Community Forums

MtCamper · 02-11-2018, 08:19 AM

"I am really appreciating all the well thought out responses to my questions. Yes, I fully understand and agree that only we can make the final decision, but I wanted to draw on the vast experience of all of you on the forum to help us with our decision. What do you tow that AF 27-7L with?"

I tow our 27-5 with a 2003 duramax 2500 shortbed with a B&W Companion hitch. Never a problem, but you do need to look if you plan to back up at 90* which I rarely do. Get 11.5 MPG towing and can keep up with any reasonable highway speed, but prefer to travel at 65. Hills are not a problem. My truck is rated to tow 15,700# and that was before they started to rate a separate fifth wheel rating. If I had to replace my truck I would go with a GM one ton crew cab short box and I would add a B&W hitch with Torklift stabile loads. Just my preference.

bfisher003 · 02-11-2018, 11:00 AM

Thank you.

Butch50 · 02-11-2018, 07:12 PM

We have a Grand Design Reflection 303RLS and it is just a little over 32'. We are over kill on the truck as it is a 2017 Ram Mega cab Dually SB. I has a 14,000# GVWR and this far exceed what is needed for our 5er.

My wife and I have been all over the place on sizes and between 5ers truck campers and MHs. We have owned well over 20 RVs from th truck campers 6.5" to 40 ' 5ers and 37' MHs. We did have an Arctic Fox 27-5l but we didn't like not having a comfortable chair in it. Now they have theater seating in place of a very uncomfortable sofa they used to have. Our present 5er has theater seating and sofa in it.

We like the size we have now with 3 slides and GVWR of 11,995# It is not classified a Lite. We get right about 11.5MPG with the hills here in NW Arkansas, There is no such thing as a flat straight road here. I just installed a 51 gallon fuel tank so we can pretty well drive all day without stopping for fuel.

We just need to get out more if this darned weather around here would stop. One or two days of ok then we go right back into the freezer with .01' of ice and then back up and right back down again. It started drizzling here on Friday and stayed steady till late Saturday and then didn't get above 25* today and overcast. I thought we moved here from NW Montana to get away from so of this winter weather. Guess we need to sell nd move further south and west. I'm not getting anytime to do the things to our 5er that I want to till this weather settles down. Last winter here was great.

bddadles · 02-12-2018, 07:22 AM

If you are not full timing I would look at the 30' - 34' range. BUY USED. You can't have to much truck. Remember that getting it moving is not the hard part. Stopping SAFELY is the important part.

I'm a full timer for 9 years and we have a 35'.

Brad

grindstone01 · 02-12-2018, 07:29 AM

Stopping is very important, make sure the trailer brakes are maintained and working properly.

SkiSmuggs · 02-12-2018, 01:39 PM

I have a 35' and once I spent 45 minutes trying to maneuver into my assigned NY state campground site. I've found today's floorplans have most of what I need at 32-35'. As for truck, I see no reason to consider the 250/2500 class as the difference is usually less that $1000. Payload vary depending on the truck, but my XLT F350 SRW is good to about 3400 lbs and since I never plan to go over 35-36', I am good for anything in my planned future.

MAINE BOY · 02-12-2018, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfisher003

After a couple of travel trailers that we tow with a F150 3.5 Ecoboost my wife and I have been thinking about, researching and looking at 5’ers. We are retired, in good health and 71 years old this year. We are trying to decide what size (length and weight) 5’er to get so I can decide what size truck to get to tow it safely and effectively. We are not full timers, but do take a few extended trips each year, primarily out West. For example, last summer we towed our 31’ overall TT from Florida to Alaska and back, as well as other trips. Since there is not a lot of price difference between 250 (3/4 ton) and 350 (1 ton) trucks I am leaning toward a 350 diesel class truck and would prefer to stay with SRW. My main question is, what would be a good length trailer? So, what length do you couples find to be the best for getting into campgrounds, towing, etc.? What have you found to be the ideal length? Thank you for your thoughts.

Well I have an F350 , pulling a 42 toy hauler, and I wish it was 6 feet shorter, it’s a bugger in some campgrounds,and I come from an over the road trucker background....

Gray01 · 02-13-2018, 12:23 AM

Another vote for Arctic Fox.

A lot of miles places lots of stress upon the frame of the RV. I do not think you will find a stronger frame than the ones produced by Northwood. They are manufactured in-house by their company owned frame factory because of historic frame problems across the towed RV industry.

We find the 35 foot length to be a sweet spot for comfort and convenience.

I have driven commercially (decades) on metro interstates as well as barely constructed forest roads. You will never, IMO, say “gee, I wish this truck was not as capable”.

Always err on the side of a generous safety margin. When things go sideways, if it’s your fault, the other guys fault, nobody’s fault, you will measure the rest of your life by milliseconds. The bigger, stronger, most stable, at that moment, will be every advantage you would pay any amount for.

grindstone01 · 02-13-2018, 07:52 AM

I believe in using the right tool for the job, you don't use a sledge hammer to pound 8d nails!! Get the proper size truck and make sure all equipment is working like the brakes. Some people even drive HDT's to pull RV's in the name of safety, totally overkill from a logic standpoint.

Gray01 · 02-13-2018, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grindstone01

totally overkill from a logic standpoint.

"Quantity has a quality all it's own." (Thomas A. Callaghan Jr., Allied Interdependence Newsletter No. 13, Center for Strategic and International Studies, 21 June 1979)

or

"Overkill always kills". (Me, just now.)

campinsharz · 02-14-2018, 07:14 AM

We will be picking up our Artic Fox 27 5L in two days (just down sized from a 2017 35 ft. Grand Design Solitude). What have you done about a kitchen garbage can? Have always had space under the sink in our last two 5th wheels. Not sure I want my garbage sitting in the middle of our rig.

grindstone01 · 02-14-2018, 08:03 AM

We keep our garbage container under the sink as designed for the rig. The key is to empty it often, usually twice a day or more if smelly garbage is put in, such as onion peels.

MtCamper · 02-14-2018, 08:41 AM

WOW, is this thread ever getting off the OPs question, but I'll add to it.
Butch50, we felt the same way and just took out the couch and put is a couple of small recliners. also lost two of the dining chairs.
bddadles, good point. We head to Cochise Az next week to have Performance brakes installed.
campinsharz. We purchased a smallish stainless rectangular closed top garbage can from walmart. it goes in front of the sink when we travel and fits between the rear drawers and the pantry door so neither is interfered with when opened.

Obviously we love our 27-5L, but in all honesty we could get by with the 29-5T. After we studied closely the 27-5 came out on top. We gave up the big rear window and king bed to get a bigger kitchen and 5 fewer feet. The 27-5 lives larger than many 34-35' floorplans we seen.

ChuckV1 · 02-25-2018, 12:31 PM

Four things here
1. Allot of National Camp grounds at very tight with anything over 33-35ft as well as some state camp grounds...We visit lots of national an state parks but we stay outside those an take day trips into such ...

2. I have found that I can park my DRW long bed truck in most parking lots, we may not be close to the door but we have always found a parking place .... As well as the old saying goes you can always down grade to a smaller 5th wheel with a larger truck but it cost you $$$$$$$ to upgrade to a larger truck to pull a larger trailer, to save money you go with larger because you will in time get a larger trailer !!! believe me it will happen !!!

3. Longer trailer back easier because they are longer an thus react slower when backing, major problem is people do not realize that the tail swing is different in most case's with longer trailers an forget out such when backing in their new longer trailer :(

4. Even thought many people do not know about them, Kz makes some great TT trailers an 5th wheels, been in business for 40 years... We didn't know about them till we say some at a RV show a year ago when we were looking for a new 5th wheel ... Was looking at Montana's an the same dealer sold Kz 5th wheels, walked into the one we bought an it spoke to us as if it said I am the one for you ... I have to say it had more room compared to the Montana's of the same length, brighter inside an was way more functional overall an thousands of dollars cheaper with great build quality ... https://www.kz-rv.com/fifth-wheels.html

Safe Travels

Safe Travels