What type of RV do you Full time in?

[SKP100526]

I am considering upgrading my 5th Wheel to a Class A Diesel Pusher because in my thinking it is so much easier when you are moving often.

I am not sure if I am correct in my assumptions.   So I thought I would ask everyone what they live in.    Maybe if you could tell me why you full time in what you live in.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Sonny 

[soos]

5th wheel- feels like a small apartment- takes all of 15 minutes to pack to move.

[jjwicklund]

DW doesn't want a streering wheel in her living room.

[Barbaraok]

3 minutes ago, jjwicklund said:

DW doesn't want a streering wheel in her living room.

Our seats swivel, so they are searing in the living room and you don’t see the steering wheel.  

We chose the motorhome because cats never had to be moved, didn’t have to leave coach when pulling into rest area for bathroom, kitchen, etc., and we have a small compact car as a daily driver.  We can pull in somewhere in the middle of rain storm, just sit and wait it out comfortably.  Plus, large basement area with plenty of storage.  

 

[Dutch_12078]

As Barb said, the front seats swivel in our Class A and become part of the living space. We also like having that big front window to look out of, especially on sites with a nice scenic view. With our 14' "super slide" extended, we have plenty of space for the two of us, and getting ready to hit the road can be a pretty short process if we're in a hurry to get going. We also like having all the amenities available to us without leaving the coach when we stop at rest areas, etc.

[hdrider]

 We have fulltimed 5 years in a Class A, love the drive, love the view while driving, love the extra weight while parked and we happen to end up in wind, like not having to go outside when we pull over for a snack if we don't want to for what ever reason, we bought a table that converts the steering wheel into a table when parked just toss a cloth over it and put a lamp on it and  WHAT STEERING WHEEL!! In a lot of campgrounds we have a better view out our windshield than we would out the back, 

 I don't know if one sets up any faster or gets ready to go any faster than another to be honest and they both need to have power, water & septic hooked up regardless. We have always said that as long as we pick up and move as often as we have we will stay in a motorhome, again mainly because I love driving it, I love the braking, I love the quiet, I love sitting high and having a view. But when the time comes that we start sitting for months at a time instead of a week we will probably switch just because I don't want the engine and components sitting. 

[Second Chance]

1 hour ago, Barbaraok said:

Our seats swivel, so they are searing...

Does this mean they are "hot seats?"

Sorry - couldn't resist.

Rob

[Barbaraok]

Ugh - arthritic fingers on iPhone keyboard!

[brunsje]

Truck Conversion from Showhauler

[WeBeFulltimers]

13 hours ago, SKP100526 said:

I am considering upgrading my 5th Wheel to a Class A Diesel Pusher because in my thinking it is so much easier when you are moving often.

I am not sure if I am correct in my assumptions.   So I thought I would ask everyone what they live in.    Maybe if you could tell me why you full time in what you live in.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Sonny 

Changing from a 5th wheel to a class A is not necessarily an upgrade! I would never want a class A myself.

[lappir]

 deleted

 

[lappir]

Mine is a toyhauler built on a semi type running gear. Custom built at Spacecraft Mfg. in Concordia, Missouri. I have residential appliances a one and a half car garage and ample storage. I have posted a link to a Spacecraft Facebook page where there are photos of various trailers in all phases of their builds. 

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/578539178968727/

Rod

 

[scouserl41]

We fulltime in the rig that is big enough for us and is PAID FOR.

BnB

[Pat & Pete]

1 hour ago, WeBeFulltimers said:

Changing from a 5th wheel to a class A is not necessarily an upgrade! I would never want a class A myself.

And , just to balance that^ ... Changing from a Class A to a 5th wheel isn't necessarily an upgrade either . I doubt I'd ever want a 5th wheel . 

5th wheels seem to require a longer setup time . In a lot of them , the amenities can't be used unless the slides are out . Our Monaco can be fully used , slides in or out . And then , we can't forget to mention 5th wheels usually have more steps ( getting older we want fewer steps  ) . There are other differences that could be brought up , but it comes down to simply  personal choice . 

I happen to favor chocolate ice cream and you might like some other concocted flavor . And , that's alright , too .

 

[Dutch_12078]

I think if the time comes that we're not moving around much or very often, then we would consider a trailer. I'm not so sure it would be a 5'ver though, since by then we may not want as many stairs to climb, either inside or out. Having a truck large enough to haul the trailer as a daily driver could also be an issue by then.

[DuneElliot]

Fifth wheel...because it's what I bought to live in when I was managing the ranch so it would be parked most of the time, and I own it. I would have preferred a TT at the time for the lack of steps (not an issue at my age) and walk around bed without making the RV taller (I like the low profile of my 5W). I also already had a suitable truck for hauling horses trailers.

I'm still good with a trailer. I'm not a huge fan of the time it takes to set-up...part of that is my particular 5W as I have to have extra stuff under the jacks since the trailer was lifted and they don't actually reach the ground...and leveling and chocks etc.

As far as the camper being usable with slides in...very definitely. The only thing I can't get to is the DVD/glassware cabinet. I've heard and seen the same thing about slides being in and making Class As unusable too...that isn't just a 5'er thing, that's an anything-with-slides things

[sandsys]

Year and a half in a Class C, year and a half in a Class A, then solo snowbirding in a Class B. I like having the option of not going outside. Solar panels and large tanks mean not even needing to go out to unhook at departure time. Clear the table, walk up the aisle to the driver's seat, and head on out.

Linda Sand

[Devilishjim]

16 hours ago, Second Chance said:

Does this mean they are "hot seats?"

Sorry - couldn't resist.

Rob

Depends on whos sitting in them

[SWharton]

We have had both. Currently, due to age, Class A. Hated to give up the 5th. 38' 5th to a 36' Class A gasser. A lot less storage and the Class A + toad cost a lot more.

We feel setup is about equal but we tend to be very efficient in our setting up. Unhitching/hitching the truck from the 5th a lot faster than unhitching/hitching the toad. 

Floor plan is the key to what you have access to. In all our rigs we have certain requirements that must be met with the slides in: bathroom access; refrigerator access; table access and a way to lock up the cats.

Like the storage we had in the 5th but going to a 36' A from a 38' 5th is a significant downsize. Like the convenience of never needing to go outside in the MH. Don't like having to unhitch the toad if stopping overnight and need to back in.

MH catches a lot of wind on the road. 5th was solid. MH has poorer mileage than 5th.

Steps: 6 steps to get into MH; 5 into 5th.

The answer to your question is what do you want. Make a list of the +/- of the a and the 5th. Try to be objective.

[Barbaraok]

Sounds like you don’t have an all-terrain hitch for the toad.  Ours is so easy, one-person does it all in ~4 minutes.  You do realize comparable to your size 5er would have been a DP.?   Stairs would ha e been less (dump air when parking),  etc.  

[SWharton]

We do have an all terrain hitch but relatively speaking it takes a lot longer than unhitching a truck from a 5th. To compare apples to apples. Assume both have been leveled. The 5th requires one plug and one safety to be removed and one handle to be pulled and you drive away. The MH requires the Protect A Tow to be removed and put away, the plug; safeties, brake cable and one other cable to be removed; the locks unlocked a taken out so the toad can be moved. Then the hitch sometimes needs to be folded. If you have a Brake Buddy that has to be removed and stored(we have the Ready Brake Elite).

Hitching up the reverse plus the toad needs to idle for 3 minutes(we usually do that when hooking up).

We figure it took about 1 minute for the 5th and close to 10 minutes for the toad. We haven't really timed it.

[Pat & Pete]

10 minutes ago, SWharton said:

We do have an all terrain hitch but relatively speaking it takes a lot longer than unhitching a truck from a 5th. To compare apples to apples. Assume both have been leveled. The 5th requires one plug and one safety to be removed and one handle to be pulled and you drive away. The MH requires the Protect A Tow to be removed and put away, the plug; safeties, brake cable and one other cable to be removed; the locks unlocked a taken out so the toad can be moved. Then the hitch sometimes needs to be folded. If you have a Brake Buddy that has to be removed and stored(we have the Ready Brake Elite).

Hitching up the reverse plus the toad needs to idle for 3 minutes(we usually do that when hooking up).

We figure it took about 1 minute for the 5th and close to 10 minutes for the toad. We haven't really timed it.

Not to drive nails , but , you were younger then than now . Same with me . A little slower and more cautious ...  

[SWharton]

We switched last year. Don't think we aged that much in a year...............

[Barbaraok]

Wow, what a complicated set up for toad.  

[Pat & Pete]

2 hours ago, SWharton said:

We switched last year. Don't think we aged that much in a year...............

Physique wise ,  a year in later life , the 'slope' is steeper than when you were 30 . 

But , hopefully , you haven't aged a bit .