5th Wheel Full Timers

[grindstone01]

Just to add to the above post, for windy days above 15 mph, we just stay put since time is on our side being retired. As far as service for a fifth wheel, mobile RV techs can service any item w/o leaving the camp site where as any MH powertrain service will most likely require a trip to a service garage. A truck can be taken to a service garage w/o moving the camper, wife, or cat.

There are endless pros and cons to every RV type.

[DukeofDburg]

We fulltime with an F350 DRW and a 39' 5th wheel. To answer your questions based on my situation:

1. A big issue seems to be weight capacity.
We bought a 5th wheel that has a 3077 lb. weight capacity. Some have under 1,000. We have no problem staying under that including full wardrobes of dress clothes for other stuff we do (and 7 pairs of cowboy boots). I keep extra clothes and heavy items like tools/compressor/generator in the truck.

2. Driving a big F-450 or 4500 (or at least a 3500). Is it a PIA? Do you find you cannot go places you would like to go if you had a jeep or something more nimble and smaller? Does the bed become essentially useless whether hooked up or not? Is it practical to remove the hitch form the bed when you are disconnected form the 5th wheel?
I have an F350 Super Crew long bed dually. We also have a Lexus RX SUV with us. We take the SUV most everywhere. We take the truck when we know there are big lots to park away from others. I have a tonneau cover that hides everything in my bed, so I use it to store stuff, some of which is locked to the bed like toolbox/generator/gas. They stay dry. I never take my hitch out because I have no need to. If I did, it's an Andersen Ultimate II I can lift out myself and lock under my rig if needed.

3. Does the 5th wheel shake a lot in wind or while walking around? This really bothers my wife and while looking at them, some of the 5th wheels shook a lot. I told her that it was probably just not set up correctly, but i actually do not know if that is true or not, just relaying something someone said to me once.
I have not had that experience. I have stabilizers on my front landing gear and Equalizer RV jacks behind my rear wheel when parked for more than a few days. I ditched the hanging steps and added Lippert Solid Steps which helped greatly. My wife does non-jumping workout DVD's on a mat in our living room. The washer/dryer shakes it a little on high-speed spin.

4. If you have driven both a 5th wheel and a DP which did you find easier or more pleasant to drive and why? My wife is very concerned about driving a giant RV around. She has driven a full-sized converted Chevy express 1500 or 2500 for the past 28 years, so she is used to big vehicles, but a bus or a one ton truck pulling a house is an entirely different issue. I think a DP would be more pleasant because of having more room larger seats, bigger windows etc. She wanted to look at Super Cs because the cab is more like a truck or van (until we looked at some of them and found they are either basically a semi truck, or they are very small and weight limited).
Never drove a diesel pusher. I believe they have their advantages in parking/moving easier if you are not familiar with trailer hauling/backing. My wife would absolutely crash our rig if she had to move it. Many are doing both though with little experience. I saw two older women backing 5th wheels in while thier husbands watched/guided.

4. Do you travel with pets? We have mostly travel with pets in the van which is similar to a motor-home pet-wise. In a pickup, it seems like it might get pretty uncomfortable for pets as there is no place for them to comfortable stand or lie down and for a bird, no place for a large cage in a pick up truck. (I have traveled a little with my cockatoo in my pick up, but I just let her wander around loose and carried a folding cage in the bed, that is OK for a camping trip here and there, but might not be very practical full time).
We have a 4 lb. Yorkie that rides with my wife in the SUV when we move. No issues, but she is small and low maintinance. She stays in the rig when we are out.

6. One thing that makes 5th wheels nicer is the much larger slides. We think this is because motor-homes need to still be accessible and usable with the slides in, while 5th wheels it is less critical. Still we would want some access and use like if we pulled into a rest stop for a nap or a meal. Is that possible in a 5th wheel? We have not seen any 5th wheels inside with the slides in. It seems like the slides are so big, they would meet in the middle and completely cut off any access. The only floor plan for 5th wheels that work for us is a rear bedroom layout, but does the rear bedroom get completely cut off by the slides when they are in? if so, it the fold out couch up in the front living room accessible and comfortable enough for a nap without unhooking or putting out the slides? Can you get to the stairs with the slides in?
We bought a 5th wheel over a MH for the slide space. Ours has four. We can access the fridge/bathroom and front bed without putting slides out. I say bathroom and fridge are a must for us. We don't sleep on the road, but I can access the bed if needed. Not all rigs are the same. Make sure you know that before buying the model you are looking at. I heard someone complaining the other day they can't get to thier bathroom on the road. NO WAY I would buy something like that. We use ours all the time so we can keep moving and not have to screw around finding a place we fit with a bathroom unless stopping otherwise for fuel/food.

Happy travels!

[poppyof5]

You asked about the slides cutting you off when they are in. Assuming you would just need access to the fridge and a bathroom there are Few. I have s 2018 jayco and can open both the freezer and fridge and use the rest room. Find an rv show and walk thru 100 or so. Best why to see alot rivers are great people don't be afraid at ask questions

[8824rv]

When we took our first post-retirement extended trip 9 years ago, it was in a 36ft 5th wheel pulled by a F250. Very nice setup, worked well for us for several years. We have no pets so that had no impact. Often, however, we would say how we could have a better experience with a similar size MH and toad.
Fast forward to the past 6 years. We're now in a 40ft 5th wheel pulled by a F350. However, we divide most of our time between a winter site (4 months) and summer site (6 months). In between we stop at different places for a few weeks as we "migrate" the 1900 miles between sites. DW follows in her small SUV so daily driving is a non issue and we still have the truck to use when we go kayaking or biking. (Much easier to put the kayaks in the truck bed than mess around with a roof rack.) This arrangement works well for us also. A MH at this juncture would not be practical or cost effective for us. But not too long ago we would have loved to have one.
Bottom line, I believe your intended lifestyle, be it extended traveling or migrating, should be one of the primary factors in your decision. Both RV types have definite advantages depending on how you use them.
Good luck and safe travels.

[CascadeBob]

Answers to questions by Coldjensens from our experience:


We're a retired couple, two years into full timing in a 28' Fox Mountain fifth wheel towed by a 3500, 8' bed, crew cab diesel Ram. No kids, no pets, just us.


1. Weight capacity: Not only weight, but cargo space. Our rig has a carrying capacity of almost 4,000 pounds and plenty of cargo space. There's no way we'd ever cram 2 tons into it, even with all the tanks full. We currently carry a 3,400 watt generator, inflatable sea kayak, two mountain bikes (on a rack on the back), propane fire pit, large cooler, and all the clothes and miscellaineous stuff we need and still have space left over.


2. Driving a big pickup around. That does become tiresome. Our Ram is 19' long which keeps us out of some back roads and requires we park on the fringes of parking lots when we shop. Eventually we hope to downsize the truck to a 6' bed extended cab, gas engine (the big Ram is WAY overkill for our fifth wheel).


3. Shaking in the wind. When we set up we use expandable wheel chocks between the dual tires, put a tripod at the pin, and generally set up on 2 x 10 planks that we carry in the bed of the truck. That has reduced the shake when walking around, or in the wind, to negligible.


4. No experience driving a bus, so can't compare.


5. We don't have pets, but know many people that travel in fifth wheels with them. Haven't heard any complaints.


6. Access when slides are in. If we stop somewhere for lunch, or want to use the bathroom, we just run the slide out enough to get around it inside. No big deal.

[glennwest]

Also another option. We tow with a retired Semi truck. I have less money in it than most used 3500s. I tow camper and Smart car. The car is my daily commute. So we have a small fun car to drive and a very safe stable tow truck. It also gets good mpg.

[ronjohn99]

We have the 6-point leveling system which works well to prevent movement in wind and while walking around. We also use the Anderson Trailer Jack Blocks with built in magnets to attach to the leveling jacks. It reduces the amount the jack has to extend. They work great! Here is a link if you want to see them:

https://www.amazon.com/Andersen-Hitc.../dp/B0754NWJGR