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jffnkrn's avatar
jffnkrn
Explorer
Apr 24, 2015

WE DID IT

Well we are on the way home with our New Rig! ! !
Left yesterday and will make a stop along the way to visit family. then home to Arizona by Monday to recoup. lots of stuff to do, happening etc. didn't realize how much to move even after elimination of a bunch of stuff for the travel trailer. Well so the story goes, we are now a part of the fifth wheel group. Yep and you all were right, pulls great, handles great etc. I just now have to get used to the bucking difference between it and the TT we had. used to whip up and down like a whip, now after hitting that nasty bridge abutment, crams your ruck right into the ground. Well only issue I seem to have at this point is heights. we are right at 13' 6" with the second a/c. I will be super careful, but I understand I should be ok. Well I could go on and on but better get back on the road. Great day to all ! ! !
  • MNRon's avatar
    MNRon
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2015
    Congrats! It will take a while for the smile to go off of your face when towing I'm sure.

    One of the first things I did with our new fiver was to make an accurate height measurement with it hooked up to *know* exactly how tall I was, you might want to do the same if you think you're right at 13'6"
  • mabynack's avatar
    mabynack
    Explorer II
    Apr 24, 2015
    Wow - that's a tall rig. 13.6 is the legal minimum for overpasses on the Interstate. There are a lot of bridges on side roads that you won't be able to get under.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Apr 24, 2015
    Now would be a good time to hit a CAT scale and gets some real numbers...your earlier post (3/31) you had concerns on weight/ratings.

    Our 5vr is 13'4" 'actual' measurement hooked to truck.
    We rarely travel on Interstates, mostly secondary/back roads, and have done just fine. Just pay attention to 'signage',,,,,,,,,,Look UP
  • shepstone's avatar
    shepstone
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2015
    Congratulations take it out and enjoy it!! .Air bags should help with the bucking, I had them on our old f150 & made a world of difference, but don't seem to need them on the f250
  • jffnkrn's avatar
    jffnkrn
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2015
    we bought an Outback 315 fre fifth wheel (10,475 GVWR) as far as the weight ratings go, right at 9000 lbs according to sticker with full water and empty waste. truck squatted less than half an inch I think, she said it didnt' move when we set the trailer on the truck. I will get home, empty all, get r weighed, then weigh again with normal loaded food, clothes and toys! ! ! Pulls just like the trailer, only lost about 1/2 MPG at this point, rpms are just about the same and so it must be mostly pushing the extra height of. wind. Seems like the only weeving is when a truck passes and gets in fornt of us and I get stuck in his whipping tale wind for a moment, just a little wobble. Other than that all is good and I am 99% sure all the weights are fine.
  • jffnkrn's avatar
    jffnkrn
    Explorer
    Apr 26, 2015
    well,
    yep we are over. weird though as according to all the numbers, we are with everything except generator as that will happen when we get home, right at 17250 that is figuring in the generator weight. GCVW for me is 16000 but second page of my manual allows an extra 1000 for pin weight if towing fifth wheel or gooseneck. I hit the scale and it gave us a combined weight of 17260. Truck front axle up by 100 lbs, rear axle up by 2040 and trailer axles are 8100. Pulls great, no problems in hills fuel MPG hasn't really changed and tows great! just wondering if one of the scales are off. will get home and take it to the same scale I did the original weights on. just hate to keep spending money o scale tickets. Well truck color isn't the same as trailer either, so maybe I buy a new truck!!!! ha.
  • GrumpyandGrandm's avatar
    GrumpyandGrandm
    Explorer
    Apr 26, 2015
    mabynack wrote:
    Wow - that's a tall rig. 13.6 is the legal minimum for overpasses on the Interstate. There are a lot of bridges on side roads that you won't be able to get under.



     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_standards

    Vertical clearance. Minimum vertical clearance under overhead structures (including over the paved shoulders) of 16 ft (4.9 m) in rural areas and 14' with allowance for extra layers of pavement. Through urban areas at least one routing should have 16 ft (4.9 m) clearances.

    m) in rural areas and , with allowance for extra layers of pavement. Through urban areas at least one routing should have 16 ft (4.9 m) clearances.

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