Available Options on a Fifth Wheel

[TexSol20]

Hello to all -

We are brand new to the RV world, having dreamed of it for years. We will be purchasing a Solitude 380 FL in the next few months but have "newbie" questions concerning options. Would like to get some answers here to compare to what the salesman can answer. Hopefully, multiple questions are OK.

1. Is adding the solar power option worth the cost and is it useful?
2. Are dual-pane windows worth having - pros and cons? Have read yes, to reduce noise and condensation; and no, due to possible road/trail vibrations wearing the seals on the glass.
3. What are the benefits to upgrading the existing 7k axles to 7k or 8k with disc-brakes? When would upgrading be necessary?
4. And lastly, why are there two 7k axles with a GVWR of almost 17k? I'm guessing the pin/tongue weight of 3k is factored in?

Would appreciate any and all help, and suggestions on other things to consider living the RV life.

v/r

TexSol20

[orbsah]

Hi - All good questions. We went thru the same process. Here's my 2 cents for your questions above. . . .

1. Solar: From what very little I've studied about the GD solar option, it seemed somewhat limited. I figured if/when we decide to go solar, I'd probably get better equipment so I passed on this option.
2. Windows: We opted in the DP windows for sound and condensation reduction. I've read of some concerns about the sealing on older units but not on the newer ones.
3. Disc brakes: Since we plan on travelling to mountain states, I had always planned to upgrade to disc brakes. This actually became a factory option AFTER we placed our order but before the unit was built. So I was able to add the disc brake option. If you're able to get ~30% off MSRP with the disc brakes, the actual cost of the brakes is ~$2100 which is pretty good. It'll cost ~$3K to have it upgraded later.
4. 8K axles: I still have yet to get an answer on the question if upgrading to 8K axles increases the GVWR. If not, the 8K upgrade is a waste of money in my opinion if it doesn't increase your cargo carrying capacity.
5. Yes, the pin wt is factored into the GVWR.

We opted in the gen prep not knowing right now what we're planning to do for external power. We had a generator in our motor home years ago and really liked the seamless function of power at literally just a push of a button. Those onboard Onan generators are expensive though and burn thru lots of propane.

We did not get the heat pump. Seems like an expensive option for basically a built in space heater. This probably would make more sense if we had one of the larger Solitudes. For our 310, I think we'll be OK w/ just regular space heaters.

We opted in the slide toppers and king bed too.

Keep in mind most of these options adds weight. So every pound added for an option means one less pound you can carry for cargo. Choose wisely!

One last disclaimer: We still have yet to pick up our unit (next week, fingers crossed!) so my opinions above may change after some real world experience. Good luck!

[ggates]

Just picked up my Solitude 344GK in Jan. What I did:

1. No Solar, same reasons as above.
2. No Gen Prep. On a non-toyhauler, the Onan burns through propane too quickly. I added (after market) the Easy Starts to each A/C, so my plan is to get 2 of the Honda 2200s. Light, easy to maneuver, and with the optional gas tank, run a long time. But we don't plan on taking a trailer that big off road.
3. Double Pane windows (for sound and condensation).
4. Unfortunately disk brakes were not an option when I got mine, so I will have to add that afterwords.
5. I went with the heat pump. We used it last winter (when we picked up the trailer). With the fireplace, it keep the living area warm. We have a couple of electric space heaters we used in a previous trailer, but it was nice not to have to get them out.
6. King Bed
7. I went with the full body paint. We keep our last trailer for 14 years, and I intend to keep this a long time.
8. Slide Toppers.
9. I also had the dealer install the Reese 20k Goose Box. It takes a little more precision to hook up (but I had a Hensley on my previous TT, so I am used to complicated connections ). Since I am running a 90 gal fuel tank in the bed of the truck, I preferred not having a large hitch to deal with.

[TheLexx]

Solar is a good option if you intend to spend the extra money on Lithium batteries. I'm not sure they make sense for lead acid batteries unless you just want the portable units to help recharge the batteries. It also depends on how you plan on using the RV. Are you going to be boondocking a lot where you'll be without hookups? If so then a full on rooftop solar and Lithium batteries might be the way to go. Even then a good Harbor Freight Predator generator would be enough run both AC's with soft start kits. You can get extended run fuel tank kits for most generators. It comes down to a matter of cost and what you really want.

Double pane windows - depends on how sensitive you to noise. The walls on these trailers are wafer thin anyway. I've not had DPW's so I can't say how much more quiet they are. Folks who have em love em though. Ours came without DPW's so I added window tint to all the windows. It was a couple of day DIY job and the difference was a huge reduction in the amount of heat coming in. If you just travel in the summer like us, it may not be worth it because other than the noise factor, window film will probably perform better at heat rejection. However if you're traveling in the winter to very cold areas, I would definitely get DPW's.

Disc brakes - I didn't know they were an option from the factory. If available I'd say YES!!! However it also depends on your truck. Mine has gigantic brakes so I've not had an issue so far. I've had a couple of emergency stops and the truck hauled the trailer down to a stop pretty well. There's always a pucker factor that exists in those situations though lol.

I can't answer about the axles but if you're going to upgrade to disc brakes and maybe the MorRyde independent suspension, then I'd consider upgrading the axles as well. Heck if you're going that far why not?

[Grammy&Grandad]

Picking up our new 380FL next week. Looked for 2 years at this floor plan, but 7k axles and limited cargo capacity gave us hesitation as fulltimers. Once we found out about new 8k/ disc brake option - it was game on. The unit weighs 560 lbs more than stock due to heavier suspension, 3rd A/C, generator and dual pane windows. Picked up just under 700 lbs more cargo capacity - so that gives us plenty of piece of mind. We did get solar option - but won’t do any boondocking this year - so will expand or replace when we add a full Lithium battery bank and upgrade controllers, converter, etc. necessary for a truly useful solar system.

Looking forward to having this unit. Floor plan suits us perfectly!

[Akfiredog377]

We ordered our Momentum back in May. It has not arrived yet, but I will go over the options we included on ours.

1. No Solar, same reasons as above.

2. Ours being a TH we have gen prep and the Onan that runs off gas. Non TH will burn off propane and my understanding is they will burn through it quick.

3. Double Pane windows (for sound and condensation) we are also planning on living in ours FT

4. We did go with the Morryde (IS) 8k with disk brakes. As of March you can now have that ordered on the unit and have it figured in the sales price. Before March you had to pay separate and set it up with Morryde. Some dealers may not be in the loop on this yet, if not have them reach out to GD rep.

5. We did go with the heat pump. It will help you save on propane.

6. King Bed is a must

7. I went with the full body paint.

8. Slide Toppers for sure. They will help keep junk off top of slides

Just remember the more options you add the weight goes up.

Good Luck

[TheLexx]

How much do the MorRyde IS and disc brakes cost if you order them from the factory? Any cost savings over having it done later?

[Akfiredog377]

How much do the MorRyde IS and disc brakes cost if you order them from the factory? Any cost savings over having it done later?

The cost depends on how many axles, 7k or 8k rating. The advantage of having it done when ordering the unit is the cost is added into the purchase price of the unit. If you were to do the upgrade at a later time the cost is the same, but you have to take the unit to Morryde and I believe the process takes two days. I have a sheet with the cost. I will see if I can upload it here.

[bertschb]

1. Is adding the solar power option worth the cost and is it useful?

It is if you plan to get the residential fridge. It allows you to get a really good charge on the battery on travel days while the fridge is running. It basically allows for unlimited driving range as far as keeping the ice cream hard is concerned. It also allows you to charge the batteries while not connected to shore power. Finally, if you're not connected to shore power, you can still run things on AC with one of the 110v outlets tied to the 2,000w inverter that comes with the solar option. A single 300w panel is small as far as RV solar systems go but for the uses I mentioned, it works great. I'm really happy to have it and I'd purchase it again in a heartbeat. You could build one yourself for a little less (remember, you'll get 25-30% off the Grand Design MSRP price) but my install has a factory warranty and it's one less mod I needed to make.

Now if you want a full blown solar system for serious boondocking, the factory solar system is not for you. It's not meant for that.