CLASS A -VS- TRUCK & 5TH WHEEL ?

CLASS A -VS- TRUCK & 5TH WHEEL ? And/or truck requirements for 5th wheel. We currently have a 30' travel trailer, but want to upgrade as we want to snowbird. We have considered getting a used class A, but thought maybe a new truck and 5th wheel might be a better/more useful option. I am recently retired mil, and husband's job is portable, so we want to at least snowbird. Want to get at least 37' of either (RV or trailer). Want seasoned opinions. Pros & cons of each. Also, we are looking at a new 2014 RAM 3500 Cummins diesel dually. Is this overkill or appropriate for a decent sized (37' +) 5th wheel? We have horses as well so we need a new truck anyway to pull our horse trailer. Our 15 y/o Chevy Silverado 1500 is getting tired. Any and all input is appreciated!

kimr - In my opinion, you answered your own question – you need a truck to pull a horse trailer. Just my thoughts here, and please realize just what opinions are worth – LOL
1. A 15 Y/O half ton pick-up will not be sufficient to pull the size fifth wheel of the size you indicated.
2. You say you want to be a snow bird, but that means several things to some folks. Do you plan to go south, and remain at one location for the entire season? Or, do you plan to go south and stay for short periods at many locations? If you answered one location, then by all means a fiver is the way to go!
3. Fivers are really great for long stays, as apposed to class A’s which offer convenience to short stays, at lease that has been our experience.

Good luck with your choice.
John

What this always boils down to is personal preference. Warning, I would never have a motor home, just my preference and seeing other friends problems with their MH. Hooking and unhooking a tow car, verses hooking and unhooking a truck and 5er, in my experience traveling and watching others is pretty much a wash as is setting up and breaking down electric, sewer and water. We have friends who have had one type, switched to the other, and, some liked what they had done, and others switched back as soon as they could. After having towed with a gasser for a year when we fulltimed, I would NEVER tow again unless I had a diesel. With my 2006 Ram 3500 with the 5.9 Cummins turbo diesel I get 11 mpg towing either our 32 foot Laredo, or our 25 foot Arctic Fox. Not towing, I get 19 to 21 mpg depending on how heavy my foot is.

I agree with John you answered your own question. For what you are doing and you already have horse trailer. Go with the truck and trailer.

I have asked the same question many years and received similar responses. For me and my wife we purchase a Class "A" for convenience of having it all in one, as we already own 2 cars and 1 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab, so we have options.

yes, I probably should have included that we do actually also have a Yukon SUV that can pull our bumper pull horse trailer or travel trailer as well, but we want something bigger than our travel trailer if we're going to be living in it with 3 dogs for more than a week. That's why we're thinking about getting a bigger truck and a 5th wheel. This thing is even set up with the brake box, bed liner, hitch, and power in the bed already! And still has a regular bumper pull hitch already installed. It's a LOT of truck. But it's also a really good deal. We just didn't know if it would be over kill.

Whatever you do, don't listen to an RV dealer when they tell you "your truck will pull it"! Yes it probably will, but you need a rig that will handle the weight and provide much of the stop too. I haven't followed the RV world for several years and I see all kinds of new 5th wheel makes that I never heard of. Our 2004 32 ft Laredo was an OK fulltimer for the two of us and two cats but we spent winters in either Yuma AZ or in an RV park 55 miles north of Puerto Vallarta Mexico and summers as far north as Washington State so we weren't too worried about an "all season" rig. Our 25 ft 2006 Arctic Fox is marked "All Season" and we spent January and most of February in Carson City NV for medical treatment and were comfortable with just a small electric heater. Of course we had an EXTREAMLY mild winter in northern Nevada this year and the temp rarely got below @25 degrees at night. If you want to go to South Texas in the Summer and northern Minnesota in January, I can't think of ANY RV that I would be comfortable with. Any 350/3500 SRW (Single Rear Wheel) diesel pickup should be OK with a 5er up to about 35 feet, anything bigger I would think a duelly would be better.