We have begun full timing and am looking to purchase a new fifth wheel. We are currently in a 32 ft Foresr River and are looking at a 36ft Cypress made by Redwood. My question is the extra length and weight that we will be hauling. My concern is towing it and getting into campgrounds. My tow vehicle can handle it, F350 6.7 diesel. Any feedback would be helpful
Neil and Connie said
07:33 PM Mar 3, 2016
36 feet won't present much of a difficulty in parking in most campgrounds…and towing shouldn't be much different either assuming you're ok on all the various tow vehicle capacities…rear axle, GCVW, etc. IIRC and this is just off the top of my head…Redwood's aren't very heavy as 5vers go so I would guess the 350 will be ok but check the capacities to be sure…burt it sounds like you have already done that.
The extra 4 feet will make stuff like backing into a campsite a little different since it is a longer trailer…but shouldn't be a big problem and you'll adjust to it pretty quickly. Ours is 40 and I've only found one campground that we were originally trying to get into that we gave up on. That was the one inside the monument at Devil's Tower…the sites are all pull off the campground road pull throughs and I got into the site but the truck/trailer were angled and I would have had great troubles unhitching and even bigger ones trying to hitch back up to leave. So…we drove over to the KOA about 2 miles away and actually had a much better view of the tower from the KOA than from the park service campground. Other than that…we've had no issues backing in…but then we do always verify campgrounds ahead of time with google maps satellite view.
Terry and Jo said
08:05 AM Mar 4, 2016
Brian,
With respect to backing in a 36-footer as compared to a 32-footer, 4 feet won't make much difference except in turning as to what to watch, but for backing, a longer trailer is actually easier to back than the shorter ones. We used to have a 26-foot fifth wheel, and even with my experience with backing up trailers, I'd have to stop and adjust the configuration between the truck and trailer at least once. When we went to our current 38-foot fifth wheel, I found that as soon as one notices that the trailer is "going wild," one can easier adjust with the truck's steering wheel without having to pull forward and back up again so much.
I can't speak too much as to finding RV sites big enough as we don't move that much ourselves. However, when we have gone to RV parks, we've not had issues. Now, campgrounds and especially National Forest campgrounds would require a lot more research. Our old favorite place in Colorado for boondocking (Purgatoire River Campground) would only have one or two sites in among the trees that would be long enough for our trailer.
Terry
The Bear II said
10:53 AM Mar 4, 2016
We went from a 24ft bumper pull to a 38ft 5th wheel. Of course it was a little different to tow and maneuver but I quickly became accustomed to it.
We look for RV Parks with pull thrus primarily but have used back in spaces in some state and national parks.
Some of the campground interior roads with tight turns can be difficult. At a couple of campgrounds the ranger allowed us to go the wrong way to get to a spot when we couldn't negotiate a turn due to trees or other obstacles.
We have begun full timing and am looking to purchase a new fifth wheel. We are currently in a 32 ft Foresr River and are looking at a 36ft Cypress made by Redwood. My question is the extra length and weight that we will be hauling. My concern is towing it and getting into campgrounds. My tow vehicle can handle it, F350 6.7 diesel. Any feedback would be helpful
36 feet won't present much of a difficulty in parking in most campgrounds…and towing shouldn't be much different either assuming you're ok on all the various tow vehicle capacities…rear axle, GCVW, etc. IIRC and this is just off the top of my head…Redwood's aren't very heavy as 5vers go so I would guess the 350 will be ok but check the capacities to be sure…burt it sounds like you have already done that.
The extra 4 feet will make stuff like backing into a campsite a little different since it is a longer trailer…but shouldn't be a big problem and you'll adjust to it pretty quickly. Ours is 40 and I've only found one campground that we were originally trying to get into that we gave up on. That was the one inside the monument at Devil's Tower…the sites are all pull off the campground road pull throughs and I got into the site but the truck/trailer were angled and I would have had great troubles unhitching and even bigger ones trying to hitch back up to leave. So…we drove over to the KOA about 2 miles away and actually had a much better view of the tower from the KOA than from the park service campground. Other than that…we've had no issues backing in…but then we do always verify campgrounds ahead of time with google maps satellite view.
Brian,
With respect to backing in a 36-footer as compared to a 32-footer, 4 feet won't make much difference except in turning as to what to watch, but for backing, a longer trailer is actually easier to back than the shorter ones. We used to have a 26-foot fifth wheel, and even with my experience with backing up trailers, I'd have to stop and adjust the configuration between the truck and trailer at least once. When we went to our current 38-foot fifth wheel, I found that as soon as one notices that the trailer is "going wild," one can easier adjust with the truck's steering wheel without having to pull forward and back up again so much.
I can't speak too much as to finding RV sites big enough as we don't move that much ourselves. However, when we have gone to RV parks, we've not had issues. Now, campgrounds and especially National Forest campgrounds would require a lot more research. Our old favorite place in Colorado for boondocking (Purgatoire River Campground) would only have one or two sites in among the trees that would be long enough for our trailer.
Terry
We look for RV Parks with pull thrus primarily but have used back in spaces in some state and national parks.
Some of the campground interior roads with tight turns can be difficult. At a couple of campgrounds the ranger allowed us to go the wrong way to get to a spot when we couldn't negotiate a turn due to trees or other obstacles.