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Old 07-16-2017, 02:54 PM   #1
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Luxury Fifth-Wheels - Which to buy

I am currently in the market for a luxury fiver and was hoping to get some feedback on build quality, features, warranty and service for the brands I'm considering. I've trimmed my list to the following brands:

DRV Mobile Suites Aire
Heartland Landmark 365
Forest River Riverstone/Riverstone Legacy
Redwood RV

I definitely want a coach I can tow with single rear wheel 1-ton diesel pick-up truck. I'm considering a new 2017 Ford F-350 SRW Crew Cab as properly equipped it can tow up to 20,600 lbs. I realize payload is also a consideration and I need to carefully consider the fifth-wheel hitch weight and other cargo on the truck.

If anyone has experience/knowledge of these units I'd sure appreciate the feedback - thanks!
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Old 07-16-2017, 03:20 PM   #2
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I would throw the Jayco Pinnacle line in there to, or Designer.
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Old 07-16-2017, 03:30 PM   #3
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I'm thinking that with any of those the payload with pin weight and cargo considerations will put you into a DRW. JMHO.

I have a 2002 3500 Silverado DRW and I can't tow some of those and stay under weight ratings.
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Old 07-16-2017, 04:03 PM   #4
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You might look at lux they also make Augusta. It is going to be tough to get at top of the line without a dually. Designer and Pinnacle are nice but they are of a little lower build quality then DRV ,LUX
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:01 PM   #5
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I would throw the Jayco Pinnacle line in there to, or Designer.


I did look at the Pinnacle and wasn't too impressed. I haven't had the opportunity to see the Designer series though.
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:08 PM   #6
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I'm thinking that with any of those the payload with pin weight and cargo considerations will put you into a DRW. JMHO.

I have a 2002 3500 Silverado DRW and I can't tow some of those and stay under weight ratings.


The big three have really stepped up their heavy duty tow ratings in the past couple of years, especially Ford. All of the units I'm considering have GVWR's under 19,000 lbs well below the tow rating of the Ford F-350 at 20,600 lbs. Depending on how it's equipped I can get the Ford with a payload rating of 4,000 lbs. The fifth wheels I'm looking at have hitch weights between 2,500 - 3,200 lbs.
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:10 PM   #7
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Select the 5er that pleases you the most and then take the GVWR to calculate the truck you need. If you use 25% of the GVWR as pin weight it will get you close to numbers you can use to calculate the correct capacity of the truck.


Buying a truck that is over capacity will give you more pleasure towing than the downside when you are driving it unloaded.
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:11 PM   #8
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You might look at lux they also make Augusta. It is going to be tough to get at top of the line without a dually. Designer and Pinnacle are nice but they are of a little lower build quality then DRV ,LUX


Thanks Jacknife! I'll definitely check them out. I didn't consider any DRV except the Aire as they are definitely in the weight class a dually is mandatory. GVWRs above 22,000 lbs
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:26 PM   #9
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You might look at lux they also make Augusta. It is going to be tough to get at top of the line without a dually. Designer and Pinnacle are nice but they are of a little lower build quality then DRV ,LUX


Interesting that they don't post weights of their models on their website. It looks like they are well over 20K just like the DRV. I'm sure the frame and the 3.5" walls account for most of the weight. The Riverstone has 3" walls as opposed to 2" walls in the DRV Aire, Landmark 365 and the Redwood. It may be the perfect compromise for a four season unit and a ton of weight.
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:33 PM   #10
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Thicker walls mean warmer or cooler as the case may be, but also means less interior space. Better insulation can counter thick walls. Spray foam or rigid Styrofoam instead of pink will add a significant R factor and not be prone to settling.
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:48 PM   #11
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Thicker walls mean warmer or cooler as the case may be, but also means less interior space. Better insulation can counter thick walls. Spray foam or rigid Styrofoam instead of pink will add a significant R factor and not be prone to settling.


Thank you Gordon. Makes sense.
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:49 PM   #12
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Interesting that they don't post weights of their models on their website. It looks like they are well over 20K just like the DRV. I'm sure the frame and the 3.5" walls account for most of the weight. The Riverstone has 3" walls as opposed to 2" walls in the DRV Aire, Landmark 365 and the Redwood. It may be the perfect compromise for a four season unit and a ton of weight.
RV Factory makes the Luxe, also makes a lighter weight version, the Ambition. They are also coming out with the Luxe Gold which appears to be lighter than a Luxe. We have a 2016 Ambition which weighs 18k loaded, and almost 4300 lb pin. The pin weight of most of the trailers mentioned will be close to the max for a SWR truck.
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:52 PM   #13
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RV Factory makes the Luxe, also makes a lighter weight version, the Ambition. They are also coming out with the Luxe Gold which appears to be lighter than a Luxe. We have a 2016 Ambition which weighs 18k loaded, and almost 4300 lb pin. The pin weight of most of the trailers mentioned will be close to the max for a SWR truck.


That pin weight on your Luxe is quite a bit higher than the pin weights listed in the specifications of the units I'm looking at. Most are closer to 3,000 lbs. Maybe it's because they are using a dry pin weight???
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Old 07-16-2017, 05:57 PM   #14
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That pin weight on your Luxe is quite a bit higher than the pin weights listed in the specifications of the units I'm looking at. Most are closer to 3,000 lbs. Maybe it's because they are using a dry pin weight???
Yes, I think our dry weight was around 16k. Using this with the 20-25% rule of thumb give a minimum pin wt of 3200lbs.
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