Any trailer towing expert out there?

[CurlyDave]

Unless you already have a fifth wheel towing setup in your pickup truck, the most cost effective way to get a trailer there is to have it delivered to the property by a towing service.

Any good towing service will be able to tell you the maximum size they would be willing to tow up your road.

I know this because I had a similar need -- wanted to relocate an old single wide mobile home to the land while we built. We had a guy who would give us a used one free if we would move it off his property. The towing guy came out & looked at the road. Then he said "no way", so we are in our motorhome which is a lot smaller.

 

[CurlyDave]

Unless you already have a fifth wheel towing setup in your pickup truck, the most cost effective way to get a trailer there is to have it delivered to the property by a towing service.

Any good towing service will be able to tell you the maximum size they would be willing to tow up your road.

I know this because I had a similar need -- wanted to relocate an old single wide mobile home to the land while we built. We had a guy who would give us a used one free if we would move it off his property. The towing guy came out & looked at the road. Then he said "no way", so we are in our motorhome which is a lot smaller.

 

[Pilot]

Who owns the rock?

I wonder what it would cost to remove or blast the rock? Seems to me you will be dealing with it for as long as you live there, so if you could get rid of the problem now, you will feel it was money well spent 5 years from now.

 

[Pilot]

Who owns the rock?

I wonder what it would cost to remove or blast the rock? Seems to me you will be dealing with it for as long as you live there, so if you could get rid of the problem now, you will feel it was money well spent 5 years from now.

 

[wushaw]

A fifthwheel will turn inside more than a travel trailer so if your corners are very tight then a travel trailer will follow the tow vehicle better.
As far as better quality with a fifthwheel over a travel trailer, that can be debated till the cows come home...for example,
I have a 31yo Airstream, if anybody can find a 31yo fifthwheel in the same condition I would be extremely suprised.
You are in need of living quarters that will not be moved for a long period of time I wouldn't be very picky on what kind of trailer but what will fit.
Like someone already mentioned about length in tow vehicles you maybe able to get a longer travel trailer than your neighbor if she was using a real long truck.

 

[wushaw]

A fifthwheel will turn inside more than a travel trailer so if your corners are very tight then a travel trailer will follow the tow vehicle better.
As far as better quality with a fifthwheel over a travel trailer, that can be debated till the cows come home...for example,
I have a 31yo Airstream, if anybody can find a 31yo fifthwheel in the same condition I would be extremely suprised.
You are in need of living quarters that will not be moved for a long period of time I wouldn't be very picky on what kind of trailer but what will fit.
Like someone already mentioned about length in tow vehicles you maybe able to get a longer travel trailer than your neighbor if she was using a real long truck.

 

[Bird]

Joe, it's like lots of other things; just depends on what you're accustomed to it and experience. I consider the fifth-wheel to be easier to maneuver into tight spots, or to back in a straight line. You're right about them not being as sensitive to steering adjustment, which I think makes them easier to maneuver; you don't over correct as often. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

The only problem I ever had with maneuvering that 32' fifth-wheel was trying to back it into tight RV sites during the hours of darkness. That was because the backup lights on the truck reflected off the white front of the trailer so I couldn't see down the side of the trailer in my mirrors. And I learned a great way to solve that from one of the RV magazines. The truck had a good CB radio and I bought a cheap kid's walkie-talkie from Radio Shack that worked on Channel 11. My wife didn't drive the truck pulling the trailer, but if it had to go into a tight spot at night, I put her behind the wheel, told her she could shut her eyes if she wanted to and listen to the CB. I'd go behind and tell her which way to turn the steering wheel and how much, to go forward or back, and when to stop. Almost never had to stop and pull forward and try again.

Did you ever watch those folks who go to the back of the trailer and try to yell instructions to the driver and wave their arms around? Usually they're yelling the direction they want the back end of the trailer to go, and only confuse the driver. I've helped dozens of RVers simply by walking along beside the driver's door and telling them which way to turn the steering wheel and how much; real simple.

 

[Bird]

Joe, it's like lots of other things; just depends on what you're accustomed to it and experience. I consider the fifth-wheel to be easier to maneuver into tight spots, or to back in a straight line. You're right about them not being as sensitive to steering adjustment, which I think makes them easier to maneuver; you don't over correct as often. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

The only problem I ever had with maneuvering that 32' fifth-wheel was trying to back it into tight RV sites during the hours of darkness. That was because the backup lights on the truck reflected off the white front of the trailer so I couldn't see down the side of the trailer in my mirrors. And I learned a great way to solve that from one of the RV magazines. The truck had a good CB radio and I bought a cheap kid's walkie-talkie from Radio Shack that worked on Channel 11. My wife didn't drive the truck pulling the trailer, but if it had to go into a tight spot at night, I put her behind the wheel, told her she could shut her eyes if she wanted to and listen to the CB. I'd go behind and tell her which way to turn the steering wheel and how much, to go forward or back, and when to stop. Almost never had to stop and pull forward and try again.

Did you ever watch those folks who go to the back of the trailer and try to yell instructions to the driver and wave their arms around? Usually they're yelling the direction they want the back end of the trailer to go, and only confuse the driver. I've helped dozens of RVers simply by walking along beside the driver's door and telling them which way to turn the steering wheel and how much; real simple.

 

[jwstewar]

That is exactly how Dad and I used to do it. Didn't matter which one of us was in the truck, we told the other which way to turn the wheel. Made it much simpler. Did the same thing when it was time to hook up (travel trailer). I always laugh when people talk about I can't see the ball or I can't back that well so I get close and move the trailer by hand. That doesn't work with a camper that weighs over 6k empty. You've got to be dead on or at least within' an inch. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I also laugh when my F-I-L brings his little utility trailer to our house. Can't back it up the driveway so he always has to drive through the yard. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Keep telling him to move over and watch me back it out. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jwstewar]

That is exactly how Dad and I used to do it. Didn't matter which one of us was in the truck, we told the other which way to turn the wheel. Made it much simpler. Did the same thing when it was time to hook up (travel trailer). I always laugh when people talk about I can't see the ball or I can't back that well so I get close and move the trailer by hand. That doesn't work with a camper that weighs over 6k empty. You've got to be dead on or at least within' an inch. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I also laugh when my F-I-L brings his little utility trailer to our house. Can't back it up the driveway so he always has to drive through the yard. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Keep telling him to move over and watch me back it out. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif