Help - towing 34' 5th Wheel

[Laurim1]

I should have reached out before we ordered a new 34 foot 5th wheel (34’ 8” to be exact). This is our first trailer ever and we are very excited, but even more nervous about learning to tow such a large unit. We have a capable truck but are just worried about the length. It has everything we want, but have we made a mistake or will everything be okay?

[CLIFFTALL]

Welcome. It’s not too long or short. It won’t be long until you look back at this post and laugh ( not because it’s funny ) because you’ll be quite capable of handling it. Take your time ( mistakes can be costly ) , ask anything that’s on your mind as there isn’t any stupid questions on here. Best of luck with it. Enjoy yourself.

[Firedog53]

You were doing fine until you added that 8" to the length....kidding...!

It'll be no problem at all; a few miles down the road on the first tow and you'll be swinging corners and changing lanes like a pro. Make sure mirrors are adjusted properly and use a person on the ground when (with communication) backing up; be there before hard dark and don't forget to look up^...

Welcome to this forum; there's a ton of information, skill and knowledge here, mostly from others than me... Learn to use the "search" function here too; it's probably been asked before.
May I suggest your threads show a bit more information than "Help"? Give at least an area of concern and the make/model of the troublemaker. Many brands have a dedicated column for their stuff. Lastly, get you basic information in your signature block; keeps you from repeating it every post and tells others basic information about your rig...

Best...

[mistercee]

Originally Posted by Laurim1

I should have reached out before we ordered a new 34 foot 5th wheel (34’ 8” to be exact). This is our first trailer ever and we are very excited, but even more nervous about learning to tow such a large unit. We have a capable truck but are just worried about the length. It has everything we want, but have we made a mistake or will everything be okay?

New-ish also. Bought a 24' Class-C in May 2019. Realized it was too small for our needs so we sold it 6 months later and bought an almost 34' travel trailer. I had never towed one before and felt then the same way you do now. After a few short jaunts we took it cross country this past July and had a great time, despite a couple of blowouts on the trailer!

My main issue is backing up the rig. I'm pretty God awful at it still so I take pull thrus when I can get them. I would recommend you and your partner practice, practice, practice. Look at some YouTube vids on the subject and you'll notice how you need to work as a team when backing. Take your time, make checklists for hitching and unhitching, as well as camp setup and breakdown and you will be fine. Like most things....it's never as 'bad' as you think it will be.

[hamm2018]

Originally Posted by Laurim1

I should have reached out before we ordered a new 34 foot 5th wheel (34’ 8” to be exact). This is our first trailer ever and we are very excited, but even more nervous about learning to tow such a large unit. We have a capable truck but are just worried about the length. It has everything we want, but have we made a mistake or will everything be okay?

A 34 foot, that is about 10 feet shorter than our toy hauler. In no time you will be moving that thing like it is nothing. If you are worried find a nice big empty parking lot and go practice. Get some cones and set up parking spots, back in, pull thru. Not just the main driver but the other individual needs to play around too in case the driver becomes sick or something.
My wife helps drive our toy hauler no problems.
As of today we finished our trip across Texas, we pulled into Anthony, NM, tomorrow start heading toward Goodyear, Arizona for the winter.

[pddgm]

Years ago when I lived in Texas, I went to work for a mobile towing service. The first thing the owner told me, where ever the truck goes the trailer will follow, and when making a turn the rear end of the trailer will look like it's moving faster than the front. Just take your time, and you will be ok. My first fifth wheel was a 40 ft Travel Supreme, and I never had an issue towing it. I always put my hand at the bottom of the steering wheel when backing up, which ever way you turn the steering wheel that's the way the back of the trailer is going...Enjoy...

[TheLex]

Prior to this, I'd never even owned or driven a pickup truck! Now we have a F450 dually and a 34' and a few inches Reflection 28bh. I actually took lessons from RVschool.com to learn how to maneuver with the combo. It was well worth it.

One thing that really helped was to buy some small orange cones and set them up in a big empty parking lot (preferably one without light poles in the way), and practice simulating backing up into a campsite. Do that over and over again until you're comfortable. Change the size of the site by moving the cones. Make it a 90 degree and other variable angled back in sites. Practice backing up in a straight line. Get to know how tight you can turn (watch to make sure the front of the fiver doesn't hit the back of your pickup's cab).

Also get yourself a rear observation camera, not a backup cam. The backup cams only come on when you're in reverse. The observation cam is always on, and that is a big help in traffic when you're trying to change lanes or even backing up.

Get yourself a pair of family radio walkie talkies. Have a spotter when you're backing up. If in doubt, put it in park and get out and look for yourself! Be patient and never yell at your spotter!!!

Make sure your truck and trailer are level. Learn how to do a pull test when you hitch up. Have someone stand behind you and test the brake light and turn signals. Always do a safety check before leaving. Do a walk around. Check all tires, lights, hatches, etc.

When you're turning don't forget that the fifth wheel will turn inside of the track your truck makes. So if you're making a right turn, you need to be in the 2nd lane from the run, and then turn into the 2nd lane from the right. Don't be nervous or shy about taking the space you need. Just start moving and be aggressive but cognizant about where you're going. I usually straddle the lane divider so I take up both lanes, and then I slowly make the turn using up ALL the space I need.

Make sure you've got your truck mirrors adjusted correctly. On my Ford Superduty, I've my mirror has an upper 3/4 and a lower 1/4 split. I've got the upper part adjusted so I can see my blind spots and also the edge of the trailer (which helps backing up). I've got the lower part adjusted so I can see my truck tires (duallies are wide!) and trailer tires. When I'm turning I'm watching my mirrors to see where my tires are tracking.

Good luck. Practice practice practice. The first summer we got the truck and trailer, we took a 7k mi trip across the Western US and Western Canada!

[Old-Biscuit]

Tail Swing.....watch your rear end

Corners....5th wheel tracks inside so swing wide when turning corners

Height....hookup 5vr --- LEVEL
Then get up on roof with a straight edge (2x2x8 works) and measure ACTUAL Height to highest point (typically top of A/C Unit)
Memorize that actual height (write it down somewhere handy)

When traveling...play attention to signage and LOOK UP


Enjoy your NEW RV....memories waiting to be made!!

[corn18]

We were debating 22' TT vs. 35' 5er. We really concerned the 5er would be too big. Got it home and got really concerned. Been out 5 times since we bought it, all to state parks and it has been great! Took a bit to get used to the size, but once you do, you will be able to put that trailer anywhere. So glad we went big. So many options now to travel for longer periods.

[MtCamper]

Go re-read what Old-Biscuit said and then re-re-read the part about looking up. The trailer will go where you drive the truck. Doesn't matter if it's 20' or 40'. Don't be afraid to exit the truck to look when backing. You'll be a pro in no time.

[Triangle Drifter]

IMO a 34 by model number is only a mid sized 5er.

We bought ours having never towed ANYTHING before. Our shakedown trip was a two month ride from Austin, TX, where we bought it, to the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, it's new home.

We jumped right into the deep end of the pool requesting backin sites from the beginning. You learn fast, starting with swinging wide at intersections & allowing a much larger following distance on the road. The reversing into sites is entertaining but you learn that too.

[Yosemite77]

Going forwards: treat turns as if you are taking a square path. In other words, pull forward farther than you normally would, then turn.

Going backwards: initially turn the wheel away from where you want the trailer to go. After that hold the steering wheel at the bottom and move it in the direction you want the rear of the trailer to go.

Then get some cones and practice, practice, practice.

[Jshopes81]

Get a cdl driver manual. There is a section on towing and they give alot of good tips. Take the trailer to a big wide open parkinglot and as everyone else has said, practice parking and backing. Youll get used to it and be fine. One thing i will say that you need to pay attention to, i work in an industry with alot of truck traffic and backing. Youd be suprised to know that a good many of the injuries and deaths involve backing a vehicle of some form or another. IF YOU LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR SPOTTER, STOP! one kid was killed, first day of his first job out of highschool. The driver lost sight of him and ran him over. This may sound like common sense, but it happens too much.

[xc-mark]

34' is a mid size trailer , you will learn how to back it in and handle it on the road. One thing for sure take your time backing up check twice to avoid bumping anything. Who ever your going camping with get a set to two way radios to avoid the had signal issue confusion. You should have no issue finding places to camp being a mid size . Find a large empty office parking lot on a Sunday and practice backing into place . Typically RV drive way is roughly 12' wide or 1 1/2 parking spots wide. set up a few cones and have fun and DONT kill your wing man because your nervous . have your wing man watch your blind spot and explain to them where you cant see from the drivers seat .

hitting any thing is very expensive to fix so take your time!