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07-06-2017, 01:39 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,052
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Learning curve driving 5th wheel to class A
I'm going to guess many/most of you in class A rigs started with trailers. So, looking back at your transition, what advice would you give someone making the switch?
I feel so comfortable with my 35' 5th wheel but am totally intimidated to get behind the wheel of a class A for some reason. I'm sure like anything I'll get used to it but would love to hear some experiences. Thanks!
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07-06-2017, 01:50 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Grand Design Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 250
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Not much different really. If you are moving to DP, air brakes have a different feel. You sit higher, so you feel sway to a greater degree. I would say if you tow a 35' fiver, it will take you a solid day to get comfortable again. Front wheels behind the driver fells goofy the first 4 or 5 turns.
__________________
2002 Monaco Executive
Cummins 500ISM (11L)
Castle Rock, CO
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07-06-2017, 01:52 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Oroville, CA
Posts: 3,133
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Had our 30' 5ver for 17 years, loved the trailer! Traded it in on our 40' MH and no going back. Easier to park and set up by far. No chucking, and you are not towing a big trailer. You can use your small passenger car for a toad, no need to drive the 1T truck just to get groceries. Handling a bigger rig just takes a few tries, square corners, go slow, its not like they can't see you!! Easier to back up. If you need to, just get out and drop the toad and manuver as needed, then hook up again and away you go. Jump in, you'll like it!!
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Bill, Kathi and Zorro; '05 Beaver Patriot Thunder
2012 Sunnybrook Harmony 21FBS (SQEZINN)
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland
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07-06-2017, 02:27 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hartwell, GA
Posts: 240
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Rule of thumb: when making a 90 degree turn, wait until your butt is in the the lane you intend to turn into before you turn the steering wheel.
A good lane-keeping trick is to use your mirrors to be sure you are in your lane. Then find a spot on your dash where you see the lane marker or road edge. Put tape on the windshield over the dash on those spots. You can use those markers to line up the lane boundaries on narrow roads.
Be aware of tail swing. When pulling a toad,a sharp turn in one direction with the coach will turn the toad in the other direction
Another rule of thumb: if the coach can make a turn, the toad can too.
__________________
2005 Monaco Diplomat 40PDQ
Hartwell, GA
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07-06-2017, 03:33 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,666
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I've never owned a trailer. I migrated to a 40-foot diesel pusher from Volkswagen van campers. Jumping into the deep end, for sure. I spent an hour making forward and reverse turns in the empty high school parking lot until I felt somewhat comfortable with the turning behavior, and hit the road for a few 50-mile drives. I was 1200 miles into our first major outing before I felt confident at the wheel.
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Mike
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07-06-2017, 04:27 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Olympia, Wa
Posts: 2,772
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You already have the worst part mastered, it's long.
LEN
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2004 Clss C 31' Winnebgo
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07-06-2017, 05:21 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,636
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Went from 20+ years of driving semi retired got our Class A. My main issue was backing and having to retrain my auto response on which way to turn the wheel with the coach.
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2012 Journey 40U (Our Incredible Journey)
2008 Dodge Dakota(TOAD) 2005 Honda Shadow in TOAD
AF-1 braking system
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07-06-2017, 05:30 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Western NY
Posts: 6,149
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Kiemele
A good lane-keeping trick is to use your mirrors to be sure you are in your lane. Then find a spot on your dash where you see the lane marker or road edge. Put tape on the windshield over the dash on those spots. You can use those markers to line up the lane boundaries on narrow roads.
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Great tip...used on previous MH and added at first rest stop picking up current MH.
Works especially well in narrow construction zones w concrete barriers...no need to take eyes off the road ahead
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Don & Marge
'13 Newmar Ventana 3433 - '14 CR-V TOAD
'03 Winnebago Adventurer 31Y - SOLD
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07-06-2017, 05:32 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Clinton On
Posts: 205
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Just check mirrors and see white lines then your in between and look to were you
are going not in front but a distance ahead.
Don
__________________
2013 Georgetown 335 DS
2016 Ford Focus SE
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07-06-2017, 05:54 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3,296
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I went from zero to full throttle. Picked up my 40' at PPL in houston. Rolled from there at 5:15pm on the toll way and then I-10 west. Never driven anything bigger than a 25 foot ryder truck to move once. Really wasn't that big of a deal except through the toll booth. For me the key is to visualize the track of the motorhome, if that makes sense. Also learned fast what on the dash lined up with the lines on the road. Wiper arm lined up with white line on the right, left blower vent on left lined up with the left line on road puts me in the middle.
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07-06-2017, 11:02 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 112
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Good comments above. We have had trailers.. 5th. Wheels.. several motorhomes.. 45' Zephyr now .. Will stay with the class
lesson learned... when you hit your head on a class A slide out ... it hurts just as bad as hitting your head on a 5th. Wheel slide out!!!!
☺
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07-07-2017, 07:53 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 712
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Some good points here, but I disagree with relying too much on dashboard tricks for lane position. Get in the habit of looking down the road...and checking your mirrors to see how you're doing on the fog line. For you safety your attention needs to be outward, not downward. This is particularly important in a narrow lane construction zone. Things go bad in a heartbeat in those situations.
Regardless of which method you use, you'll get a mental picture of exactly how long your coach is and where the rear axle is pretty quickly. Remember that you now have a lot of body behind the rear axle. It swings in the opposite direction of your turn so you need to be careful around gas pumps. Turn too soon and you have an expensive souvenir.
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07-07-2017, 08:16 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2012
Location: DFW, Tex-US
Posts: 6,196
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If the front fits, the rest will too !!!!
99.9% of roadways are wide enough so all you have to do is line up the left side and the right SHOULD fit !
Except in turns, then I like to always drive to the OUTSIDE of a turn, that protects the inside 'shortcut' the rear end does.
Was your 5'er as tall as your coach - then you know to check overhead as well.
it will become second nature quickly...
__________________
'11 Monaco Diplomat 43DFT RR10R pushed by a '14 Jeep Wrangler JKU. History.. 5'ers: 13 Redwood 38gk(junk!), 11 MVP Destiny, Open Range TT, Winn LeSharo, C's, popups, vans, tents...
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07-07-2017, 08:30 AM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 90
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Quote:
Originally Posted by D Lindy
Went from 20+ years of driving semi retired got our Class A. My main issue was backing and having to retrain my auto response on which way to turn the wheel with the coach.
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Hah. I still have this issue sometimes in my car or truck. Or if youre bobtailing and back up. Haha still opposite steering.
Heck I've even slowed down for a turn in my MH and reached over for the gear shift while searching for the clutch with my foot. I just laugh
__________________
2007 Fleetwood Flair 33r
33 feet, 2 slides, I assume everything is stock. It's an ex rental unit.
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