Absolute Beginner

[Scybertek]

I am a soon to be single man with no kids. I have worked in the construction industry in SoCal since 2002 and I am sure you all know that the construction industry is now in horrible shape so I am looking for work. I am faced with starting over and with the divorce settlement I will move forward. My brother has a 36' Carriage Cameo LXI 5th wheel that he loves and has sent me pictures of; he uses it part-time. I started thinking of my options for a living space and I wanted the freedom to move where work is without the restrictions of apartment leases. I had an epiphany and considered that I could get a 5th wheel and live in it full time, they are very nice from the pictures my brother sent me.

I have done some research so I know that NuWA, Carriage, Newmar, Teton and Mobile Suites all make good full time units(I would welcome any other suggestions). I have a budget of 30k for both the 5th wheel and a truck to pull it. From what I have seen this would put me in about a 2000-2003 5th wheel from about 32-36 ft long. This should also leave me with about 8-10k for the truck. I will stay in the same park most of the time only moving the unit to go on vacation or for maintenance. The truck will also be my full time vehicle.

What are the essential things I should look out for on a used unit?

I have set a soft limit of no older than 2000 for the 5th wheel, would it be safe to consider older units?

What kind of maintenance should I expect to do and how often?

Are there special considerations I should be aware of with regard to the size of the unit. For example, is there a size that most parks will not accommodate?

What key things should I look for in a pulling vehicle?

Would a 3/4 ton pickup with a Diesel be sufficient to pull a unit of the size described? I know a 1 ton is better suited but for day to day use unloaded the ride is not too good.

Any advice given will be appreciated, thanks.

[OneRVer]

As far as the weight goes, you will need to know what the GVCW, Gross Vehicle Combination Weight, of the truck you are planning on using. After you know that, you can go from there.

[GreatWhite]

Welcome.. wow, just traded a 2006 NuWa Discover America in on our MH. They aren't light. but, the construction, amenities, and woodwork... everything.. is 1st class. but, they are pricey. I'd go minimum with a strong 3/4 ton P/U... better yet.. a 1 ton. Short bed's work ok.. IF IF you are careful when backing into tight places.. usually, on the road.. nothing will cause a problem. I had a fiver on a short bed for a number of years and had no problems UNTIL.. I tried to back into a tight place. BAM.. there went a rear window.. fortunately nothing else happened... Worse yet.. I had a sliding hitch. which I never used.. Now, I have only had long beds.. which works better for me for hauling plywood etc.

Maintenance depends on the rig. Probably wouldn't need to do PREVENTATIVE maintenance more than once a year. But, the older they get.. the more you'll have to do..

When choosing a truck, look at the GCVW.. and err on the high side.. don't try to "get by".. That puts a lot of strain on everything on the truck from engine to tranny to brakes, etc. It'll cost more in the long run.. and may cost more than dollars if you don't have the brakes to control a stop in time.

[RickO]

Welcome to the forum! Sorry to hear of the changes you're going through but many of us have walked that road and I can assure you there is light at the end of that tunnel.

I can't help you with details on the fiver or tow vehicle but I do know that the floor plans in fivers are much more attractive to DW and I for living area than our 40' diesel with four slides! We travel so much that a motor home makes more sense for us but for someone who only moves a few times a year they can be very nice.

Two things are often mentioned as "drawbacks"... if they can be called that... when comparing a trailer with a MH. There tends to be more storage space in a MH... and for full timers that can be a big deal. And, your "every day" transportation needs to be a big truck... although working in construction you probably need a truck anyway.

In our travels all around the country I can tell you that many, many people do just what you're considering and it seems like a very smart way to proceed in these troubled times.

Best of luck to you and I'm glad you found us.

Rick

[Scybertek]

Thank you so much for your responses so far. As far as the towing vehicle I am kind of at at a chicken or the egg scenario. I don't have the truck or 5th wheel yet is there some kind of gauge with trailer length vs truck size? I know there are variables with the make of the 5er and how heavy it will be. Keep the comments coming they are helping me prepare for my purchase, thanks for the support.
Thanks for the encouragement RickO.

[kschitoskey]

I would start looking at diesel trucks. Big 3 are cummins (dodge), powerstroke (ford) and Duramax (chevy). All 3 are well represented on these forums. Can't go wrong with a used cummins. I've heard that the powerstroke 7.3 is the best ford diesel model. Do your research and don't get in a rush. There are some great deals out there.

[ralphie]

If you're thinking of going with a larger 5W, then by all means go with a diesel truck. One caution is, if you go with a Ford, do not purchase one with the 6.0 motor from years 2003-2006. The earlier 7.3 motors and later 6.? motors are much better according to my brother who sells Fords. I'm a Ford guy, but the Chevy/GMC 2500HD trucks come well recommended for 5W towing.

If I were a single guy I think full-timing in a 5W would be a great idea. I probably would stick with a 27-32ft unit to keep costs down, and I would look for a 2000-2005 year model. If the 5W is small enough then a gasser truck should be okay, and overall maintenance/operating costs are less with a gasser, but you give up the diesel power when you're actually towing.

[jasult]

I was a beginner 3 years ago and I already had my 1996 F250 diesel 7.3
Wife and I did not want to invest much money in a new 5er so we found an older one. We found our current 1995 Fleetwood Wilderness 30 foot that was in very good condition for 4000 dollars. I redid the tires, brakes and bearings and we have and still use the 5ver as much as we can. Only concerns were our roof and I coated it with RV liquid roof and we have no more issues.

[Triker56]

Quote:

single man with no kids

Hummm! Did you have kids before the divorce?

For both the truck & trailer. Are you going to be paying cash or finance both?
How much are you thinking for top paying limit $$$$ on either one of them?

[Scybertek]

ralphie - you confirmed what my brother told me, stay away from the Ford 6.0 Diesel and look for a 7.3. In any case from what I have read so far definitely Diesel over Gas. Having said that I know that when you get over 100k on a gasser it is pretty close to the end of its life cycle but I hear it not the same for a diesel in fact 100k is considered fairly low mileage, is this true?

Triker56 - Nope never had kids at all and I am thankful especially with the divorce. I will be paying cash for both the truck and 5er keeping to my budget of 30k or less for both and that is out the door ready to roll. If I can find a good deal on one item then I can spend more on the other but realistically from I have seen so far around 20k for 5er and 10k for truck budget. If I found a really fantasic deal I could go a little more but I really want to try and stick to the budget

jasult - In your case what condition was your trailer in for 4k? I am not afraid to do some work if I can pick up the trailer cheap but I don't want to buy a money pit. I know with a house once it gets 20-30 years old things start to need repairs how does this correlate with trailers? I saw some good deals on early 90's units but I was afraid to consider those due to the age, how pricy are trailer repairs?

Thanks so much for the comments so far they really help. My divorce will likely be settled mid to late September and I will be making my purchases as soon is its done.

[jasult]

My trailer was in very good condition. I coated the roof with liquid roof which cost about 380. dollars for 5 gallons. I replaced some faucet valves at 4 dollars a set of two. I replaced a water check valve on water heater at 8 dollars. I replaced the thermocouple at 18 dollars on the water heater. That all repairs not including the tires and bearings. Tire and bearings and brakes will ware out even on a new unit. We have no reason to get a newer or new rv in near future unless we just want to go into debt.

[ralphie]

I've never owned a diesel but the conventional wisdom on RV forums is that a diesel is just getting broken in at 100,000 miles, although I'm of the opinion that statement applies to the motors in commercial long-haul trucks, not the typical lighter duty trucks up to 350 or 3500s. On the other hand, I don't believe that a gasser is done at 100,000 miles. There are a lot of folks out there with more than 200,000 miles on their gas engines. I think you'd have transmission problems with light duty trucks more than the motor problems when they're used for a lot of heavy towing. Anyway, it sounds like you're getting some good advice from the folks here who have some experience in these areas and you can decide what you need based on your anticipated usage.

[mhs4771]

Why not think of a SWR 1 ton? Solo the ride should be about equal to the 3/4 ton, but you have the extra helper springs to support the weight of the pin. Just a thought.

[OneRVer]

How far are you willing to travel to find your 5ver?