My wife and I are starting the process for the RVing lifestyle. We believe that a 5th wheel is the right unit for us. We got a great intro to the Grand Design Solitude model over the weekend. This company seems to have a great product and the dealer has awesome reviews. As far as a truck to pull with, I'm getting mixed reviews on size, i.e. 3/4 ton, 1 ton etc as well as a long bed(8 ft) or the 6 1/2 ft. When considering a crew cab(4 door) with an 8 ft bed, that just seems too long. Any and all advice from you seasoned travelers would be appreciated on a truck (brand- which I know may just be personal preference) as well as which brands of RV's to consider.
Mike & Shelley
Roamin Richards said
02:28 PM Aug 23, 2016
Welcome aboard!
I owned a 29ft. Nomad 5th wheel for a number of years. It grossed out at 20,255lbs. I used a 1986 3/4 ton Ford Super Cab 4x4 with long bed to tow it with no problems. The Ford was equipped with a 460ci engine, auxillary transmission oil cooler, Reese hitch and a brake controller. I towed the unit all the way from Vacaville, CA to Winter Garden, FL and it handled very well. The truck had plenty of hp to tow. You just need to make sure you have all the essentials on your truck to aid in towing. Good luck with your new RV lifestyle and enjoy the travels!
nomorsno said
08:39 AM Aug 24, 2016
Grand Design seems like a great choice and many on the forum will agree as they have them as well. The choice of rig is very subjective and in my opinion is all about floorplan and what you want in the rv. Take your time and choose what best fits the plan you have. As far as trucks I would say to go with the 1 ton anyway. Not much difference in ride and handling between 3/4 and 1 ton but doesn't limit the towing or payload capacity. Then it comes down to dually or single rear wheel?? Lots of debate over that topic as well but again it's about what you want mostly. I switched to a dually for a Lifestyle 38RS and really like the stability and weight handling that the dually gives me. Harder to find parking? Yep sometimes, have I scrubbed the dual wheel on the curb? Only a couple times cus I curse myself out for not remembering Do some searching through the different boards on this site and post questions as they come up. Loads of great info already there and great folks that help out along the way. Have a good time finding the right one!
Hi everyone,
My wife and I are starting the process for the RVing lifestyle. We believe that a 5th wheel is the right unit for us. We got a great intro to the Grand Design Solitude model over the weekend. This company seems to have a great product and the dealer has awesome reviews. As far as a truck to pull with, I'm getting mixed reviews on size, i.e. 3/4 ton, 1 ton etc as well as a long bed(8 ft) or the 6 1/2 ft. When considering a crew cab(4 door) with an 8 ft bed, that just seems too long. Any and all advice from you seasoned travelers would be appreciated on a truck (brand- which I know may just be personal preference) as well as which brands of RV's to consider.
Mike & Shelley
I owned a 29ft. Nomad 5th wheel for a number of years. It grossed out at 20,255lbs. I used a 1986 3/4 ton Ford Super Cab 4x4 with long bed to tow it with no problems. The Ford was equipped with a 460ci engine, auxillary transmission oil cooler, Reese hitch and a brake controller. I towed the unit all the way from Vacaville, CA to Winter Garden, FL and it handled very well. The truck had plenty of hp to tow. You just need to make sure you have all the essentials on your truck to aid in towing. Good luck with your new RV lifestyle and enjoy the travels!
Grand Design seems like a great choice and many on the forum will agree as they have them as well. The choice of rig is very subjective and in my opinion is all about floorplan and what you want in the rv. Take your time and choose what best fits the plan you have. As far as trucks I would say to go with the 1 ton anyway. Not much difference in ride and handling between 3/4 and 1 ton but doesn't limit the towing or payload capacity. Then it comes down to dually or single rear wheel?? Lots of debate over that topic as well but again it's about what you want mostly. I switched to a dually for a Lifestyle 38RS and really like the stability and weight handling that the dually gives me. Harder to find parking? Yep sometimes, have I scrubbed the dual wheel on the curb? Only a couple times cus I curse myself out for not remembering
Do some searching through the different boards on this site and post questions as they come up. Loads of great info already there and great folks that help out along the way. Have a good time finding the right one!