RE: dual pane windows & weight
Yes, they help with condensation, but add no thermal value. They are NOT THERMOPANE windows like your home, they are dual pane glass.
If you are going to live in it year round, and are staying in the colder climates during winter, it may be worth the price. Otherwise, you will never know the difference, and paid for the option.
The fact that they help with condensation is proof that they do ADD thermal value, so you just dis-proved your own statement.
RE: dual pane windows & weight
Common glass weighs about 150 lbs per cubic foot and RV window glass is 1/8 inch thick, so one cubic foot of glass will provide 96 square feet of window area. Figure out the window area of the trailer, it will be less than 96 square feet and the added weight will be less than 150 lbs. Anyone that says dual pane windows add too much weight to an RV don't really know what they are talking about or don't want you to know the truth.
RE: 50 amp service upgrade
What Weekend Warrior did was have the dealer install a 50 amp main panel in the basement storage, with a 30 amp circuit breaker feeding the factory 30 amp panel, and new 20 amp breakers feeding several circuits - some of them where fed by the factory panel, now transferred to the new 50 amp panel.
Then the 50 amp panel has a 50 amp 2 pole main, at least 1- 30 amp 1 pole breaker, and several 20 amp breakers.
I would move over the air conditioners to the new panel, along with things like the kitchen circuit, and microwave. If you have a electric water heater, then that too.
Fred.
That is what I did on my previous unit. An 8 slot main panel was less than $15 plus the cost of the extra breakers. Mounted it behind the 30 amp panel so it was ez to move several of the circuits over. Used about 12 inches of the original 30 amp service cord to maintain power to the original panel. Biggest cost by far was the new 50 amp service cord providing power to the new main panel.
RE: Cab to trailer clearance
Here is a simple formula for a simple example. King pin in line with the front of the fiver with a flat front cap. Distance from the truck cab to fiver, say 42 inches. Half the fiver width, say 48 inches. Then the max angle is the inverse sin of 42/48 or just over 61 degrees.
When the two distances are equal at say 48 inches, then the max angle is 90 degrees. Beyond 90 degrees, then 1/2 the cab width (which is about 35 inches) becomes a factor. I don't think I've ever seen an extended pin box with the king pin actually 12 inches in front of the fiver. But in that case, max angle becomes 90 degrees plus inverse sin of (52-48/35), which is about 6 degrees, for a total of 96 degrees.
Since most truck cabs and fiver caps have at least some curvature, side-to-side and vertical, actual angles will be greater than calculated by a small amount.
If the fiver front cap is notched, as most are today, then much more detail is needed about size, location and angle of the notch.
While all of this may be interesting, the more basic question is how much angle is needed? 60 degrees is more than the average TT can be jack-knifed w/o the trailer hitting the truck's rear bumper. If you are willing to take the time with extra maneuvering, then 60 degrees is fine. I had a non-slider for 14 yrs and never had a problem and the slider I have now hasn't been used in 7 yrs.
RE: Distance from B&W to GM SB cab back window
My understanding is that the GM trucks have the furthest distance from the rear of the cab to the rear axle, followed by Ford, and then Dodge being the shortest.
That is true, GM is 41.6", Ford is an inch shorter. But that small difference doesn't make much of an impact. Design of the front cap is probably more significant. But any combo of cab-to-axle distance and front cap design will work w/o a slider. The difference is more or less maneuvering when things get tight. Except for a Dodge with a flat front cap, all will jack-knife sharper than a typical TT setup.
RE: Would you recommend a 5th wheel for me?
http://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2014-THOR-MOTOR-COACH-CITATION-24SR--DIESEL--2-SLIDES---QUEEN-BED-110335055
Thanks, but at 24', I'd say too long to drive in urban areas because there would be no place to park it. So I'd still be left with the problem of what to use as my run-around vehicle.
A Ford long bed crew cab pickup is 22 ft long and a GM long bed extended cab is 21 ft long, so what is a few more ft.?
RE: Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept It...
I wonder if all of you recommending a MH noticed the OP said his FIL has a 2010 F-350 already??????
Sure did, but that is probably not the #1 factor to use in making the best decision about an RV setup. In fact, too much focus on the truck may result in a less than ideal decision.
RE: Would you recommend a 5th wheel for me?
if I were single and no traveling companions who could make sure I did not back into things I would go for a MH.
I guess I am a bit clueless, but...why do you need someone to help you avoid backing into things with a 5th wheel but you do not need the same with a MH+toad?
With a MH, you drop the toad first, only back the MH and the rear of the MH is always visible in the mirrors because it is a single vehicle. However, the rear of any trailer quickly moves out of the field of view of the tow vehicle mirrors and the bulk of the trailer prevents the driver from seeing obstacles.
RE: Would you recommend a 5th wheel for me?
Fifth wheel hookup is a single person operation, have done it for 25 yrs. However, backing a TT or fiver is always better with a spotter, especially on the blind side, since the rear of the trailer quickly gets out of view in the mirrors.
Backing a MH is easier since the rear of the unit is always visible in the mirrors. However, you can't practically back up with the toad attached, so avoiding dead ends or tight gas stations, etc becomes important. Hooking up a toad is not difficult with today's tow bars and brake buddies.
Forest River probably has the largest selection of lite fivers in the Rockwood and Flagstaff lines that would be fine for a single person.
RE: Securing Pocket Door for Transit-new hardware/ideas needed
Maybe some thing like this.
http://rvtravel.com/blog/rvnow/uploaded_images/pocket-door-latch-b-742902.jpg width=300
You may have to notch the trim.
This looks like a great idea, but the door is actually recessed in to the wall so that would not work as there is no door to grab on to.
With a fully recessed door, then maybe you can use a latch that extends across the face of the door from wall to wall. Maybe one of these simple bar latches.
Sugatsune Simple Bar Latch
Most of the dimensions are in mm rather than inches, but the largest (BLT-120) should span a wall-to-wall distance of about 2-3/4 inches, which should be sufficient.
RE: Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept It...
Only your family can judge health issues and what type of RV works best. But a used class C or small class A is a better choice. They are shorter in length and height than any 35ft fiver and tow vehicle. And easier to back into a tight NF campsite since the back of the RV is always visible in the mirrors. Also, for someone that is not doing a lot of RVing, fewer tasks to deal with and no chance of dropping the fiver. Even if a toad is part of the total package, disconnecting the toad is separated from the task of backing into a site.
New RVs have more problems than a used one where most of the bugs have already been worked out by the previous owner. And getting warranty work on a new rig can be very trying for anyone, dealer runaround, waiting for parts from the factory, etc.
RE: Manual to Power Awning - Upgrade Current or get New?
I've had both brands and each has it's +'s and -'s. The A&E looks cleaner with the motor inside the roller tube and automatically dumps rain water, but when it dumps it DUMPS and as I recall, either side can drop. Not sure what is required to close the awning if the motor fails. Carefree can be set with one side lower than the other for continuous rain runoff rather than a huge dump, yet it still opens and closes normally. If the motor fails, the cover and gear box can be removed to roll up the awning, reinstalling the gear box will lock the roller tube. It also has an outside switch for opening and closing. Because the motor is NOT inside the roller tube, your existing tube and/or fabric can be reused.
RE: 5th wheel brakes
I believe that even with the IBC, GM still does provide a separate hookup for aftermarket controllers that are independent of the IBC and therefore full battery voltage will be available.
RE: Manual to Power Awning Conversion - Filling Holes?
The holes will be from where the manual awning bottom bracket is mounted now, which is most likely just above the trim for the bottom rolled skirting. Typically two 1/4 inch holes per bracket. Most manual awnings are only attached there and right at the awning rail. The top holes will be covered by the power awning.
In 2004, my dealer just used caulk and 1/4 inch hex head screws to fill the holes. I thought about replacing them with white painted carriage bolts completely thru the wall (front were inside the storage compartment, rear were inside a cabinet), but never did. Still there when I sold the trailer, not a big deal.
RE: A good small high quality 5th wheel for full timing
How about the legal issue though? As an example, I also like the Excel option, but its GVWR is _slightly_ above max. towing capacity of the truck. But its dry weight is way way below. It shouldn't be hard to keep this trailer below the max towing capacity of the truck.
But is this legal? Is there such a law?
There is nothing illegal about exceeding the truck's GCWR, just can't exceed any truck or trailer GAWR. GCWR is primarily about performance, how fast the truck can accelerate under load and how well it will pull grades. This is why GCWR changes as a function of axle ratio even when all other components of a vehicle remain identical. Anyway it is a manufacturer's generated rating, not a government rating.
RE: What size Bottle Jack is appropriate?
I carry an 8 ton bottle jack. Few yrs ago a friend got his Alfa stuck on a steep ramp, one tire off the pavement and the rear skid bars sunk into fresh asphalt. The 8 ton jack easily lifted one side of the fiver at a time.
RE: Only in Australia
In keeping with the Australian Specific 5th Wheeler combinations a new Ford Ranger with a small US 5ver.
Wonder how sharp it can jack-knife with the roll bars behind the cab? People in the US aren't happy if they can't jack-knife a full 90 degrees.:E
