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  1. #1
    Setting Up Camp
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    New member

    My wife & I have been retired for 7 yrs. We have previously owned a 42’ Class A motor home and traveled for about 10 hrs. We sold our MH 2 years ago after both of us had Knee replacements (me 2 her 1). So know we are wanting to get back into RVing. In fact we are considering selling our home and traveling for a year or so before we settle back down “somewhere”!! So where we are right now is looking at a 5th wheel camper. Our sights are on a 41’ Solitude or Reflection 5th wheel. We would appreciate any advice on our decision to RV again, size & type of unit & what tow vehicle to use, OR YOU CAN SAY WE ARE CRAZY😂
    So we are open to any comments!!
    Thank you & have a great day!!!
    Karfre

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor
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    Welcome from next door in Georgia. cannot help with 5th wheel info.

    Bob A.
    Bob & Alice
    2020 Ram 3500 Limited Megacab SRW Aisin
    2020 Grand Design Imagine 2450RL
    ProPride 3P 1400 lb. bars WDH
    Micro Air easy start, Goodyear Endurance Load rated "E" Tires
    Titan 50 gallon diesel replacement tank
    Previous: 2019 Ram 1500 Limited

  3. #3
    Setting Up Camp
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    Bob,
    Thanks for the Welcome. You can help me, why did you go with the Ram 3500 instead of the 2500??
    I presently have 2021 Ram 1500 !imited (this is my 3rd Ram, I am sold on Rams).
    Thanks
    Freddy

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Karfre View Post
    Bob,
    Thanks for the Welcome. You can help me, why did you go with the Ram 3500 instead of the 2500??
    I presently have 2021 Ram 1500 !imited (this is my 3rd Ram, I am sold on Rams).
    Thanks
    Freddy
    This site has a 2 and 3 truck club, folks who did not buy enough truck for their trailers.
    When I realized the 1500 did not handle my trailer as well as I wanted I looked at the 2500 and 3500.
    The 3500 won out because the money difference was not that much and since the 2450rl is our 2nd trailer
    I wanted a truck we can move to a bigger trailer down the road. I wanted a diesel and when you put the
    diesel in the 2500 the weight of the engine reduces the payload significantly. We also wanted the extra goodies
    like sun roof and 4 wheel drive which also reduces payload. The 2500 with our requirements simply ran out of
    payload and the 3500 did not. I am a believer that you cannot have too much payload. The diesel air brakes
    are wonderful for mountain descents and the diesel engine can go up mountains with no strain.

    Like you I love my Rams (2 truck member):
    Bob A.

    P.S.
    With the trailers you are considering you should also look at a Dually.
    Last edited by attaboy; 12-13-2021 at 12:46 PM.
    Bob & Alice
    2020 Ram 3500 Limited Megacab SRW Aisin
    2020 Grand Design Imagine 2450RL
    ProPride 3P 1400 lb. bars WDH
    Micro Air easy start, Goodyear Endurance Load rated "E" Tires
    Titan 50 gallon diesel replacement tank
    Previous: 2019 Ram 1500 Limited

  5. #5
    Setting Up Camp
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    Thanks Bob,
    I have been looking at both 2500 & 3500 & yes I had rather have more power that less!! I am just trying to stay away from the Dually🥴 & yes there is not that much difference in the price. My new truck will be a mega cab, 4x4 with the Limited package!! I for sure am not getting a bigger unit down the road👍

  6. #6
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    Hi Freddy:

    I am not 5th wheel knowledgeable but my 2020 Ram 3500 Mega cab 4x4 limited SRW
    has a payload of 3,747 lbs. with a GVWR of 12,300 lbs.
    If I wanted to go up to say a Solitude 372 WB or 373FB I would exceed my GVWR.
    The published payloads are without propane, batteries, belongings or extra features like dual pane windows. I might even exceed my payload.
    There are other members like @Second Chance who are much more knowledgeable than me
    and I defer to their knowledge and experience.
    Hope this helps:
    Bob A.
    Bob & Alice
    2020 Ram 3500 Limited Megacab SRW Aisin
    2020 Grand Design Imagine 2450RL
    ProPride 3P 1400 lb. bars WDH
    Micro Air easy start, Goodyear Endurance Load rated "E" Tires
    Titan 50 gallon diesel replacement tank
    Previous: 2019 Ram 1500 Limited

  7. #7
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
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    A few general/broad rules of thumb: Any modern light diesel truck (3/4-ton or 1-ton) will pull a brick house off its foundation... you just can't put the weight of the brick house on the rear axle of the truck. With a fifth wheel, it's all about payload - not maximum towing capacity.

    Most front bedroom/rear living/non-toy-hauler fifth wheels will put about 23% of their loaded weight on the pin (excluding the Reflection 150 Series which run lighter on the pin). Lacking a true scale weight, use 23% of the GVWR of the fifth wheel for an estimated loaded pin weight. For example, a fully-loaded 16,000 lb. fifth wheel will put approximately 3,680 lbs. on the pin. Take this weight and add to it the weight of driver, passenger(s), fifth wheel hitch (250 lbs. to be safe), truck/tool box, and anything else you will carry in the truck and that is the minimum payload required for the truck.

    A really rough way to back into this from the other direction is to shop for 5th wheels with a GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) four times the payload of your truck. This formula figures in 25% for pin weight which gives you leeway for the hitch, people, etc., in the truck.

    As you browse trucks and trailers, this is a handy calculator for seeing what things might look like:

    https://changingears.com/weight-calc...ht-calculator/

    Finally, even if a single-rear-wheel 1-ton truck has the payload rating for a particular trailer, a dual-rear-wheel truck will be more stable and have a larger safety margin.

    You'll find folks who will say that they pull 16,000 fifth wheels with 3/4-ton trucks (with air bags, etc.) and "do just fine." You are the only judge of what you are comfortable with from a safety and liability perspective. Whatever you do, DO NOT use the published pin weights from the manufacturer - they are dry/empty weights. Also, do not believe RV salespeople when they tell you, "Oh, your truck will pull anything on our lot!"

    Rob
    Last edited by Second Chance; 12-13-2021 at 07:14 PM.
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  8. #8
    Site Team Redapple63's Avatar
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    Excellent explanation Rob!
    2019 GMC 3500 SRW Sierra Denali Duramax
    2020 Reflection 315RLTS

  9. #9
    Setting Up Camp
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    Thank you Rob!!! Excellent presentation��

  10. #10
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    If you get the dually now, you basically won't be limited on the 5th wheel, either this first one or the next that you upgrade to. Towing stability with the dually is better too. If you are concerned about daily driving with the dually, try a Ford F450 if you can find one. Best maneuverability on the market. Sure there are tight spots with the dually, but most of the tight spots are due to the long truck and not the extra wheels. As you can see from my signature, I have a 41' Solitude pulled with a diesel dually.
    New: 2021 Solitude 380FL
    Prior: 2016 Alpine 3600RS
    Tow: 2017 F350 Diesel Dually

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