Length travel trailer vs 5er

[corn18]

If I am looking at a 29' travel trailer behind my 20' truck, my total length should be 49' plus the length of the equalizer head, so let's say 50'.

Now if I have a 34' 5er, the total length is what? I am 1,000 miles away from my truck so I can't measure the rear overhang. It's a 2015 Chevy 2500HD 6.0 CC regular bed. I assume you subtract the overhang from the length of the truck and add the length of the 5er and that is your overall length?

 

[BandJCarm]

If I am looking at a 29' travel trailer behind my 20' truck, my total length should be 49' plus the length of the equalizer head, so let's say 50'.

Now if I have a 34' 5er, the total length is what? I am 1,000 miles away from my truck so I can't measure the rear overhang. It's a 2015 Chevy 2500HD 6.0 CC regular bed. I assume you subtract the overhang from the length of the truck and add the length of the 5er and that is your overall length?

It's going to be hard to start your truck from that distance. It CAN be done.....


I have always used 6 feet as a rule of thumb. It may not be quite that much. My 40 foot fifth wheel probably is about 34 feet behind the bumper.

and posts like this remind me that in four years, I have never once gone out and measured exactly how long I am when connected. I think of it often. I do it never.

 

[cc102bob]

My 5th Wheel is 36 feet long and when attached to my extended cab long box truck, my overall length is 52 feet. I measured from the front bumper of my truck to where the king pin attachment point on my hitch and that is about 16 feet with my truck. Because the front of my trailer is pretty close to where the king pin is, I can just add the 36 feet to the 16 feet and it matches what I actually measured. I can't say for sure that you're GM truck would measure the same as my old Dodge, but I'm guessing it's close (depending on your cab configuration, of course).

 

[corn18]

View attachment 227143

My 5th Wheel is 36 feet long and when attached to my extended cab long box truck, my overall length is 52 feet. I measured from the front bumper of my truck to where the king pin attachment point on my hitch and that is about 16 feet with my truck. Because the front of my trailer is pretty close to where the king pin is, I can just add the 36 feet to the 16 feet and it matches what I actually measured. I can't say for sure that you're GM truck would measure the same as my old Dodge, but I'm guessing it's close (depending on your cab configuration, of course).

I think it's pretty close. I found a website that lists the rear overhang as 52". So I'm guessing the 33' 5er is the same overall length when hooked up as the 29' bumper tow.

Here's why I am asking. We have narrowed our trailer search down to two bumper pulls:

Rockwood Ultra Lite 2608BS (29' 11")

SPECIFICATIONS
Hitch Weight: 796 lb.
UVW 6608 lb.
CCC 2188 lb.
Exterior Length: 29' 11"
Exterior Height: 11' 2"
Exterior Width: 96"
Fresh Water: 60.00 gal.
Gray Water: 90.00 gal.
Black Water: 45.00 gal.
Awning Size: 21'

And the Heritage Glen 271RL (34' 5")

SPECIFICATIONS
Hitch Weight: 1070 lb.
UVW 7738 lb.
CCC 2132 lb.
Exterior Length: 34' 5"
Exterior Height: 11' 2"
Exterior Width: 96"
Fresh Water: 57.00 gal.
Gray Water: 48.00 gal.
Black Water: 30.00 gal.
Awning Size: 10' & 12'

We were leaning towards the 2608BS because of length. But we love the layout of the 271RL, but we would be 55 ft going down the road.

But then we found the 5er version of the 271RL, the Heritage Glen 290RL (33' 8")

SPECIFICATIONS
Hitch Weight: 1825 lb.
UVW 9919 lb.
CCC 2106 lb.
Exterior Length: 33' 8"
Exterior Height: 12' 7"
Exterior Width: 96"
Fresh Water: 57.00 gal.
Gray Water: 62.00 gal.
Black Water: 30.00 gal.
Awning Size: 15'

This would put our going down the road length at 49 ft and we get a lot more in the 5er version (larger shower, W/D hookup, way more storage). And the revelation came when I realized the 5er combo would be shorter than towing the 2608BS. Holy crap why go for the "shorter" 2608BS when we can get exactly what we want for the same overall length with the 5er?

So I jumped on here and asked the question. Glad I did. Now to find a 290RL around here to look at.

Tow vehicle is the 2015 2500HD 6.0 CC regular bed. I have weighed it and with both of us in the truck we have 2,600 lbs of CCC. So I think the 290RL is well within it's capabilities.

 

[Telstar]

Our Cardinal measures 36’. When we had our F-350 with 8’ bed the total length was 52’. Now pulling with Ram 3500 short bed,, it’s less than 50’.

 

[BM Welder]

ccc is the cargo carrying capacity of the trailer. You have to go by the hitch weight of the trailer and the weight of the 5th wheel plus whatever you put in the trailer can add to the hitch weight.
If you ever go to an Escapees campground an do a smart weigh it can be a real eye opener. My pickup is rated 16800 lbs.trailer towing capacity. When we did the smart weigh our trailer only weighed 15100 lbs.but we were over 300 lbs. over on the rear axle witch isn't much but still not legal so we moved some heaver stuff farther back to take care of it.

 

[DrLewie]

Travelled by ferry to Newfoundland a few years ago. Fares are based on the overall length of the vehicle. At the time my fiver was 32 feet, and I was towing it with a F-250 extended cab and an 8 ft. bed. I measured the total length when hitched and it was 49 feet. That's a good thing, because the $300+ fare went up substantially for vehicles over 50'.

 

[Tundra 2014]

Length

TT lengths usually leave off the 4'5" of the front A frame hitch. My "27.5'" TT is 31' 9" total length. When you subtract the length of the pin set-up on the 5 th. wheel over the truck bed, you are very close to the same total length.

 

[sailorsam20500]

FWIW, I have a 2017 Flagstaff 26FKWS which I think is the prior version of the Rockwood you are looking at. The big change, we have a RV queen bed that has head board at the rear bumper and the wardrobe is a slide. We've been happy with it. We've pulled it over 25K miles on our trips.

 

[Brewhedd]

TT lengths usually leave off the 4'5" of the front A frame hitch. My "27.5'" TT is 31' 9" total length. When you subtract the length of the pin set-up on the 5 th. wheel over the truck bed, you are very close to the same total length.

Not possible for the same size living area, the 5th wheel will always be shorter. With a 5th wheel you have living area over the bed. With a TT you have an additional 4' before the living area begins.

 

[Hatchee]

The Heritage Glen 290RL is laid out very similar to our Brookstone...we love it!! Much easier to pull and backup than a trailer.

 

[rockfordroo]

My 2 cents:

Assuming the overall length of the 271RL TT (34'-5") includes the tongue (as it does for my Mini Lite) and assuming the overall length of the 290RL 5ver (33'-8") is basically the "box" (because the hitch pin is under the front) I would estimate from the floorplans that the overall length of the "boxes" is about the same, and thus your overall length would be 5' or 6' shorter with the 5ver because of the front being over the bed of the truck. Given a 5ver tows better and in this case has an additional slide, I'd think the 5ver would be a no-brainer (ignoring price, of course - 5ver's and their hitches aren't cheap!)

But make sure you can handle the extra 2000 lb GVWR and whatever the pin and hitch weight may be.

 

[corn18]

Since we are leaning towards the 5er right now, I am going to put a hitch on the truck. I think I am going to install the B&W gooseneck hide a ball on the truck. Then use the Anderson aluminum 3220. Getting weary putting heavy things on my truck, so anyone know how much it would cost to have someone install the B&W?

 

[drogers]

Tow vehicle is the 2015 2500HD 6.0 CC regular bed. I have weighed it and with both of us in the truck we have 2,600 lbs of CCC. So I think the 290RL is well within it's capabilities.

If you truly looking at the 5er, I found an excel document with all the equations already entered to determine if your weights are good or not. Until you actually own the 5er always complete your calculation using GVRW off the 5er, because you will quickly find out that you reach that number fairly easily and quickly. I can supply it if you want. I'm on my work computer right now, but if you let me know, I will post a link to access it.

 

[corn18]

If you truly looking at the 5er, I found an excel document with all the equations already entered to determine if your weights are good or not. Until you actually own the 5er always complete your calculation using GVRW off the 5er, because you will quickly find out that you reach that number fairly easily and quickly. I can supply it if you want. I'm on my work computer right now, but if you let me know, I will post a link to access it.

I'm not sure it's complicated enough to require a spreadsheet. Just need to know the ACTUAL pin weight of a loaded 290RL and I will know for sure. Short of that, as long as it is less than 2,500 lbs, which is 22% of the GVWR of the 290RL, I am good.

Anyone have an actual pin weight of a 290RL or similar 5er?

 

[drogers]

I'm not sure it's complicated enough to require a spreadsheet.

Have a look. There is a little more to it than just payload. You have axle ratings, GVW, GCVW, towing capacity, as well as payload, all of these come into play if you are towing and want to remain legal.

http://bit.ly/payload-calc-download.

all you have to do is enter all the info and it will give you a green check or red x if you are good or bad. Up to you.

the spreadsheet (excel doc) and more info about determining towing limits is available in this youtube link:
https://youtu.be/qwFLOBrADBs

 

[drogers]

Anyone have an actual pin weight of a 290RL or similar 5er?

The dry pin weight between any two 5er's or any two rvs for that matter, even in the same model will change, as no two are built the same, they will be close but almost never the same, once you load up every one will be different and that number could change by 100s of lbs. But if you want a rough estimate take 20% of the the GVWR of the 5er and use that. 20% of the weight of the 5er is about what sits on the pin.

 

[boatcat AH6NR]

https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers-and-fifth-wheels/heritage-glen/290RL/5357
Specs say 1825 pin weight

 

[drogers]

https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers-and-fifth-wheels/heritage-glen/290RL/5357
Specs say 1825 pin weight

that is the dry pin weight not a loaded pin weight.

 

[corn18]

https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers-and-fifth-wheels/heritage-glen/290RL/5357
Specs say 1825 pin weight

Do dry pin weights work like dry hitch weights? I imagine so.

If I use 20% of gvwr I get 2,400 lbs. I imagine that’s more accurate than 1825 but either one works.