Be Careful about the tow weight of your Fifth Wheel RV tow vehicle
What could be worst then finding the perfect fifth wheel rv camper, then spending hours and hours looking for it and finding it, then….. “It can be extremely frustrating to find the perfect travel trailer or fifth wheel and then be told that you can’t tow it. On the other hand it can be worse if you go to a less reputable RV dealer and the sales person tells you that you can tow it! This happens every day, and this is why you need to be armed with the right information before you buy.”
It is not my intention to upset any RV dealers, but if you go to a dealership and they don’t ask you for information about the tow vehicle, it would be wise to go elsewhere.
If you don’t already have the tow vehicle, it’s a good idea to find the camper you want first and then buy a vehicle that is capable of safely towing it
The 10,000 pounds stamped in the receiver is what the receiver itself is rated for. It has absolutely nothing to do with the tow rating for the truck.
There are many things to consider before you buy a tow vehicle. How often do you plan to tow? Where do you plan to tow? Is this vehicle going to be used strictly for towing, or will you be using it for everyday driving too? Are you interested in a pop-up, travel trailer or fifth wheel? How much does the camper you want weigh? Yes all of these questions are important. It would help you so much in the long run to get the answers and then buy your fifth wheel rv camper and tow vehicle. Don’t be left on the side of the road because your tow vehicle just couldn’t handle the weight. I live in the mountains of Tennessee and I see this every day. Fifth Wheel RV Campers and trucks on the side of the interstate because the truck just didn’t have it in it to pull the mountain.
Are you talking about the vintage Teardrop?
If you place an ad on Craig's List under wanted you may get it faster than trying to look for one.
CL is free and you could put it under Los Angeles or Santa Barbara, etc.
Try it and see.
1 comment - What do you think? Posted by
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October 31, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Remote Control Operate Your Existing 12v Electric Front Jacks From The Convenience Of Your Cab! No More Jumping In And Out Of Your Cab When Lining Up Your FifthWheel Hitch To Your Truck Works With Your Existing 12v Electric Front Jacks Fifteen-minute Installation By An Rv Technician Alta FifthWheel Front Jack Remote Control Makes It Easier And Faster To Line Up Your FifthWheel Hitch…especially For Those Who Might Be A Little Less Mobile! No More Restriction To One Area When Operating The Jack, Bed Lift, Winch Or Slideout Room. Receiver Is Enclosed In Protective Case And Easily Mounts To Your Rv. Rv Parts And Accessories,stabilizer Jacks Alta Jcwhitney, Alta FifthWheel Front Jack Remote Control, Rv Parts Accessories, Stabilizer Jacks
RV Overstock.Com Presents 09 Cougar 292RKS 5th Wheel Travel Trailer by Keystone. This superb unit is offered here far below ANY OTHER DEALER you will find. And this unit can be shipped to many, many, MANY places! When it’s time for a serious purchase, remember… RVOverstock.com: BEST DEAL – NATION WIDE
RV Overstock.Com Presents 09 Landmark Augusta (38RL) 4-Slide Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer is the “Finest 5th Wheel Heartland has Ever Built.” Loaded with features and options rarely found on ANY unit, the Augusta represents the zenith of 5th wheel comfort and features. And when it’s time to get serious for your purchase, remember: RV Overstock.com: BEST DEAL – NATION WIDE
Over the holiday week end I took my teardrop trailer camping, when I hooked it up for lights only my left lights worked, so in a effort to trouble shoot the problem I disconnected the wires and used a test light, but set of wires lights up, but once I reconnect them to the tail-lights they no longer lite up. I checked the ground wired and it seems to be OK. So if I have to set of lead wires with the correct power and each lead lights up when the signal is used via a test lamp, why would they fail once the wiring is reconnected? This is a real puzzle to me.
With the harness connected, I turn the left turn signal on, and I put my test lamp on ground and the positive wired, and I got power, this test I performed on both sides of the tail each time I determined that when the toll vehicle's turn signal was on left and right that that positive wired had the correct power because my test lamp blinked. So I know I have power where the tail light are connected. but once I reconnect the tail light neither tail light blink when the toll vehicle does. at the same time the test light will blink, again show that the power is getting to the point of connection.
Ok, I'm having a little trouble understanding what it is you did and what you tested, but I'll give you an idea of what I would do if I were having this problem.
Ok, so first off, you need to determine if your problem is on the vehicle or on the trailer. Disconnect the wiring connector. Take a 12v test light and take it from the ground terminal of the vehicle wiring harness and test each terminal as you turn on the lights, apply the brakes, and use the blinkers to verify each works. If this works fine, then your vehicle side is Ok. If this does not work, then move the test light ground to a vehicle ground and try again. If it works now, you have a vehicle side ground wire problem on the wiring harness.
Alright, once you have verified the vehicle is Ok, move on to the trailer. There are a number of ways to test the workings of the trailer, I'll give you the way I would go about it. Connect the wiring harness and then have someone apply the brakes. Do both sides come on? Now have someone turn on the lights? Do both come on semi-softly? Now have someone use the blinkers, do both sides blink? You need to verify what lights are not working with which operations. If the right side is not working under ANY operations, have someone apply the brakes and hold them. Ground your test light to the trailer frame or good trailer ground. Test for voltage BEFORE the light. If you don't have voltage before the light, you know you have a broken wire coming from the trailer wiring harness because no power is making to to the light. If you DO have power before the light, move your test light to the other side of the light. If you have voltage AFTER the light, then you have a broken ground wire. If you have voltage before the light, but no voltage after the light, you likely have a bad bulb. (however I doubt that, you seem fairly competent and I don't believe your problem is that simple).
If you follow this logically, and you think about what every circuit needs (a power, a path, a load, and a ground) and you test to verify it has each, you can solve this problem easily. Good luck.
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October 29, 2008 at 4:03 pm
This episode features an affordable and easy to maneuver pop-up truckcamper. If you like to go to locations of difficult access, consider this type of vehicle. It is an aerodynamic, lightdrive Grandview 4-wheel pop-up truck camper, that weighs less than 1000 lbs.
We have two homemade teardrop campers, i would like to know if states (TN and NC) in particular require license plates or registration to take them on the road? They are only about 5×9 foot big, about the size of a utility trailer ?
Any vehicle or trailer that uses public roadways requires a license. The trailers will probably need to be inspected to get a registration/title to apply for plates.
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October 27, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Fifth Wheel RV Camper Recommends
RV Overstock.Com Presents 09 Cougar 292RKS 5th Wheel Travel Trailer by Keystone. This superb unit is offered here far below ANY OTHER DEALER you will find. And this unit can be shipped to many, many, MANY places! When it’s time for a serious purchase, remember… RVOverstock.com: BEST DEAL – NATION WIDE
RV Overstock.Com Presents 09 Landmark Augusta (38RL) 4-Slide Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer is the “Finest 5th Wheel Heartland has Ever Built.” Loaded with features and options rarely found on ANY unit, the Augusta represents the zenith of 5th wheel comfort and features. And when it’s time to get serious for your purchase, remember: RV Overstock.com: BEST DEAL – NATION WIDE
This episode features an affordable and easy to maneuver pop-up truckcamper. If you like to go to locations of difficult access, consider this type of vehicle. It is an aerodynamic, lightdrive Grandview 4-wheel pop-up truck camper, that weighs less than 1000 lbs.
Demonstration on how to properly hitch a fifth wheel trailer to a truck. By Mark Polk owner of RV Education 101