New to the RV world

[B47]

Hello All,

My wife and I are new to the RV world, but so far our experiences have been good.

I retired from Federal Service last May and my wife said we are not going to sit around the house - so we went out and purchased a new 2012 Forest River (FR) Cedar Creek Silverback 33 foot 5th wheel and a new 2012 Ram 3/4 ton 6.7 diesel pickup with the factory tow package installed. We had the FR dealer install a Husky 5th wheel assembly.

Our first trip out was what we call our "Baby Step" trip as we only vertured out from the house about 60 miles to a RV park in Glen Rose, Texas. Everything went well.

I have a few issues with the RV which I will post later.

This appears to be a great forum and I look forward to being a member.

[donn]

Welcome. I am truly sorry you did not come on here first. Get yourself to a set of scales. I suspect you will find your self very overloaded on the truck when hitched up and ready to travel.

[Chris Wildwood]

Hello and welcome from Minnesota. I'm new here too.

[B47]

Really - how so? Could you please elobrate more?

Thanks

[donn]

Even the smallest Silverback will have a pin weight that likely will exceed your 3/4 ton trucks Net cargo carrying capacity. BTDT Started pulling my 13,750 pound GVWR Cedar Creek with a 3/4 ton Chevy. After spending a lot of dollars trying to make it work I finally gave up and traded a truck with 7500 miles on it for a dually. I suspect that if you load the fiver up plus load the truck like you are traveling and go across a set of scales you will also find your truck will be over the manufacturers GVWR. Now, if you do not believe in following the truck manufacturers specifications, then by all means ignore my comments.

[B47]

Donn -

First - let me say thanks for your input.

Second - let me say that I always try to comply with the manufactures recommendation, no matter what the product is. You will see that in some of my later posts here regarding this.

We don't expect to ever really losd up either the truck or the trailer -we never fill the tanks until we get to our destination

I will check the weight specs on the trailer next time I am out there. I will say also that the truck bed went down just a bit after hooking up and up just a bit after unhooking.

[carbonman]

enjoy camping

[Mountainmanbob]

Originally Posted by B47

I retired from Federal Service last May

Our first trip out was what we call our "Baby Step" trip as we only vertured out from the house about 60 miles to a RV park in Glen Rose, Texas. Everything went well.

congratulations on your retirement
I just retired Civil Service 6 years ago
seems like yesterday
if you get out southern Ca way
some nice camp sites out here

Mountainman

[donn]

I guess some here did not like my comments to the OP concerning overweight. For that I am sorry. However owning a Cedar Creek I know from experience how far off they can be be on their weight estimates. Dealers selling these large fifth wheels to unsuspecting customers are doing the RV workd a Hugh disfavor. If they were honest there would be far fewer how come questions on the forums. Buyers need to be educated before purchase. I thought I was and still got suckered with way more fiver than my 3/4 ton truck could safely handle. Yes I did say safely. After going over the scales fully loaded for a trip, I discovered that my rear tires were overloaded, the truck was way over the GVWR, and it did not handle well in mountain driving. I am not some Podunk from the hills who just learned how to drive. I have been at it for a long time, maybe not a professional trucker, but enough miles on the highway to understand what is comfortable and what is not. If people were honest in their dealings it is far easier on ores. May not like the answers, but at least they know the honest facts.

[Terier]

Originally Posted by donn

I guess some here did not like my comments to the OP concerning overweight. For that I am sorry. However owning a Cedar Creek I know from experience how far off they can be be on their weight estimates. Dealers selling these large fifth wheels to unsuspecting customers are doing the RV workd a Hugh disfavor. If they were honest there would be far fewer how come questions on the forums. Buyers need to be educated before purchase. I thought I was and still got suckered with way more fiver than my 3/4 ton truck could safely handle. Yes I did say safely. After going over the scales fully loaded for a trip, I discovered that my rear tires were overloaded, the truck was way over the GVWR, and it did not handle well in mountain driving. I am not some Podunk from the hills who just learned how to drive. I have been at it for a long time, maybe not a professional trucker, but enough miles on the highway to understand what is comfortable and what is not. If people were honest in their dealings it is far easier on ores. May not like the answers, but at least they know the honest facts.

I'm with you regarding safety and your points are valid. Usually I can follow a thread and see the direction its going but this one had me puzzled.

I got sucker in believing the salesman that all I needed to tow was to install a hitch. Only had my beloved Rav4 for just over a year before trading it in. Don't worry - no hitch installed on the Rav4.

I know someone that brought a trailer on lenght without knowing how much it actually weighs because the salesman said she was good to tow up to a 28 ft trailer.