Full Timing in a 5th Wheel Toy Hauler

[hdhawg1340]

Well, my husband just informed me that he would like to start full timing in Jan 2016 instead of May 2016 so our research will be picking up.

Thanks again to all for the information and opinions.

We noticed that a lot of you are pulling you're trailers with F-350 Super Duty's or similar. We assume it's more for the stopping than the pulling. We have found quite a few nice, gently used trucks with low mileage in Texas so may be making a trip there soon. My husband can use it as a tax right-off if we get one before he sells his route.

We like the idea of having some of our own furniture so hoping that works for us.

Has anyone installed additional cabinets in the garage? If so, how difficult is it? I would think there are some kind of special fasteners so they don't go thru the wall or ceiling.

[Kirk W]

Has anyone installed additional cabinets in the garage? If so, how difficult is it? I would think there are some kind of special fasteners so they don't go thru the wall or ceiling.

What you need to do is determine where inside of the wall the frame members are and then attach any cabinets to them. The same thing goes for attachments to the ceiling.

[hdhawg1340]

Are you sure you want a toy hauler? I have nothing against them, I'm just pointing out there's more than one way to skin a cat. You might consider a motorhome towing an enclosed trailer for the Harleys. Of course, you lose the use of the truck for running around, but then, you do have the Harleys, right? If you could stand the idea of cutting down to a single Harley you could carry one on a lift on the back of a motorhome and still be able to tow a car or truck for running around.

 

It's early on, you're learning, keep your minds and options open for a while, that's all I'm suggesting.

 

Best of luck to you!

Yep, we're sure we want a toy hauler. We'll use it as an office & extra living space when the bikes are out. We each ride our own so getting rid of one is not an option for us.

[hdhawg1340]

What you need to do is determine where inside of the wall the frame members are and then attach any cabinets to them. The same thing goes for attachments to the ceiling.

What kind of fasteners would we use? Screws? Anchors?

Thanks

[skp51443]

It depends on what you have in your walls, some rigs have no way to add cabinets on the walls, you need to use floor supported ones with the wall connection just there to prevent tipping. Our last two rigs were like that and the only way to hang anything from the wall that needed more than a 3M Command Strip was to have had the supports added before the wall was laminated and put on the rig.

 

If you have thick aluminum studs then anchors of some sort are really nice, I like the ones that crimp in using a pop-rivet gun. They go in solid and if you strip one removing it and adding a new one isn't too hard. About impossible to pull out of the framing too.

 

Wood studs are a bit of a challenge depending on the size and age, many are small enough that a good sized screw will split them so pre-drilling and a bit of thread lube can help. An old stud is more likely to split than a newer one so more care is needed as well as possibly more but smaller screws staggered to avoid stressing a single point in the wood's grain.

 

What do you have?

[hdhawg1340]

It depends on what you have in your walls, some rigs have no way to add cabinets on the walls, you need to use floor supported ones with the wall connection just there to prevent tipping. Our last two rigs were like that and the only way to hang anything from the wall that needed more than a 3M Command Strip was to have had the supports added before the wall was laminated and put on the rig.

 

If you have thick aluminum studs then anchors of some sort are really nice, I like the ones that crimp in using a pop-rivet gun. They go in solid and if you strip one removing it and adding a new one isn't too hard. About impossible to pull out of the framing too.

 

Wood studs are a bit of a challenge depending on the size and age, many are small enough that a good sized screw will split them so pre-drilling and a bit of thread lube can help. An old stud is more likely to split than a newer one so more care is needed as well as possibly more but smaller screws staggered to avoid stressing a single point in the wood's grain.

 

What do you have?

We don't have anything yet. Still looking but this helps a lot. Thanks.

[lappir]

I started the RV life in a borrowed 40 ft toyhauler. It belonged to my brother. Used it for a 4 month stint in Florida and other than a few issues with my Ford F350 pulling it I enjoyed the life and decided to find my own Toyhauler.

 

The next one was a 2007 Weekend Warrior. Thought it had everything I needed, still pulled it for a short time with the F350 but then got educated at an HDT rally in Kansas. Found my Volvo and then went back for education at the rally again and found J&V with their garage on the truck big enough for a car. (realized there was nothing other than a Smart that could fit into the WW garage.

 

Truck with 14 foot box and a Mini Cooper were next, motorcycle still in the WW garage. Most things were fine but the WW was showing signs of needing some major revisions to keep it going.

 

Now I have a 42 foot Spacecraft custom. It has a 141/2 foot garage that will house my Isuzu VehiCross for the trips from place to place and I'm looking for a 10 to 12 foot box to replace the garage on the truck. When I get that project finished I hope to just travel, work and not have to worry about changing things other than routine maintenance. No matter how much you think about almost everything, until you live with it for a while you really can't tell if it will work out as you planned.

 

I went with the Aluminum framing and the only issue with that is the ease of passing the cold into the inside of the trailer. I made the mistake of putting up my Murphy bed one day before going to work, came home 14 hours later with frost on the wall where the bed prevented the heat to get to the wall. It was probably 12 degrees that day.

 

Rod

[EKBendana]

We have a 34.5 FK model Work n play....we only part time, but they do make a larger model with slide out...what sold us is that they are built on a goosneck frame if you order it that way, which we really like because it leaves room in truck bed for fuel transfer tank and tool box...also, the walls are All load bearing and CCC is heavy duty, we carry our Harley and MULE...very bare bones, but we like the one piece aluminum roof also

[mb36912]

Lots of good advice here!!

 

Our experience: We decided on the fulltime path about 10 years ago and knew nothing about RV'ing other than tents, backpacks, and motorcycles. We spent several years attending RV shows, researching our full time RV, and laying plans before we found this site and communicated with members. Our original plan was a MH pulling an enclosed trailer but my wife and I went to an Escapade and a Good Sam Rally and gained some new perspectives..... buy your third RV first; buy your first RV used; and buy quality. For space, storage, and guest reasons, she decided on a toyhauler 5'er with an 8' or 10' garage to carry our motorcycles and bicycles and yet be able to use it as an occasional guest room (with A/C and heat in it). An Escapee on the forum recommended we buy a rig with a solid foundation and certain features (i.e. heavy 15"-18" frame, disc brakes, independent suspension if possible, thermo-pane windows, 4 seasons insulation, etc.). He advised if you buy a quality rig with a sound foundation and and frame, everything else can be changed out or upgraded as you see fit. We found quite a few rig options including one New Horizons but found a 2008 KZ Escalade Sportster 41CKS that fit the bill. Our K-Z met most of his recommendations (pretty good insulation but not really 4 seasons)and had decent solid wood cabinets thoughout the rig including the garage. It also has a 27 gallon fuel tank and a 5.5 kW gas genset. New furniture and a dining table were added and a BigFoot hydraulic leveling system installed, And the rig has had no problems and still serves us well today. Someday we hope to buy a custom NH, Forks, or Spacecraft......but for now we are very happy with ou Escalade. Fortunately, we also met another Escapee at the Escapade who signed us up for the HDT BoF and encouraged us to consider a heavier MDT or HDT truck than the Big Three 1Ton LDT's we were looking at. We thought he was crazy at the time but eventually came around to his way of thinking and found a very reasonable 2006 Volvo already set up for RV'ing (and was about 1/2 the cost of the 1T dually).

 

I will reiterate their advice to us 6 years ago: buy a quality rig with a solid foundation and make sure you have enough truck to handle and stop your rig safely (STOP, not pull...."anything" can pull it).

 

Best of luck to you!! Enjoy your search, buy the best quality you can, and factor towing safety into your decision.

[hdhawg1340]

This is just the information we are looking for! Thanks so much!

We just found a 2008 Keystone Raptor 3600 RL that looks pretty good. Will research more now that you gave us some good advice.

Thanks again!

[Kirk W]

I suggest that you also take the time to study up on the weight ratings and related issues for tow trucks and trailers, as well as tires and all associated loading considerations. It is very important that you have the proper match in tow truck for the kind of trailer that you select. The highest quality RV will nearly always weigh more than the lesser ones and well constructed toy haulers are at the top of that weight list, especially when you consider the total loaded weight when ready to travel It is also important to be sure that the weight ratings of the trailer are high enough to carry the total weight of what you want to carry as well as large enough. Most RV sales people are going to tell you that you have enough truck to tow whatever they want to sell, even if you have a small pickup and the largest of fifth wheels. Do not believe what they say but verify the weight ratings either here or in your research! An overloaded truck and/or trailer is difficult to drive and dangerous as well as a possible maintenance nightmare.

 

There is a great deal to learn, but you have given yourself time to do that and this was a very wise decision. Take lots of time and ask plenty of questions and do not allow any sales person to stampede you into a purchase before you make sure that it will work. Sales people like to claim that this unit is the last one of it's type but that is never true. If you don't get the one you are looking at, there will always be another that is as good or better if you have a bit of patience. Good luck! and do keep us posted.

[hdhawg1340]

Kirk,

We really appreciate all the advice & guidance.

[hdhawg1340]

Well, we bought a 5th wheel toy hauler the last week. We bring it home in a few days.

2007 Sunnybrook Titan 391K SURV. 1 owner, very well built, full size queen bed, 2 ducted a/c's, extreme weather package, washer/dryer connections & only a 10' garage which will give us more living space & still fit both Harley's.

We will remove the dinette & couch so we can put in a table & chairs as well as 2 recliners.

We need to be mindful of what we put in there as it weighs 13772#. The bikes weigh almost 1400#.

Any suggestions on what you started with & found you really didn't need would be very helpful.

By the way, we have moved our retirement up to Aug 1, 2015.

Thanks.

[GlennWest]

Hope you enjoy it. We can't see giving up the living space for a toyhauler. But if everyone was like us they wouldn't sell them. lol

[TxCowboy]

DRV now has a toyhauler - http://drvfullhouse.com/

 

Are these DRV toy haulers already on the market? I can't seem to locate information about them on the DRV website.

[Big Z]

We are going to be full timing starting May, 2016. We will be buying a 5th wheel toy hauler. We have to Harley's, 2 golden retrievers & a cat.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

-what make of toy hauler... The DRV Full House

-traveling with pets.... Is always fun!

-recommended truck.... MDT or HDT

 

 

[mb36912]

Sunnybrook made a pretty solid SURV with a 16" triple box frame. My only concern was their use of 5200 lb axles on their triple axle toyhaulers. With a trailer GVWR of 18,000 lbs and a dry weight of 13,772lbs (not including optional equipment, LP, gasoline, or water), this gives you a theoretical cargo carrying capacity of 4228 lbs and requires your truck to carry a minimum 2400 lbs of pin weight (16-25% of GVW is recommended) just to keep each axle from exceeding its maximum GAWR. If you can keep your cargo weight down, it will provide you with a little safety factor. Make sure you have good, quality tires that are not aged out and get weighed at each wheel location so you know you are within the axle and tire ratings.

 

Be safe and enjoy your rig and travels.

[jlb27537]

Well, we bought a 5th wheel toy hauler the last week. We bring it home in a few days.

2007 Sunnybrook Titan 391K SURV. 1 owner, very well built, full size queen bed, 2 ducted a/c's, extreme weather package, washer/dryer connections & only a 10' garage which will give us more living space & still fit both Harley's.

We will remove the dinette & couch so we can put in a table & chairs as well as 2 recliners.

We need to be mindful of what we put in there as it weighs 13772#. The bikes weigh almost 1400#.

Any suggestions on what you started with & found you really didn't need would be very helpful.

By the way, we have moved our retirement up to Aug 1, 2015.

Thanks.

Welcome to the RV world. You are for sure in the weight class that you will need a late model 1T DRW or a MDT or a HDT.

 

Since you don't have a truck, get the previous owner or dealership to drag it across a set of scales and get the "actual" weight. Then you can decide if you need to change axles or anything else. It has not been mentioned but what are the date code's on the tires? You have a 8 year old rig so expect some maintenance needs to be done. Bearing pack, brake inspection, etc.

 

Again, Welcome.

 

Jim

[chiefneon]

Are these DRV toy haulers already on the market? I can't seem to locate information about them on the DRV website.

Howdy!

 

Its my understanding they are. The problem with DVR and others like Excel you can never find one to acually look at. I even called the manufacturers to locate one and their response was I would have to place a order and they would build it then. Of course its my understanding that both of these company are now out of business and I beleive have been taken over by Thor.

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

[GlennWest]

DRV out of business??? Funny they are still building them, taking orders. Sounds like business as usual to me. Heartland bought the business, true, but not effected any production yet.