Fifth Wheel Trailer Question

[DMW1960]

We Are Thinking About Purchasing A Fifth Wheel Trailer For Me To Stay In. I Think I Have A Chance To Get A Job Out Of State So I Would Be Pulling It Alot Of Miles. Then When I Get Back With It We Could Use It To Spend A Little More Time On Truman Fishing.

My Question To All You Campers Out There Is I Have A Gooseneck Ball In My Pickup Already. And I Sure Don't Want Any Darned Fifth Wheel Setup In My Pickup Because I Always Need The Ball For Either My Bale Spike, Flat Bed Gooseneck Or Gooseneck Cattle Trailer.

I Have Seen Those Hitch Adapters That Makes It Where A Fifth Wheel Trailer Can Take A Gooseneck 2 5/16 Ball On Line. Is There Anyone Of You Out There Using Something Like That With Your Pickup & Camper? And If You Are How Do You Like It? Is There Any Brand That Is Better Than Another Brand? I Have Seen Them Online Any Where From $375 To Over $500. And I Know Just Like Anything Else You Get What You Pay For! Granted The Fifth Wheel Would Make The Trailer Easier To Hook Up Too. Because It Isnt Fun Hooking Up A Gooseneck To A Ball With A Super Cab Pickup For Sure. But I Don't Want Anything Else To Deal With In My Bed.

Please Help! Need Some Ideas! Hate To Take The Word Some Sales Person Who Has Never Pulled A Trailer Long Haul.

Thanks,

Dan

[LunaticFringeInc]

I RV full time and I havent seen anyone with such a set up as of yet. I just use a 5th wheel hitch. I have never owned a Goose Neck hitch so I really cant tell you.

If you get a trailer, 28 foot with at least one good slide out is about the smallest I would go, other wise it gets real tight real fast. I definitely prefer the Fiberglass ones to the sheet metal ones. While most parks commonly have 50 amp hook ups these days you will find that with a 30 amp hook up you can find more available spaces to park it, otherwise you will want to make reservations well in advance of your travels.

[DMW1960]

I RV full time and I havent seen anyone with such a set up as of yet. I just use a 5th wheel hitch. I have never owned a Goose Neck hitch so I really cant tell you.

If you get a trailer, 28 foot with at least one good slide out is about the smallest I would go, other wise it gets real tight real fast. I definitely prefer the Fiberglass ones to the sheet metal ones. While most parks commonly have 50 amp hook ups these days you will find that with a 30 amp hook up you can find more available spaces to park it, otherwise you will want to make reservations well in advance of your travels.

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT. MOSTLY WHAT I WANTED IT FOR WAS TO BE ABLE TO PARK IT IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE JOB SITE. JUST SOMETHING TO TAKE A SHOWER IN, SLEEP IN, AND EAT IN. WITH IT JUST GOING TO BE ME, AND AFTER LOOKING AT SOME TODAY I AM MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE SHOWER SIZE! LOL! I ALSO NOTICED TODAY THAT MOST OF THE OLDER UNITS ARE NOT MADE FOR A 6'4" GUY!

GRANTED WHEN I DIDN'T NEED IT FOR WORK IT WOULD JUST BE USED BY THE WIFE AND I FOR WEEKEND FISHING TRIPS TO TRUMAN OR POMME. I DO ALREADY HAVE A 5500 WATT GENERATOR. WHICH WITH LIVING IN SPRINGFIELD, MO I SEEM TO USE MORE THAN ONCE EVERY WINTER FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO OUR WONDERFUL POWER COMPANY CU!

DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT 50 AMP & 30 AMP HOOK UP SPACES. SO THAT IS ANOTHER QUESTION I AM GOING TO HAVE TO ASK WHEN I AM LOOKING AT UNITS. WHAT NORMALLY MAKES A UNIT HAVE A LARGER 50 AMP HOOKUP?

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS THAT MY BUTT ISN'T ON THE GROUND AT NIGHT. MY WIFE HAS HER OWN TENTS AND CAMP GEAR! SINCE WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED SHE GOES AT LEAST ONCE PER YEAR A WEEK OR MORE CAMPING WITHOUT ME! LOL MY IDEA OF CAMPING AND RUFFING IT CONCERNS SOMETHING WITH EITHER HOLIDAY INN OR SUPER 8. AND NORMALLY I WON'T STAY IN ONE WITHOUT A POOL EITHER!

[LunaticFringeInc]

DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT 50 AMP & 30 AMP HOOK UP SPACES. SO THAT IS ANOTHER QUESTION I AM GOING TO HAVE TO ASK WHEN I AM LOOKING AT UNITS. WHAT NORMALLY MAKES A UNIT HAVE A LARGER 50 AMP HOOKUP?

The down and dirty in a nut shell is the smaller RVs 30ft and under with one AC unit are generally 30 amps. Start going to a bigger rig where you have 2 or more AC units, go big stay home sized Microwave, and washer and drier then you start getting into 50 amp rigs as you will be pulling that kinda power on them. There is an adapter that will allow you to hook a 50 amp rig into a 30 amp power source but then you have to be carefull about what you got running. Run an AC unit and the hair drier and poof you will often trip the breaker. That being said you can often find more 30 amp sites at RV parks than you can available open spots for 50 amp rigs.

I know what you mean about those showers! Im 6ft and 180 and I feel like a sardine in a can inside that thing! It works but I would definitely enjoy the roomier showers and Bath on the larger models not to mention head room. If I continue to do the RV thing I am definitely getting a bigger rig at least a 28-30ft one minimum with a slide out. I didnt get a slide out with mine when I got it as they are hard to find in a 24ft rig or smaller and they had a bad reputation for being problematic especially when it comes to leaking. The ones they make today are pretty dang good and well engineered and rarely have those issues. Fiber glass is definitely the way to go though on the shell. Its much more durable and not as leak prone. They are a bit heavier to tow and a little more maintenance but will look newer longer and hold up better to the elements over time. They also dont cause you to loose heat or cold as quickly either as metal sheet is a much better conductor of heat and cold from the weather. I would also opt for hardwood floors too. If you dont then definitely get carpet and cut it to size becuase they take a serious beating I dont care how careful you are!

Also invest in 40 lbs tanks. One should last you about 2 weeks a fill and they are much more cost effcient to fill than 20's or even 30's. Bigger tanks are available but humping them when they are full gets old fast. Mine came with your typical 20's and I replaced them with external 40's and have an adapter hooked up in place of one of the 20's that allows me the length to connect my exterior bottle. Heating your RV with electricity in the winter time is a no go unless you have long arms and deep pockets unless where your at electricity is free, use propane! I got a genset too becuase I am in a rual area and we sometimes loose power and are so remote its days before we get power back again. With the cost of fuel it really aint worth it unless there is a power outage. Same thing on the stove and oven. Electric stoves and ovens pull massive amounts of electricity. Get a propane stove!!! PAY the extra money for power jacks. I didnt and I cuss my self to the point it makes a sailor blush, everytime I move and have to reset up. Manual sissor jacks aint bad but I will tell you those front two jacks take a loooong tiime to crank them down or up! You will have arms the size of Arnold Swarzenager(sp?) by the time you crank them up or down.

Got anymore questions PM me and I will try my best to answer them.

[cook]

No personal experince,but I did hear about those jacks,that a cordless drill with a socket makes quick work of them.

[DMW1960]

I Know I Am Going To Need Some More Help And I Will Have Some More Questions!

I Should Have Known To Just Ask Beagle! Thanks To Miss Sharon And Beagle We Now Own A Travel Trailer! Just One Word! If You All Are Going To Beagles Place, Better Have A Map And Good Directions! I Know One Thing For Sure It Was A Long Trip Down To Their Place Tonight From Springfield.

Ended Up Purchasing Miss Sharon's And Beagles Rig Tonight! Got To Go Down Tomorrow Afternoon And Pick It Up! So I Will Have More Questions Once I Get The Rig Home And Start Trying To Figure It All Out.

Signed,

Redneck Camper!

[FROSTY]

Dan... I Found it on the first try....Head west till you see the lumber yard, turn left, then right.Keep going...cross the bridge, about 2 miles you'll see Planchone's barn....keep going up a big hill and be watching for fence on the left, just past funny farm....down hill, first drive on the right.

[DMW1960]

Dan... I Found it on the first try....Head west till you see the lumber yard, turn left, then right.Keep going...cross the bridge, about 2 miles you'll see Planchone's barn....keep going up a big hill and be watching for fence on the left, just past funny farm....down hill, first drive on the right.

YEP JUST PAST WHERE THE OLD JERSEY MILK COW DIED LAST YEAR UNDER THE OLD HICKORY TREE! LOL SO YOU HAVE BEEN THERE BEFORE! THANK GOD MISS SHARON GAVE PW58 THE CORRECT DIRECTIONS! AND GOD SHE TALKS ABOUT ME LOOKING OFF THE ROAD! I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET DOWN THERE BEFORE DARK TO SEE THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRAILER. AND WITH ME ONLY HAVING 2 GLASSES OF WATER, 1 COKE AND 1 MOUNTAIN DEW ALL DAY LONG I WASN'T IN THE BEST OF MOODS TO BE DRIVING ANYMORE TODAY AT LEAST!.

BEEN ALL READY PO'ED, MOST OF THE DAY! STARTED OUT WHEN I WAS CHARGED $12.00 TO GET MY DARNED PICKUP INSPECTED! TAGS ARE DUE IN DECEMBER KNEW I HAD THE MONEY TODAY MIGHT NOT NEXT WEEK. THEN I GO OVER TO THAT DOR LICENSE OFFICE. HANDED THE LADY MY PAID RECIEPT ON PERSONAL PROPERTY, THE NOTICE FOR LICENSE RENEWAL, THE $12.00 INSPECTION PAPER. THEN THE NICE LADY ASKED ME IF THE 24,000 BL TAGS WAS STILL GOING TO BE ENOUGH FOR ME. I SAID I GUESSED SO, I HAVE LOST ABOUT 50 TO 75 POUNDS MYSELF, THE WIFE HAS PUT ON MOST THE WEIGHT I HAVE LOST PLUS A FEW MORE POUNDS. I GUESS IF I NEED TO I CAN ALWAYS LOAD THE STOCK TRAILER A COUPLE OF HEAD LIGHT TO KEEP THE RIG UNDER 24,000 WHEN I HAVE THE WIFE ALONG. SO THAT NICE LADY SAID IT WILL BE $104.25 FOR THE NEW TRUCK LICENSE! I ASKED HER IF I WAS GETTING A NEW PLATE SHE SAID NOPE JUST A STICKER! FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY I SHOULD HAVED AT LEAST GOTTEN A NEW PLATE!

[C N]

If anyone knows of someone looking for a 2006 "like-new" 34' bumper hitch camper, please have them contact me for details. It's on location at Evening Shade Campground just up the highway from Bucksaw at Truman.

Appreciate it, guys!

Pat