kstills

And if you would add any other thoughts it would be appreciated.

What’s the advantage to a hauler bed? You seem to lose a lot of the pickup truck utility.

Good advice. I can tell you I was all in on a Phoenix Cruiser for a bit, then I watched a walk through video and was thinking "that guy is shorter than I am, and he's almost hitting his head on every cabinet around the kitchen area....". As for camping, been there, done that. I don't want to experience that much nature anymore, but if I can take my 'house' out into the wilds I am pretty sure I'll be happy to be there. A sit down toilet does wonders for improving the camping experience, especially one that isn't in a Boy Scout campground (my God, went the weekend without going the smell was so bad. One of the other dads on the last day looked around at all of us and said "when I get home, I'm going to hug my toilet....". I know I did ). At this early stage, I'm all over the map as far as what rig to get. New Horizons says they'll custom design a Majestic, all I have to do is sign over two of the kids and a few hundred grand and it's mine. Anyway, thanks for the advice, I'll be dropping in to ask some more questions as we get closer to the date.

I've read some check lists and watched some videos so now it's time to ask the experienced owners: How much effort is it really to set up and take down a fifth wheel? I was all in when we started looking at rigs, then got to thinking that at age 65-67 this might not be the best way to spend my senior years. So we started looking at motorhomes but unless you get a class A you're fighting some significant headroom issues, as well as storage space issues. I'm in good health now, take care of my self, don't smoke, drink or eat a lot of crap. I anticipate remaining physically fit, and maybe I'm making more out of this then I should, but I have a few years before we buy so I'm getting as much info as I can prior to the purchase. Thanks in advance for your replies. Kevin

Whoa, now that is a cool idea. Although, why not just get a toy hauler?

If you boil a gallon a day for a week, you'll extend your tank by almost 12%, good for another day (60g tank). Seems worth it. Although that guzzle makes that a moot point.

That....is freaking cool.

Btw, that hydronic system DOES have a fan for waste gas. Very low draw.

This post made me laugh out loud. 👍

What kind of battery pack did you carry? You are correct, winter will be in the snow, however not in the back country. I wouldn't think, at this point anyway, that we'd be off the paved road any real distance as the chances of getting stuck are very real. Interesting about being able to maintain your charge in the rain, I hadn't heard that before. As far as size is concerned, the 30 footer seemed like plenty of space, we really haven't been in a 25-27 foot yet. Once we see one, we may decide that we also need more space than that. I will say that the 27 foot Northwood Fifth Wheel had enough room, although neither of us liked the layout. The 34 footer seemed gigantic.

Oh, yeah, the Solar is a given. Lithium Ion batteries for storage. I hear that the Li batteries have to be enclosed or they won't charge below freezing, but I'm pretty sure you can enclose and plumb the battery compartment to keep them warmed with the hydronics. Generator as a fail safe if the weather get's bad for long periods. I don't think there is a fan with the hydronic system, it's all radiant from what I saw of the schematic. There is a pump, but that's like the recirculation pump on a boiler, really low energy consumption. You don't have to move the fluid very fast, and there won't even be any head pressure to overcome in the motorhome, so they power consumption is much less than a traditional MH furnace. https://www.alde.us/how-it-works/ But that's another thing to consider, is how much roof space I'll need for the solar panels. I know you can add ~200 watts on a remote, but I'm not sure how big a rig I need to get enough solar to extend my stay off grid. Shooting for 2 weeks at a time.

My understanding of the hydronic system (and all hydronic systems for that matter) is that it's a closed loop, with a lot of antifreeze in it. It also acts as the water heater, I think, at least it can. Very low power consumption, at a trade off of long run times in order to bring the temp in the rig up. The ones in the Airstream are a swedish made unit, and work with fins around piping inside the cabinets, although they may be mounted in other places also. There is also an option to heat the floor by running pex underneath, but I think that would take considerably more work to retrofit into any of these units.

I'll confess that the fifth wheel conversion seems to be a pretty low price, however it is what it is as far as I can tell. You get the fifth wheel renovated, unless I'm missing something. They specialize in the Montana, seems to be pretty much all they'll work on. And they have an higher opinion of it than I do, but my opinion is theoretical not practical. A huge issue is one you've touched on, that's deciding on a rig that we'll want to live in after the renovations. We plan on renting as we get closer to our departure date and won't commit to a rig unless we've spent time in one that has the same approximate footprint. It would really suck to dump 50k into a rig and find out that it was too small for our tastes. 😟 I don't really care about the resale (given we pick the right rig). I have six children, one or more of them will get use out of the rig once we either come off the road or pass. That's why I have a limited set of rigs that I will consider, the basic construction has to be good enough that it will last many years. Drivetrain is 13.8k. Manageable. Stranded is a distinct possibility. However, I'm at my age I won't head into the wilds of a National forest in the Rockies in the winter in order to see nature. I'll be winter camping somewhere where I can experience the weather but bug out if needed. As far as showing off the project, if it comes to fruition, I'll be happy to. If I simply buy a rig and modify it for boondocking, I'll post that one also. 👍

You have confused what I have said. However, I am looking at this from the perspective of someone who has done quite a bit of work on his own home (currently have the kitchen gutted and in the process of putting new flooring and cabinets in) and not from the perspective of someone who has worked on a motorhome. While the folks I've talked to in the industry haven't expressed concerns, I do want to hear from owners who've been down this path so that I can factor their experience into the decision making process of buying new or used. I understand that there are challenges to this process that I am unaware of. One of the folks on your list gave me the ballpark price I have referenced (specific to my thoughts about modifying the 2552) and did not seemed concerned about being able to do what I had asked. However, he's in the business to get this kind of work, which I understand, so instead of taking his word for it I wanted to get some feedback from folks who've been through the process. You seem to have done some of this before, I get that it's 'hard', what I don't know yet is in what way is it hard? Generally speaking, is it impossible to relocate the kitchen? Is the furnace unable to be relocated in the unit? One of the biggest issues I see are windows and placing cabinets around them, can the windows be modified or am I stuck with them where they are? That is the type of information I'm really interested in finding out.

https://theflippingnomad.com/renovated-rvs/ That's 50k for a completely renovated fifth wheel. I'm sure that is the lowest price, but obviously they are moving cabinets around. What do you mean that the cabinets are attached from the outside? https://www.google.com/search?q=how+are+cabinets+hung+in+an+rv&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS821US821&oq=how+are+cabinets+hung+in+an+rv&aqs=chrome..69i57j0j69i64.6071j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_jE4zX8CYCoSO5wKhqYqwDg25 They look like they are screwed into the ceiling and back wall in this video. 🤔

Anyone here certified? I'm considering taking the courses so that I can have a side gig when I'm on the road. With the explosion in popularity, this seems like a growth industry.

This is a second option (the preferred, actually) https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2012-Phoenix-Usa-CRUISER-2551-5012493043 On this unit, the kitchen would relocate back into the area where the beds are, the front would be opened up to a living space with a fold out queen sized bed. The roof would be treated by RV Armor or similar with a lifetime guarantee not to leak, while the drivetrain would be converted to 4WD. In the case of the Phoenix rigs, the reconditioned unit would be much closer in price to the new units, however I would have the floor plan that I'm looking for (bathroom in back, bedroom/living are in front). There are issues with windows, refrigerator etc. that the remodeler would have to address, and that's one of the things I'm looking for answers on.

Here's ab example of what I'm thinking of doing: https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2005-Coach-House-272XLS-5013355545 That's a 2005 Coach House. The integrity of the fiberglass shell won't have changed much over the years (subject to inspection, of course) however the interior is quite dated. I'm reliably informed that for 50K I can have it gutted, Li batteries installed with a solar hookup and all new furniture and cabinets. I would consider it a sin to remove the cabinetry from this rig (subject to inspection) as it looks immaculate as it is, however the sofa, chairs, heating and cooling system would all come out and be replaced. A new Coach House 272XLS lists for around 190k, and if I get the best deal I can I might get it for 150k or so. At 109k all in on the used, I could replace the engine , drivetrain and suspension in the rig and still come out ahead. On this particular rig I wouldn't be doing a lot of reorganizing per se, however there are others on my list that I would be shifting the kitchen and bedroom around to make it more to my tastes. So, it sounds good to me, a lot like buying an old house and fixing it up. Just make sure the old house has a solid foundation and is in a good location before putting the money in.

Who would these folks be? And by easier, you don't mean cheaper....😉

Older thread, but I haven't seen anyone suggesting that you boil water from a water source close to your campsite. The EPA recommends this method for creating potable water so I'm wondering why no one in the RV community ever seems to use it? They even suggest adding a pinch of salt to improve the flavor

From what I see, the systems in these rigs are pretty basic. There aren't a lot of complicated bits that can't be moved or modified if there's a partial tearout that allows the remodeler access to them. The plumbing is all PEX, which is stupid easy to work with, all the AC units sit up on the roof, and the furnace, well, I've installed a coal boiler in my house then re-plumbed all the hydronics to get them to work efficiently. I suspect that if there is a partial tearout I'll be looking at a hydronic heating system to replace the hot air usually found in these things (the one in the Airstream would be ideal). I'll be putting in a composting toilet to reduce water usage and extend boondocking ability, so that will eliminate the use of a black water tank and all the dump paraphanalia associated with it. You are correct that a lot of these things will be hidden in hard to reach places, however with some exceptions (If I can find a rear bathroom model I like that area wouldn't have to be remodeled) taking off cabinets and removing furniture en masse shouldn't present a major problem for relocating the mechanical bits when it comes time to put them back in. However, I am looking at this from the perspective of someone who has done quite a bit of work on his own home (currently have the kitchen gutted and in the process of putting new flooring and cabinets in) and not from the perspective of someone who has worked on a motorhome. While the folks I've talked to in the industry haven't expressed concerns, I do want to hear from owners who've been down this path so that I can factor their experience into the decision making process of buying new or used.

Fair points, however I will be letting a professional do the remodel on the rig. Were I younger, I'd do it myself, but I'm now at an age where I would prefer to benefit from the expertise of others doing the manual labor while I enjoy the end result. A big concern I have is relocating the refrigerator. I'm not entirely sure how well that can be done, as it would appear that the old outside access in the coach would have to be sealed and a new one would have to be cut. That is a little concerning, and one of the things I'm looking for advice on.

4WD doesn't mean you won't get stuck, it means you'll get stuck in worse places!

Hi, Kirk! First off, thank you for such a thoughtful reply. The reason I join forums is because of people like you. So, experience. Very little camping, very little 4wd. The 4wd on the rig is not so much to get into the those out of the way places, just to get a little further in then everyone else. We intend to do some winter camping, so it will be useful in inclement weather. The toad will be the exploration vehicle, however I’m well aware of my limits, so unless I take an off road driving course I’m not going to challenge the vehicle to its limits. As far as plans for traveling, we’d like to get to Alaska, Canada, follow fall south from New Hampshire, spend winter in the Keys, etc. The first few years, being our healthiest, will also be our busiest. So the RV doesn’t necessarily have to substitute for a house, at least initially. I’m a fit 6 footer, she’s petite. The dog will take up the most space. We’ve looked at a Phoenix 2910T and that seemed to have enough room at just over 31 feet. Giving up 4 of that to gain better control of the vehicle and park access would seem to be a fair trade. In researching rigs, there are only a few that meet my quality criteria, and they are close to my budget new without having a floor plan that I like. Which is why I’m considering buying a high quality used rig, doing a partial tear out and rebuilding it to my (my wife’s) tastes. But like everything else regarding RV’s, I have zero exp with that option, so I’m hoping someone here could share their’s.

Such as? The review I did shows that the smaller ones are either very difficult to drive or have build quality issues. I am also very leery of Class A MH because of the lack of regulations regarding the safety of the driver and passenger seat occupants. With a B or C I know I have a Ford or Mercedes (well, Ford, I won't be going the Mercedes route) cab that has passed occupant safety regulations. With a Class A, especially the lower priced ones, I wouldn't be so sure.