5th wheel blues

[NewBlackDak]

Originally Posted by mrlarson59

THANKS! You all have given me hope that it WILL get better. I guess I'm just stretched too thin with new 5th wheel purchase and also trying to build so we can garage store our 5th wheel. Currently paying $300/month completely enclosed storage fee!



To add to my 5th wheel "acclimation" stress, we bought an acre of land and dealing with a 40' culvert placement/costs and building a 60'x100' barndominium (garage/shop/living area all under 1 roof-metal building. They're very popular in Texas.



The culvert has to transition from 20' wide road over a 5'deep ditch and road is about 2' higher than land. Then figure out the 60x100 building placement on the land so we have enough radius to pull in/turn and then back into covered building. Backing in off road onto our property is NOT an option. Not enough room to safely accomplish this and if you miss the mark, well I think you know! My brother is a 35 yr profession truck driver and he said NO dice!



Anyone build on their own land to store their RV? We're trying to figure out how much turning radius you have to have to safely back in a 37' 5th wheel into a 14'x18' garage area?



The land is almost a perfect square and is flat! 205' frontage x 196' length

We'll be pulling in off road using 40' culvert making a lefthanded turn (one good thing in our favor here). Then we'll have to pull back out of garage and have enough driveway to clear building and then turn left onto 40' culvert driveway to enter back onto the road.



We plan to create gradual slope from road to land and also build up the land some to help with the 2' difference between land & road.



If anyone knows of a website I can use to calculate amount of driveway needed (it will be gravel) to accomplish this please let me know. Maybe call Jayco and ask them?

Sorry for lengthy post! Hopefully I gave enough info to answer question.

Jayco won’t be able to tell you, because it will largely depend on the turning radius and wheelbase of your truck. Go to a cheap sporting goods store, buy some cones, find an empty parking lot to comfortably make the maneuver, have someone walk along side marking it with cones, and measure it.

[Kennessa]

I'm doing the same thing but my lot is .6 of an acre. I have the same trailer and truck. My plan is to get driveway in then use survey flags to mark off building size 60x48 on the lot and pull trailer on lot and figure out my positioning.

I want to do a pull through if I have enough room. I'll report back on results.

[Packerbacker_TX]

Originally Posted by mrlarson59

Bought our first RV and after 3 years of research decided on a 5er. Bought a 2019 Eagle 317RLOK (37’ long)and love the floorplan and unit.

Here’s my blues: only gone on a couple short trips and honestly pulling it with our 2016 Ford F-250 scares the heck out of me. Traffic, ability to make turns, navigation (missing an exit), getting gas, ability to get in/out of park sites. I’ve dreamed of RVing for years and so far I’m not feeling the adventure or love!! 😂❤️
Then we have family and friends that have MH’s and they all go one and on about how much easier they are to maneuver and it makes me SO second guess buying our 5er. I’m a worrier and I guess I never thought how much emotionally the stress of actually traveling would scare me so much.
Anyone ever own both MH and a 5er that can help me with my fears?? Spending $50k and having anxiety over it is really rough. We just didn’t have the $$ for MH.
I sure could use some encouragement from some experienced RVers. . Thanks

Mrlarson59 - Sounds like you have the Newbie Blues to me. Hauling around a 37' trailer is something in itself. There are a few considerations but overall 5th wheel hauling is better than towing a travel trailer. My TV is a 17' F250 6.2L 4x4 LB. I've got lots of space in the bed and my Andersen hitch is wonderful! All I need to keep tabs on is air pressure in the tires. After that it's just getting used to the extra length of the trailer and making turns.

[hboy]

Originally Posted by mrlarson59

I sure could use some encouragement from some experienced RVers. . Thanks

I think each different style of RV has it's own pros/cons. Plus some people worry more than others.. If you pulled trailers for years, you may already be comfortable towing. Otherwise, a few short trips per year feels like starting over each time and having to learn how she pulls all over again.

Stick with it! I would also consider renting a motor home sometime just to see what you think. You may find a motor home is more your thing....

We've had bumper pull and 5th wheel RV's. Pros and cons for each of those. Sometimes the adventure part of traveling (dead end road, gas stops, etc) just are not that enjoyable for everyone.

[mrlarson59]

I've tried several different drawing scenarios and even with 1 acre the pull thru option didn't seem to work because I'd love that! You've got to have enough room on both sides of your building to clear the 5er out of the building itself before you can begin to turn. That's alot of drive! And our problem is we'd have to install 2 culverts (40' each) and the costs for each is $15,000 because of the HUGE ditch we're dealing with. Geez, nothing is ever simple, easy, or cheap!
Please private message me and keep in touch, would love an update! Good luck!