We are having the most difficult time finding a fifth wheel.

Hi. We currently have a pull behind and want to upgrade to a new fifth wheel. I never thought this would be so difficult. I feel like we've looked at everything. My husband and I have three kids: 6 year old boy, 12 year old girl, 14 year old girl. Most likely, each kid will have a friend with them which makes a total of eight people. In the luxury fifth wheels we like, this is just not possible. One thing that could have worked is a bunk house but the beds are not what we want. None of the kids want to sleep in those bunks as they're not comfortable. If they have a sofa bed, it's a jack knife and not a real pull out bed aka not as comfortable.  Theoretically, a rear living would have been good but the girls would have a place to sleep and the boys wouldn't. We also considered a mid bunk but didn't like any as the one with a relatively good set up (compass) had a jack knife sofa rather than a pull out.

The other thing we considered is a toy hauler. Today we looked at a Thunderbolt 380AMP that had a great layout (additional seating besides just the long party seating). But are the kids going to want to sleep in toy hauler beds? Are they more comfortable than they look? Also, we have a 2016 Dodge Ram 2500. The tow capacity on our vin states 17,100 rather than 17,500. If the weight on this toy hauler is 15,400, can we safely pull it with our ram? We've heard yes and we've heard no.

We don't want to make another mistake. We made one with our pull behind. The sales guy told us we could pull it easily with my Yukon Denali. As first time RV owners, we later found out that wasn't the case. So, my husband traded in his jeep so we could get the Ram. Now that he can pull more, we want a fifth wheel.

I would really, really appreciate any ideas. Budget is a wide range: $65k (where I'd like to be) to $90k (we might need to go that high to get what we want). We live in Fort Worth, TX.

Thanks so much!

Jennifer

The problem is most RVs are designed for two people, four at the most. Here is one close to you in your price range that might work:

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/5thwheel/2014-Voltage-30724.htm

Thanks. That's similar to what we've been looking at. Could we safely tow that with our Ram 2500? The only toys we intend to haul are nerd guns . The appeal of the toy hauler is the sleeping capacity.

Something just occurred to me. Why don't they make a fifth wheel with the layout like the Thunderbolt but rather than a toy hauler, it would have two pull out sofas facing each other (amped up bunk room)?  Is there anything like that out there?

Jen2016 said:

Thanks. That's similar to what we've been looking at. Could we safely tow that with our Ram 2500? The only toys we intend to haul are nerd guns . The appeal of the toy hauler is the sleeping capacity.

Something just occurred to me. Why don't they make a fifth wheel with the layout like the Thunderbolt but rather than a toy hauler, it would have two pull out sofas facing each other (amped up bunk room)?  Is there anything like that out there?

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Not a hope in Hell

42' long and a hitch weight of 3450 lbs.  I can't find the cargo capacity or the gross weight, but the dry weight alone is close to 16,000 lbs.  That trailer is FIRMLY in 3500 territory, and I wouldn't tow it with less than a dually.

The new 2500 Rams don't have great payload to begin with....and that trailer is WAY beyond what it can do.

OK, looks like a gross weight near 19,000 lbs.

http://www.rvguide.com/specs/dutchmen/toy-hauler/2013/voltage/3895.html


Forget what I said before.  Medium duty truck, F450 or equivalent.

Frizlefrack is right!!

In my opinion, no 2500 / F250 should pull more than 12,000# GROSS WT 5th wheel.  You are WAY OVER that.  If you pass 15,000# or 16,000#, you are clearly in dually range.

With that said, you can get the Toy Hauler of your choice and simply add a couple pull out sofas of your choice to the toy room. VOILA!  Exactly what you want!!  You may always modify to your tastes / needs!

I was just doing some random google searches and came up with this but don't know what it is. Might be an older model but this would be PERFECT!

Ugh. Thanks so much. Not what I wanted to hear but I see your point. It doesn't look like we can pull ANY toy hauler. We just bought this stupid truck. We took a hit on the jeep, we will take a hit on the pull behind and we will take a hit on the 2500 if we trade it in for a dually. This RV stuff is depressing.

Jen2016 said:

we have a 2016 Dodge Ram 2500. The tow capacity on our vin states 17,100 rather than 17,500. If the weight on this toy hauler is 15,400, can we safely pull it with our ram? We've heard yes and we've heard no.

We don't want to make another mistake. We made one with our pull behind. The sales guy told us we could pull it easily with my Yukon Denali. As first time RV owners, we later found out that wasn't the case. So, my husband traded in his jeep so we could get the Ram. Now that he can pull more, we want a fifth wheel.

I would really, really appreciate any ideas. Budget is a wide range: $65k (where I'd like to be) to $90k (we might need to go that high to get what we want). We live in Fort Worth, TX.

Thanks so much!

Jennifer

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Jennifer.....sit down....you aren't going to like this very much.

Yes, your 2500 Ram is rated to tow over 17,000 lbs.....of CONVENTIONAL trailer....not fifth wheel.  The problem you have isn't towing capacity, it's payload.  The 2500 Rams max out at under 2500 lbs of payload....1000 lbs less than the pin weight of that trailer.  I have a 2014 Ram 2500 Cummins....it's a beast power wise, and it moves my 30' travel trailer like it's not even there....but I wouldn't go beyond about 11,000 lbs GROSS fifth wheel with it due to the payload limitations.

Same problem you had with the Yukon and the old trailer....you now have with the 2500 and a big fiver.  Sorry. 

We raised three girls and they would bring friends along on camping trips. 

We were lucky just to have a small 22 foot trailer and the kids slept in a tent with air mattresses.  Kids don't want to be inside with their parents, they need some play time on their own.

Here are the specs on the thunderbolt. Still bad? Sorry- new to the whole weight thing.

Frizle, thank you for your candor. I need it because I'm clearly not getting it elsewhere.

Don't laugh at me for asking this even though I know you will  ;D...I can almost hear you laughing already but will ask anyway. The dealership guys keep on telling us that airbags will solve our problems? Not legit, is it?

Jen2016 said:

Ugh. Thanks so much. Not what I wanted to hear but I see your point. It doesn't look like we can pull ANY toy hauler. We just bought this stupid truck. We took a hit on the jeep, we will take a hit on the pull behind and we will take a hit on the 2500 if we trade it in for a dually. This RV stuff is depressing.

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Well, the good news is that your Ram will tow literally any conventional travel trailer made.....safely.  And there are some nice ones out there.  No, they won't be as roomy as that 42' fifth wheel the 'Bird showed you, but they will get the job done. 

Before you shop any more, remember the cardinal rule....DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT THE RV SALESMAN TELLS YOU!!  They're not all unethical...but a lot of them are....and they care about their commissions, not your safety.  You'll hear "You can pull anything on the lot!!!".  Well, technically that's correct with a Cummins powered 2500.....but what they're not mentioning is that you can't do it safely. 

Sorry again....I know I'm just a freakin' ray of sunshine, aren't I?? 

Might need to be more realistic as to what you really need. Do you need a luxury unit that sleeps eight? What truck has room for eight passengers anyway?

Heck, we traveled all over the county with six kids and two adults in a pop-up and Country Squire station wagon. Wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

Jen2016 said:

Frizle, thank you for your candor. I need it because I'm clearly not getting it elsewhere.

Don't laugh at me for asking this even though I know you will  ;D...I can almost hear you laughing already but will ask anyway. The dealership guys keep on telling us that airbags will solve our problems? Not legit, is it?

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Nope....not laughing.  Been where you are before. 

We bought our travel trailer new in 2012.  Our old F250 was technically within spec to pull it, and it got the job done for a couple of years...but there were a couple of white knuckle moments...one of which was a sudden crosswind that put me into the opposing lane of traffic.  Fortunately, nothing was coming the other way, but I went truck shopping the next weekend. 

See my above post.  Believe NOTHING the salesman says regarding weights and towing capacity.  Do you know how to tell that he is lying?  His lips are moving.  Again, he cares about $$$, not your family's safety.  Air bags do NOT increase your payload in any way, shape, or form.  They merely help level the rear axle when it's loaded down.  They don't change any tow ratings. 

Happy, those sound like awesome memories. In terms of the truck fitting eight, we were going to throw the kids in the trailer.  Okay I kid- I kid! I have a Yukon XL so the plan is that when we are local, and have eight people, he will drive the ram pulling the trailer. I will drive mine and pull our boat. When we go on longer trips, there will only be five of us.

I'm sad. Soooooooo glad I came here though. Very thankful for you to take the time to assist a very uneducated newbie.

Arch Hoagland said:

We raised three girls and they would bring friends along on camping trips. 

We were lucky just to have a small 22 foot trailer and the kids slept in a tent with air mattresses.  Kids don't want to be inside with their parents, they need some play time on their own.

Click to expand...

HappyWanderer said:

Might need to be more realistic as to what you really need. Do you need a luxury unit that sleeps eight? What truck has room for eight passengers anyway?

Heck, we traveled all over the county with six kids and two adults in a pop-up and Country Squire station wagon. Wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

Click to expand...

Lot of truth in these two posts.  I grew up in the late 60's and early 70's.  We tent camped...and finally dad picked up an old '64 F250 with a blown engine....and him and my gramps pulled a 390 out of a wrecked T-Bird and dropped it in the next weekend.  He then bartered for an older slide in camper, and that's what we camped in.  We thought it was the cats meow.

Sadly, the girls are high maintenance.  No tent camping. They don't even like the bunkhouse in the travel trailer.

Well, here's one piece of good news;  These diesel trucks retain their resale value VERY well.  Keep it for 2-3 years with what you have, then sell it and buy a 3500 dually.  That will open up your possibilities a LOT.  I paid $44K + TT&L for my truck in Jan 2014, and KBB shows it having a wholesale/trade in value of $36K still.  Granted, it's very low mile, but they retain value well, so you shouldn't take too much of a beating on it.  You might even visit a dealer and see if you can trade into a 3500 dually now.  Sometimes early in the year you can pick up last years model brand new with very good deals.  They might have a leftover 2015 3500 dually that they can put you in without too much pain.

Best of luck to you! 

Frizle, if I recall, when we bought the ram, the sales guy said the towing on the 2500 and 3500 (non dually) were not much different. Did I dream that?

Again, you're awesome. Thank you!