New to this forum

[Crackerjack Pat]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site, but my wife and I have been avid RVrs for over 30 years. We have owned 4 different RVs and have just purchased our fifth which is a 2021 Cougar 290RLS Fifth wheel. This is our first fifth wheel rig. We are upgrading from an Airstream as we wanted more room and more creature comforts. We are 49rs (Traveled to every mainland state). We camp at least 60-90 days a year, 30 of those days are usually boondocking. We take delivery of our new rig tomorrow. I will be towing with a Ford Superduty which has handled my 31 foot airstream with ease for the past several years. I know my new rig is heavier and bigger but I am well within all towing and cargo carrying specs for my truck. I am retired after a forty-year career with the Navy (25 years in uniform, 15 years under a government contract). Our home is in Paso Robles, CA. I look forward to sharing and learning tips on this Forum. The Airstream forum was invaluable to me when I owned my last rig. Cheers and safe travels!

 

[wiredgeorge]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site, but my wife and I have been avid RVrs for over 30 years. We have owned 4 different RVs and have just purchased our fifth which is a 2021 Cougar 290RLS Fifth wheel. This is our first fifth wheel rig. We are upgrading from an Airstream as we wanted more room and more creature comforts. We are 49rs (Traveled to every mainland state). We camp at least 60-90 days a year, 30 of those days are usually boondocking. We take delivery of our new rig tomorrow. I will be towing with a Ford Superduty which has handled my 31 foot airstream with ease for the past several years. I know my new rig is heavier and bigger but I am well within all towing and cargo carrying specs for my truck. I am retired after a forty-year career with the Navy (25 years in uniform, 15 years under a government contract). Our home is in Paso Robles, CA. I look forward to sharing and learning tips on this Forum. The Airstream forum was invaluable to me when I owned my last rig. Cheers and safe travels!

Welcome! Suggest you get up on the roof ASAP and check/re-seal all roof penetrations. A 2021 is new enough that the previous owner may have never thought it necessary to check. I am sure you know this if you have had campers in the past. Good luck and again, welcome.

 

[spicercars]

Welcome from northern MN.

 

[DutchmenSport]

Welcome to the forums. After towing a bumper pull travel trailer all your life and then switching over to a fifth wheel, you WILL have a learning curve towing and especially backing the 5er. Be patient, "it" will come to you someday and you'll have the "AH HA!" moment.

I was a bumper pull person all my life until 2018 when we got our first ever fifth wheel. It took over 2 years backing that camper up over and over again, making mistakes, constantly struggling until "IT" happened! The "Ah Ha!" moment. Once "it" clicked, I've not had any problems since.

One word of caution about towing 5er's that are absolutely NO issues when towing a conventional bumper pull trailer, and that is the potential for the bed rails of the truck to make contact with the overhang (king pin hitch area) on the camper when going over side-to-side dips or odd-ball turns on slopes or where a drive way joins a road. If the trailer twists one direction (side to side) and the tow vehicle twists the other direction (side to side), the bottom of the trailer can make contact with the bed rails and cause some bad damage to both vehicles. It isn't pretty when that happens (don't ask how I know)!

You never have this issue with a bumper pull and the hitch can pivot on the ball and there is nothing to hit camper or tow vehicle. On a fifth wheel, you have only, 5 or 6, or 7 or 8 inches of twist at most. So..... always be aware of side-to-side twisting and stop and back up before "contact" happens.

Enjoy your new camper! Happy camping!

 

[Crackerjack Pat]

Good advice

Good advice Dutch, Thanks for sharing. I have already realized the difference in backing my new rig. I was always told how great 5ers were to tow and back up. Yes, easy and smooth to tow but much different than backing my 31' airstream. I could back my old rig into a narrow slot 90 degrees off of a narrow crowded campground road and get an applause by the other campers. Now I feel like a newbie. I just got to get used to the different pivot point and the fact the 5er doesn't react as quick. Hopefully that aha moment comes sooner than later.

 

[sourdough]

Good advice Dutch, Thanks for sharing. I have already realized the difference in backing my new rig. I was always told how great 5ers were to tow and back up. Yes, easy and smooth to tow but much different than backing my 31' airstream. I could back my old rig into a narrow slot 90 degrees off of a narrow crowded campground road and get an applause by the other campers. Now I feel like a newbie. I just got to get used to the different pivot point and the fact the 5er doesn't react as quick. Hopefully that aha moment comes sooner than later.

It takes a while from my experience. Like you, backing a bumper pull into a slit was no problem but the 5th takes practice....again, to learn how it works.