Question.......

[Sherri48]

Did all of you feel overwhelmed when you first got your fivers?

We've only had popups before and this is our first 5er.
Being it's our first, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.
Seems there is so so much to learn about how things work, and if they don't work, how to fix them.
The size right about scared me half to death. I did manage to haul it from the campground back to the dealership with no problems. I was a little nervous at first, but after about 10 minutes on the road, I settled down.

Sherri

[Wiarton William]

I know exactly of what you speak....I still get butterflys in the stomach..I was getting used to it and what do I do.....buy a bigger and heavier one.....,,Take things slow and easy, check things twice..work out a "ritual" of setups and takedowns make things a habit, do not vary and if you are interuppeted start at the beginning again..never be in a hurry........

[simonsrf]

Sherri,

The newbie jitters will go away after a while. We started out in a tent...

I remember the day we drove away from the dealership. I left finger and knuckle marks permanently in the folds of the trucks steering wheel. Today, if the Monte isn't behind us, we feel pretty small!

The MOC forum is the best place in the world to have all of your questions answered. Every single day here on the forum I learn something new. Sometimes it is useful today, and sometimes it just gets filed for another day.

Don't be afraid to ask any question, they have all been asked here before, so in most cases it won't be anything new. You will get lots of differing opinions and suggestions, and that is exactly what they are, opinions and suggestions. You just have to learn how to pick and choose the ones that work best for your new way of life.

[richfaa]

We sort of worked our way up. Five campers each one a bit bigger than the other.We also drive big busses so driving big things was not intimidating.The secret as others have said is take it slow and very easy.Learn from others how things work.Do not be to proud to..ask a question and practice, practice, practice.

[SlickWillie]

Not sure I could have started out pulling a fiver. I pulled a 16' enclosed cargo trailer for several thousand miles, then a 29' TT, then moved up to the Mountaineer. I still don't like certain situations (such as going through Houston), but it gets easier the more you pull it. DW still gets a little excited when the slack in the hitch makes noise. Oh, and the time the hitch didn't latch and I pulled ahead. Terrible racket; I think her head left an imprint in the truck roof that time.

[DHenry]

I have alway had trailers without pop-outs before getting the 5th wheel. I only worried about the height when we got the Montana. Now it is easy, just have to check the heights before pulling into a gas station and have to watch for low trees in the camp grounds.

[stiles watson]

Ok, I am weird. We went from backpacking to a Big Sky in a quantum leap. I read and dreamed. Then we decided full timing was going to be our bag. I found a preowned unit at a great price for the whole rig. Drove 300 miles to this guy's house looked over the unit and the truck, made the deal, drove it to a local church parking lot and practiced the better part of a morning and the drove it home (300 miles) with Dianna following me in the Honda Civic and backed it into my drive. That was day one and the beginning of our great adventure and my first experience of pulling anything or driving a truck that large(F250 Longbox, Crewcab). I was too naive to know it was supposed to be hard. So I just did it.

[snfexpress]

I'm with Stiles. In our case, we went from the Ramada to the 3400RL and no truck - had to order one! Was worried that I couldn't handle the height and length, but after a while (a short while), got used to everything. And, the Montys tow very well!

Good luck and enjoy!!!!!!!!!

[exav8tr]

Sherri, I went from absolutely NO experience to pulling my 3400, through downtown Anchorage Alaska, 40 miles away to a truck driving school. Had to do one emergency braking enroute, lady stopped in front of me to turn without signalling. Did one hour with instructor and off I went. He said "You don't need me", I think this was meant as a confidence builder. I must admit I was not looking forward to backing the thing so for the first 1000 miles or so I asked for Pull through sites, at one CG they didn't have one so had to learn to back the hard way, into a 90 degree spot, took a little while but after that, piece of cake. I do like the pull throughs when just overnighting, but other than that it doesn't matter anymore.

Do take it easy at first but be a quick learner and master that big ole thing behind you....Ask many questions as others have said. These guys here have many years of experience and someone here has "Been here, done that" at least once.

I have found this forum to be invaluable so far and have met several nice people along the way.

Congrats and good luck......Phil

[wersqu]

I have driven trucks most of my driving career. Mostly fire trucks with some semi experience including a tiller ladder truck, and camped for the last 30+ years. As all here have said trailering a 5th wheel is easy if you take your time. The 4 most important driving tips given to me by people I learned from are. 1. Watch the kick out of the rear of the trailer away from the direction you are turning. 2. Look up. Most Monties need at least 12'8" of clearance. 3. Never back up without someone watching and in your sight. 4. Probably the most important, do not tailgate. Give yourself plenty of room to stop or turn. These rigs, as all rigs take a lot longer to stop than most people think. Safety first and good luck.

[David and Jo-Anna]

WOW, it's amazing to see that I was not the only newbie who jumped into a big Montana (in my case, a Big Sky) with little prior experience. Except for having a VW camper 30 years ago, my only other significant RV experience was with a 32' class A that we rented a few years ago. When we picked up the Big Sky from the dealer this April, I was very nervous about the 3 mile drive to a nearby regional park where we were going to stay while we got acquainted with the Big Sky. I sweated about how to make the few turns between the dealer's lot and the nearby park. When I got to the park, I spent 2 hours in the parking lot practicing backing and turning--and quickly learned that a towable rig is more difficult to handle than a class A rig. But practicing with the rig in parking lots, and following tips like those that Tim and others have provided, soon leads to sufficient comfort in handling a big rig. Now my DW often remarks on how comfortable I seem to be as we full time around the Rocky Mountain region, just 6 months after first driving the Big Sky away from the dealers lot.

In retrospect, the toughest challenge for me was the PDI during which I bloodied my head after not once but twice running into the corner of the bedroom slide while focusing on aspcets of the PDI rather than on where I was going. So if you make it thru the PDI, you've got it made!!! LOL!!!!

[quarrles]

All good advice. I was intimidated to pull the new Montana home but seeing as we live in the country, dirt road, and have a little extra land in the north 'forty', we had some not so even or paved area to practice on.

Best advice an old timer gave me was "drive your rig and let all the others (truckers etc.) drive theirs". I seldom go over 65 mph and do get passed a lot but still just drive my rig and disregard the others.

Congratulations and good luck.

[BB_TX]

Seems most of us started in a similar manner. We went from tent to cabin to Montana. Like many, the first thought was "Wow, that looks bigger than it did on the lot!". But I quickly became at ease with it and now eagerly look forward to each trip. And the DW likes to drive and pull also. And I have only hit 2 curbs so far.

[Illini Trekker]

Intimidated no, cautious yes. We went for a 24' HI LO to our 32' Monty. Driving is easy backing is where most need may need help. Use your cell phones or two way radios so someone can help spot your backup progress. If you are by yourself get out more that once to see where your going. Buy a set of small cones to guide you back into your spot.
One more thing I needed help with was hitching on to the 5Th wheel hitch. I painted the receive and the hitch and marked when the latch was closed and locked in place.

[richfaa]

Just a note about backing. We are told in school bus drivers school and refresher courses that 70% of ALL accidents occur while backing. It is highly recommended by our school that we go around the block or to a cul-de-sac rather than do a "back up'turn around. Applying that information to 5th wheel driving we avoid backups whenever possible, we always ask for pull throughs and will take a back in site only as a last resort. I feel no need to show off our backing skills. we have to back into our driveway at home and that is enough to keep our skills up. Besides Helen does most of the backing..she is much better than I am...Although she did take out a cone at the Keystone driving school,,going to fast around a corner...she careenith to much/////

[exav8tr]

I think to avoid the back-ins you could possibly be missing some great scenery. In my short time of towing I have found that most of the pull-throughs are interior sites. I like my big picture window in the rear and often the perimeter sites (i.e. back ins) allow for a better view. Of course, there are exceptions to this, especially if you are in a roadside park. It's whatever turns you on. I personally don't see backing into a nice view site as showing off my backing skills, as I can barely get into these sites, but I don't avoid them either. It just takes me a little longer and I usually give a good show to the "Watchers". But hey, what the heck......These comments just represent my opinion and nothing more......Phil

[Glenn and Lorraine]

In March of 2003 I had no interest of owning an RV. Never had own, didn't think I really wanted one but we did want to travel full time. Ain't rich enough to travel full time in Motels. By the end of March 03 we were considering a Motor Home. Didn't know the difference between a Class A, B or C. About mid April and a tad more knowledgable we were still thinking about it but now we weren't sure if we wanted an MH, 5er or TT. Joined RV.net and IRV2.com and with their help pretty much decided I didn't want a TT. Kept looking a MH's and 5er's. In June of 2003 I joined the MOC and within less than a week I was sure it would be a 5er. By the end of June we started looking at 5er's a lot more seriously. In July 2003 we put the house up for sale. In mid-Sept 03 we went to the big RV show in Harrisburg, PA. Spent 2 1/2 days looking at every 5th wheel in our price range. On the afternoon of the 3rd day we made our deal on an 04 2955RL. Picked it up in Syracuse on Sept 25th and on October 18th, 2003 we spent our first night in our new Monty and nearly every night since than. On October 30th our attorney did the property settlement for us with the new home owners.

Were we intimidated? You bet we were but by the time we got about 100 miles on the trailer most of the intimidation went away. I say 100 miles as that is how far we traveled when I pulled into a rest area and checked the trailer to be sure everything was where it belonged and for the most part it was.
BTW-I did drive truck for a number of years and so that did help a lot.

[timandsusan]

Yes, we went from trailering a 17 foot sailboat to no boat. Then the jump to a Monty with F350 crew cab---I measured the TV+RV lenght at 53 feet with 13 foot height clearance required. I practice everything others have posted and had a blast. I am still working to train my wife that I don't need to to "licence plate inspections" of the vehicle in front of us---don't tailgate. She is learning and I would not have done any of this without her! I will remember to "start my hookup or set-up again when I am interrupted". This is usually for a pleasant reason to meet a new neighbor or just chat!

[capn chris]

The apprehension is much worse than the experience. I'd never towed before the Monty! Dealer said "Take your time and you'll be a pro by the end of the season" He was right. Do as others have suggested, but watch those right hand turns at intersections! Swing wide like the big rigs do to avoid the curb, signs, and poles. Almost wiped off my awning, once. Each new experience teaches us for the next time. Be safe and enjoy!!!

[muddflapp]

I too, drove tractor trailer for 25 yrs. Everything that has been said is important. The best tip I can give you for backing your rig. Put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and push it in the direction that you want the back of the trailer to go. And DON'T over steer. A half turn of the steering wheel is plenty. That is the biggest mistake most new drivers make when backing is constantly turning the steerwheel to the stops. Another thing to do when hooking and unhooking. Get yourself in a routine and follow it. Step by Step. As tim said, if interrupted, start your routine over from the begining. Saftey First.