Fifth Wheelers With Computerized Jacks

[obedb]

Have seen a few with automatic jacks. Are they unusual and expensive? I sometimes wish that I had upgraded my F150 to a diesel pickup and bought a fiver. 

[wayne77590]

More and more present day 5'ers have leveling/auto leveling jacks.

Not having them in 2007 was the reason I went to a MH.

Consider: Two to four 2 x 10's for leveling and carried on the floor board of the truck.  Pull into a site, check level, pull out boards and place them next to the wheels so ground guide and assist in backing or pulling forward just enough to get the boards under the tires on the low side.  Get out, put the boards under the tires, pull onto the boards, check level again and repeat if necessary.  This is before unhooking.  Then, lower front landing gear and raise enough to pull off of the king pin. Get in truck and pull away from 5'er.  Level 5'er front to back using landing gear.

In the middle of July 2008 with temperatured near 100 and I was going through that routine my wife said, "You are beet red. You need to get a motorhome!"  Argh, argh, argh...don't have to tell me twice from SWMBO. August we had the 2008 MH.

Now with the 5'er leveling systems all motorized it would be a different story.  But alas, I have what I have. It is what it is, and then it is what you make of it.

[rfsod48]

Last winter when we were in Arizona our park neighbors traded in their old 5’er for a new one. It has same type of leveling system as my DP motorhome. Was 2 feet shorter but had more room and was very nicely finished. Biggest downside I see is you have to stop to get drink or go to restroom. Not sure DW would accept that.

[manholt]

A lot of Fifth's have the HWH system today, my friends that have trailers are hooked up as fast as me!  A Jayco Eagle 37 Fifth has half again as much living space as I do, with 4 slideouts!

[jleamont]

37 minutes ago, manholt said:

with 4 slideouts!

EWW No thanks!

[rfsod48]

If I could find a reason to have a big truck I might consider 5’er but I have no need for truck.

[obedb]

My pickup is absolutely my favorite vehicle. Consider what I did for many years. Most at home in a pickup than a car.  When I am driving the motorhome the real beneficiary is my wife. I gotta stop for a whiz. She doesn't. A diesel pickup can be worked on in many more places than a Cat powered motorhome. Too late for me though to change my mind. Don't want to spend our savings for a change of heart. We are debt free and will stay that way.

[manholt]

The folks that I know in Fifths, is more a convenience.  Yes, they can get any coach the want, but they are Ranchers and have no shortage of true 1 ton+ trucks!

Joe, several Fifths come in 5+ slides also very long full wall slides and 2 regular slides in bedroom, I have also seen the normal bed room as a media room and bed room in rear!  Not for me, but I can't knock it.

[txiceman]

Automatic levelers on a 5er are not just a convenience, but are a necessity to me.  Big Foot Quadra hydraulic systems works great and so easy to level the 5er.

Ken

[five]

Hi Ken...been reading your posts for years on different forums, had a different user name then.  Yours seem to be more of the level headed thought out kind posts than many....maybe that's because we agree on lots of RV topics.  Used to have an 07 Montana before getting in the MH business in 2010.  We pulled into a CG one evening when it was just getting dark, but about 45 degees and pouring rain...that was our last trip in the 5th wheel.

[txiceman]

Five, we have had the Big Foots on the last two 5ers.  So much better than boards.  

We are parked for the winter in Tomball, TX and waiting to get my wife a new knee.  Always enjoy meeting other RVers, no matter what type they have.

Ken

[hermanmullins]

Five,

We were in Tomball yesterday. At the Houston Methodist Hospital on 249.

Herman

[txiceman]

Herman, you should have at least waved....We are at the Corral RV Park on S. Cherry Street.

Ken

[stinger]

My 5er is equipped with Lippert Ground Control Auto Level system.  Just drop the front landing gear, unhook from the tow vehicle and hit the Auto Level Button.  Easy as 1-2-3 and can't imagine going back to leveling blocks.

 

[ispjs]

Welcome STINGER.  My last fiver (Montana) had auto level and it was a "must have" for us.  

[ispjs]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 5:56 PM, manholt said:

The folks that I know in Fifths, is more a convenience.  Yes, they can get any coach the want, but they are Ranchers and have no shortage of true 1 ton+ trucks!

That was a big factor the first time we sold out and went full time in our decision to go with a fiver instead of a MH.  I had a small contracting business and due to some favorable tax incentives I could write off a bunch of my new F350 diesel in the first two years.  The way I looked at it my 2012 (new back then) F350 cost me close to $40,000 instead of over $55,000.   Like your Rancher buddies, it only made sense to have a fiver back then.

[Hgtyd]

We have a 36' fiver and love it.  We have the Lippert leveling system an Snap Pads on the jacks.  Big difference is that our leveling pad controls are on the outside of the trailer.  Only extra equipment needed is if it's raining, then we have an umbrella!  The new leveling systems  also have  the "memory" function which males hooking back up a breeze!  We've been considering a MH but my wife is shying away because she loves the nice big kitchen in our fiver!

[cbramsey5898]

My wife and I have a 2017 Heartland Charleston 5th wheel with the Lippert Level Up hydraulic leveling jacks.  To set up all I have to do is unhook and pull the truck out of the way, turn on the system and hit the "Auto Level" button.

[obedb]

What a sharp looking rig. Is the pickup a 450 or bigger?

[trikeflyer]

Some have the auto level and some don't.  Just make sure if you want it to get it factory installed.  I have seen pictures of the auto level being added at the dealer and they made a mess of it.  That being said I have it on my new toy hauler and love it.

[manholt]

Byron.  In ref. to the Ford, I would guess 350 or 250...Landmarks are heavier than most 5'rs and I notice the dip in rear.

A good friend from South Texas has that leveling system...he learned in Colorado, a couple of years ago, to pull the pin and leave truck in place, until jacks where down!  Not a pretty sight, when they fail...You know how reliable Lipper is!

trickflyer.  Welcome to the Forum!  Are you riding a HD or other brand?  We got quite a few trick owners on this Forum!  Mine is a 2007 HD, Classic Cruiser Ultra, after market in Troop, TX.  It has 2,997 miles on it.

[obedb]

Carl/ Knew a teacher that retired and he and his wife bought a very big fiver (3 axles) and a Ford diesel 450 model.  Ramsey's truck just looks more powerful than a 250 . I am a Ford truck enthusiast and I live in pickup truck country. Rural PA. If I was younger I would sell our Phaeton  and buy in to the Fiver lifestyle. We both have some health issues going on. So we will stick with our unit.

 

[manholt]

Byron.  I understand.  PM him...I'm more into Chevy trucks.  Ever since one of my Jeeps took out (permanently) a Ford 150, I said never will I buy one...at less than 10 mph from a standing start...give it a break!

[Chiefcpo7]

Ramsey truck is a F350, had one and added super springs as it had a 2" drop when hooked to the 2014 Redwood 5er. Could not keep the front end working properly at 41K  needed the 5th set of tires on front, Ford dealer could not fix.  Traded tor 3500 Ram drw Lariat.Cummins 6.7 with the factory air bags on the rear. Time will tell as to how it is  5k now with average 11.2 mpg overall.

(PS) almost impossible to find a F250 with DRW (fat hips)

[obedb]

Thank you. Just knew it wasn't a 250. Have a friend that has hauled big fivers around for years with the inline Cummins engine that Dodge offers. Even had a customer at his shop that used one commercially transporting cars. Lasted many years.