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04-09-2014, 06:15 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2
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Best 5th Wheel for Fulltiming Family?
My husband will start travel nursing this fall, and we plan to take the housing money and stay in an RV instead of renting an apartment. We have been looking at travel trailers and fifth wheels and have pretty much decided we need a fifth wheel because we need the extra storage space. We like the Avalanche layout, but there are lots of others we have liked also.
We would love advice from others who have spent an extended amount of time living in an RV -- which model do you think would be best in our situation? Which models would hold up for the two years we plan to travel without falling apart?
Here are some details:
***We will stay in each job location for 3 months, and then travel to the next assignment, so we not actually be towing all that often.
***We have two girls ages 9 and 11 who will be traveling with us, and they need space for belongings, as well as a reasonably sized bunk (twin size is fine, just not one of those super narrow bunks we have seen in some RVs).
***We will be homeschooling, and so adequate storage and table space is kind of important so we have room to keep supplies and work.
***We would like an outside kitchen
***We do not care whether there is an extra bathroom
***If at all possible, we would like space for a washer/dryer, but that is not a deal breaker for us.
***Our max price limit is around $45,000, and we would love to spend less. (We know this rules out a lot of models that are recommended for full-timing, but we have to deal with what we have.)
Thanks so much for any advice. We have heard so much about conflicting info from dealers and websites, and look forward to hearing from someone who has actual experience living in an RV.
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04-09-2014, 07:01 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 1,270
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Welcome olkisaka,
It sounds as though your doing your homework and asking the right questions.
What tow vehicle do you have?... that's also a big factor as to which 5th wheel you can choose.
Many of the larger 5th wheels (typically used for "full-timing") have a hefty pin weight once loaded, and even
more-so if the washer/dryer is in the front closet/wardrobe.
Terri, the Chevy co-pilot
__________________
'06 Chevy 2500HD 6.6L Duramax/Allison 4x4 CC SB
2010 Laredo 265RL {SOLD}
Reese 15K Pro-series (manual slide)
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04-09-2014, 07:04 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2
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We have not purchased the tow vehicle yet. We are waiting until we decide on a RV.
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04-09-2014, 07:32 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3
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04-10-2014, 02:53 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Las Cruces
Posts: 4,665
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Although new 5ers in your price range are not necessarily designed for full timing, they will hold up if you care for them. You could also look used at some of the high end trailers. Best advice, go to every RV dealer within reasonable distance, walk into every model you possibly can, take notes, and then go back and re-look at the ones you liked the most. Look at all of the little things, closet door latches, type of bathroom door (slider or hinged), where are you going to put the toaster, etc. Think about your life style and the things you typically do, do you have space for the necessities? For us, our kids drink milk like it's water, being able to put at least 2 gallons in the fridge was critical. A bathroom separate from the bedroom was also important so I wasn't getting woke up in the middle of the night when one of the kids went to the bathroom. You will be spending a lot of time in your RV, spend a lot of time in it when shopping, let the kids roam. In the end, get as much RV as you can afford that offers the best situation for you. Although, a bunkhouse so the kids have their own space sounds like a good model for your situation, they also take away from living space which is also important for full timing.
__________________
Brent
2013 Alpine 3500RE
2019 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
U.S. Air Force Retired (25 yrs)
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04-16-2014, 04:05 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Caldwell, Idaho
Posts: 170
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Welcome to the forum and your future life style. Just a suggestion, but you may want to check out a used toy hauler also. Using the back end for the kids room and or learning center may be of value.
Ray
__________________
2011 3500HD Duramax LTZ LB CC 4X4 Line-X PullRite Hitch
2011 Montana 3455SA Hi-Gloss Mor/Ryde pin Slide Toppers King Bed 12cu frig Bedroom A/C 2 Fantastic fans
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04-17-2014, 12:58 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 74
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I second the idea of a used toy hauler. The garage area is great for extra storage. It has the drop bunks for sleeping, and the bottom bunk can be turned into a desk/table/work area. They have washer/dryer hook ups. Some even have a 1/2 bath back there.
Sent from my NX008HD8G using Tapatalk
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Using Tapatalk
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04-17-2014, 01:03 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Colorful Colorado
Posts: 798
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Wow, this sounds like quite the adventure! I don't have anything to add other than wishing you and your family the best of luck!
__________________
Current:
'17 Winnebago Vista 31BE / Wife, pesky Eski and loco Toto dog
Former:
'15 Open Range 256BHS / '05 F350 CCLB RWD V10
'14 Keystone Passport 238ML / '13 GC Trailhawk Hemi
RIP Birch (pitbull)
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04-17-2014, 01:09 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Savannah, GA
Posts: 231
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bombfixer
I second the idea of a used toy hauler. The garage area is great for extra storage. It has the drop bunks for sleeping, and the bottom bunk can be turned into a desk/table/work area. They have washer/dryer hook ups. Some even have a 1/2 bath back there.
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X2
Bouncey!
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04-18-2014, 05:55 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Tidewater Area Virginia
Posts: 1,271
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I first thought a toyhauler too, but here's two things to consider, at least.
1. The way the beds work in the garage you would have to undress the bottom bed everyday, run the beds all the way up, pin the top bed in place, then run the bottom bed back down to make it into seats. At night you'd have to do the opposite. Unless you don't mind ducking under the top bed in its lowered position in order to get in and out of the bench seats. I want to say the top bed is ~4.5 - 5' off the floor in ours while lowered, and that's at its top most position.
2. You said you'd like an outside kitchen, I haven't seen a toyhauler with an outside kitchen yet. I was wanting one too.
Good luck in your adventures!
__________________
2014 Raptor RP300MP w/ Rear Patio Party Deck, Folding Side Ladder, 6 Point Level Up, Carlisle Radial Trail HDs
2004 2500HD D/A CC SB - TTT Mirrors, Prodigy BC, 18K Pullrite Superglide, NEW Fuel Injectors 11/2015 (ouch)
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04-18-2014, 06:55 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 74
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An outside camp kitchen is an option on many of the Raptor line of Toyhaulers.
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04-18-2014, 07:14 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 487
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A co-worker loves her toy-hauler and they don't have any toys. But they do have a teenager. Ha. Teenager with garage area to himself and a door to close makes for good camping, she says!
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Pilot for fun, Computer geek for a living, and happy 5er owner who wants more time to go play in the camper!
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04-18-2014, 08:56 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Green Valley, AZ
Posts: 782
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At the risk of sounding like a heretic on this great site, I would also suggest you post your question on the Escapees site: http://www.rvnetwork.com/
The site is mostly fulltimers or former fulltimers and they have a lot of great info about fulltiming.
__________________
Earl
2007 33.5' Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel used for full-timing for several years--now sold
2011 Hideout 23RKSWE that we now use for poking around local parks
2007 Chevy 3/4 ton diesel with Prodigy Brake Control
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