I just bought this to tow a fifth wheel with. We haven't purchased the 5th wheel yet, looking for a 28 to 31 footer. We are thinking of a Forest River Wildcat 28RKBS. The truck is a 2010 Lariat with the 6.4 PSD, also has the camper package. I welcome any advice on fifth wheels!

 

I'm no expert but here's the stuff I know from 2 fivers over the past ten years. 1. Like most stuff if you want quality you have to pay more. There are entry level 5ers that will be OK but won't last long, there are High Dollar trailers that are very nice and very very sturdy but they cost a lot. Don't look so much at the curtains or inside trim, look at the axles, frame, springs etc. And check the seams where exterior panels come together. Those that use solid one piece rear caps and front structures are better built than those that have seams. 2. Decide what you plan to do before you buy the 5er. IE: Camp at state and national parks, Go to the same lake every weekend, Take extended trips of 3 to 10 weeks. That will help you determine what to buy. If you want to really "camp" get small and light as it will fit much better into camp sites. If you go to the lake every week you may want a toy hauler so you can take the 4 wheeler. For extended stays you will want some room which means lots of slides. You get the idea. 3. I prefer buying used to new. Most trailers wil depreciate 30% or so the first year, (yeah, that much)everyone I've ever known who bought new went through a lot of hassels getting bugs worked out. The dealers really don't respect you in the morning, they will be hard to get "free" service from. And there are always a lot of folks trying to sell nearly new trailers for lots of reasons, couldn't afford it or could and can't now, decided they didn't like it, and the most common one, bought trailer and then got sick, happens everyday to we old folks. That's how I bought both mine. 4. Finally, if you are not a mechanical type with a basic understanding of AC/DC wiring, plumbing, Heat and Air, wheel bearings and drum brakes think long and hard before buying a 5er. If you have to pay someone every time something breaks (shop labor rate is $110 per hour this week) it is a very expensive hobby. Good luck and I hope to see you on the road. PS, don't let folks wrap you around the axle over weight. Your 250 will tow most any 5er up to 34 or 35 feet without a problem.

 

One other thing I would like to add. A 5er tows so much better on the highway than a trailer and esp. if the winds come up. However, when it comes to backing up it is a totally diff. animal. A trailer responds almost instantly and a 5er seems to take forever but when it does look out. I have to admit I'm not a big rig driver but I could back trailers up a lot easier.

 

Let me add my 2 cents here. Get your truck on the cat scale. About 9 bucks is it.
Save the ticket so you can refer to it later.

Now look at your driver door pillar. See the cert label. Should give you your axle ratings for each axle.

Now compare to what it says on the ticket, subtract and that is what you have to play with.

Most of the 5er wt will reside on the rear but some will go forward as well....a couple of hundred pounds.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the replies, I work for a heavy construction company (we build highways) so getting a weight is not a problem. There is an RV show coming up soon just north of us, we are planning a trip to get some more ideas. I appreciate the advice on what to look for and hope to be posting about our travel adventures soon.

 

mine in my pic had an advertised king pin wt of 1980 lbs. More like 2600 lbs btw. so the rule of 15-20% of trailer gross wt applies.

 

Just curious on generators, do you want them or not? The added weight is more to lug around but I am one who would want one just in case. They offer small diesel gen sets that could tie into your external fuel tank in the truck bed versus the LP on your trailer.

 

I have two small 2000 watt generators that can be run individually or in series.

These are gas ones. I have a 6 gal external fuel tank that is good for 3 days running both if needed.

They come in at 45 lbs each.
They have built in inverters/surge protections so that you can run computers and such.

Also will shut down if low on oil.
WWW.KIPOR.COM

 

I carried a small gas generator (1850W) in my tool box to power my air compressor in case of emergency. Never used it while traveling and never tied it into my 5er. It was my security blanket.