What was your 1st 5'ver & hitch? How many have you owned? Best and/or Worst?

[Kro1957]

We started with slide in campers when we were in our 20's and by the time we were in our 30's moved up into the 5th wheel family.

Thought we were on top of the world with that Prowler Lynx. Built like a tank and very solid cabinetry. As small as it was it slept 8. The Cabinets over the dinette droped down flat with inserts for the doors to make bunk beds.

It had hand crank down jacks up front. The Hitch was a RBW. Wow for it's day we were on top of the world,

Our 2nd and current is the 28' 02 Larado. With the large slide, we thought this would be our final 5th wheel in our life with all this extra room and class, life with this unit was grand. Our 2nd and current hitch is the Reese slider. Although we have never slid it back just thought it was cool to have just in case. We do have a long box. It's rated pretty heavy but we may have to upgrade again if we go with larger unit. Hope the rails will match up.

Now today, we have decided the time has come to go south for winters and perhaps full time in a couple years so will move up once again. I think back to my father's days and what he would think of RV's of today. Dad we have come a long way since the days of sleeping in the trunk of a 65 Chevy.....

[Happy Prospector]

The worst trailer I ever owned was a 2002 Laredo 28 RL, that was the worst piece of s---- I ever owned, I was glad when I sold it to some poor sap in the mid west. Boy o boy did he over pay.

The best trailer is the one I have now, I paid cash for it with the money I made off my worst trailer.

[caissiel]

We started with a 24ft 5th wheel by Fleetwood. Only option was the awning. First towed it with a 1/4 ton Range STX. Tought we realy had something for 3 years. Traveled south 2000 miles every spring.
Moved on to a 90 GM diesel with excellent fuel economy and less power.
Moved on to the 33ft top of the line Glendale unit made in Canada. But the axles and tube frame was weak for the size of the unit. The 98 6.5l diesel truck worked fine for 9 years and then towed it with present 6.0l diesel F250.
Moved on to the present 3500RL unit. Though its 4k heavier and 6ft longer it tows much better then the Glendale 33ft unit and the fuel economy on long trips is similar to the 1/4 Ranger V6.
So after 3 different size units we were able to keep the floor layout similar with much more living space and storage with same towing economy, and the 6 speed F250 is not to far off the Ranger in fuel mileage.

[SmokeyWren]

First 5er was a Thor Wonderer 21' low profile towed with a 1995 Toyota T-100 with a Reese "Classic" 15k hitch with two-way tilt.

Soon upgraded to a '99.5 F-250 diesel, and towed that small 5er for a year or so until Darling Wife put her foot down and refused to make the bed because she had to crawl around on the bed to make it.

Upgraded the 5er to a mid-profile 2000 Keystone Sprinter 25' with one big slide and GVWR of 7,900 pounds. Tall enough in the bedroom that Darling Wife didn't have to do any crawling. Almost perfect match of RV and tow vehicle, especially after I hot-rodded the 7.3L engine with a towing tune and matching intake and exhaust mods. But that cheap two-way tilt hitch didn't cut it. Threw it away and bought a new Reese 16k hitch with 4-way tilt (fore-and-aft and side-to-side 4°-5° pivot.) That was the ticket.

Drug that 5er all over the lower 48, from Seattle to the Florida Keys, and from Portsmouth ME to San Diego, across every mountain range in the USA. We put over 100,000 miles on that rig over about 10 or 11 years. Just about perfect for two old folks and a Pomeranian pooch.

We don't "camp". We use the RV as a portable motel room with restroom. (Old folks need a restroom handy when on the road.)

Last year we gave the 5er to a handicapped daughter who is now living in it in Austin. But we missed our portable restroom, so we bought a small TT to drag along behind the F-150.

[TXiceman]

First one was a Drawtite 15K (about 6 years) and the current hitch is a Reese 20K (about 1 year).

Ken

[SmokeyWren]

Ken -

He asked about your first " 5'ver & hitch ". You omitted the answer to the 5er part of the question.

[TXiceman]

Smokey, both were 5er hitches and they worked equally well. Both used the same rails. The Drawtite was identical to the Reese 15K.

The first 5er was a 1995 Avion 36.5M, with a 1997 F350 drw. The current one is in my signature.

Ken

[JIMNLIN]

What was your 1st 5'ver & hitch? How many have you owned? Best and/or Worst?

Our first 5er was a new 26' '84 Aljo by Skyline. It was the std rear bath model with little room but we made it fine for 8 years. Even double towed behind it with a 3500 lb bass boat. The hitch was a Atwood across the bed (wheel well to wheel well). The trailer was fine for its price but the old sliding bar hitch was a piece of junk.

The second 5er was a 27' RK Wilderness by Fleetwood. Great unit for the price. In fact we lived in it for one winter while the house was being built. Had a RBW hitch with this trailer and no issues.

Our current 5er is a 28' RK with two slides by Electra. Thor had just bought them out. Current hitch is a 16K Reese manual slider. I keep both looking new and operating better than new.

Worst RV ??
We've had the three truck campers in the '60s/'70s. Having worked on a assy line in the mobile home/rv industry in the '60s I always expected to work on them when needed. They all were in better shape when I sold them for the next newer unit.

Guess I never had a bad RV as i knew what to expect.

[bdwillie]

Our 1st 5ver was a 2005 Keystone Springdale 279REL, picked up in 2005 towed with a 2000 Dodge 2500, Reese 10K hitch (got for free behind someones garage)

Our second 5ver we got back November 2012 A 2012 Crossroads Cruiser, still towing with the 2000 Dodge, but have upgraded the hitch to a Reese 16K.

DW and I have come a long way from a 1964 popup

And every trip has had it's ups and downs, mostly ups (thank goodness)

[Kro1957]

H.P.... Your comments on the Laredo are pretty vague. So you were unhappy with it, would be interesting if you would put some content in your remarks.

We have had ours since it was new, Structure, No issues... replaced shower curtain, vent caps, refer cap, and will probably replace the vinyl floor has a tear in it. Not bad just not like it was new. Other than that, it has more cabinet space than many of the larger 5vers. Good counter space with drop down on side of breakfast bar. For the money I believe we did fine. Still serves us well and I have had no other major issues. (knock on wood right)... A friend also has on and has similar very minor replacements like the vent cap and vent fan blade. His looks as new as it did in 02. So how about giving me some other feedback to be on the look out for????
As for the hitch, mine is a Reese 15k and if we get larger unit would move up to 20k and stay with Reese in hopes of using same rails. Reese seems to do good job on building them. I am not convinced the 4way swivel is necessary perhaps you can sell me on it though...

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Kro1957

I am not convinced the 4way swivel is necessary perhaps you can sell me on it though...

The biggest advantage with the 4-way swivel is when hooking up on rough ground. If the TV is angling one way and the trailer another, the two-way swivel won't connect. If you always unhook and hook up in a KOA, then you won't have any problem with the two-way swivel. But if you boondock, or camp in the Texas Motor Speedway pasture where we camped for about 10 days per year for 10 years, then you'll quickly appreciate the 4-way swivel when it's time to hook up and get gone.

Also, in the rough stuff, the 4-way tilt allows the trailer to lean one way and the tow vehicle another without undue strain on the TV frame. So again, stay out of the rough stuff and you won't have any problem with your 15k hitch.

[woodburner]

First and only 5ver was our Keystone Everest; Needed a lot of tlc to keep it up but it treated us well. (after I got the initial "bugs" worked out of it)
Had loads of storage, warm when cold out, cool when hot out and dry when wet out. Towed like a dream. And all systems worked flawlessly.
Had a GVWR of 12480lbs. and we used a 4 way swivel HUSKY 16,000lb. hitch which is still sitting in my garage and in great shape.

[inspecterbak]

Our first 5er was a 02 wilderness 305s pulled with a 03 ram 2500 B&W goose neck YES I said goose neck. just purchased 2011 couger 327RES found a used B&W companion 5th wheel hitch still have 03 ram.

[Happy Prospector]

Originally Posted by Kro1957

H.P.... Your comments on the Laredo are pretty vague. So you were unhappy with it, would be interesting if you would put some content in your remarks.

The general fit and finish on the interior was poor, cabinets very poorly made, roof covering installed hap hazardly, floor underlayment was starting to delaminate (no leaks). I found it to be just a poorly made trailer and was glad to dump it on someone else for a goodly profit.

First and only 5er hitch is a Reese 30K Low Profile Hitch- very happy with it.