After about 1 1/2 years of forums and searching RVTrader and visiting local dealerships. After cycling through looking at travel trailers to 5th wheels to Class C to Class A and and back again. After doing the math on new vs used vs what's in my wallet. After all that, we bought a used F350 diesel and a barely used 34' 5th wheel.
Bought the truck a couple months ago and picked up the trailer yesterday. Since I needed a hitch, I ordered a Reese Goose Box and installed it on the seller's site. Took 3 of us about 90 minutes to remove the stock pin box, install the Goose Box, and button everything down and be ready to travel. The thing is heavy, to be sure, but we balanced it in the bed of the truck and it was easy. Just make sure you have a big enough torque wrench. 210 ft lbs is a lot.
So, a few pics.
Love the simplicity of that.
The 20 mile drive home was uneventful. The truck pulled it easily. I stayed in the right lane running 70 mph. The only time I could really tell it was back there was over bumps. Then I could feel it pressing down or up on the ball.
Getting it in its assigned spot alongside our house was a bitch. Even with 3 helpers I managed to rub the oak tree with the trailer. Learned a lot in the process, though. I expect it'll get easier, but the bottom line is that oak tree is a problem. I love that tree, don't want it to go. Gonna try to learn without destroying the trailer.
So we got it in but it wasn't centered on the pad as it should be, meaning we couldn't open the living room slide the whole way. We were beat by then, so I left it like that pending a fresh day. This morning I hooked it up again (learning more and more about the leveling system) and we pulled it fore and back until it was where it needed to be. Now all the slides open all the way and we can walk with a bit of squeezing here or ducking there all the way around the trailer. I was exhausted at the end. Totally beat.
We've had a bottle of Asti in the fridge for like 2 years now, so we popped it and christened the new abode.
After repositioning, all the slides are out and the awning is halfway out which works for where it's at. This thing is TALL. That gate is 8 feet tall, the trailer is 13.
View from the back yard side. It hangs off the end of the paver pad I built for the Mustang just about 2 feet. Close enough I'll be able to mow under it. In the front with the gates closed I can walk around the front without squeezing by. This is gonna work.
Sorry for no inside pics for now, although to be honest it's your basic modern 5'er inside. My stress points were getting it parked in that tight spot, and I did accomplish that.
Now, to actually use it...
Linear Mode
