Greetings all!

[The Bruin]

Hello folks. Just joined, need to learn the 5th wheel game. Getting close to retirement, my wife and I have decided to adventure into full time RVing. To that end I have just taken delivery(2 weeks ago) of a brand new Ford Super Duty, Powerstroke engine. Step 1 complete. Next is to learn about 5th wheels. I have been doing a lot of research, and I must say its terrifying to see how many consumer complaints are out there re manufacturers building junk. Is there anyone anywhere that has a quality 5th wheel that they are completely satisfied with? I wont claim money is no object, but I will not scrimp on poor quality, ultralites, general bargains. Is this possible? Look forward to browsing the forum. I NEED SOME GOOD NEWS,LOL!

Regards.. Dave.

 

[wingnut60]

Welcome to our forum, hope we can help you a bit...

Your Ford--250/350/SRW/DRW? This will be the constaint on what size fiver you can handle.

Probably can't say what to stay away from--they all put out a lemon now and then, some more than others. Thor makes the most RVs under their umbrella of brands/models, then Forest River, then Winnebago. What you need to do is start looking at some of the owners' forums about a brand/model you are interested in--that should bring up some complaints and if there are quite a few, then might drop that one from the list.
Might also consider going to RV shows to find a floorplan both you and wife like.
Also consider buying used for the first one, they depreciate mightily soon as you sign the papers. If new, if you pay more than 25% of the MSRP, you left something on the table.
Good luck, have fun. Just remember once you start living in it, very hard to get major problems addressed.
Joe

 

[Notanlines]

Dave, welcome to the forum. Good info to be gleaned from these pages. I agree with Joe's comments, but Joe also will want to edit his post and change that number to 75%...…

 

[wingnut60]

Some of it plus the rest of it equals all of it....
Yep, would love to get 75% off (which actually may be the real cost point on some of them) a new anything.
Thanks for catching that.
Joe

 

[weighit]

So many of us that bought that 'perfect' unit the first time have got rid of that and on to a unit that fit us better. So often we get dazzeled by the glitz and don't really understand the floorplan that will fit our lifestyle. We kept the first 5th wheel about 6 months and then found the Mobile Suites we liked and lived in for another 7 years. As others suggested, maybe buying a clean, used quality rig for the first time might be a good idea from the owner as opposed from an rv dealer. You can talk with the owner, see how it was cared for, knowing most of all the "bugs" have been fixed or repaired. Just a suggestion.

 

[The Bruin]

Thx for the initial welcome and inputs. My truck is an F250, and will easily handle the trailer size I have in mind. Good point on buying used to begin with. I plan on several short vacations around Ontario and Canada during summer before we venture into full timing. Good used coach will be a good learning tool. So far the floorplan that seems most appealing is front bed, with slide and rear living, dual slide. Not much hands on viewing to date, but many many hours on google and YouTube, reviews, tutorials and such. Seems to be a pattern of you get what you pay for, and even thats a bit sketchy. So far the coach we like best is Arctic Fox by Northwood. Very pricey indeed, but by all accounts, its a better built rig, and more suited to full timing.

 

[Notanlines]

What pin weight do you think your 250 can handle? Have you looked this far into things?

 

[The Bruin]

@Notanlines.. truck is tow package equipped. Has a rear axle GAWR of 6340lbs. I suppose the question is, whats the weight on the axle, box empty? How would one determine this? Thus far in preliminary coach shopping, I see an average pin weight of about 2200lbs. Some around 2500. I am fairly certain, not absolutely positive though, that the truck can safely handle a trailer in these weight ranges. Input from experienced haulers very welcome, very needed actually,lol

 

[weighit]

I used to see when I had a business weighing rv's by wheel position, most of the 2500 series trucks carried close to 3,000 lbs on the rear axle with a hitch in the bed. That can vary with size of fuel tank, added equipment being carried in the box and trim level. When I weighed Mobile Suites trailers at the various rallies, 100% of the 2500 series trucks were overloaded on either the trucks Gross weight rating, Rear axle rating or tire max load capacity. It was very interesting to see so many rigs overloaded all across the country. I weighed rv's for almost 8 years.

 

[fjr vfr]

@Notanlines.. truck is tow package equipped. Has a rear axle GAWR of 6340lbs. I suppose the question is, whats the weight on the axle, box empty? How would one determine this? Thus far in preliminary coach shopping, I see an average pin weight of about 2200lbs. Some around 2500. I am fairly certain, not absolutely positive though, that the truck can safely handle a trailer in these weight ranges. Input from experienced haulers very welcome, very needed actually,lol

Remember the pin weights they list are for empty trailers with empty gas tanks and no batteries. Whatever pin weight you see listed expect it to be about 25% higher when the trailer is loaded.
Also remember you and your wife are cargo and count against your capacity as well as the 5th wheel hitch and any other cargo you have.

 

[fjr vfr]

I used to see when I had a business weighing rv's by wheel position, most of the 2500 series trucks carried close to 3,000 lbs on the rear axle with a hitch in the bed. That can vary with size of fuel tank, added equipment being carried in the box and trim level. When I weighed Mobile Suites trailers at the various rallies, 100% of the 2500 series trucks were overloaded on either the trucks Gross weight rating, Rear axle rating or tire max load capacity. It was very interesting to see so many rigs overloaded all across the country. I weighed rv's for almost 8 years.

I believe what you're saying. So many people are overestimating their capabilities because of misunderstanding all the very confusing numbers given them by truck and trailer manufacturers.
The biggest misinformation is the term "half ton towable." IMHO, no 1/2 ton truck should be towing a 5th wheel...with very few exceptions.