Help me further my debt!

[LB7 Lover 1994]

I need some advise and help spending some money (not something I normal suffer with doing). We currently own a 27ft Wildwood bumper pull camper. With me, the wife, and our two kids, plus our two dogs it is extremely cramped whenever we are inside. (Meal times and wind down time) we aren’t wanting to go to much over 30 ft long I like how easy it is to wip this thing in and out of spots. We mostly agree that getting one that has slide outs is gonna be the biggest thing it increasing room on the inside. I’m not at all opposed to buying a fifth wheel and having to buy a hitch. What is good things to look for when buying? Do fifth wheels increase inside room enough to justify the cost of an additional hitch, are the a pain to hook/unhook, and how do they handle. Please by all means post some pics of what you guys have. I’d love to see it! :thumb::thumb:

 

[darkness]

IMO 5th wheels are hands down easier to pull. They ride so much better and no sway. Do you do a lot of dry camping or always in rv parks? We found a really nice toy hauler one day. It didn’t have slides but you can use the ramp as a play area if it’s nice out. You will find you get more holding tank capacities with a toy hauler. This one was just shy of 32’ long. Also 5th wheels offer more storage areas than bumper pulls with all the basement storage with drop frame models being even bigger.

 

[Chevy1925]

5th wheels shorten up your overall length so a 32ft fifth wheel would actually be shorter overall length than your 27ft you have now, theoretically. Problem is that mfg like to measure inside to inside as “length”. My 35 ft is actually 38 ft outside.

5ths are so much easier to hook up. Drop the tailgate, hit the hitch and lock it down. Pull the jack and plug it in. No sway bar to hook up, no need for a back up camera, no safety chains (unless it’s a goose) and usually the hitch auto locks when you click in (always double check it). They pull so nice and are easier to back up. You can really cut the truck with a 5th.

The only real down side is bed space goes to hell. If like bringing bikes and throwing stuff in the bed, that becomes real limited.

The bed at the front and bathroom up near it really opens up the living area.

Mine is a supreme genesis toy hauler with living room slide and top bedroom closet slide. I’ve got two kids and a dog with the wife. We will fill that thing up even with all the space cause the kiddos are young (3 year old and 6 month old). You could have a 45ft trailer and it still be cramped with kids . But for sure get slide outs and an inside layout that works for you.

 

[darkness]

James is right about the lengths. Typically add 3’-5’ to the model number size. Also something to look for with the kids is a mid bunkhouse model. There are some really nice models to choose from there. They tend to be a little longer though. And in terms of bed storage...a light duty hitch on the back can be installed (if not already equipped) for a bike rack or storage rack. The upsides far outweigh the downsides when comparing tags to 5th wheels.

 

[Chevy1925]

^^totally agree.

 

[LB7 Lover 1994]

Is B&W considered to be the crown jewel of hitch systems or are there better for the money. And should you buy just a cheap standard plate hitch or one with bags in it or do you upgrade to a nice pin box? Been kinda stuck on 5th wheels for some reason any ways. I know picking and dropping customers trailers before pulling them in and out at work is pretty simple so long as you understand air ride on tractors.

 

[Ne-max]

I have a fully loaded 2012 28.5ft gooseneck I'm selling. Would make you a great deal on. Has a hitch on the back so you can pull doubles or mount a rack.

 

[Chevy1925]

I have a cheap Reese on my truck. It causes bucking under certain conditions due to slop. New truck will be getting a nice higher end curt hitch. B&w seems over rated to me. Air ride on the hitch would help smooth the ride some but honestly I’ve never felt the need. If you ran air bags on the axle, you might. Bag can make the ride rougher. I don’t like the way they ride

 

[LB7 Lover 1994]

Hahah I’m not planning on dropping a grand on a hitch lol that crap is for the birds :roflmao: but I want to get one that doesn’t make me paranoid the whole time I’m pulling something with it!

 

[Trimox]

I am in the processes of getting a 39' Wolf pack toy hauler and went with the Andersen Ultimate. I did that for weight concerns. I already have a B&W for my gooseneck trailer, going with their companion hitch would have added 130 lbs. Andersen's is 35 lbs! and attaches to the B&W. So you still need a gooseneck hitch of some sort in your truck.



This is a big deal because I travel for work and have to carry a 600 lbs toolbox in the back of the toy hauler. So much easier to remove the Anderson when I get there and load toolbox to take to work.


I just didn't want rails in my truck all the time so I went this route. Another thing to look at is with a short bed and a 5th wheel the turning radius is less (truck to trailer) without hitting the cab. Not a big deal just something to keep in mind.

 

[darkness]

My Dad and I both have puck style hitches and we share the gooseneck hitch. Depending on how you use your bed you can use a rail system or puck system. I like a flat bed for sliding things in and out of. A hide a ball gooseneck hitch would work too and be cheaper to put a gooseneck adapter on the trailer. Or a goosebox pin.

 

[LB7 Lover 1994]

My truck has a gooseneck hitch in it already no ball is present and there is no safety chain attachments. I think the previous owner probably never used it and it may have gotten rhino lined over. Otherwise I don’t know because they aren’t there. But I had heard of people doing goose box swaps

My bed rarely gets used other than when we are throwing stuff back there to go camping. No bikes yet since our oldest is 5 and the youngest is 2 other than a tool box with ratchets, spare fluids and a little tools that’s it

 

[Chevy1925]

Hell they are getting old. My daughter was on a quad at 2

 

[LB7 Lover 1994]

Hell they are getting old. My daughter was on a quad at 2

Hahah my 5 yr old will put around by herself on her electric one lol but my two yr old won’t let me ride by myself if she hears it running. I need to find a little 50cc one for both of them I just haven’t yet! But then I’ll be needing a toy hauler! :roflmao:

Our 5 yr old has the balance of her mother, and has barely grasped the pedaling motion. She has a bike but other than riding it in the garage when I’m out there it’s a dust collector!

 

[LB7 Lover 1994]

Anyone know max trailer capacity for my truck should I choose to go with a Firth wheel trailer?

 

[DAVe3283]

We use gooseneck hitches on the farm, might be a bit different with a 5th. Two of our trucks have B&W hitches, and 2 have Curt. The Curt is hands down a better hitch, and it is cheaper (go figure). The Curt has thicker metal, bigger brackets to the frame, and is easier to use.

I run air bags on my axle, the rest of the trucks just squat down onto the overloads. Since I can air it up off the overloads, mine rides a bit better, but it honestly isn't that big of a difference. If it was me, I'd get a non-air ride hitch to save the money, then add air bags to the truck if the ride is rough.

The gooseneck trailers tow SO MUCH BETTER than the bumper pull, but are a bit harder to hook up initially IMO. It took me a while to get used to how to back up a 5er. I'd recommend a 5th wheel / gooseneck trailer for sure.

 

[Chevy1925]

if you do do a goose conversion to the trailer, you need to make sure Lippert (the chassis mfg of 99% of travel trailers these days) will still warranty it. Some conversion actually add leverage to the hitch system of the 5th wheel and can start damaging the hitch/frame.

you being a short bed, i dont see a goose conversion happening unless you get a trailer that had a short bed in mind. I know some of the newer Genesis trailers will let short bed trucks use a non sliding hitch and still get almost 90* of turning before cab contact.

 

[Bdsankey]

As others have said, 5th wheel is 100% the way to go. They pull so much better, ride better down the freeway, and offer more space for the length.


I'm running a Kurt 20k slider on my LB7. Its gone up since I bought the kit BUT it is definitely something I wouldn't skimp on. A slider is nice for short box trucks but not needed. Mine also has a full contact 360deg jaw vs some other hitches have a simple slide pin. Also, a lube plate is a nice addition on a 5th wheel for the low cost of $10-$20. it makes it so you don't have to put grease on the surface of the hitch to quiet it down/extend life.

 

[darkness]

You definitely have to be vigilant with no slider on a short bed. I only had a gooseneck ball in my ‘04 and was hauling around a 48’ enclosed trailer. I kissed the cab once and luckily it didn’t mega cab the back glass. That was in a parking lot in San Rafael, Ca.

 

[darkness]

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