Hooking up and unhooking a Fifth Wheel

[kstills]

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

[Jaydrvr]

This issue is like so many others - it depends.. I'm 70-ish, and connecting/dropping our fifth wheel is pretty much a zero for me. I just don't think about it much. I too am healthy and plan to stay that way.  That helps, but obviously we can't see the future. Disclaimer, I may have an advantage - I've been hooking and dropping for decades. I just think it's pretty far down the list of things to worry about. Jay 

[ms60ocb]

My 2 cents hooking to a Fifth-wheel is easier that a TT  A Fifth wheel is a stable vehicle to pull. As far as storage the difference between a Fifth wheel and a Class A. The FW has more storage at your finger tips while Class A stores the majority underneath. My wife had shown an interest in a Class A some years ago till she watch a couple in plain view make many trips to the Class A Basement with an item and return with another item

Clay     7 years with a FW and prior was a small Class C

[GlennWest]

As long as you back up, it's very easy. Pull behind, TT, not so easy. Chains, sway bars, load bars of some kind, don't know name, that pulls up on tow vehicle to remove rear load. Now motorhome simpler, but less storage. And they like to be driven too. 

[Chad Heiser]

Hitching and unhitching a 5th wheel is pretty simple.  It is even easier if you have a direct line of sight to the hitch either through a rear window or camera.  Add auto leveling to the equation and I can be unhitched and leveled in a site with slides out and water/power connections made in well under 5 minutes.  A power cord real for the  heavy 50 amp cord helps also.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Chad Heiser

[VagabondKen]

I'm 70 and have no difficulty with most of the hitching and unhitching job.  The only problem I have is climbing the side of the truck to connect the pin to the fifth wheel hitch.  I've considered having a folding step installed. 

[noteven]

I've owned or own truck campers, travel trailers, pop up trailer, 5th wheel hitched trailers,  tents, tarps... 

The 5th wheel is the simplest towable to hitch / unhitch.  A not often mentioned benefit is they are so big and clumsy that often a pretty much level area is where they fit - wa la - level to use for an overnight stop no leveling / unhitching required 🤣

[Phil Saran]

I've owned, 3 TT, one Class C, one Class A and now a 5th wheel.  I liked the TT's particularly the last one 

a Keystone Springdale 30 footer and the 5th wheel we have now a 2019 Keystone Cougar 30 RLS 34 foot.

I keep a 3 step stool in the bed of my truck for hooking and unhooking the lock on the 5th wheel hitch, I have

been looking at the step that hooks over the rear tire for that job.  I did not like driving the Class A and the 

electric jacks only worked part of the time.

[jayc103]

My latest fifth wheel is the easiest to set up/take down that I have ever owned and I've owned 7, starting with a popup. This one has an air pinbox for an easy ride, Level-Up, powered electric cord with a 33' cord on it so I never have to use an extension cord and a roof mounted power television antenna. The only physical work I have to do is connect up the water and sewer lines.

Edited August 29, 2020 by jayc103
corrected spelling

[bigjim]

There is a folding step that actually hangs on the tire. (when stationary of course) that worked well for me. I don't know what it is called but they are fairly common. Most automotive places could probably order it for you or Amazon or the like. Some places may stock it.  I think Pep Boys did.

[lockmup68]

On 8/19/2020 at 12:23 AM, Chad Heiser said:

Hitching and unhitching a 5th wheel is pretty simple.  It is even easier if you have a direct line of sight to the hitch either through a rear window or camera.  Add auto leveling to the equation and I can be unhitched and leveled in a site with slides out and water/power connections made in well under 5 minutes.  A power cord real for the  heavy 50 amp cord helps also.

agree, power cord reels are game changer. Also hanging blocks, like Bill Moriarty made. But a 5th wheel will always be more work than a coach, put it in park, hit the jacks is less work thank hooking/unhooking 5ver. But the room/storage in the 5ver is much more than a coach. 

[TXiceman]

But you add in the unhooking a dinghy and it and the 5er come out equal.  5ers now come with power cord reels, auto levelers, auto satellite antennas, etc.

Ken

[GlennWest]

I made an extension to put on my handle on my hitch. Also a hook on side to pull pin. I just take it and pull pin, then slide it over handle. Now I don't have to get on truck bed. Used unistrut. 

[Ray,IN]

On 9/2/2020 at 12:22 PM, TXiceman said:

But you add in the unhooking a dinghy and it and the 5er come out equal.  5ers now come with power cord reels, auto levelers, auto satellite antennas, etc.

Ken

Yup, In 2012 we had a dually and 40' 5er. When we caravaned to Alaska, stopping every night got to be a real chore, backing into a site, leveling blocks, etc. Auto-leveling would've been great, but I'd still had to unhook the truck. (MH's got the pull-thru's) When we got home we traded for this MH  to make RV life easier, and it is, my COPD really restricts my  actions now.

Someone remarked about storage, I unloaded our 5er in the garage, backed in the MH and began putting it in the MH.. When I was finished, about half the cabinets in the MH were empty, and about 1/2 of basement storage was empty. Weighed the MH and still had approx. 2,000# of CCC remaining. So that blanket statement is wrong in my case.

[Steven@146]

Just my thoughts coming from a position of owning TTs and 5er. Its not a race setting up or tearing down. The job is what it is no matter what type of RV you have.. I take my time doing the tasks, As soon as you start trying to do things faster or take short cuts, that is when you will forget and damage something.

With our TT, yes we had lift bars and the weight distributed hitch and manual stabilizing jacks. It just took a little longer for either task. With our 5er, its the companion hitch and pin. I carry a step stool from harbor freight so I can reach up and over the truck rear dual fender to do the hitch functions. I painted a white stripe down the middle of the pin box so the wife can more easily back the truck in and align the hitch to the pin. I also use an air hose manual reel from HF that I mounted on the overhead of the storage compartment, cost all of $25. Its up and out of the way, not taking up floor space in the compartment, handles the 30 ft 50 amp cord nicely. The wife and I share the tasks. The 6 way one touch level up system on our 5th wheel makes the tasks easier, but we still take our time setting up or tearing down. Some people with knee, leg or hip problems find it better in a TT than a 5th wheel, less stairs to climb.

There is a lot more storage in our 5er but you have to be mindful of not over loading. Just because you have room to store more crap, that does not mean you have to fill it up. Towing, there is a real difference between a TT and 5er. So much better towing a 5th wheel, however turning and backing up are different than a TT. It just different not more difficult. 

Really it is all about what a person likes the best and works for them, MH, TT or 5er.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Steven@146

[Jinx & Wayne]

I am 70.  Wife and I have been full time in a 5-er for 2-1/2 years.  We have an older unit without automatic leveling.  Yes, there is some physical work involved in tear down/hooking up and unhooking/setup.  Usually I spend a bit of time the evening before a move stowing things ass I want them so the morning of the move is just stowing a few things, unhooking utilities and hooking up.  If you are in reasonable shape it is not a problem.

When we arrive and get in the site I do the exterior work in about an hour and a quarter to two hours, depending upon what we are putting out -rugs, furniture and the grill take longer than just doing utilities.

I note that you mentioned checklists.  When we first started we went to RV driving school.  The instructor strongly recommended checklists.  After doing this for a while I agree.  Remember that there are two kinds of fifth wheel drivers:  Those that have dropped their 5-er, and those that haven't - yet.  Good checklists for both the exterior hookup, and interior for moving are important.  The interior list will help prevent a floor full of cupboard contents or things jammed under the slides.  An exterior list will help keep the rig attached to the vehicle without expensive errors.  A couple of weeks ago I watched a fellow back up to the 5-er, engage the hitch, attach the breakaway and 7-way, lift the jacks and drive off.  No testing the hitch or brakes, no inspection of the hitch jaws or locking pins, just on and out.  I expect to see him again one of these days with a big dent in the top of his tailgate.

[Steven@146]

RV PRE-FLIGHT CHECK LIST BEFORE TOWING

 

EXTERIOR

 

·       GAS OFF / BOTH TANKS                                                                         PULL TEST

·       DUMP BLACK TANK & FLUSH                                                 ALL REAR & MID JACKS UP & LOCKED

·       DUMP GREY TANKS                                                                FRONT JACKS JUST OFF THE GROUND

·       STOW SEWER HOSE AND CAP                                               APPLY TRAILER HAND BRAKE

·       WATER OFF STOW HOSE & FILTER                                        TRAILER WHEELS STILL CHOCKED

·       STOVE FAN VENT CLOSED                                                      TRUCK IN FORWARD GEAR

·       AWNINGS STOWED LOCKED                                                 FOOT OFF BRAKE - PULL ON HITCH

·       CABLE TV DISCONNECTED

·       ROOF CHECK                                                                                       ROLLING BRAKE CHECK

·       SLIDES FULLY RETRACTED                                                      ALL WHEEL CHOCKS STOWED

·       REAR & MID JACKS UP & LOCKED STOW BLOCKS                TRAILER FULLY HITCHED & LOCKED

·       POWER CABLE DISCONNECTED                                             TRUCK IN FORWARD GEAR

·       CHECK TIRE AIR PRESSURES                                                        FOOT OFF BRAKE PEDAL

·       CHECK RIM LUG NUT TORQUE                                                 ROLL OUT – APPLY TRAILER HAND BRAKE

·                                                                                                                 TRAILER STOPS TRUCK

 

 

HITCH

 

·       CHECK REAR & MID JACKS UP – BLOCKS STOWED                       ICOE BUG OUT BAG

·       CHECK LUBE DISC PIN BOX                                                    EXTRA KEYS TRUCK & TRAILER

·       HITCH PINS / LOCKS IN PLACE, OPEN LOCK ARM                 EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST                                                                          

·       HITCH 5TH WHEEL – DROP TAIL GATE                                     REQUIRED MEDICINES

·       JAWS LOCKED ON KING PIN                                                  SPARE CONTACTS / GLASSES

·       LOCK ARM CLOSED & LOCKED/PIN                                       DRIVERS LICENSE / IDs  / CREDIT CARDS

·       7 WAY POWER PLUG                                                             CELL PHONEs & CHARGERs

·       EMERG BRAKE AWAY CORD ATTACHED                               LAP TOP COMPUTER & CORDs

·       PULL TEST –                                                                                     FLASH LIGHT

·                                                                                                                 INSURANCE CARDS CONTACT INFO

·       FRONT JACKS FULLY RETRACTED                                               INTERNET BLACK BOOK

·       STOW WHEEL CHOCKS & LEVELNG BLOCKS                            PERSONAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS

·       FRONT JACK FOOT UP – LOCKED                                               CHANGE OF CLOTHING

·       MAIN DOOR HAND RAIL LOCKED                                              WATER BOTTLES / ENERGY BARS

·       REAR LIGHTS CHECK – WALK AROUND                                                                    

·       LOCKED STORAGE COMPARTMENT LIGHTS OFF

·        

·       BUG OUT BAG IN TRUCK

·       REAR CAMERA, GARMIN, TPMS CHECK

·       ADJUST TRUCK MIRRORS

·       TOW/HAUL MODE ON – EXHAUST BRAKE ON

·       ROLLING TRAILER BRAKE CHECK

·       SAFE DRIVING

This is our external check list for our 5th wheel. It is kept in the pocket of the truck console. I may not always be the one to drive the rig. Lets see how this posts cut and paste instead of trying to attach a file.

Edited September 17, 2020 by Steven@146