Would you recommend a 5th wheel for me?

OnTaMove wrote:
Hello,

I'm retiring next year and want to hit the road. I've done a lot of RVing in my life, but always as the passenger in someone else's rig. This time I want to go solo. I'm a 50 year female.

I've got two priorities:
*I want to have a vehicle I'd be comfortable driving in urban areas.
*I want a real mattress - not a chunk of foam - to sleep on. Even if it is just a twin, even if it has to fold up into the wall during the day like a murphy bed.

I was thinking about a 19' Sprinter Van conversion, but I just don't think they have enough room - I haven't seen one yet that had a "bed" I think I could sleep on.

So now I am thinking about trailers, so that I can unhitch the pickup truck and use it for exploring the area.

I've never used a 5th wheel in my life, but I've been told they are the way to go.

So, please, folks on this forum: do you agree that 5th wheels are easier to operate and tow?

And, very importantly: are they practical for a solo traveler who wants to hitch and unhitch weekly? Or is that a two-person job?

And finally: since I'll be traveling on my own, I don't need a huge amount of space. So it seems obvious to me that I should start by looking at the shortest trailers out there. But I want to ask: is there any counterintuitive reason why sometimes a bigger is easier to handle?

Do you have a truck?

FastEagle

Our rig is 22' long and I can pull into most parking spaces without a second thought and have no problems in the tightest of campgrounds. I would not park it at the curb in a major city but not a problem in rural areas or neighborhoods.

The Sprinter platform with the Mercedes 5 cylinder diesel is used by multiple RV manufacturers and come out in Class B, B+, and C configurations. I saw one in use by a couple that had been using it continuously for two years and loved it. They had the bed setup modified for their needs and it was not problem for the manufacturer to accommodate them. 25-28 MPG is a very nice plus.

I would recommend taking the time to check out the various manufacturers' models based on this platform before discarding it as an option.

OnTaMove wrote:
Lots of great information thus far, thank you all.

Is there a reliable guide to RV Parks that identifies the ones that are easy to get in and out of? I'm thinking maybe I can solve most of my problems through a combination of a good driver's ed course and then planning to avoid the RV Parks that are difficult to navigate. Other than entering and leaving the park, when else am I going to encounter potential maneuvering difficulties? I assume you all fuel up at truck stops that are easy-in/easy-out.

That really depends on where you are and where do you want to travel to, and by what route.

This is a good website for RV parks BUT remember - this IS the internet and not all people agree on what is best. http://www.rvparkreviews.com/

When it comes to fuel - all stations are not created the same. Interstate exits are for the most OK, as are most State highways, off the beaten track is another story altogether.

Plan a route - from A to B and then ask here (for instance).

My like single - would be a 5th wheel in the 28 ft MAX range - with no front slide. Many newer models seem to have lots of headroom and still - lighter weight.

Backing up is still backing up - with any vehicle - Like -"how do you get to Carnagie Hall ?" - answer - PRACTICE - PRACTICE - PRACTICE.

A suggestion might be - spend A LOT of time looking, before you buy a vehicle of any type - zero in on what YOU think is the layout for you, then search forums like this for suggestions on your rig, THEN match that with a tow vehicle with the capacity to do the job.

Ask a lot of questions, as you are doing - use the internet to look at the manufactuer's units and floor plans - get some idea of what you MIGHT want - then check owners of that mfg. forums for + or - from people that are using those rigs.

In other words - spend a LOT-O-TIME looking (at NO cost) before you lay out your hard earned $$.

Hope this helps - Happy Motoring :)

bbt

I never let my fuel level drop below 1/4 so I can check out fuel stops. I look for stations where you pull in parallel to the building, but if the only choice is perpendicular to the building than go between the building and the pumps so you are facing out. I have even seen Flying J's where the diesel pumps are easy, but the gas pumps not so much.
I select exits that have 3 or more gas station choices to better the chance of an easy in/out for fuel.

Lots of great information thus far, thank you all.

Is there a reliable guide to RV Parks that identifies the ones that are easy to get in and out of? I'm thinking maybe I can solve most of my problems through a combination of a good driver's ed course and then planning to avoid the RV Parks that are difficult to navigate. Other than entering and leaving the park, when else am I going to encounter potential maneuvering difficulties? I assume you all fuel up at truck stops that are easy-in/easy-out.

OnTaMove wrote:

jtaylor1920 wrote:
If I were going solo I'd go back to a class c and toad. Easy to backup without a spotter and I was able to get it into a lot smaller camp grounds than my current setup.

Can I ask why that is? Is it because you drop the toad somewhere then drive the class c to the spot?

A lot of campgrounds I stay at have narrow roads and backing a 36' fifth wheel with a long bed crew cab truck can be tricky. Thank goodness I've got a top class spotter that helps me get things in without any issues. When we had our class c it was easy to pull in, drop the toad, back in and pull the toad into the spot. One thing we also miss is being able to use the restroom without leaving the vehicle and easy access to the kitchen. Not deal breakers but something we enjoyed. Now I must say once we're at our spot the space and amenities in the 5th wheel are awesome.

Not everyone ( men or women) can back or even handle a trailer.

Drop by a RV dealer that will let you drive and back a class C and drive and back a truck/trailer combo. Go through the hook up and unhooking/leveling procedures. Then you decide whats best for you to handle.
Or do you have frieds/kinfolks that have a RVs that will let you operate one.

We can give you all kinds of advice but until you actually operate a class C or a truck/trailer combo you will never understand the logistics/skills required to maneuver one backward or forward by yourself in a dark campground or just a tight spot that you cannot see the back of the trailer.

Advice that a 1/2 ton truck can't pull a 5th wheel trailer is simple bad advice and one size don't fit all. Same with a 3/4 ton or a one ton can only pull a certain weight. Each truck has its own tow ratings and load carrying capacities.

If your set on a truck/trailer combo then you need to first choose the trailer you want then match the trucks ratings to the trailer.
Check out this website for Rv manufacturers and current floorplans and options. http://changingears.com/rv-sec-manufacturers-type-fw.shtml

donn0128 wrote:
Basic guideline
1/2 ton trucks not auitable for fifth wheel towing.
3/4 ton truck suitable for a fiver up to a maximumof 10,000 pounds GVWR
1 ton SRW suitable for fivers up to about 12,000 pounds GVWR
1 ton dually suitable for fivers up to about 16,000 GVWR
Anything heavier you really need more truck.
While there will be a lot of arguments on my numbers they are IMHO a good rule of thumb.
Remember you can never have too much truck, but there sure are a lot of can my truck tow this questions posted on the forums every year.

I would debate the first item if you get 1/2 ton with HD options (F150 with Max Tow and HD Payload) and get a true HT fiver like the smaller of the Jayco Eagle HT line, typically under 30' and a GVWR at 9K or less.
I am comfortably towing a fiver larger than that, but wouldn't generally recommend it as I should really have the HD Payload package to be within all limits. Next truck will have it.

jtaylor1920 wrote:
If I were going solo I'd go back to a class c and toad. Easy to backup without a spotter and I was able to get it into a lot smaller camp grounds than my current setup.

Can I ask why that is? Is it because you drop the toad somewhere then drive the class c to the spot?

We currently have a truck camper and a 31 ft. 5th wheel, using the same truck for both RVs. In the past we have had Class As, Class Cs, popup trailers, a different 5th wheel and 4 other truck campers.

If I was going solo, I would go back to a Class C and tow a small car. IMHO, the Class C is easier to back into a site, drive in city traffic, etc. We have the 5th wheel because we often need the room when our daughter and two grandsons go with us camping. It has a slide out bunk room. Our last Class C,we owned when our daughters were young,and it also had bunks and was a 25 ft. unit. Many times we didn't drag a tow with us,but would rent a car if needed. We put over 80,000 miles on that C and loved it with the 4 of us.

At times I do make trips solo now,and prefer to take the truck camper, as it is the easiest to maneuver, get fuel, park to check out sights along the way and backs the same as a car. I grew up on a ranch in southern Oklahoma so was driving and operating heavy vehicles by the time I could reach the peddles. LOL I drove my first load of cattle to the Oklahoma City Stockyards in a double decker 18 wheeler,when I was 15 years of age. I had an Okla. farm drivers license since I was 14 and could operate any vehicle with a farm tag on it.

Any RV is a compromise, IMHO, get more room, get more problems in maneuvering the rig. My two fifth wheel trailers have been the highest maintenance of any of our RVs, especially with the running gears, bearings, electric brakes, etc. We average between 15,000 and 20,000 miles a year RVing. If I used only the 5th wheel for that, I would have to pull the wheels to grease the bearings twice a year, adjust the brakes3 to4times a year, etc. On a Class C, none of that, just pull in somewhere for an oil change and chassis lube and the brakes should be fine for close to a hundred thousand miles which I would have done at a shop every 5 or 6 years.

Male/female doesn't matter on operating an RV, with the exception that many young boys are encouraged to get involved in mechanical things, such as cars. Not so much with the way most girls seem to be raised. Most females can raise the hood of a vehicle and stare at the engine, as well as can most males, prior to calling road side assistance. :)

If I was going to go full time solo, I would sell our current rigs and buy a mid sized Class C and tow my Jeep Wrangler. Something in the 24 to 28 ft range would work fine for me, my beagle dog and tuxedo cat.

As mentioned, everyone needs to decide how they are going to use their RV. For me, short stays, moving often, works best with a motorized rig, a Class C or Class A (which we full timed in for 2 1/2 years but didn't like) For people that plan to stay in one place for a long time, such as months, then a trailer, either a travel trailer or 5th wheel can be the best for them. Some full time snow birds I know use a trailer to move it north for the summer and then back south in the fall. It works for them and serves their reason for having an RV.