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larry barnhart
wenatchee. wa usa
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Joined: 03/30/2001
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Cummins12V98 wrote:I had a 28.5' CarriLite that was really a nice quality rig.
My parents traveled the US many times in their 34' HitchHiker Premier. Quality!!! The frame was painted white and made by Young's I believe.
Youngs frames were white until Youngs couldn't make them fast enough and that was when lippert with black frames started making HH frames and made youngs paint theirs black so the customers didn't understand the manfacturer. chevman
chevman
2019 rockwood 34 ft fifth wheel sold
2005 3500 2wd duramax CC dually
prodigy
KSH 55 inbed fuel tank
scanguage II
TD-EOC
Induction Overhaul Kit
TST tire monitors
FMCA # F479110
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C Schomer
Pueblo West, Co.
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Joined: 12/26/2000
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We have a rocksolid 2008 5 th wheel and the build quality and materials are excellent. We worked our way up to this medium size 5 er because it has everything we want for creature comfort. I also use my truck for a lot of other things and I will probably stay with a truck and fiver forever. Craig
2012 Dodge 3500 DRW CCLB 4wd, custom hauler bed.
2008 Sunnybrook Titan 30 RKFS Morryde and Disc brakes
WILL ROGERS NEVER MET JOE BIDEN!
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blofgren
Surrey, B.C.
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Joined: 11/26/2005
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MN Ben wrote:Yes, as I stated earlier, older. So if they are well built/maintained, a 20 year old rig may suit me. Although the gold trim from that era may get changed out. lol
The F350 tows 15000#, at least that is what it is rated for.
Budget, The older $300K units are probably running 40-80K now. So that is the cash I have.
We currently have a '08 Keystone Lerado 29RL and like the layout. I like the older Big Sky with the rear entertainment set up. All of the new entry level rigs I think are junk, in my opinion.
This is why I know I can get into an older model that may have been out of my price range back then, but now is in reach.
If all this does not pan out, maybe a DP is in order. But I want to keep the 5er as an option.
Ben
Ben, there are some good suggestions here for good quality older fivers.
One thing you really need to consider is braking. I had a 6.0L PSD pulling a much smaller fiver than we have now and I had to come down hills quite slowly in lower gears to avoid the rig from running away. I'm not sure if the 6.0L can be equipped with an exhaust brake, but I would highly recommend it if you are going to pull a heavy fiver. After having my current truck, I will never pull a fiver again without one.
2013 Ram 3500 Megacab DRW Laramie 4x4, 6.7L Cummins, G56, 3.73, Maximum Steel, black lthr, B&W RVK3670 hitch, Retrax, Linex, and a bunch of options incl. cargo camera
2008 Corsair Excella Platinum 34.5 CKTS fifth wheel with winter package & disc brakes
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BurbMan
Indianapolis, IN
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Joined: 09/20/2001
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Cummins12V98 wrote:"it does an aluminum frame"
If I take what you said literally I would assume the "Frame" not the wall structure was aluminum.
Yes, thank you for clarifying that lest anyone be misled. I meant that it is claimed to have an aluminum-framed wall, not the chassis frame, that is steel (I hope). Heartland also claims to use a 2" thick wall, which if true makes it almost twice as thick as most.
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TXiceman
Bryan, TX
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Joined: 11/17/2000
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larry barnhart wrote:Cummins12V98 wrote:I had a 28.5' CarriLite that was really a nice quality rig.
My parents traveled the US many times in their 34' HitchHiker Premier. Quality!!! The frame was painted white and made by Young's I believe.
Youngs frames were white until Youngs couldn't make them fast enough and that was when lippert with black frames started making HH frames and made youngs paint theirs black so the customers didn't understand the manfacturer. chevman
We have a 2013 HitcHiker Champagne with a black Young's frame. It has a sticker identifying it as Young's. NuWa made a big mistake for a couple of years with the troublesome Lippert frames. Also easy to identify with the powder coating and the welding that looks good.
Ken
Ken
Amateur Radio Operator.
2023 Cougar 22MLS, toted with a 2022, F150, 3.5L EcoBoost, Crewcab, Max Tow, FORMER Full Time RVer. Travel with a standard schnauzer and a Timneh African Gray parrot
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Chuck ..
Salem, Oregon
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Joined: 09/01/2003
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Note: spelling isn't the best. It sounds like you are in the same spot I was in approximately 2017. Before I retired five years ago I must of spend four long years looking for a good quality use 5th wheel. My budget was at a top end was $65,000 until I got a quote for a load from the bank. Hope you don't mind paying around $800.00 to $1,0000 per month 4.5% RV loan. I wasn't going cash in my investments that were making over 10% at the time. More later on that. Narrowed my choose down to a used Alpinelite or a Artic Fox. Good luck if you can find a Alpinelite 5th wheel. Good units but they haven't made them for many years now.
So, I moved on looking for a good used Artic Fox in the size of 27 foot to 30 foot. I found that I could not get a nice used unit that was less than 10 years old at the time for under $40,000 from even a private seller. New units at the time were pushing around $55,000 to $65,000.
After about four years of research and looking I came across in the RV Trader a 2010 34 foot Mobile Suites 5th wheel for sale from a private party. I really didn't want that big or long of a RV because of the limited camp sites that will handle a 34 foot plus unit. Only after researching this brand of 5th wheel I drove 500 miles one way to California to check it out. I found out that Mobile Suites 5th wheels are are on the higher end of 5th wheels. Disc breaks, hydric landing gear, real wood cabinets and much more. The owner paid well over $110,000 for it new. After a professional RV inspection I paid right at $34,000.00. Wife loved it and we felt we couldn't pass up the best deal I found in years even though it was 34 foot long and weights 11,500 dry weight. Yes, I got a bank loan for it and in another year I should have the RV paid off.
Had to also buy a different truck to pull the Mobile Suites. My new truck took the place of my house mortgage payments of about $900.00 per month. The old 99 Dodge 2500 diesel could only pull "SAFELY" 9,400 lbs. And yes I did many hours of research on how to figure how much a vehicle can "SAFETLY" tow. Purchased a new 2017 3500 dually and would not buy any truck without the new types of breaking controls. Try going down a 8 plus grade without the newer diesel break control pulling 10,000 plus pounds. Just maybe you will make it.
PS: A lot of RV salers will tell you that you can safety pull a 34 foot 12,000 lbs plus 5th wheel with a VW Bug.
Chuck
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TXiceman
Bryan, TX
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Joined: 11/17/2000
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Chuck, thank you for getting the diesel dually to pull the DRV. We see too many with a big DRV hooked to a 1-ton SRW and even a 3/4 ton. The folks are blissfully running down the highway at 75 MPH because the salesman told them that that truck can pull anything we have on the lot.
Ken
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BurbMan
Indianapolis, IN
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Joined: 09/20/2001
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You need a dually to pull 11,500 dry weight?
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Veebyes
Bermuda & Maryland Eastern Shore
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Joined: 11/24/2003
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That is about what mine is & yes, have the dually. Sure is nice being fully loaded for a week of dry camping, 100gal water, & not being concerned about being overweight.
* This post was
edited 02/17/22 04:42pm by an administrator/moderator *
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter
2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
2006 Chevy 3500 LT, CC,LB 6.6L Diesel
Ham Radio: VP9KL, IRLP node 7995
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BurbMan
Indianapolis, IN
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The 5er we just bought is 10,700 dry and 14,000 GVWR. Fully loaded should get us close to GVWR on the truck but not over, unless it loads a lot heavier on the pin that what it says. I'm planning on hitting the scales first trip out and will report the actuals.
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