mrdr
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Re: Advice for newbie
Sorry for the delayed reply--on the road until now. Donn0128--I appreciate bluntness and am not pissed off by anyone with good intentions, as you seem to be. I am getting the sense that playing with the numbers to stay within weights is the difference between "in theory" and "in practice". It is starting to look as if a sub-30 footer by SpaceCraft with attention paid to weights and layout is the way to go. APT--my truck specs were hand entered from the sheet my dealer gave me for my truck. I understand the various weights and want to be well within all of them--I do not want to cherry pick a few that work. I have the impression that airbags or other suspension upgrades may work well, but do not change the legal capacities of a truck once spec'd by the manufacturer. Already own the truck--bought it knowing I would prefer to downsize planned rv than drive a stiffer or bigger truck. I understand others making a different decision, but this is mine. My wife, our German Shepherd, and I all together weigh 320 lbs--so, a little more allowance for the rv and a little less space needed for the three of us. We are not particularly thin, but we are short--I am the tallest at 5'4"--with a custom unit, we can save a lot of weight with lower ceilings (reducing the weight of the walls). Lower height would be limited only by re-sale considerations. I am thinking an even 6' in the bedroom and 6'4" in the living room.394Views0likes0CommentsRe: Advice for newbie
I think I need help understanding the weights. Arctic Fox lists GVWR as 15,700 lbs--isn't this max capacity? They list dry weight as 10,800 lbs. I am sure I will go over this with water and "stuff"--but that doesn't mean I have to hit 15,700. They also list dry hitch weight as 2,023 lbs. Again, I am sure I will go over this, but I doubt by 1,000 lbs.393Views0likes0CommentsRe: Advice for newbie
Thanks all. Sorry if I come across as stubborn. Reasons for truck and particulars of desired fifth wheel in original post. Truck specs posted in a reply. Also addressed weight of fuel and hitch. Can anyone address the specifics of my truck with Arctic Fox 29-5T (as an example).393Views0likes0CommentsRe: Advice for newbie
Thanks, but the truck wasn't a mistake--we did not want anything bigger and decided we would go with a smaller rv before purchasing the truck. The Arctic Fox 29-5T will work and is definitely within our truck's capability. I think a Cameo 34CK3 and a NuWa Hitchhiker II LS 32.5 UKTG might be, as well. Finally, SpaceCraft said they could build such a unit in the 30-32' range--possibly moving the axles a little forward and heavier items to the rear, in order to unload the hitch. Will look at the Open Range Light series.330Views0likes0CommentsRe: Advice for newbie
Thank for the advice--a trial or two first is in our plans. Regarding weights--as I am new to this, I could easily be missing something. But, I thought that for our truck, hitch weight is the limiting factor. Don't I have to be within all weights to be legal, safe, and maintain warranty?330Views0likes0CommentsRe: Advice for newbie
These are my truck's numbers--I have no idea how they came up with the max trailer weight. Also, I took off a few pounds from the hitch weight to account for the with of the hitch and a tank full of fuel. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating--fully weighted towing vehicle plus tongue weight fully loaded fifth wheel)--10,000 GAWR (Gross Allowable Weight Rating) front axle--5,200 Curb Weight front--4,511 Reserve Axle Capacity front--689 GAWR (Gross Allowable Weight Rating) rear axle--6,700 Curb Weight rear--2,872 Reserve Axle Capacity rear--3,828 GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating--fully weighted towing vehicle and fully loaded fifth wheel)--24,500 Max Trailer Weight (fully loaded fifth wheel)--16,817 Max Tongue Load (equals GVWR-GVW)--2,617 GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)--7,383330Views0likes0CommentsAdvice for newbie
Looking for first fifth wheel--actually, first RV. Limiting choice to 3/4 ton towable (daily vehicle and do not want anything more). My wife and I will use it full time for a year or two to see the country, then on and off for half of the year thereafter--at least, that is the plan. Priorities are: 1) as trouble free as possible (routine maintenance is expected). 2) well insulated/heated/air conditioned--we will not be camping, but using the rv as our rolling hotel room--think really bad allergies, so windows closed. We will follow the seasons. 3) washer/dryer. 4) max hitch weight about 2,100 lbs--this is probably the limiting factor with our truck. 5) due to 6.5' truck bed, we plan on using a Pullrite SuperGlide hitch, if that matters. Our options are: a) SpaceCraft custom. b) Arctic Fox 29-5T. c) Used NuWa Hitchhiker II LS or Discover America--I think all Champagnes are too heavy? d) Used Cameo. e) Used Triple-E Topaz. I think that Continental Coach would be too heavy. I know New Horizons is too heavy. We are looking roughly 30-34 feet, depending on weight. Any preferences regarding these? Thanks all.4.2KViews0likes30Comments
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We all start out new. Share lessons learned or first-time questions!Jun 15, 20174,026 Posts
