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Fifth Wheel RV owners

14,528 Views | 34 Replies | Last: 8 yr ago by BurnetAggie99
Hoyt Ag
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AG
-What model/length do you have?
-Pros?
-Cons?
-What would you like to upgrade to?

Curious as to what you guys have and what you would do differently, if anything.
oneeyedag
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-What model/length do you have?

38 foot triple slide with full living slide out, triple axle Gulfstream

-Pros?

Triple axle can haul a lot more. Three heated holding tanks and two 15K A/C units

-Cons?

Not four season, no built in generator.

-What would you like to upgrade to?

Carriage, Cari-Lite Teton, Royals International, Alpine Lite or Newmar.

But in the brand that I listed, I would have to be full timer. Also in those price ranges I would have to explore Class A Motor Homes.
SouthparkKenny
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48 ft Weekend Warrior Toy Hauler, the best for what I need, of you haul toys with you. They have full service center in La Vernia, Texas, by San Antonio. Well constructed and not too over the top. Quad Axle pulls easy behind a Duramax never had any issues.

BCOBQ98
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AG
4 axles!!! How bad do they scrub when you turn?
Midland CT 05
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AG
My in laws have a 40' Forest River that I pull with my truck (that's was our deal, they buy the RV we buy the truck ). It sleeps 8-9 depending on how cramped you want it. The rear room is a "bunk style" room where my wife and two small boys stay. It has 4 slides, and an outdoor kitchen. It has a built in propane generator that will run two ac's in the summer. The only thing I would change on our set up is going to a bigger generator. In July and August you have to turn one of the ac's off if you want to run the microwave other than that it's perfect for us.
SouthparkKenny
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Not too bad unless you are cork screwing or making a tight U turn.
Deerdude
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39' converted to Gn from 5'er. Quad slide but is a bunkhouse model. Next time I go toy hauler or at least get rid of the second bedroom.
BwdAg
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AG
3200 voltage. Approx 37'. 2 axel toy hauler. Onan generator use garage area as br with bunk beds. Leather and marble finishing w 4 tv and 2 hvac. Upgraded tires after 2 flats. Carry roll on jack for flats now. Should have upgraded to 2 batteries. Push button level system is grat. Other advice. Buy $200 plug in ice maker. Future wish is a single axel newmar.
allMondjoy
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Lessons learned over years:

two back slideouts add so much space wether its bunkhouse or living room.

Got to get two A/Cs. One will not cool in summer (One front, one in back)

Goodyear marathon tires. Anything else will blow out on you over time.

Indoor switch for water heater. Pain in arse to go oputside to turn that on.

Slideout awning type covers. Keeps rain from seams, keeps leaves, limbs from rolling up in your slide when putting up.
oneeyedag
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quote:
Lessons learned over years:

two back slideouts add so much space wether its bunkhouse or living room.

Got to get two A/Cs. One will not cool in summer (One front, one in back)

Goodyear marathon tires. Anything else will blow out on you over time.

Indoor switch for water heater. Pain in arse to go oputside to turn that on.

Slideout awning type covers. Keeps rain from seams, keeps leaves, limbs from rolling up in your slide when putting up.


Good advice.
The Wonderer
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AG
quote:
Lessons learned over years:

Goodyear marathon tires. Anything else will blow out on you over time.

What makes these better? I had a blow out coming home from Possum Kingdom last Memorial Day and am about to start getting my 30' TT ready for the upcoming summer and football season.
SouthparkKenny
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quote:
quote:
Lessons learned over years:

Goodyear marathon tires. Anything else will blow out on you over time.
What makes these better? I had a blow out coming home from Possum Kingdom last Memorial Day and am about to start getting my 30' TT ready for the upcoming summer and football season.
No question the Goodyear Marathon Radial is the best. The ST235/85R16/E is what I run and I have 300K or more mileage on them on triple and quad axle rigs and they are hands down the best. Use to buy all the other brands. Let other people's misfortune save you a headache in the long run. We drag up to Pagosa, and Moab regularly under all conditions. I haul lots of weight and run the speed limit.
The Wonderer
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AG
Good to know and they don't look overly expensive. Looks like I'll be getting some new tires all the way around.

Thanks!
allMondjoy
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Another Goodyear reason. They used to offer repair cost to damage done by a blow out to your wheel well. Have never had to test the policy. Carlisles will blow out leaving your driveway!
The Wonderer
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AG
quote:
Another Goodyear reason. They used to offer repair cost to damage done by a blow out to your wheel well. Have never had to test the policy. Carlisles will blow out leaving your driveway!
Could have used them last year then. The blowout did a lot of fender damage. Luckily nothing structural or to the fiberglass covering. Tore some sheet metal up though.
Cen-Tex
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AG
Anyone use N2 in their tires?
SouthparkKenny
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quote:
Anyone use N2 in their tires?
yes
Hoyt Ag
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AG
Is there a simple breakdown of the few manufacturers and each of their brands and how they rank against each other?

For instance, manufacturer A has x, y, z lines that x is the lower tier and z is the premium line.
The Wonderer
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AG
quote:
Anyone use N2 in their tires?
I'm not willing to pay for it. The benefit doesn't outweigh the ass-raping that dealers charge for it.
SouthparkKenny
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N2 at $3-$5 per tire is worth every penny if you drag a ways, and travel from here to Moab say with extreme differences in temps and elevation.

Cost me $25 bucks to evacuate and fill all eight tires, if that's too costly, maybe trailering is not for you.

I also run it in all my vehicle tires, including my Harley Ultra Classic. I carry a Powertank 10# bottle that will carry enough N2 to replenish a truck load of tires.

oneeyedag
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Easier if you have a price in mind, and purpose (i.e. fulltimer, weekender, deer lease) as there are models from 20K to whatever you would like to spend.

The manufacturers I listed can run anywhere from 50K on up to 200K and higher.

We lived in ours when we relocated to here in Va for about a year until our Tx home sold. Yeah a family of three with a Border Collie, a Sheltie and a growing teenage boy.

Before moving we used it primarily for weekend, long holidays and vacation type stuff.

Try this site

http://rv.theautochannel.com/list_makes.php?stylename=Fifth-Wheel%20Trailer

Hoyt Ag
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AG
Looking at $40000 budget and around 35 feet. Too young to be a full timer, but grew up with trailers and wanting to continue the tradition as does the wife.
The Wonderer
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AG
quote:
N2 at $3-$5 per tire is worth every penny if you drag a ways, and travel from here to Moab say with extreme differences in temps and elevation.

Cost me $25 bucks to evacuate and fill all eight tires, if that's too costly, maybe trailering is not for you.

I also run it in all my vehicle tires, including my Harley Ultra Classic. I carry a Powertank 10# bottle that will carry enough N2 to replenish a truck load of tires.


Having your own system and refilling your own tanks at a gas shop is different than the $40-70 a tire shop will charge for 4 truck tires. I have been trailering for the better part of 25 years, and never had a problem with running atmospheric air. Carrying a small compressor and tire gauge has worked just fine for me.
SouthparkKenny
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quote:
quote:
N2 at $3-$5 per tire is worth every penny if you drag a ways, and travel from here to Moab say with extreme differences in temps and elevation.

Cost me $25 bucks to evacuate and fill all eight tires, if that's too costly, maybe trailering is not for you.

I also run it in all my vehicle tires, including my Harley Ultra Classic. I carry a Powertank 10# bottle that will carry enough N2 to replenish a truck load of tires.


Having your own system and refilling your own tanks at a gas shop is different than the $40-70 a tire shop will charge for 4 truck tires. I have been trailering for the better part of 25 years, and never had a problem with running atmospheric air. Carrying a small compressor and tire gauge has worked just fine for me.


You need to find a new shop. There are way cheaper

Southern Trailerworks for example charges $3-$5 per tire, when you do business with them.

Doing it yourself is virtually pennies after a $500 OoP for equipment. Run air for free whatever cocks your pistol.
The Wonderer
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AG
After a shop in The Woodlands tried to bend me over at $20 a tire from truck's tires and I told them suck a golf ball through a garden hose, I've just sworn off N2 as a mere novelty. When I was dragging 3000 miles a year, it may have been worth it, but now I just drag from my storage in Pinehurst to CS for baseball and football tailgating. It's maybe 120 miles a weekend a few times a year. I'm not concerned about it anymore.
CT'97
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AG
Edmunds.com disagrees with adding nitrogen, benefits are too minor to be worth the time and effort.

Should you fill your tires with Nitrogen?
CE Lounge Lizzard
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AG
quote:
Edmunds.com disagrees with adding nitrogen, benefits are too minor to be worth the time and effort.

Should you fill your tires with Nitrogen?

Well I think we've established that barnes isn't putting real nitrogen in his imaginary 5th wheel.
CanyonAg77
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AG
Well, despite the mfbarnes reboot, I find this topic interesting. Does anyone run a really small fifth wheel? Like a 20-25 foot? Looks to me like a trailer small enough to get in and out of rougher campgrounds would be more fun than a behemoth you have to park at Wal-Mart.
FIDO*98*
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AG
quote:
Well, despite the mfbarnes reboot, I find this topic interesting. Does anyone run a really small fifth wheel? Like a 20-25 foot? Looks to me like a trailer small enough to get in and out of rougher campgrounds would be more fun than a behemoth you have to park at Wal-Mart.


Do you have kids? We have two boys and 28'-33' to me kind of represents the "sweet spot" between having enough room not to feel cramped and small enough not to be a huge burden towing and manuvering. Our trailer is 31'. If you don't need a bunk room, a 25 footer with a master and a living room/kitchen would probably be fine
CanyonAg77
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AG
Look at my class year. My kids will be 29 and 27 this year. So just we old farts. Haven't ever RVed before, so we're thinking start small, upgrade if needed. Looks like a 25' with a slide out might be good.
Sgt. Hartman
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AG
So you are saying that he is putting imaginary nitrogen in his imaginary tires on his imaginary toy hauler?
Cen-Tex
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AG
quote:
Look at my class year. My kids will be 29 and 27 this year. So just we old farts. Haven't ever RVed before, so we're thinking start small, upgrade if needed. Looks like a 25' with a slide out might be good.
Our 5th wheel is 38 1/2' long. I haven't had any problems in RV parks ..so far. Just have to stay alert. I enjoy the extra space, especially when it's raining or others are staying with us. Cons- had to buy a dually to pull it, and to clean it is like washing a bus.
CE Lounge Lizzard
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AG
quote:
So you are saying that he is putting imaginary nitrogen in his imaginary tires on his imaginary toy hauler?
FIDO*98*
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AG
quote:
quote:
Look at my class year. My kids will be 29 and 27 this year. So just we old farts. Haven't ever RVed before, so we're thinking start small, upgrade if needed. Looks like a 25' with a slide out might be good.
Our 5th wheel is 38 1/2' long. I haven't had any problems in RV parks ..so far. Just have to stay alert. I enjoy the extra space, especially when it's raining or others are staying with us. Cons- had to buy a dually to pull it, and to clean it is like washing a bus.


Something else to consider is there are a lot of fixed costs to an RV. They all need a Bed, couch, dual axles + tires, appliances, tanks, etc. There aren't significant price differences between 25' trailers and 28-30 footers. Start getting into dual AC and 30+ feet and costs start to climb

We love our travel trailer. By far my favorite toy. We upgraded from a pop-up and have used our RV more in 18 months than we used our pop-up in 4 years. Find something in the 3-4 year old range and you'll save a ton of money up front and they'll hold value well for the next 4-5 years in case you decide to go bigger down the road.
oneeyedag
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Hoyt what did you decide on?

Mfbarnes may have that stolen toy hauler for sale...cheap I'm sure
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