Newbie looking at truck / 5er combo

[JIMNLIN]

Tires ??
Depends on the tires size and load range and your trailer axle ratings but I sure wouldn't put any brand ST tire back on a trailer that size.
Looking around the net shows the '06 36RLTS comes with a LT235/85-16 E which is rated at 3042 lbs.
The best of the LT E tires IMO are the all steel ply carcass commercial grade Bridgestone R250 or the M895 and the Michelin XPS Rib.

Warranty package ??
My dealing with one showed there were many more exclusions than what they would allow under the warranty. Your call there.

Trucks ??
This trailer shows on many websitse to have a 13k-14k GVWR so the newer gen one ton SRW will work. The Ram SRW has up to 12400 GVWR.
If your carrying a lot of extras in the bed of the truck a one ton DRW would work better. I'm not brand loyal but if you choose a Ford just make sure its the newer 6.7 engine.

Hitch/truck bed length ??
A 16k with a 4 way pivoting head. Most folks recommend the hitch brand they have and swear its the best.
Same with the length of bed. What bed length you own is the best.
I prefer a crew cab truck and park it in my garage so a short bed is required. I have a one ton DRW long bed but it sits out the the tractor shed.
If I use my short bed truck to pull my 5th wheel I use the 16k Reese manual slider. Some folks opt for a auto slider like the Pullrite SuperGlide. There are several auto sliders on the market.

[browne07]

Chances are if you can negotiate new tires you will get the cheaper trailer tires that come standard. I would take it because most likely you will see a rig in a year or two that you will like better and upgrade. I would look into repacking the wheel bearings too.
Don't know too much about that rig but the price seems a little high since there are a lot of used 5er's out there. Double check that. I would not even consider a warranty policy on it. They are a rip off in my eyes. As long as everything works you will probably still have other minor issues but that is the norm even with new ones.
Any of the big 3 trucks are fine late model. I would go with a diesel one ton for sure. SRW will work and I prefer the long box. Perhaps the DRW would be needed if you upgrade to a heavier trailer though. Long box rides better and there is no need for a hitch extension so the weight of the pin is centered. I also have a cargo/tool box that
sits in front of the hitch for things I need so the extra room helps. A 16K hitch with jaws would be my preference.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Cameraman

1. If you were replacing tires, is there a specific brand you'd be asking for?

In size LT235/85R16E, I'd insist on Michelin XPS Rib. Expensive, but worth it. I wore out more than one set on my tow vehicle. Don't believe the folks that claim that just any LT tire is okay for trailer service. The tire must be a commercial truck tire rated for all position service. All Position means steer axle, drive axle, or trailer axle. I know of only other all-steel LT tire that is rated as an all-position truck tire, and it one made by Goodyear - with the same limitations in available sizes as the XPS.

2. I asked about battery and dealer offered a second house battery for about $70. Is that a reasonable price?

Not bad price, but be sure the battery is a marine battery or a deep cycle - not an ordinary starter battery. I bought an Interstate Marine/RV deep cycle battery last week, and it cost less than $80.

Even better is an Optima Bluetop battery, but they cost over $200.
Marine Battery | RV Battery | BLUETOP® :: OPTIMA® Batteries

4. Dealer mentioned a warranty package ... Is it worth it?

Most aftermarket warranties are designed for only one purpose - to increase the profit of the selling dealer. Don't buy one until you have researched that subject for several weeks. Read the fine print to understand all the exclusions it will not cover. Most of them won't cover anything you want covered.

For an aftermarket warranty on my tow vehicle there is only one I would consider - the Ford Extended Service Plan (ESP). Those come in various prices, depending on what they cover, and they are sold by and fully backed by your Ford dealer and Ford Motor Company. I don't know of a similar warranty for an RV, but maybe some of the old-name RV manufacturers have them and will back them up the way Ford backs up the ESP.

5. I don't have any preference of what 1 ton truck I buy... any strong feelings about which is the best to purchase?

Just be sure it is a dually. The so-called one-ton pickups with single rear wheels (SRW)will probably be overloaded over the GVWR of the tow vehicle when towing any 5er with GVWR more than around 12,000 pounds.

I'm a Ford fan, so I would probably order a new 2014 Ford. I don't enjoy hunting for used pickups, but if I found a used 2011-up Ford F-350 DRW or F-450 with the diesel engine, I'd probably buy it if the price was substantially less than the actual cash price of the new one. But I could probably be talked into a late-model Ram with the Cummins diesel engine. I don't have any use for a GM tow vehicle.

How to outfit it?

Be certain it has the heavy duty towing package. That's standard on a 2011-up Ford SuperDuty, but may be optional on other brands. Gotta haves include increased radiator cooling, HD transmission cooling, engine oil cooling, integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC) and towing mirrors. On a new Ford with the better trim packages, the towing mirrors are power telescope as well as power folding. Lesser trim and the tow mirrors are manual telescope and manual fold.

Should I get a long or short bed?

Real trucks have 8' beds.

Ford no longer makes a shorty dually, so you have no choice if you buy a newer Ford. GM and Ram still make them. The shorty will work fine if you pay the big bucks for a Pullrite SuperGlide hitch. They work okay with a manual slider hitch such as a Reese slider, if you promise to NEVER shift into reverse gear until AFTER you have slid the hitch. You probably cannot turn sharp enough to result in cab to trailer contact when going forward, but when backing you can have a CRUNCH in a heartbeat, and that will ruin your day.

6. I'll obviously need a hitch for the new truck. Any suggestions on which way to go with that?

If you order a new Ford, be sure to order the fifth wheel/gooseneck hitch prep kit. It's a bargain. Also order the fifth wheel hitch that goes with it. Expensive, but worth it.

If you go aftermarket, be certain you don't buy a cheap hitch, such as the Reese Pro Series or the Curt or Husky bottom of the line. The Reese mid-grade hitches are fine, including this one:

Reese Reese 16K 5th Wheel Hitch 30047

I towed with that hitch for several years, after I threw away a Pro-Series.

That Reese hitch has in-bed bedrails. If you want a clean bed when the hitch is removed, you have to go up in price to the Reese Elite Series. Installation of the Elite Series is a lot harder and more expensive.That's the one that Ford installs at the factory if you order that option. The bedrails are under the bed. All you see when the hitch is removed is a few holes with a plastic stopper in them.
Reese Elite Series Pre-Assembled 18K 5th Wheel Hitch 30142

Drawtite and Hidden Hitch are the same company as Reese, so you can buy either brand name and get the same hitch.

Another way is to install a B&W Turnover Ball gooseneck hitch, then add a B&W Companion fifth-wheel hitch. The Companion plugs into the same hole in the bed as the gooseneck ball, so when the hitch is removed, nothing is left in the bed but the hole for the ball plus two tie-downs for the gooseneck safety chains.

B&W Turnover Ball

B&W Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch BW-3500

[Cameraman]

Thanks Jim, Browne, and Smokey. Great info and help for a new guy. I really appreciate all the input and will certainly be checking out the various links you sent me. This forum is a great resource and I hope to be able to give back one of these days.

[450Donn]

Originally Posted by Cameraman

Thanks for the input everyone... new question.
Wife and I went out looking today... and I was surprised when the last unit we looked at (at the third dealer) was really liked by her.

It's a 2006 Cedar Creek 36RLTS. Not exactly a small unit! But she loved the layout. It was very clean. And the asking price is $23,900. Of course, this means we have to buy a truck... so tomorrow I'll start looking for a 1 ton. Again, we'd prefer late model used, but for the price I've seen lately, new might be the way to go if I can find a 2013.

With the 5er, the dealer will provide me a new house battery, full propane and will assure everything works. No warranties of course on this old a unit.

Part of my negotiation will be to ask for new tires all around. The ones on there now are 8 years old (manufac. 3rd week of 05). I don't think they ever had a problem with a tire because the spare tire still has the label on it!

Here are my questions:
1. If you were replacing tires, is there a specific brand you'd be asking for?Have them install a quality LT tire. Firestone Transfoce Michelin or BF Goodrich Commercial TA ate the top three chpoices
2. I asked about battery and dealer offered a second house battery for about $70. Is that a reasonable price? Maybe ask for that as part of the package as well? Probable a decent price for his GP24 basic battery. But unless he installs it in the front compartment it will not fit in the stock location with one already there.
3. Any knowledge of what this unit is like? Pros? Cons? Build quality? Anything I should be looking out for? We have a 2005 Creek and love it. Corrently full timing in it and it is a good comfortable unit.
4. Dealer mentioned a warranty package from a company called Protective Asset Protection. He quoted me the XtraRide Platinum Coverage. $100 deductible is $3366.00 for 5 years. Anyone know anything about this company / coverage? Is it worth it? Big profit margin item for the dealer. Don't buy it.
5. I don't have any preference of what 1 ton truck I buy... any strong feelings about which is the best to purchase? How to outfit it? Should I get a long or short bed? Guaranteed you will want a dually. Started pulling our Creek with a GM 2500HD and it could pull OK, but was not a fun experience. Swapped for a dually and now arrive relaxed
6. I'll obviously need a hitch for the new truck. Any suggestions on which way to go with that? There are many manufacturers, and as long s you get a double pivot head I really see little difference besides price.

I'll be reading lots of material on the forums tonight and for several days, I'm sure, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

You will love your Cedar Creek. In 8 years I can count on one hand how many times it has needed anything other than routine maintenance. Be sure to have the suspension inspected before purchase. Cedar Creeks originally came equipped with plastic bushing that wore out really fast. And unless they have been replaced it is quite likely that the spring eyes etc are now egg shaped and will need replacing. Forest River put a lot into their trailers for the dollar. There are some weak spots, but nothing a relatively handy person cannot fix them selves. Send me a PM with your email address if you want to chat more about it.

[jacknife]

Go with at least a g rated tire if possible and get LT(lite Truck) they have a better reserve capacity a trl tire may show more wt capacity but the include all the reserve capacity in the rating. a lite trk tire with the same wt capacity will have more reserve capacity for load handling. a good comparison is tire weight a 40 lb tire will be a stronger tire then a 30 even though they will have the same wt capacity. hope that helps. and get rid of those tires 3to4 years max on trl tires. you should see vthe damage a steel belt blowout will do to your trl.