Fulltime "Rated" 5th wheels?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

white water

Active member
Joined
Jul 25, 2015
Posts
32
I have had salesmen tell me that there are certain Brands that are rated for full-time living and other brands that are not. Obviously, there are rigs that are nicer than others and that one might prefer to live in than others. They went on to say that certain brands would not stand by their warranty if you lived full-time in the unit. Is all this true?
 
Sort of, but it is also sales-blather.

No RV can be officially designated for use as a fulltime residence because that violates the residential building codes in all 50 states. That's a legal technicality, but it leads to disclaimers about "use as a residence" in most RV makers literature. 

This is a typical disclaimer, taken from a Jayco owner manual:
This recreation vehicle is not intended for use as a full-time residence or for commercial use. 

However, the distinction between use as a "fulltime residence" and "fulltime recreation" use is a decidedly gray area. If you park it in an RV park it is considered an RV in most communities, even if you stay there indefinitely, but if you park the same RV on a residential lot and sleep in it one night, most communities consider that it has become a residence (and an illegal one).

OK, putting that legality aside and focusing on valid recreational use, yes some manufacturers may state that the vehicle is intended for seasonal or part time use only, meaning that fulltime use constitutes "abuse" for warranty purposes. I've seen that wording here and there, though I don't recall brands or models. Since those RVs are mostly warranted for only 12 months anyway, I'm not sure it is a practical distinction.

My personal opinion is that intended fulltime use dictates getting a rig that is built using better grade materials and a higher standard of workmanship. I'm talking about cabinet work, flooring & upholstery as well as a sturdy frame underneath and well-built roof & sidewalls, plumbing and electrical work that is protected from vibration, well labeled, and accessible for repair, and numerous other details. That generally means a more expensive unit.
 
What Gary said^^^^^ plus this disclaimer.  I have owned various towables and motorized RV's and have taken them all over the country. Any towable will have one drawback that manufacturers must deal with and that is weight. There is only so much room for weight on the axles and frame, so they often need to use lighter materials when assembling the rigs.  That coupled with the need to control costs to keep the profit margin up can lead to a less durable rig.

Montana's have a good rep for durability, but are also on the heavier end of the spectrum. Heavier also equates to needing a tow vehicle that can safely (legally) pull the weight.  It's a fine line and a balancing act for the builders. Yeah, the salesman was not being completely forthright.
 
Sarge and Gary are spot on for key points on the towable.  I?d add another important aspect ... the tow vehicle.  The capability to pull is typically the primary focus.  There?s a less discussed point.  Remember ... what you pull, you must stop.  The heavier RV will put more demand on the braking system too.  The towable has brakes,but that is an assist.  Be sure to look at the braking capacity and engine braking too.  If you travel the West, down hill is as much a concern as uphill.  Have a great time! ;D
 
warsw said:
The Solitude line from Grand Design is labeled as suited for full time use from the manufacture.
Grand Design is on my short list.
All 5th wheels have problems but seems like Grand Design has good customer service after the purchase.
 
Just an FYI, Winnebago Industries bought Grand Design in 2017. You may check to see if they are still recommended for "Full Time" use. Many manufacturers do not support that kind of use.
 
Doc Roads said:
Sarge and Gary are spot on for key points on the towable.  I?d add another important aspect ... the tow vehicle.  The capability to pull is typically the primary focus.  There?s a less discussed point.  Remember ... what you pull, you must stop.  The heavier RV will put more demand on the braking system too.  The towable has brakes,but that is an assist.  Be sure to look at the braking capacity and engine braking too.  If you travel the West, down hill is as much a concern as uphill.  Have a great time! ;D

huh ?    Trailer brakes are designed to safely stop the trailer's full rated GVW.
 
and
Gary RV_Wizard said:
No RV can be officially designated for use as a fulltime residence because that violates the residential building codes in all 50 states. a

and, If you live 'full time' in an RV.... our government considers you 'Homeless'.  ;D
 
sightseers said:
and, If you live 'full time' in an RV.... our government considers you 'Homeless'.  ;D

Actually, 'Homeless' has severe negative connotations, the new official term, at least here in NY, is 'Undomiciled".  I am NOT making this up!
 
Regardless of what the occupants are called, many RV manufacturers state that the unit is not intended for "full time living" and to do so may affect your warranty. However,  since most warranties are only 12 months on the living portion of the RV, after 12 months it doesn't matter much what you do with it.
 
If you say you are staying full time in a Heartland that is not listed as suitable for fulltime it will void your warranty.
 
No RV can be legally designated as a full time "residence", since by definition it would have to meet the building codes for residential housing rather than for Rvs. Therefore, RV manufacturers are very circumspect about the words they use.  Most deny any notion that the RV can be a fulltime residence, but a few of the legally braver ones allow that it could be fulltime recreational use.
 
On top of being labeled as 'Homeless' (or Undomiciled) by the VA.....I found out most RV insurance policies void coverage if it's used 'Fulltime'.
 
Some do, some do not. My insurance company specifically knows that I am a full timer, and my policy specifies as such. I even have an "Umbrella Policy" that gives me similar coverage's as if I had a Homeowners policy. 
 
To get back to the OP's question, Redwood rates theirs for fulltime.

http://www.crossroadsrv.com/products/redwood-rv/redwood/
 
SargeW said:
Some do, some do not. My insurance company specifically knows that I am a full timer, and my policy specifies as such. I even have an "Umbrella Policy" that gives me similar coverage's as if I had a Homeowners policy.

Me too. My insurance company has a "full-time" RV policy. I have replacement on the RV, plus additional coverage for contents. Very similar to my old homeowner's policy.
 
According to our government.....anyone living "Fulltime" in an rv...... is counted as "Homeless".

:D
 
  There are far fewer today, than there were 10 or 12 years ago! Full time living, requires much better construction......much better construction, equals much higher weight. Our unit, which we ?do not? full time in, weighs 20K+pounds.....loaded-up and ready to go. Other quality, full time, 4-season units, of similar length.....would be of similar weights, or heavier!
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
131,915
Posts
1,387,339
Members
137,667
Latest member
awiltzius
Back
Top Bottom