Should I be worried about an RV that is too long?

[abednego]

The wife and I are going to get an RV within a few months. We're going back and forth on the length that would be appropriate. Based on our non-negotiables (king sized bed w/bunkhouse) the models that I like are closer to 40'. I am curious as to what I should expect when towing such a vehicle.

Would a 32' TT be easier to maneuver than a 40' FW? I have no experience towing an RV; furthermore, I'll be buying a truck to tow this. I say this to indicate I do not currently own or drive a truck.

Given my lack of experience, is it a bad idea to get a 40' FW? I live in the Denver area and we're looking at local/CO campsites for fun on weekends and longer trips as vacations up to South Dakota/Utah/Wyoming.

I realize that I'll need to practice driving around locally which is not a problem. I can give the wife a walkie-talkie for guidance. Me personally I'm not worried at all. I'll learn. The wife feels a bit different and doesn't want the RV experience to become cumbersome and not fun for the family. I plan on getting a Ram 3500 Mega-Cab SRW with 4.10 gears.

Your help and advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

-abe

[rfryer]

I can’t say about the difference between a 32’ and 40’. But everything’s a compromise with RV’s. Big is nice parked, but the tradeoff is maneuverability and places you can go and where you can camp. 40’ will likely exclude you from national forest cg’s and the state parks I’m familiar with. Even 32’ will be iffy with nf cg’s, you won’t get far from the pavement and it will be difficult to maneuver the roads through them. So where you want to camp is a critical consideration in choosing size. In those sizes you’re probably looking more at commercial cg’s than public land camping and advance reservations may be a good idea if you want to be assured of finding a campsite.

[hitchup]

We had a 40' 5er, but it wasn't always easy to backup or take tight turns because it was a triple axle. (GVWR was 16,500).

The dual axles of our 36' Elite and 38' Mobile Suite is much easier to park.

[resmas]

LoneCowboy wrote:
a 40' fifth wheel is certainly overweight for a 3500 1 ton.

:h:h:h

I am not sure what you are basing that statement on. There are TONS of 40' fivers that can be safely hauled by a 1-ton truck.... TONS! Even toy haulers - we tow a 43' toy hauler with a 1-ton Dodge dually.

[LoneCowboy]

a 40' fifth wheel is certainly overweight for a 3500 1 ton.

but ignoring that for the moment.

5th wheels turn WAY better than TT's, it's effective length is really quite a bit shorter (between the overhang, etc) and you can truly jack knife it (on purpose)

You have to watch your tail swing. You can clear your obstacle and then whack the other (blind) side with the tail swinging around.

5th wheels are TALL (also gives you lots of head room)

I'm in Longmont (just north) and I've got a 45' motorhome and there have been only a few RV parks locally we haven't been able to get into. (and they clearly tell you that up front, we don't try). Make sure you tell the park people when making a reservation how big your rig is, they'll put you in the right spot.

It takes a long time to clean a bigger rig. (both inside and out) but we love that king size bed.!!!!!!

[resmas]

I think the king bed requirement may be the biggest determining factor on what you purchase. They aren't available in every model, but it does seem like they are found more frequently in fifth wheels.

Length wise... You might encounter some campgrounds that you cannot fit into easily with a long rig. But, your driving ability can also determine where you fit. The more comfortable and better you get at backing, the more spots you can manuever into. I have seen my DH park in many places he was told he wouldn't fit. Just plan ahead where you are going to stop each night.

I would encourage you to look at a dually vs. a single rear wheel. You'd probably be glad to have the payload and stability the extra set of tires provides.

The Mega Cab Dodge has an enormous amount of space in the backseat, and now that we have one, it is hard to imagine how we functioned without one.

[samsontdog]

I have a 40 ft 5w that I towed for one summer but did not enjoy being turned away from many camp gds so it is now on my property in Yuma and used as a Rental. I prefer towing my 34 ft TT over 5th w and I have owned several 5th ws. To each his own

[Bipeflier]

Just don't be supprised when you knock the lower rear corner off manuvering around a fuel stop or campground or the top front corner when you forget about the low overhang. It is likely to happen and can be expensive.

IMHO the bigger the rig, the bigger the stress and headaches. By all means, get what will make you happy but you can get too big to have fun.

[WyoTraveler]

The sales person where you buy the RV should take you out and give you few lessons. When I purchased my 5ver several years ago the sales person spent almost an hour of his own time. He took me to a large empty parking lot and showed me a lot of basics of turning backing etc. How 5Vers cut in closer than trailers on turns etc.

[abednego]

Wow, I'd hoped for maybe one reply by this morning. You guys are fantastic! Thank you!

I wasn't too specific on the truck, so what I'm planning on getting is a 3500 Ram diesel, 4.10 gears, SRW, mega cab although I might get the crew cab if we end up close to the weight limit.

Right now, what we're looking at:

Forest River 355QBQ

Spree 289KS

Open Range LT308BHS - scroll down a bit to find the floorplan, we'd have to modify it to get a king bed in there.

Keystone Hideout 38BHDS - Not too excited about this given that it's a TT and nearly 40'.

Had a guy at a local dealership tell me that, flat out, you cannot get a king bed and bunkhouse in a TT, heh.

Still lots to consider. But thank you all for your kind replies!


-abe

[skipnchar]

With the correct tow vehicle and good driving skills, a 40 footer is not too long but it WILL be limited by some issues. If you stay in RV parks, not campgrounds, probably NO concerns but many campgrounds will not handle a rig that size and maneuvering in many campgrounds can be difficult to impossible. The answer to your questions really depends on HOW and WHERE you plan on using the RV.
Good luck / Skip

[Jim-Linda]

FWIW, we have been fulltime for 16 years, first with a 40' HH now with a 38' HH(actually 39.6') and have used COE, state parks and of course the standard parks. We tow with a FL60, so overall somewhat long. We do try to examine possible parking options in advance, but sometime just wing it.

In only two occasions have we not been able to fit. K3WE's statement is certainly correct. If at first you are concerned, head for a large parking lot and PRACTICE.

Good luck

Jim

[phillyg]

Your RV can never be long enough! Regardless of what you end up getting, find a big, empty parking lot and practice, with DW in the truck and on the ground, using your walkie-talkies, etc. You'll get the hang of it.

[K3WE]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Think about where you wish to park. A 40 foot unit may not fit into places such as National Parks, or State Parks.

X2...

Remember, 40 and 50-ft semi trucks go almost anywhere (I'm always impressed at some of the narrow delivery spaces that exist in older cities and trucks do great...but the size of your campiste and the size of your driveway is where it will make a difference.

[Go_Dogs]

Don't forget about where you plan to park it. Is your driveway big enough? Is there enough room on the street to line it up? Is there a telephone pole on the corner, tree branches, etc.?

[mguay]

I would find a floorplan that you like and start there. There are many similar floorplans in different lengths. One thing to remember is, older CG's were most probably built to handle RV's in the 30'area. That doesn't mean that you can't get your 40' 5er in there....it just means experience is helpful. Choose CG's with that in mind. The thing that concerns me more than length with a newbie towing is overloading the TV. I think that the pin weight on a 40', king bed, bunk house might be over the payload weight of a fully fueled, kid loaded....SRW. Check your weights!