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Old 01-09-2021, 09:42 PM   #1
SueG
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Join Date: Jan 2021
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We’re so excited!

Just bought a new 3121RL. Upgraded from a 26 ft travel trailer so we have a learning curve ahead of us for pulling a 35 ft fifth wheel. Seems like we just got the hang of backing up our old RV! Our friends bought us a decorative pillow for Christmas that had a picture of an old time camper on it with the message “Sorry for what I said while we we trying to back up the camper”! So appropriate! LOL.

Anyway, haven’t picked up the camper yet. Need to get a fifth wheel hitch installed in our truck first. Can’t wait to get it home! Glad to find this site. Lots of helpful info here. Look forward to getting to know you.
 
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Old 01-09-2021, 11:11 PM   #2
Gubs
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Welcome to the the forum and congratulations on the new 5ver. We also just purchased a new 3121RL and love it. You will find the residential frig is GREAT. We love the fireplace and the seating plus all the storage. I love the auto leveling the most!! Anyhow, welcome and enjoy your new rig and please, be very safe out there!!
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Old 01-10-2021, 04:39 AM   #3
RMcNeal
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Welcome to the forum. Great folks and helpful info. You'll be surprised how much easier it will be to adjust to towing and backing the 5er compared to a bumper pull. If I had known that, I would never had owned a 34' TT for 6 years before getting ours.
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Old 01-10-2021, 05:32 AM   #4
DadsHemi
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Congrats, Welcome and enjoy your New Montana
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Old 01-10-2021, 06:33 AM   #5
RipNC
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Congrats! Hopefully we'll meet on the road. Our 3121RL was due out of paint last week. Can't wait to join the club. As I read this forum it seems like there are a lot of 312_RL units being purchased so it is a large club!
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Old 01-10-2021, 06:53 AM   #6
phillyg
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Make sure you do a proper PDI.
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Old 01-10-2021, 07:07 AM   #7
RipNC
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Absolutely! In fact I'm starting a thread about our PDI momentarily, we have some issues that will complicate ours.

Thanks,
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Old 01-10-2021, 07:32 AM   #8
DutchmenSport
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Welcome to the forums and congrats on your new Montana purchase.

I am on the opposite side of the coin, in the fact I had a very slow learning transition from travel trailer to fifth wheel towing and backing. I'd been a travel trailer, bumper pull trailer all my life .... 63 years at that point. Then we purchased a 41 foot fifth wheel, towing with the same truck. And it took a year of towing, backing and turning before I had the "Ah-ha!" moment and started getting it right.

Hitching WAS NOT easier for me with a fifth wheel. I had an Equal-i-zer 4 point weight distribution hitch with my previous Outback travel trailer and it was so simple to hitch. Pulling with a one ton dually long bed crew cab was absolutely flawless.

When getting the fifth wheel, I had multiple obstacles to over come. First was being able to reach over the bed rails of my pick up truck to reach the release lever for the fifth wheel jaws. At my age, climbing on the tire or jumping and shimming over the bed side was impossible. I ended up getting a 4 foot step ladder that stays permanently in the bed of the truck now. It also makes it easer getting in and out of the bed from the tail gate also. It was also absolutely impossible to attach the break-away cable to anything without that ladder. Problem solved. Once I started using the ladder, I adjusted pretty quick to that.

The next problem was backing up and turning into a campsite. I practiced in an open parking lot several times. I used cones to try to navigate around and make markers for pivot points. I practiced and practiced.

I had a horrible time backing into my own driveway. Unbelievable as that may sound. We live in the country and you'd think there would be no problem. But I had obstacles and no two times in a row could I get it the same. I'd either end up with the front of the truck in the ditch across the road, or the trailer tires were in the grass leaving ruts 5 inches deep. And it didn't which way I came in to back, right or left, I had a mail box and a telephone pole across the road that could not be avoided. Ruts in the yard or smack the mail box off were the options.

We ended up widening the end of the drive way to allow the trailer tires to track when backing without getting in the grass, causing side skidding on the tires, or hitting the mail box. I never had this problem with the pivot point on any bumper pull trailer I ever had. Once the drive way was widened, I never had problems again.

Here's a photo of the drive way showing the outline of the original and the "wings" we had added on to make the end wider.



The thing I DO NOT like about towing a fifth wheel, that was NEVER a problem or concern towing a bumper pull trailer of any type, is the opposite twist between trailer and tow vehicle. I never realized how much the vehicle and trailer could be tilted opposite directions with no affect, especially when turning on hills and dips.

With a fifth wheel, you always have to be aware of the clearance between the bed rails and the bottom of the trailer, which actually made contact and cracked the fiberglass on the underside of the trailer once. There are some exits and some entrances I simply WILL not attempt to enter if the dip is too much now. With a bumper pull, there was NEVER an issue.

Towing a fifth wheel easier ..... NO! It's not. There is a LOT more you have to be aware of that you don't with a bumper pull trailer.

And as far as a "better" tow itself. No, a fifth wheel is not necessarily a better tow than an travel trailer IF the tow vehicle is the right tow vehicle and not under par. With the right hitch, and the right truck, they tow flawless. Too many try to tow with inferior trucks for their trailers. There is where the difference is. If the truck is right, both tow equally nice. And mine always did, and do.

You will have a learning curve, but you WILL figure it out and it WILL get better over some practice and time. But don't be dismayed when you find yourself frustrated at first when you hear everyone else say, "Oh it's so much easier and better than a bumper pull trailer." You have to learn it at your own pace. And it's not easier at first.
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Old 01-10-2021, 12:09 PM   #9
AZ Traveler
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Sue,

Welcome to the forum! This is a great place to learn and share.

Assuming your 26 ft rig was the length of the box and not ball to bumper, you will find your new rig is no longer in term of what is behind the truck. The big difference you will note is you are much taller. Take it slow and enjoy your new toy.
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Old 01-10-2021, 12:36 PM   #10
432bartman
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Congratuations Sue on the new trailer. I was a little hesitant going from a 27' 5th wheel to our new 38 1/2 foot one. After one tow and backing her up, it was like no big deal. Can't wait for your new adventures to begin with the new trailer.
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Old 01-10-2021, 02:57 PM   #11
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Welcome to the forum! May your new rig bring you many years of wonderful memories.
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