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Buying the Right Truck then 5th Wheel


raphaman

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One more think to be careful about. Have you & Debbie taken time to seriously consider all types of RV out there, or are you only shopping for fifth wheels? The reason for the question is that if you have little or no RV experience, you would be very wise to spend some time just considering all of the different types of RV available. In particular you should walk through some class A rigs but all types warrant at least a look through just to know what is available. There have been many a couple who found exactly what they believed that they wanted without spending time in any but one type, who soon after buying discovered that they could have found something which worked much better and while they were happier in, but of an entirely different RV type.

 

There are many people who will tell you that different types of RV work better for particular styles of travel, but in more than 35 years of RVing we have found that choice between a motorhome and a trailer is more a matter of individual taste and priority than of any logical process. To trade RVs is an expensive proposition, so take some time and make sure that you are looking at the type which really will suit you and Debbie the most.

Hi Again... I'm trying to keep my mind open for all options. RV, Truck/5th wheel etc. I have old experience backing up 40 footers and horse trailers. So I'm OK with the back up stuff. But I have to admit a Diesel Bus with a Toad looks inviting as well. My wife has to like the interior of what ever we get. We also have two cats. (our kids) We are looking to June of 2016 to make a move....assuming we sell our California home of 30 years

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Opinions are like noses, everyone has one, so here's mine.

 

If you get a HDT you'll be able to tow anything you can afford.

 

If you get a 3500/350 dually you'll be able to tow 90% of the 5vers out there.

 

If you get the same truck but not dually you'll be able to tow 75% of the 5vers out there.

 

So, you won't be making a truck mistake with any of the above although your choice will be somewhat limiting.

 

Of course, if you plan on getting a 42' toy hauler so you can carry your rock collection around with you all bets are off!

This helps me a lot... very clear picture. Helps me to not color outside the lines :)

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Basics for understanding Match Truck to Trailer

It is important to understand the concepts you will be dealing with so that you can make good sound decisions.

This will also show you where to get the numbers which you need to consider.

We all want an easy answer to this question (Will this truck work...) but there is no easy answer.

Getting real scale weights is the best information. Everyone loads differently. Stanley and Budd give good sound counsel to consider.

Thanks so much for the link I'll check it out and give you feedback. John & Debbie

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Grew up tenting, back of pickup with topper, pop-up camper, small trailer, big trailer, medium size motorhome.

DH & I finally tried a fiver & pickup. Driving the pair was terrible. Even though the size combination was right,

they were not compatible. Individually they were great. Then I found the HDT forum here. Research, look,

research, look, research, buy an HDT. Pulled the fiver great. NO issues. Fiver was smaller than the truck, so

we ended up getting a 40' fiver with 3 slides. Dh is a tool-nut & we ended up with most of his hand-tools plus

anything else that fit. For us, it was the factor that we could stop securely, not that we could pull. Being able to

stop safely was more important than being able to pull. For the size rig you want to pull, an MDT or HDT would

be better and safer. They come as automatics now & while they look big, are big, they are easily drivable by

you or YOUR WIFE. Plus a nice HDT would be as cheap as the big pickup and last a lot longer.

My thoughts only. yours are entitled to be different. Make sure your other half agrees and helps with the research.

Selma

Selma, I like that Idea as well... what do you drive around with when you land at your destination?

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Think about how much time you will be spending in each. You will likely be spending many times more time in your RV than in the Tow vehicle. Add to that the ongoing maintenance requirements of each and you can feel the money dribbling out of your pocket on the tow vehicle even when it is sitting for weeks or months.

 

To us, it is way more important to have the right Trailer to start with. That will dictate what the most appropriate tow vehicle should be. Picking the tow vehicle first may force compromises in your long term satisfaction with your daily living space, cause an upgrade to the TV or make moving it all far more risky than it should be.

Good advice..thanks

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Grew up tenting, back of pickup with topper, pop-up camper, small trailer, big trailer, medium size motorhome.

DH & I finally tried a fiver & pickup. Driving the pair was terrible. Even though the size combination was right,

they were not compatible. Individually they were great. Then I found the HDT forum here. Research, look,

research, look, research, buy an HDT. Pulled the fiver great. NO issues. Fiver was smaller than the truck, so

we ended up getting a 40' fiver with 3 slides. Dh is a tool-nut & we ended up with most of his hand-tools plus

anything else that fit. For us, it was the factor that we could stop securely, not that we could pull. Being able to

stop safely was more important than being able to pull. For the size rig you want to pull, an MDT or HDT would

be better and safer. They come as automatics now & while they look big, are big, they are easily drivable by

you or YOUR WIFE. Plus a nice HDT would be as cheap as the big pickup and last a lot longer.

My thoughts only. yours are entitled to be different. Make sure your other half agrees and helps with the research.

Selma

Selma..The other half is a big deal :)

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I'll approach the subject from a different perspective. Since I'm planning on retiring to a FT mobile lifestyle on a limited budget, I considered my budgetary and lifestyle needs first before deciding on a rig to FT in.

 

If you go over to the VanDweller's forum http://www.cheaprvliving.com/forums/index.php you will find many folk living a FT mobile lifestyle on very limited means in all different kinds, sizes and style rigs.

 

So not knowing your budget, or your lifestyle preferences it's hard to recommend anything specific. However I can share with you my rationale. First I looked at my anticipated income and developed a pro-forma budget just for planning purposes. Next I looked at various types and sizes of rigs within that budget that could perform the task I wanted. For instance, a person who plans to live a FT RV lifestyle who is used to lots of amenities and creature comforts, staying in expensive RV resorts, paying daily or weekly rates before moving to the next resort to do the same will certainly choose a different rig than we did. We want a relatively light weight rig, that's economical to operate yet capable of long periods of off-grid boondocking and of a slightly smaller size capable of fitting into tighter places. However we do not need a 4 season trailer, as we don't plan on much if any cold weather use.

 

First, we contemplated a very minimal TV (perhaps a 6 cyl minivan) and light-weight, aerodynamic trailer, like a HiLo or even a large Chalet A-frame (as I currently have an Aliner) - something that I could travel a lot of miles with minimum expense. However after thoughtfully considering other factors, such as the reduced livability of a small floorplan and limited cargo carrying capacity of such a rig and its costs to purchase and operate, and durability (or lack thereof) I concluded that a compromise was needed. We decided to go with a rig that's smaller than most here, yet larger than almost all on the VanDweller's forum, accepting the limits to mobility and access that a rig of that size and type dictates.

 

Though we still haven't decided on the exact make and model of trailer, we chose the TV first (a 3/4 ton truck), to intentionally limit our trailer's size, weight and travel trailer configuration. It would have been a mistake for us to select a big, heavy dually/fiver rig, or big class A, as most here have chosen, only to find that we couldn't afford to move it other than seasonally and it wouldn't fit into most places we'd like to take it. How many here take their 30,000+ lb. rig down miles of narrow dirt roads to live off grid for weeks at a time, in out of the way wilderness locations? Not many, I suspect. On the other hand, I can't expect to do any urban stealth camping with my rig, or live on an under $1,000/mo. budget that a van dweller can. Nor could my DW or I endure the hardships of taking showers from a hand pump sprayer or using a bucket for a toilet. The point is, what works optimally for others may not work at all for you until you define your budget and quantify exactly the FT lifestyle you envision.

 

Chip

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There are reasons most fulltimers domicile in TX, FL or SD. For most of us, it's because those three offer the lowest tax/fee alternatives, are friendly to people who domicile there with a mailing address instead of a physical residence and have health care options. For those who are not Medicare eligible, SD is usually off the list since they don't offer nationwide health insurance. You will be expected to register the vehicle in the state where you reside and sort out the sales tax based on where purchased and where you domicile. If you are currently a resident of CA trying to buy in OR to avoid sales tax, and register in SD you are at least going to make things more complicated for yourself, if not find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

 

Figure out wher you want to domicile, sort that out, then figure out how where to buy.

Thanks that really helps my direction.

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Get the towing guide for your truck and pull out the numbers for the equipment you are going to order on it. That is the maximum safe set of weights, for a fiver the rear axle and combined weights are usually the most critical. Things like the tow rating and cargo capacity are usually iffy, calculated with only a 150 pound driver, little fuel and flat ground with no wind. You'll need to keep the unrealistic situation in mind as you use anything but the maximum weights in your calculations.

 

Get the weight of the truck as equipped and factor in your body weights, full fuel, hitch and any cargo to get a starting point there. For the fiver most folks suggest going with the maximum rated weight for it. Seems high but as most of us have found out it doesn't take long until you are at that weight as you add things you forgot or find you need down the road.

 

So if your calculated weights come out to less than 100% of the truck's axle, gross and combined weights the truck will meet the minimums the manufacturer feels are safe for braking, acceleration and handling.

 

Now for my personal experience, I did exactly what I wrote above and it was a horrible error. I tried to fix my problems by adding an exhaust brake, air levelers and a pile of Banks Power parts. The wife hated it and refused to drive it except under perfect conditions and I didn't enjoy driving it. The solution was a new higher rated truck and taking a bath on the trade as well as the expensive band-aids I'd added on.

 

I'd recommend using 80% of the combined weight as your maximum, that is the real scale combined weight too - not the estimated weights you get from the sales fliers.

Thanks much.... How difficult is it load & haul your mini car............great looking set up

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There are reasons most fulltimers domicile in TX, FL or SD. For most of us, it's because those three offer the lowest tax/fee alternatives, are friendly to people who domicile there with a mailing address instead of a physical residence and have health care options. For those who are not Medicare eligible, SD is usually off the list since they don't offer nationwide health insurance. You will be expected to register the vehicle in the state where you reside and sort out the sales tax based on where purchased and where you domicile. If you are currently a resident of CA trying to buy in OR to avoid sales tax, and register in SD you are at least going to make things more complicated for yourself, if not find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

 

Figure out wher you want to domicile, sort that out, then figure out how where to buy.

Hi again..I lost what I was typing ..hope this isn't a duplication. Question..If I domicile in SD then buy my ring in SD (3% sales tax) What does it usually cost to register lets say a $100,000.00 rig? and how often does registration accur?

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I bought my truck before I ordered my trailer, but I knew what 5ver I was buying. I bought a DRV Moble Suites 38rsb3 and a ram 3500 DRW regular cab 4x2 CTD, Assin trains and 410 rear. The truck is a BEAST!!!

Great..I like your thoughts. Was your Ram 3500 new? I heard all those options mentioned needed to be ordered from the factory. New is in the cards for us however I'd love to find a lightly used 3500 under 50,0000 miles. Am I being realistic?

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I love my Dodge 3500, however it is no match for my toyhauler. You are still contemplating your trailer and truck and as said an HDT or even an MDT isnt for everyone but the power, the brakes, the room inside, the comfort and the low price was all a win win for us. My wife liked the idea but never thought she would be able to drive it. She got her chance the other day and she was elated. She had a blast and didnt realize it was so easy...I fear I may never be able to get behind the wheel again myself :) . Good luck with your search

truckntrailer1.jpg

 

2006 Peterbilt 387 -2013 Dutchmen Voltage 3950

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I don't think I ever heard anyone complain that their truck was too big, but many say they are not big enough.

 

Here's one.

 

It's too much truck and trailer for me. I found it on this forum and the trailer has only been used 3 times. Most of the appliances and internal systems are still brand new.

It's a well optioned 2005 M2 112 with 40,000 miles. List price on the build sheet was $162K. The trailer was custom built by Zieman and other manufacturers. It is air ride and air brakes. No expenses were spared to have options like 5 water tanks for a total of 400 gallons. It has a brand new 20K kilowatt generator with a 70 gallon diesel tank. This trailer has to be seen to believe. The build sheet on the trailer shows over $250K was spent.

The trailer is currently located in S. Calif and the truck is in N. Calif.

The truck and trailer will be in S. Calif on June 20th/27th and the month of August

I'm asking $125K.

Here is the original post http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=108797&hl=%2B2005+%2B112+%2Bcustom

Both truck and trailer have clear Cailf titles.

I will sell them separately but the trailer has to go first.

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Individual choice of course. What made sense to us was we knew wanted a 5th wheel but we did not know the brand or how heavy it would be. It turned out the type and brand changed several times while looking. We did know how much money we hade to spend on both so that narrowed the search.

 

We purchased the biggest truck with the highest payload and GCVW at that time figuring it would cover whatever we purchased. That worked out and we also purchased a second heavier 5th wheel a few years later and the truck was still good.

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

SKP 100137. North Ridgeville, Ohio in the summer, sort of and where ever it is warm in the winter.

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I'll approach the subject from a different perspective. Since I'm planning on retiring to a FT mobile lifestyle on a limited budget, I considered my budgetary and lifestyle needs first before deciding on a rig to FT in.

 

If you go over to the VanDweller's forum http://www.cheaprvliving.com/forums/index.php you will find many folk living a FT mobile lifestyle on very limited means in all different kinds, sizes and style rigs.

 

So not knowing your budget, or your lifestyle preferences it's hard to recommend anything specific. However I can share with you my rationale. First I looked at my anticipated income and developed a pro-forma budget just for planning purposes. Next I looked at various types and sizes of rigs within that budget that could perform the task I wanted. For instance, a person who plans to live a FT RV lifestyle who is used to lots of amenities and creature comforts, staying in expensive RV resorts, paying daily or weekly rates before moving to the next resort to do the same will certainly choose a different rig than we did. We want a relatively light weight rig, that's economical to operate yet capable of long periods of off-grid boondocking and of a slightly smaller size capable of fitting into tighter places. However we do not need a 4 season trailer, as we don't plan on much if any cold weather use.

 

First, we contemplated a very minimal TV (perhaps a 6 cyl minivan) and light-weight, aerodynamic trailer, like a HiLo or even a large Chalet A-frame (as I currently have an Aliner) - something that I could travel a lot of miles with minimum expense. However after thoughtfully considering other factors, such as the reduced livability of a small floorplan and limited cargo carrying capacity of such a rig and its costs to purchase and operate, and durability (or lack thereof) I concluded that a compromise was needed. We decided to go with a rig that's smaller than most here, yet larger than almost all on the VanDweller's forum, accepting the limits to mobility and access that a rig of that size and type dictates.

 

Though we still haven't decided on the exact make and model of trailer, we chose the TV first (a 3/4 ton truck), to intentionally limit our trailer's size, weight and travel trailer configuration. It would have been a mistake for us to select a big, heavy dually/fiver rig, or big class A, as most here have chosen, only to find that we couldn't afford to move it other than seasonally and it wouldn't fit into most places we'd like to take it. How many here take their 30,000+ lb. rig down miles of narrow dirt roads to live off grid for weeks at a time, in out of the way wilderness locations? Not many, I suspect. On the other hand, I can't expect to do any urban stealth camping with my rig, or live on an under $1,000/mo. budget that a van dweller can. Nor could my DW or I endure the hardships of taking showers from a hand pump sprayer or using a bucket for a toilet. The point is, what works optimally for others may not work at all for you until you define your budget and quantify exactly the FT lifestyle you envision.

 

Chip

Thanks for the insight Chip..We are getting together with a financial planner to budget our final move. That's a big deal.

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Good advise on the budget. That is very important. Careful financial planning is critical to the success of Rv'ing.

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

SKP 100137. North Ridgeville, Ohio in the summer, sort of and where ever it is warm in the winter.

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Woow gives me lots to think about.. I'll keep you posted . John

You may want to respond to more than one post in a single post of your own. You can do that by using the "MultiQuote" button at the bottom of each post. You can also delete out parts of a post in order to respond to only the particular part that you are replying to. Responding as you are, each reply that someone posts for you gets put up twice... :)

 

Question..If I domicile in SD then buy my ring in SD (3% sales tax) What does it usually cost to register lets say a $100,000.00 rig? and how often does registration accur?

In nearly all states the vehicle registration is done annually. The cost will depend upon the state and the way that they compute the registration fees and the amount of tax each year if there is one. The best way to know is to call the appropriate motor vehicle department and ask them. Some states, like TX register by weight rather than by price or value (as CA does).

 

Hope that this is helpful.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Thanks for that information. I'm 70 and my wife Debbie is 57. She retires next year and will use COBRA, good for 3 years. So I think the SD will work

 

The law must have changed since DH used COBRA. At that time, COBRA was good only for 18 months.

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Raphaman,

 

We're just a few weeks from retirement in California, and are going to go fulltime. Within days of retirement, we will be traveling to South Dakota to establish our domicile there (be aware that you must make a short trip to South Dakota in order to get your driver licenses.) Like you are discussing, we are going to buy our RV and Truck in Oregon (but only because California is stupid on out-of-state registration (they make the dealer deliver the truck/RV to you someplace across the state line, which is a PITA.) Oregon will submit your tax and registration fees directly to South Dakota, and they'll give you an Oregon temporary operating permit to get you going while you wait for the South Dakota plates to arrive.

 

The current excise tax rate in South Dakota is 4%. Then, they will base the registration fee on vehicle weight (at least that's what they do for motorhomes. I assume fifth wheels are the same.) Registration fees seem pretty reasonable in SD.

 

So when we show up at the trailer/truck dealer, we will already have our SD drivers licenses, which makes it easy for them to process the deal and send the SD stuff there for the new plates. SD will mail the plates to us (wherever we are in the country) and we'll bolt them on and go.

 

BTW, SD driver licenses are good for 5 years, and you can renew for an additional 5 years, so 10 years total!

 

I think you've received good advice on the truck. Get as much as you can (late model, diesel, dually, 1-ton) from one of the big three. I am doing the same thing. Even though the current Ram 3500 can be optioned with a 29K "towing capacity", my personal limit on trailer weight with a dually of this type is 20K GVWR (which will get me any fifth wheel other than a DRV or New Horizon's.)

 

Sounds like you are looking at trailers with something like a 16K GVWR, so that type of truck will be perfect.

 

Good Luck!

 

Roy

Fulltiming since 2015, with my beautiful bride, Lori.

2015 GMC 3500HD Denali DRW CC LB TrailerSaver TS3 Hitch

2016 DRV Mobile Suites 38RSB3, MorRyde IS, MorRyde Pin Box

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Yes, the law has changed it is now 3 years

Have the prices become more reasonable than in the past? It used to be that most plans would price the benefits under COBRA at such a high prices as to drive users to find somewhere else to be insured. It has been a long time since COBRA was any sort of factor at our house so very likely many things have changed since then.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

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