What 34-39' FW do you recommend for FULL TIME Living?

[UntetheredExplo]

Hello All!
Do you full-time in your <40' 5th wheel? If so, I would love to hear if you DIG your rig (including what you use to tow)!! Not looking for BH or TH but all other recommendations appreciated. Currently, looking at the Grand Design Solitude, Keystone Montana High Country. Highland Ridge 3X349RLS and Heartland Landmark - used! If you have suggestions of other makes/model/year I should consider, let me know! I plan to hit the road in the spring, going coast-to-coast, some boondocking some RV Parks so rig needs to hold up well. All new for me and I can't afford to buy the "wrong" rig so counting on ya'll's insight and experience to help me make an informed decision-thank you! What are your thoughts on a FW with a raised patio-sound like a great feature...?

[Me_Again]

UntetheredExplorer wrote:
I will look into the Teton, thanks! But a question- do you have any issues getting into some parks with a rig over 10 years old? I read where some parks actually can deny space if older than 10 years.

I was going to point that out! It is not a hard rule, in most cases a picture of the rig will get you in. It can be a hassle at times. We got questioned going from one Cal-Am park to another a couple years ago. They wanted pictures, and I told them we winter at a Cal-Am on the other side of the valley. They talked to the manager and said OK, no picture need. It did prompt us to upgrade the 11 year old trailer to a new one(the Bighorn). Chris

[BB_TX]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
You may want to narrow you floorplan down first, and then consider the product line.
For example since you mentioned the Montana and Montana High country. These are Keystone products, both are wide units 100-102 width instead of 96". .......

I think you are wrong with this. As far as I can tell, both Montana and Montana High Country are both 96" wide units. You can find the dimensions at rvusa.com.

[UntetheredExplo]

I will look into the Teton, thanks! But a question- do you have any issues getting into some parks with a rig over 10 years old? I read where some parks actually can deny space if older than 10 years.

[memtb]

We just posted this a day or so ago in the Fulltiming section of this forum! These were designed for fulltiming in mind, hence the name .....Teton Homes.

A previously owned, several year old New Horizons is also an excellent candidate....if you want quality, and beauty.

Weight is a byproduct of quality....you’ll need a truck with a high tow capacity! Our old (2004) Teton weighs 20K pounds....loaded and ready to use!

For much less than the cost of one of today’s new “high end” units...you can get a far superior, “OLDER” unit truly designed for fulltiming!

Posted in the fulltiming section
I have “ no dog in this hunt”, but if anyone is looking for a “potentially” good fulltime rig....this may be something to consider. If we weren’t already set-up....we’d be looking at this one. Can’t guarantee the condition.... you’d have to “kick the tires”!

It’s on RVTrader....2005 Teton XT3 Laramie, 36’,in Park City, Utah. Plus there are 21 others listed, as well.

Obviously, we have no idea of the condition.....only that the original quality was top of the line!

[UntetheredExplo]

Thank you for all your recommendations and experiences-very helpful and look forward to reading more! If there are any Grand Design owners out there, would love to hear from you- either Solitude or Reflection. Again, really appreciate the insights of the community!

[TimnJo]

I was disappointed in my previous rig, an '08 Bighorn 3400RL; soon after acquiring it in 2010 it developed a crack radiating out from the lower rear of the bedroom slide. When we finally sold it for a pittance in the summer of 2017 all slides had similar cracks at all upper corners and I had two trips disrupted by broken springs.
I don't believe the I-beam frames are strong enough for the poor roads found all over North America, especially when filled with holes for the slide mechanisms. That's why I now have a Carriage with a fully boxed frame and no holes as the slides are built above the frame. They are not free from issues but at least I know the frame is stout enough. You could also look at Lifestyle, the successor to the Carriage line.

[Me_Again]

ACZL wrote:
May want to look at Big Country & Big Horn as well for they are rated/warranted for full time use AND i think they have some floorplans in size your looking for.. I read awhile back on here (FWIW) that coaches that are heavier to begin with empty, are built to withstand the riggers of towing and living in more so than lighter built coaches. Our Big Country weighs 14,000 dry but saw a Mobile Suites at the Hershey show this weekend that tipped the scales at about 19,000!!! Forgot who posted it, but I agree too that make sure you have enough truck.

Your dry weight is listed as 13420. Our Bighorn 3575el has a listed dry weight of 13025. The BC 3560SS has over 400 pounds more dry pin weight and is into dually territory. We towed our Bighorn with a 2015 RAM 3500 SRW. When looking at trailers we looked at only trailers with a dry weight below 2500 pounds, as we already had the 2015 RAM.

We lived in it full time for over a year, and now it will be our summer home in the NW. The Bighorn made two round trips to Arizona and back to the NW. At 39'4" we had to watch our fueling stops even with a short box truck. Staying at RV resorts and private campgrounds was not a problem.

We started out looking for something in the 35-36' range, however to get a King Bed and the larger rectangular shower we ended up with the 39'+ unit. Big pluses of both of these models in theater seating across from TV, lots of trailer for the money, and great support from Heartland. We love our butlers pantry area and counter top.

Chris

[wanderingaimles]

You may want to narrow you floorplan down first, and then consider the product line.
For example since you mentioned the Montana and Mt High country. These are Keystone products, both are wide units 100-102 width instead of 96". To further confuse this, Keystone also sells similar lines, also claimed to be "full time rigs" under the Avalanche and Alpine product lines.
Weights for similar models can vary by 3000 lbs or more. Water tank sizes can change some too.
Suggest you use a site like RV trader to get an idea of price variations and compare across the lines to see what lines have price and weights within the range your looking for. Some dealer also carry more than one of these lines making it easier to make direct comparasions.

An example
https://www.rv007.com/fifth-wheels

[ACZL]

May want to look at Big Country & Big Horn as well for they are rated/warranted for full time use AND i think they have some floorplans in size your looking for.. I read awhile back on here (FWIW) that coaches that are heavier to begin with empty, are built to withstand the riggers of towing and living in more so than lighter built coaches. Our Big Country weighs 14,000 dry but saw a Mobile Suites at the Hershey show this weekend that tipped the scales at about 19,000!!! Forgot who posted it, but I agree too that make sure you have enough truck.

[UntetheredExplo]

Me Again wrote:
This a good place to buy a quality used 5th wheel. Chris

https://www.kansasrvcenter.com/rv-search?s=true&condition=0&types=5

Thanks for link-good site!

[Me_Again]

This a good place to buy a quality used 5th wheel. Chris

https://www.kansasrvcenter.com/rv-search?s=true&condition=0&types=5

[Dennis_M_M]

I would look for a nice used Newmar. We bought ours in 2007. A 2005 Mountain Aire 35bkls, about 37 feet, and we still love it. After 11 years of half time on the average, full time for one year plus, it is in great shape inside; outside it is starting to show it's age, 10 winters in AZ have taken their toll. Full body paint is probably next on our list.

Last year we added a MorRyde independent suspension. It is heavy, but 'full time' translates to 'well built' which means 'HEAVY'! Our GVWR is 20k and we weigh right around 19k ready to travel. See sig for tow vehicle.

[BB_TX]

UntetheredExplorer wrote:
BB_TX - At the RV show this week, I was told High Country was their top line-thanks for the correction!!

Probably a salesman for a dealership that didn’t carry the regular Montana line.

[hone_eagle]

budget ? new/used.
top end - spacecraft or new horizons
DRV after that.
used but no longer made ? so many ,teton ,Hitch hiker,newmar etc etc

[donn0128]

Our CC was a 2005 and absolutely loved it. It was back to the dealer once for a refer recall. That was it! Yes, there were some repairs, but never ever a warranty repair.
Be sire yoir going with enough truck. Undersizing the tow vehicle can be w very costly mistake.