Travel trailers and 5th wheels

[krag35]

I am in the market for a used travel trailer or 5th wheel and I don't know much about either. Hoping some on here have some experience to share with a newbie. I'll be pulling it with a '79 1/2 ton Chevy (350/auto) I already have a line on a 4 core radiator that I need to get for pulling my boat anyway.

I'm thinking 20' for a travel trailer and 26' for a 5th wheel. Finances dictate it be a used one. Any particular brand I should look at? Any thing I should look out for?

The main reason I'm in the market is a family reunion in Kansas City next July, so I do have some time. After that it'll be used for hunting and fishing trips within 500 miles of home.

I have thought about a slide in camper, that would be fine if it were just me, but I'll have my teenage kids along on this trip, and hunting/fishing partners along on future trips and there just isn't enough room in a camper.

Any help will be appreciated
krag35

[Duckiller]

Your biggest problem is what can your truck tow. 3/4 ton trucks tow about 10,000lbs. 1/2 ton,I think, 6-7,000 lbs. It is not just engine. It is brakes, transmission, bearings, etc. A whole bunch of parts that are lighter. You may not beable to find a 5th wheel that is light enough for you to tow. 20-24 ft. travel trailer should be about right. Most major brands are reasonable. Used depends on how it was used and maintained. You can pull an overweight trailer, it is just going to wear out your truck a lot faster and things will break at inoppurtune times. Coleman and others make a trailer with hard sides with a tent slide out at the end. If weather is bad and you are alone keep everything cloaed up. More people requires you wait for a slight break in weather and set up slideouts. Trailer could be easily pulled with 1/2 ton. Casitas is a small trailer that people seem to like. Easy to tow, sleep inside. Cook outside unless weather is bad. Good time to start looking for a trailer for next July. If you intend to dry camp, but want some electricty I would recommend the Honda 2000 watt generator. Makes next to no noise and MAY have enough power to run small A/C, definately will power microwave. Good luck. Duckiller

[wills]

I bought a 26’ Mallard a couple of years ago nearly new for about 8,000, and pull it with a F250 7.3 liter diesel, which works fine unless I get into hills, and then it won’t maintain 70.

At RV parks I seldom see anything less than a ¾ ton used as a tow vehicle, usually Fords or Dodges.

[DOUBLEJK]

Krag
I pull a 21' Cabana bumper hitch camper trailer with a front fold out that lets me have more room or sleep more ifin' the grandkids go with us...
its wieght is around 3250# empty....plus its always fully setup with fishin' n huntin' gear allready loaded sept fer grocery's n the guns needed..for me n the better half when oppertunity knocks and has plenty a room fer the 2 of us with it closed up...nice to be ready to go in a few minutes...
Shur is nicer n a tent n mighty comfertable..
I pull it with a Tundra V6 that is probably less pull rating than yer 1/2 ton....used n in good shape 6-8k aughta buy one...

[Thin Man]

krag35,

By all means, plan to have a transmission cooler installed on your truck! This will remind you of a small radiator (which it really is, and usually is mounted in front of your engine's radiator). Without this, the strain on your tranny may cause it to overheat. The most common result is that your tranny will go on strike, thus a big repair or replacement bill, plus the down time. The cooler is a very small investment that more than pays for itself in saved expense and aggravation. Good luck on your trip!

Thin Man

[MT Gianni]

I bought a 25'5th wheel last month as our primary residence for 3 weeks as we are homeless from today until the last week of the month. The previous owner pulled it with a dodge dakota and bought it new. I pull it with a 1/2 ton dodge with a 318 and a 5 speed. It will not cross the divide at 70 though 60 is just fine. I had no change in water temperature though the temperatures were in the 90's when we set it up. Gianni

[shooter575]

My first 5th wheel was a Dutchman 27'.Pulled it with a 3/4 ton Dodge.318 cid,auto with a 355 rear axel.Every thing was OK on the flat.Real slow in the hills.Drug that trailer 20K east of mississippi.
I switched to a Cummins diesel dualie and a 30' dutchman now.I do not even know it is back there. 6% grades I do not loose any speed with the cruse set. 8% and I loose 1-2 mph. I will never go back to gas.

[Ranch Dog]

What kind of average do you get with your Dodge?

I have a 2500 with the Hemi and auto. My wife has expressed some thoughts about a 5th wheel and of course I see the benifit towards my hunting immediately.

I had an '95 2500 with the V10 and could pull 10K of cattle without even knowing it.

[Four Fingers of Death]

What is a 5th wheel? Is that a trailer that pivots on a pin on the tray of the pickup, like a semi trailer?

[Jumptrap]

What is a 5th wheel? Is that a trailer that pivots on a pin on the tray of the pickup, like a semi trailer?


Hehehe....what is a tray? Okay....I know the answer to that one....we call it a 'bed'. Why? I dunno...why do Aussies call it a tray? HAR! regional semantics at play.

Yeah, a 5th wheel trailer works like a semi...more or less.

I live in an area where there are 3 major state parks and I see lots of travel trailers of all kinds and descriptions.....and i see them being towed with the same kind of trucks....old/new/large/small.

I feel a little sorry for some of these folks and yet, I don't. I seen this one guy with a Ford 1/2 ton hooked to a really big 5th wheeler. Poor truck (no oxymoron here....they are a poor truck) looked like a piss ant trying to drag an elephant.

The idiot who lives across the road had a Ford diesel with an automatic..wasn't long before he dumped it for on with a standard transmisson.

I cannot imagine EVER thinking of embarking on a long pull in an old truck. Not No, but Hell NO!

The one machine that seems to hang in there day in and day out, is a Dodge diesel with a standard tranny...run from their automatics..I have one in my gasser.

I also think, regardless of brand of truck, the investment in a perfomance chip is a wise one.

There will never be a camper for me. For the cost and headaches (maintinence, depreciation, etc) I can stay in the best hotels for the rest of my days and let somebody else clean up the mess and drive my car while doing it.

[MT Gianni]

I would ask an old highway patrolman what their opinion was of 5th wheels or pull behinds. Most will tell you the pull behinds wreck and roll about 9 out of the 10 times they see one and 5th wheels 1 out of 10 or even 5 out of 100. Gianni.

[shooter575]

What kind of average do you get with your Dodge?

I have a 2500 with the Hemi and auto. My wife has expressed some thoughts about a 5th wheel and of course I see the benifit towards my hunting immediately.

I had an '95 2500 with the V10 and could pull 10K of cattle without even knowing it.

I get 22-24 mpg with the diesel dualie empty highway,12-13 with the 30 footer@ 65 mph.This drops off to 8-10 in the mountians.When ever I get into a spot with a truck lane I just move into the hammer and pass everyone going up.First time I did that wife said my grinn was amusing.
I have the 2005 model with the 325 hp.They have the bugs out of the auto trans now.Heck the dealer wanted to sell me a chip right off the bat.Would not void the warrenty.The older models had the boost turned down because the trans would not hold.I knew that Mopar could do it.The old 727 autos held up to the 426 hemi and 440 six packs with 500 hp.Anyway with 40K on the truck with 6K towing I am verry happywith it.