YES it's nice to have what you need with you to take care of anything that may go wrong along your travels. Paying someone to do what you can sucks as most are incompetent.

I have owned one RBW hitch I thought was AWESOME cuz I didn't know any better. It would make you cringe at every stop and take off with the horrible clunking. A friend suggest a B&W hitch as I was still working and hated the rails being in my way for work. Holy Cow, what an incredible difference. Simple to hitch and unhitch on uneven ground (RBW was not nor are many slider hitches) ZERO noise as the jaws wrap tightly around the kingpin unlike the slide bar of the RBW.

ANDERSEN owners with short beds have to place the pivot point behind the rear axles center unloading weight from the front axle.

Funny awareness and paying attention are good things to do but WHY add more things to think about when you are tired from a long days ride and simply want to setup camp.

Most people that want a short bed because it will "fit in the garage". Just another compromise. FACT a longer wheelbase will be more stable.

Like I said you are spending a LOT of $$$ so do it right.




To add further to the post above. Now that you have brought up the subject " Paying someone to do what you can sucks as most are incompetent ". Maybe you can enlighten the ones that don't know, what is it in the equipment, tools etc ,maybe give them an idea what it takes to have haul around a huge tool box to do repairs. I know what I have ,and what I have fixed on my travels, and sort of explained in the post above.

Granted I have had the luxury on a couple repairs that waited until I was home ,but it would not of been a problem in an RV park. One was replacing all the cheap hydraulic hoses for the four slide outs on my previous fifth wheel that had some leaks , pretty major undertaking considering almost all of the underbelly had to come off, that was fun in itself. The tools to do that were in the fifth wheel if I had to do it away from home .

There is other things . I'm prepared on the road to do wheel bearing repair or replace if needed. The list can go on ,but I'm pretty well prepared for most things thats within my power to repair ,and the tools to do so, without a huge in the bed toolbox.

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
Not true on the Andersen , I’ve turned the pin adapter around on mine putting the kingpin just slightly forward of axle center. There is no unloading of the front axle . I’m towing with shortest of the three short beds with my Ram 3500 .There is no reason with these newer fifth wheels to have that adapter in the rear position , with the rounded front corners of these fifth wheels . Having that adapter the way I do puts the fifth wheel at the same measurement from the back of my cab as my Reese slider in the tow position.

Tools , I carry every tool that I need , just short of enough to be able to overhaul the motor :B I believe that’s adequate . Hydraulic jacks , small air compressor etc. I put three items in the bed of my truck besides the hitch , a propane tank in a milk crate, a Honda 2000 generator and the 6 gallon extended run tank that goes with it if I even take the generator , most trips I don’t . Then it’s only the propane tank for the small BBQ. Everything else in the basement of the fifth wheel , that includes a one man inflatable pontoon boat taken apart for a Montana trip.

You seem to insist that a short bed is a compromise, not even close in my case . I could of bought any truck I wanted , I don’t want or need a long bed . My third car garage when we built this house in 2000, I wanted it big , it’s 51 feet deep , I can get a long bed Crew cab truck in there if wanted , don’t want one .

15 or 25 years , if you want to go years towing then it’s just over 53 years. I am afraid that beats whatever years you been at it . Unless you started when you were what about 10 🙂 So I think I know what I want , and what I’m doing .

GDS-3950BH
Explorer
Explorer
JIMNLIN wrote:
There is no best 5th wheel trailer....nor a best brand.
Sounds like your going to need a real/full 4 season trailer. I would concentrate on the 4 season units such as higher R value in the floors/walls/roof in the floorplan you like. This type of input requires lots of leg work on your part digging out the mfg specs on their cold weather pack or "arctic pack"/etc.




Good luck with that. 4 season, artic, etc are nothing more than marketing. One brand may be slightly better than another but thats it. The fact is you only get so much from 2 or even 3 inch thick walls, roofs, and floors. Folks can claim they have a 4 season rig but reality is elusive. Now if you can get a rig from Unicorn Mfg Inc, then that's different.

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
Here we go. Five 5th wheels over a 25 year period. All longbed trucks, last three have the same HighWay Products bed height tool box that's 30" front to back. Been full timing since 11/11 and YES it's nice to have what you need with you to take care of anything that may go wrong along your travels. Paying someone to do what you can sucks as most are incompetent.

I have owned one RBW hitch I thought was AWESOME cuz I didn't know any better. It would make you cringe at every stop and take off with the horrible clunking. A friend suggest a B&W hitch as I was still working and hated the rails being in my way for work. Holy Cow, what an incredible difference. Simple to hitch and unhitch on uneven ground (RBW was not nor are many slider hitches) ZERO noise as the jaws wrap tightly around the kingpin unlike the slide bar of the RBW.

ANDERSEN owners with short beds have to place the pivot point behind the rear axles center unloading weight from the front axle.

Funny awareness and paying attention are good things to do but WHY add more things to think about when you are tired from a long days ride and simply want to setup camp.

Most people that want a short bed because it will "fit in the garage". Just another compromise. FACT a longer wheelbase will be more stable.

Like I said you are spending a LOT of $$$ so do it right.

2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
way2roll wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Jim Irish wrote:
We liked the new Montana High Country 281ck look and feel for our needs. Thanks for the you tube link.
3 questions :
1. Best way to get the new 281ck? Email a number of local dealers here in Atlanta?
2. Everything I have been told is a Ram 2500 4X4,diesel (max payload 2,170lbs and max towing 17170lbs) should not be an issue?
3. Can we go with a 6.4’ bed vs 8’?
Thanks for all the solid responses.

Jim


Sure you can compromise with the short bed but WHY??? Nice to have room for a large toolbox. There is not a single slider on the market that does not have issues.

At 14,300# the pin at only 20% will be 2,860#, you tell me a 2500 will be just fine! MOST people that use their RV's have over 20% pin and 25% is very common.

You are spending a lot of money do it right the first time.



This is good advice. Even with our smaller FW we chose to go with a long bed F350. Glad we did. The F250 would have been really pushing the limit and left no room for anything extra or an upgrade to a larger FW in the future. We also went with the long bed. I simply did not want to have to mess with a slider. No offense to those that have sliders.


No offense taken, but talking from experience ,been towing four different fifth wheels , with two different trucks ,both short bed 1 tons. The fifth wheels have been from 32' -38 ' long. Time period of nearly 15 years.

We are not full time ,nor ever plan to be. We use our fifth wheel 4-5 months a year. I have learned after 15 years ,you don't need large toolboxes in the bed, you don't need to haul everything ,but the kitchen sink 🙂 etc etc. Full timing may be another story, but finding being away from home for 2 months or more, I can't see where we would need anything more if we were full timing.

Short bed a compromise , not hardly, but having the proper truck as far as weight rating ,yes thats the important thing. I have never wanted ,nor needed a long bed truck.

Hitches , I have towed with two different manual sliding hitches ,and the rail mount Andersen. If within the weight rating the four point attached steel rail mount Andersen is the only way to go. Short bed or long bed. I have the fifth wheel puck system on my Ram 3500, with the frame adapter , and I use the Andersen on that, as well as an 18K Reese manual slider. The only thing better would be an Andersen with the four point system attached directly to the puck systems on these newer trucks , without using a frame adapter. Unfortunately Andersen does not make one "YET" .The simplicity of the andersen far outways any other hitch , hands down.

This sliding hitch issue has been beaten to death on the forums. I can speak from experience , I don't need a slider towing with a short bed, many others do not either. There are some it would not matter slider or not they will have problems, its just a fact. Towing a fifth wheel takes a lot of awareness , and paying attention .

Jim_Irish
Explorer
Explorer
Bought it yesterday. 10 week wait. We are very excited.
Now onto figuring out hitch and best way to learn how to drive it.

Jim_Irish
Explorer
Explorer
Ok- I am talking to a couple dealers. My understanding is 25-30% off list is a good buy pre-COVID.
We will see what happens.
Learning a lot in these posts.
Thank you everyone.