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AustinS's avatar
AustinS
Explorer
Nov 28, 2014

New to full time..need help

Some questions coming to mind going full time ….as did for 10 years long time ago in Chev Duramax and 33 foot Hitchhiker. Going back find a lot of questions.
Fifth and tow vehicle. Lot of choices…Looked at Dodge Ram and Ford…both have lot of models. Bottom of line wont work…Dealers hard to work with coming forth with base price. Also gas or diesel SLT/Bighorn (in-stock) Crew Cab long bed pickup is what we looked at 48K diesel with tax license etc added Like the Dodge over the Ford..but not sure on gas milage. Big question is cost factor of fuel. Now am wondering if smarter to go with gas based on cost difference in fuel…. Did comparison on Chev, Ford and Ram an Ram stats…seem to point to the Ram being best including better miles per gallon.
AS for the Rvs we are searching for. Everyone is pushing the 2014, I assume because of end of year and new 2015s coming out.
Questions: 1. We were shown Fifth Montana 3155RL 35 feet 12K dry weight and Blue Ridge 3025RL also 35 and 12K dry weight Not happy with length and weight. Both have auto levers nice floor plan, three slides, but were 35 feet. Big rigs…and we do not intend to just sit on lot where they would be great..Want to do some travel Also being told since so large go with diesel and 3500 truck not the 2500 We would like to find a lighter shorter one like not longer then 30 feet…but have not found one or if they are on the lot we get steered away from them. These were comment by dealers…so I question how honest these are.
2. We have been looking only at 5th wheels and tow vehicle …seems the Ram is best just pricing problems as the SLT has been offered from 41000 to 50,000. …We notice some have smaller wheels then other other then that seem the same. We are in great debate over the RV it will tow.
3. Bringing another question…forget the Ram and RV…and go for a motor home and tow our little car. We would want that no longer then 30 feet also and probably diesel…We saw a Winnabego That looked good but we have not experience with motor homes..other then noting that most of the campgrounds we were in had very large motorhomes and many did not travel much. We will be paying about 100,000 for the truck and RV and know that would allow us a fairly nice motorhome. We could also tow our little car…for touring.
So I need some feed back as to those that are out their with experience…which way is best…and suggestions on RV for towing or small motor home. .
  • C-Bears's avatar
    C-Bears
    Explorer
    Dec 24, 2014
    AustinS wrote:
    Thanks all We went with the Dodge ram...2015 Remi 6 liter...8 foot bed..SLT and our 5th is a 2011 Heartland ELK Ridge..I think 29 two slides and great floor plan much like our Hitchhiker...9500 dry ... Now trying to get a hitch..for it so we can see what milage we get. Hope we did not make a mistake.


    Congratulations on your purchases! I hope you will be comfortable and have good traveling experiences as full timers.

    We could not survive in a 29' or 30' fiver, or anything else for that matter, as full timers. There have been times when it has rained for 48 hours and you really can't do much but sit inside and wait it out.

    For us we have to have enough room for our own reliable internet service, washer/dryer, 2 large televisions, and storage for enough groceries so we aren't running to a store twice a week.
  • hitchup's avatar
    hitchup
    Explorer
    Dec 21, 2014
    I'm surprised no one mentioned the loaded weight (GVWR) is more important than the dry weight. The only time a 5er weighs dw - is when it leaves the dealer and when it goes to a new owner.

    In between, they are usually fully loaded. CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity) is important, so you know how much you can carry.
  • AustinS's avatar
    AustinS
    Explorer
    Dec 21, 2014
    Thanks all We went with the Dodge ram...2015 Remi 6 liter...8 foot bed..SLT and our 5th is a 2011 Heartland ELK Ridge..I think 29 two slides and great floor plan much like our Hitchhiker...9500 dry ... Now trying to get a hitch..for it so we can see what milage we get. Hope we did not make a mistake.
  • stickdog's avatar
    stickdog
    Explorer
    Nov 28, 2014
    All or any the big 3 diesel one tons will tow fine, there is a difference in GVW because of gear selection. Make sure you get what you need as salesmen/woman do not always know or care about your needs just their commission.
    35 ft is not too long for a fulltime fifthwheel. Ours is 35 ft overall and we have no problem finding spots and yes we stay in SP's, FS, and ACE campgrounds as often as possible.
    Truth is most fulltime rigs either fifthwheel or motorhomes are longer than 35 ft. There are some that prefer shorter rigs because they want to get way back in the woods but they are the minority.
    Bottom line take your time it's cheaper to get it right the first time.
  • amandasgramma's avatar
    amandasgramma
    Explorer
    Nov 28, 2014
    Let me tell you our experience, then you decide. We had a 2005 Dodge Dakota (gas), pulled a small 25 foot 5th wheel. We got 17 mpg ave. while not towing, and 8-9 when towing. Bought a 2004 Dodge Ram, Quad cab, diesel, and tow a 34 foot 5th wheel. DH added the Banks system to our Ram. We get 19-23 mpg when NOT towing and 12.5 mpg when towing. Yes....the 5er was FULLY loaded -- we're full-timers and I refuse to "do without".

    EACH year of the pickups has different torques, etc.....check them out fully. Each 5er/TT has different axle weight, etc.....check them out fully.
  • JC2's avatar
    JC2
    Explorer
    Nov 28, 2014
    donn0128 wrote:
    There are some nice shorter fifth wheels on the market. Northwood mfg has several under 30 feet. Just be aware in the shorter lengths you will loose things like, decent closet and storage space, washer/dryer space, and generally a way to be apart. The majority of full timers end up at least 35 feet of length whether a MH or towable of some sort. Full timing is NOT weekending any more. You need room to live comfortably for a long time. That means enough room to be seperated from your partner once in a while, do laundry, cook a decent meal, well,,,,, generally live life. Following the wun does not automatically guarantee you will always have dry sunny days with temps between 75 and 85 degrees. There will be days of rain and colder weather where you will be cooped up together. On those sorts of days you will wish you had twice as much room.
    Bottom line, forget past RV experiences and try to figure out how much room you need for every day living. 350SQFT is pretty minimum for most folks. Once you have size nailed down, pick the floor plan that suits your desires the best. Then amenities like bathroom layout, bed size, twins, queen or king. Then colors, then brands. After all that and with the trailers GVWR in hand start truck homework. Then start shopping. Remember, ALL SALESMEN LIE!


    That is so true. Once they open their mouth, credibility goes out the window.:R
  • donn0128's avatar
    donn0128
    Explorer II
    Nov 28, 2014
    There are some nice shorter fifth wheels on the market. Northwood mfg has several under 30 feet. Just be aware in the shorter lengths you will loose things like, decent closet and storage space, washer/dryer space, and generally a way to be apart. The majority of full timers end up at least 35 feet of length whether a MH or towable of some sort. Full timing is NOT weekending any more. You need room to live comfortably for a long time. That means enough room to be seperated from your partner once in a while, do laundry, cook a decent meal, well,,,,, generally live life. Following the wun does not automatically guarantee you will always have dry sunny days with temps between 75 and 85 degrees. There will be days of rain and colder weather where you will be cooped up together. On those sorts of days you will wish you had twice as much room.
    Bottom line, forget past RV experiences and try to figure out how much room you need for every day living. 350SQFT is pretty minimum for most folks. Once you have size nailed down, pick the floor plan that suits your desires the best. Then amenities like bathroom layout, bed size, twins, queen or king. Then colors, then brands. After all that and with the trailers GVWR in hand start truck homework. Then start shopping. Remember, ALL SALESMEN LIE!
  • dahkota's avatar
    dahkota
    Explorer
    Nov 28, 2014
    I won't tell you which is best - they all have their pluses and minuses.
    We fulltimed for 8 months with a truck and trailer. We have now been fulltiming for 3 months with a class A and towed. We move a lot - every three to five days. Having a MH and toad is easier - set up, breakdown, and on the road. But it is more expensive - gas, insurance.

    When the weather is bad on the road we can pull over just about anywhere and have lunch and wait it out - without getting wet. I can make coffee or lunch while moving so it is ready if/when we stop. If we want to tour an area without staying there, we can park the rig, unhook the towed and go. Most of the added convenience is when one is on the road. But, we do now have a built in generator, built in inverter, and three methods of heat. Which all helps a lot.

    When one is parked, a 5er of the same length probably feels more like home - no steering wheel, no driver's seat - it feels more permanent. But, that is really the only advantage I can see, that I experienced with a tt. Your mileage may vary...
  • davidaf's avatar
    davidaf
    Explorer
    Nov 28, 2014
    First question that comes to mind is how did the truck and 5er work for you last time?

    We went back and forth on 5er vs C or A and we liked the idea of havjng a little house (the 5th wheel) to just setup and use like a little house. Since we already had a truck it made the decision even easier. In all honesty it's a no win debate. Everybody has their preference one set is better for x reasons and y setup is better for others. Shorter trailers are out there just not as common check out Arctic Fox (northwoodmfg.com) to start with. It's probably the most comparable to your old Hitchhiker in build quality unfortunately they don't seem to have a ton of dealers.

    Re tow vehicles the two rigs you mentioned would be within spec for all current model 3500 or 350 diesel trucks. If MPG is a paramount concern look for a previous generation tow vehicles. My 05 dually with 5.9 gets 12+ mpg towing and 21 mpg highway unloaded. If going with the newer models look for the higher gear ratios to improve MPG and still be within tow rating. I wouldn't go back to gas if I were doing any real towing. BTW, i've only window shopped for new Rams, the prices you are finding seem pretty good to me just a lot more than what we paid 10 years ago...

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