HT Fifth Wheel Opinions

[raising4daughters]

Couple of questions on the smaller, lighter HT FWs. Wife and I are considering one for our next purchase in a few years, upgrading from a PUP directly to our empty nest / early retirement version. Three oldest girls (currently 18, 22, 23) no longer come with us, but if they did, they can bring along the PUP. Youngest (8) might bring a friend/cousin and sleep on the pullout sofa. So, we like the Rear Living versions since we plan keeping our PUP (still in very good shape) as our "bunkhouse".

We like the 27.5RLTS and the 28.5RSTS, NOT because they're (supposedly) "half-ton towable" but because we don't feel like we need anything bigger.

Questions:

1. Should we just assume we need a 3/4T truck? Specs are 10,000 GVWR and 1400-1500 hitch. I'm thinking the HT (half-ton) is an exaggeration at least for any 1/2T on a lot.

2. More importantly, are the HT's made cheaply to keep weight down (relative to other FWs)? We see this is a long-term investment, not a throw-away, and don't want to sacrifice quality for weight. Put another way, is the HT Eagle line just smaller than the Eagle line but with the same quality.

Goal is to purchase in 2-5 years and keep for at least 10.

[sobuck1]

We just made our purchase this past april, ours is the HT RSTS, The quality for the 2 of us is great, Maybe we got luckey lol, Lots of storage. Great for 2 people and room for 2 guests. I pull with a Ford F 250, It barely droped the rear about 1 1/2 Inches. Its a gaser but so far have not had a problem. Loaded with fuel wood and just about the whole house(she over packs) my GCW was 14580, IMO I think its a bit much for a Half ton, for safety and for the life of the truck.

[tld]

My wife and I bought a new Eagle HT 27.5 RLTS (3 slides and about 30.5 ft in length) in November of 2015 (it was a 2016 model). We live in Kansas and spent the winter traveling in South Texas. And this summer have gone north into the Black Hills of South Dakota and over into Wyoming to try to beat some of the Central Plains heat. So, we've put about 3500 miles of towing on our Eagle HT so far and have lived aboard our rig for a total of about 3 months, with the longest continuous stretch of living onboard 2 months. After a lot of research about which towing vehicle to buy, I purchased a 3/4 ton Ford F250 6.7 Diesel 4X4 (2015 model).

So, that's my up-to-this-date experiential background. Now I'll try to address your questions and maybe throw in some other things that I've learned or encountered.

1. So, the big question is, is the HT more cheaply made? I could be wrong, and if I am, I know someone will justifiably correct me. But, we looked extensively at the Eagle and the Eagle HT and I've got to tell you that the materials used, and workmanship, seemed to be identical in both models. The only difference seemed to be size and the extra "things" that came with the Eagle. If you get on Jayco's site, construction specs appear to be the same - vacuum-bonded walls, welded aluminum frame, added insulation, etc. My wife was a little concerned that the size might be a little tight for us (we also travel with our 40lb dog). On the other hand, I wanted to stay reasonably small for towing, backing and getting into tighter State and National Park campground sites when not staying at an RV Park. But I've got to tell you that with 3 slide, the living space in our HT is more than adequate. And even though our rig is wired for 50 amps and the vent in the bedroom is pre-wired to drop in a second A/C, my one 15K A/C has done great even when the temps are in the middle to upper 90's. However, if our rig was much bigger, I would for sure want the second A/C unit for summer travel. A smaller 13.5K A/C would be more than adequate for the second A/C. I guess that what I'm really thinking is that if I was doing it over, I would probably go ahead and get the second A/C as part of the original purchase. But if you found what you wanted and the price was right, don't be scared of getting an HT with only one 15K A/C.

And here is something to be aware of regarding the HT. The HT's have an adjustable axel height. The frame can be raised an additional two inches higher than the height it comes out from the factory. So why is this important? If you buy a 3/4 ton 4x4 tow truck (and I definitely recommend going with a 4x4), you will discover that the HT will set nose high at the lower axel setting (even with your hitch in the truck bed set at the lowest level) because the 3/4 ton 4x4 will setup higher than a 4x4 1/2 ton. The trailer should, of course, set level while towing - or at least close to level. Otherwise you may get extra tire ware and you will probably damage your refrigerator if you want to run it while traveling. So, be sure to include a clause in your sales agreement that will require the dealer to make the adjustment to the axel height if necessary. It took 3 workers about two hours to make the change on my rig. Fortunately I had been aware of the issue and had it covered in the sales agreement.

2. When I was trying to decide between a 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton towing vehicle, so many others who were already experienced fifth wheelers said that even for the HT, don't go 1/2 ton. My personal experience has been that those that said go with the 3/4 ton were right. Some 1/2 tons might safely pull the HT as long as you didn't put much in the 5th wheel or the truck. But, the more we travel with our rig, the more stuff we find ourselves wanting to take along. And, if you want to travel through or over any mountains, I think the 3/4 ton becomes a must ( I totally love my exhaust brake for going down the mountains). And what about gas vs diesel 3/4 ton? You will get better power with a diesel - hands down! Diesel engines will last far longer than gas engines. But they are more expensive to repair and maintain. Diesel fuel will usually cost a little more than regular gas (although for about a month this spring, diesel was cheaper than gas in my area). But with diesel you will get better gas mileage while towing. With my Ford F250 6.7 diesel I get 23 mph on the highway unloaded and 13 mph towing. Most owners of 3/4 ton gasers that I have talked with get about 9 mph when towing and about 15 on the highway unloaded.

So, I hope that something that I've talked about is of some help. Good luck.

[Krusegroup]

In the order they were asked;

1. Yes, go with a 3/4 ton if you intend to travel with it much at all. Even the lightest/smallest models are marginal at best in the real world for even a modded 1/2 ton.

2. No, as stated above construction is very close to the same. Mostly they are smaller in length with the HT line topping out at 35' OAL and the Eagle line going from about 38' and up. Get the 16" wheel and E rated tire upgrade!

[AC Gypsy]

Hello raising4daughters, Having just picked up my 2016 HT 27.5RLTS in May the advice I've seen here so far is spot-on. Sobucks advise about pinbox height is something to keep in mind. I raised the pin box up one hole and adjusted the axle (leaf-springs actually) and still ride with about 4 inches difference. Still have a couple of options; Add the Correct-Trac II which will raise the frame another 2 inches or lower the back end of the TV.
Another thing too consider is how will you use your rv. Short or extended trips, or full-timing?
The HT is perfect (IMHO), for short-term use, but it is not built for full-timing (states that somewhere in the users manual also.)
We had a lot of fun searching for the right rv and after a 2K mile, 3 week break-in ride home, believe we choose the perfect one for our current needs.
Good luck in your endeavor!

[raising4daughters]

All - thanks so much for the valuable feedback!

I wanted to follow-up AC Gypsy's point (below). If "full-timing" means selling our primary home and living exclusively in the FW, that's not our plan. At the same time, our plan WOULD be to use it a helluva lot more than the 1-3 weeks per year we use our PUP. Frankly, we would not own a PUP had we not fallen into it. Just don't have enough spare time with kids activities now even though they're getting older.

Longer-term, we'd like to, for example, drive to the south or southwest after Christmas and stay there for 2-3 months. Then, once the summer months hit, we envision hitting the west shore of Lake Michigan for a month.

Any reasons the 27.5HT RLTS or 28.5RSTS wouldn't suffice for that plan? I don't think that qualifies as "full-timing", does it?

Originally Posted by AC Gypsy

Another thing too consider is how will you use your rv. Short or extended trips, or full-timing?
The HT is perfect (IMHO), for short-term use, but it is not built for full-timing (states that somewhere in the users manual also.)

[sobuck1]

They put that in the book to cover their butts. I could live in mine full time if I had to with no problem. some NY apartments are smaller. It should serve you well for your intenions

[troutslayer]

Originally Posted by raising4daughters

Any reasons the 27.5HT RLTS or 28.5RSTS wouldn't suffice for that plan? I don't think that qualifies as "full-timing", does it?

I use mine 3 to 5 months per year either working for Habitat or just traveling. It's held up well however, the material and "appliances" are certainly not of the residential quality. With my use, I fully intend to replace certain items before my 10th year anniversary.

[tld]

I agree with sobuck1. Last winter we lived in our 27.5HT RLTS for 2 continuous months straight while doing exactly what your talking about doing. There is no question that it will work for what you would like to do. We could live full-time in ours with no problem. But here's the rub regarding full-time use, or extended part-time use. None of the fifth wheel or travel trailer rigs are built with construction grade materials like your house is nor to any type of residential construction/building code (the more expensive larger rigs may use better grade materials). They can't be because they would simply be too heavy. Plus, those heavier materials couldn't survive the magnitude 4 and 5 earthquake levels that they would be subjected to when encountering rough highways at 65mph. So, any of the materials used in these rigs are not as user durable as the materials used in your house, and using them, full or part-time, will simply wear things out faster.

[FoxFanRay]

While sitting around at my dealer waiting for some minor issue repair, I found a bunch of wall samples (6" x 6") laying on a table. IF I remember correctly, the HT walls are not quite as thick as the Eagle's walls. Will that make any difference to you? I doubt it unless you are going to extreme temp environments. The Northpoint walls are also thicker than the Eagle's by quite a bit. You might ask the dealer if he has samples. Also, the frame members may be larger on the Eagle. The weight being saved on the HT comes from somewhere! Just some things to keep in mind if you are going to keep the unit long term.

(I'm not knocking the HT, just pointing out there are some differences.)

[bethcb]

The tech is here. Diagnosis an open neutral. He wants to know where the 110 junction boxes are in our 2015 36FBTS. Does anyone know?

[barryg]

We have a 2016 27.5 rlts. I tow it with a 2001 dodge ram 2500 diesel. IT tows fine with that for sure but as others have stated a 1/2 ton is really going to be stretching it. I suspect you will run out of payload and then probably past or at least very close to gcwr as well. Our unit tag shows without water weight at 8240. which leaves us with 1750 ish lbs of trailer cargo weight. Water at 8lbs to the gallon will eat up a good 300 lbs. So loaded up pin weight might be in the 1800-2000lb range, you throw in a couple passengers in the truck and a little other stuff along with a 150-200 lb hitch and you are getting close to 2400-2500lbs payload. Our 2500 tows it well but honestly I wouldnt want to tow it with a 1/2 ton.
My hitch height is 59 inches and the trailer is maxed out as far as height without adding something to it. I think I am off by about 3 inches total based on some quick math I did with a tape measure and level. I have put a tpms system on the trailer tires and the temps seem to be very even. leading me to believe that the weight is fairly well balanced even with the 3 inch nose high (which to be honest is hardly noticeable looking at it). Last week we drove in 105 degree heat at 65mph and tire temps did not get over 124 deg (this with max inflation of 65psi cold and translated to 74psi at that temp)). I was not carrying any water and black and grey tanks were empty as well. The stock tires 15 inch on ours the tires are rated for 2540lbs so the tires are not under rated (9950lbs-1800 pin weight =8150 vs the 10160 tire rating). There is a very good cushion there. Tire quality remains to be seen and when the time comes I will upgrade the tires to LT's and 16 inch wheels. However after about 4.5k miles the tires seem to be doing ok.

[BuddyRay]

I've got the 26.5 RLS HT and we love it. . . . and we do tow it with a half ton.

So far no problems, with one exception, we're still working on getting the 5th wheel's electric brakes working correctly - and suspect it's the Ford integrated controller.

BUT - the HT we tow is smaller and lighter than the models you're thinking about.
AND - I'm towing with a Ford F150, 2016 model with the aluminum body - which saves a bunch of weight and makes the towing capacity (with Max Tow Package) just over 12,000.

So - on the two models you're looking at, I do think I'd go with the 3/4 ton TV.

As to "living it it" for a few months at a time - that's exactly what the wife and I plan. We had a 20ft TT that we did a lot of weekend camping and the occasional 2 week trips. Loved it - but I retired last month and the Wife said - we aren't living in that for 2 or 3 months at a time - so we upgraded to the Eagle HT.

Personally, I could tent camp for 2 or 3 months at a time. In fact I used to do that during the summers as a Boy Scout leader when I was in College. But the wife thinks the HT is just perfect for longer trips and I agree.

[in5r]

Buddy Ray, just out of curiosity on your braking problems have you ever pulled the breakaway switch to see if it stops you from moving? I ask this because on our HT 28.5 RSTS I had brake problems as well and only after the 3rd trip to the dealer by pulling the breakaway and letting idle take me around their lot did I finally convince them I had brake issues on the unit. My FIL also had troubles with his HT brakes. Just throwing it out there.

[Krusegroup]

Also remember, it's not what you can tow, but what you can haul, will become a limiting factor with a half ton. We just returned from a trip out west and I saw a lot of half tons struggling at elevation or in a head wind. Not fun!

[BuddyRay]

In5er,
I took the rig back to the storage lot last Friday and I was going to try it then.
But it was pouring rain and I decided that wasn't the best conditions to be testing brakes.
I'll try it the next time I take it out and I'll be sure to report back.


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[tld]

BuddyRay, in the for what it's worth category, early this summer I, and my dealer, were struggling with a trailer brake problem on my Eagle HT that turned out to be my Ford truck's problem. When my Jayco dealer advised that everything was working properly with my braking system when hooked to a truck (not a Ford) at the dealership, I called my Ford dealer and they found a service bulletin notice for a Trailer Break Controller Module change. My truck was a 2015 F250.

[citgodan]

I was going to buy the 2015 HT 27.5 rlts with my F150 (and airbags), but held off and then saw the pin weight jump up 300 pounds from '15 -'16!! '16 model was 1525, with my wife and just camping gear I would be at/over my limit of my F-150. Forget trying to throw lots of wood in my bed = way over the limit. I just traded up for an F-250 yesterday, and can't wait to get our -'17 HT 27.5 rlts!! Great advice about ordering with the dealer agreeing to move the axles around for the additional height of the 250, and 4x4 !!

[BuddyRay]

Thanks tld, I'm due an oil change soon and I'll ask the dealer about that.


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[richie t]

We have the 28.5RSTS and tow it with a 2015 Dodge Ram 2500 long bed 4x4. You can hardly feel you're towing anything. The engine is a 5.7 gas. We just took ours on its maiden voyage and I was quite happy with it. Really like having two grey tanks and the black tank is larger than our previous trailer. Plenty of room. We also have a golden retriever. Get it with the fireplace. It took the chill out quickly. Ours is 30amp but have not had any major issues, just a couple of cosmetic things. Hope this was helpful.