New 5th Wheel Owner Parking Concerns

[Jhuff8181]

We will be heading down in a few weeks in our new 41' Heartland Gateway fifth wheel. I have been doing some practicing at Sam's, around town, etc. but I still have a lot to learn. I have simulated backing into a campsite but I have never actually done it. Can any one tell me if the campsites at Fort Wilderness are angled to road at a slant? I've heard this makes backing into the site easier. We have booked a premium site is there a loop I should request that has easier parking (we are pet free). Thank You, John

 

[sirenia88]

Hi,

Congrats on the new RV. Fort Wilderness loops are one way for all motorized vehicles. (Golf Carts/ personal scooter/ etc. commonly will travel in the wrong directions within the loops) They will also be traveling to the right in a counterclockwise direction. Most if not all the sites themselves are on an angle. There may be a couple which are in a straight in direction. The Pet loops are also premium loops. Premium loops tend to have the large sized sites to park some of the largest RVs. I know ours was at least 60 feet deep from the road. Width wise you are looking at about 20 feet of pad space.

Backing in your 40 foot 5er should not be too much of a problem. Just make sure you have good clearance on the utilities side which will be on the left or driver side of the vehicle for bump and slide outs. I suggest to do a pre site inspection prior to backing in. Having a person in the back to guide you in also helps out. If the weather is good, I like to also drop the windows so I can hear for different sounds like guide giving the directions going back in or the more scary crashing sound. eek!

However your approach of practicing in a large parking lot is wise. The only thing I can really say about towing is going forward is easy. The .10% of the time in which you are getting into your rig into place it is known as backing up. Your brain will fight you when you are trying to go a direction that you are not suppose to go. Like Lightening Mc Queen says, "you go right to go left." Funny thing is I had limited experience with towing in general when I took my current position. Since we tow at least 4 times a month if not more, I can tow and back up more effectively. It also has shown in my personal pursuits like RVing or rental equipment. So what I am getting at is, keeping practicing if and when you can. It will help you learn where your break points or angles of the vehicle and trailer are. Make your mind more friendly going backwards. Reality is more experience you have, easier it will be when backing in.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) There are always other campers willing to help guide you into your campsite.
2) If not available, ask at The Outpost and a CM will help guide you.
3) Just remember, this will be a fun week for you, so enjoy backing-in as part of The Fort Experience.
4) Just try to get backed-in during the first 175 tries.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I have a 36 ft bumper pull trailer and a crew cab 4wd 2500HD Chevy, other than some sites in 1400 I have always been able to get into the site. At times I have had to ask the folks across the street to move their vehicle from the edge of the road but folks are real good about helping out.
I have used several buckets in a parking lot when teaching my boys how to back a trailer. You can simulate a parking spot and change the widths to make it easier or harder for practice.

 

[Teamubr]

John,

Congrats on the camper! Sounds like you have already done your homework. The Premium sites are bigger (wider with less obstructions) and have been cleared and setup for big rigs (44+ft motorhomes) to navigate. I think you'll be fine.

Nearly all of the site are angled and that does make it easier.

I tow a lot of things. I have a 30 ft bunk house 5er, a 42 ft Heartland Cyclone toy hauler 5er for the race team and a 48 ft gooseneck race trailer. The 30 ft is probably the hardest to back in. Wheel base from the truck to trailer is smaller than the wheelbase on the truck. That makes the trailer react very fast.

If you have towed bumper pull trailers, you've probably figured out that 5th wheels back up differently. It takes a lot of steering wheel to get the trailer to start moving in the direction you want and then you have to be quicker to start unwinding it. Practice cures everything though.

Don't worry about getting parked. There are plenty of us that have been doing this a long time that are willing to help. Some of us will even pull up a lawn chair and enjoy the show.

j

 

[libba]

Be glad you have a premium site! We have a 37 foot fiver and you need to ask Bama Ed about our entrance to the Fort this year! We had the preferred and we finally got in a site after trying four! I say got into the site but that was after getting the truck buried up to the axle in the sandy area on the side of the pavement. This necessitated having 3 Fort employees and multiple othe campers out there trying to help us figure out how to get out! My husband thought it was a blast and it took him back to his days as a teen going four wheeling!

 

[sirenia88]

Be glad you have a premium site! We have a 37 foot fiver and you need to ask Bama Ed about our entrance to the Fort this year! We had the preferred and we finally got in a site after trying four! I say got into the site but that was after getting the truck buried up to the axle in the sandy area on the side of the pavement. This necessitated having 3 Fort employees and multiple othe campers out there trying to help us figure out how to get out! My husband thought it was a blast and it took him back to his days as a teen going four wheeling!

I am curious how you got your tow vehicle buried in the sand up to the axles. Come to think of it, I have never really seen a truck trailer combo in that kind of position.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

I have a 43' ft Sandpiper 5er and a 08 F450 as a TV. You shouldn't have no problem backing into a site, most sites are on a slant, the main thing you will have to watch for is other trucks, cars and carts that are parked on the edge the roads while you are headed back to your site. Keep an eye in your mirror watching your trailer and take your time and you will be fine. I always park my truck up at the overflow lot after I drop my trailer.

 

[Jhuff8181]

Thanks everyone for your comments and encouragement.

 

[double r]

I got our 40' 5th wheel in a site on the 800 loop this summer and I tow with a full size Kenworth tractor, it was a little tight but managed ok with the wife spotting. Only real problem is if someone near you has their tow vehicle close to the road.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

I got our 40' 5th wheel in a site on the 800 loop this summer and I tow with a full size Kenworth tractor, it was a little tight but managed ok with the wife spotting. Only real problem is if someone near you has their tow vehicle close to the road.

I want a 379 Peterbilt to tow our 43' fifthwheel!! My wife so "NO WAY!!!"

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I want a 379 Peterbilt to tow our 43' fifthwheel!! My wife so "NO WAY!!!"

1) She is right.
2) That is DEFINITELY overkill.
3) A "378" is big enough, and a "377" in a pinch.

 

[Teamubr]

Several guys on the RV forums have picked up used Volvo Class 7 trucks. The were going for less than the price of a new 350 dually. Still had plenty of miles left on the motors.

They would take the tag axle off to make the ride better with just 5th wheel weight. Sell the tag axle and use that money to convert the sleeper into a crew cab with captains chairs.

They had some nice rigs for under $50k that would go for 500,000 miles with almost no work.

Jim

 

[double r]

I was reading and watching the web sites for a Volvo but the Kenworth became available along with a Smart car on the rear deck all ready to go and at a price that was hard to pass up. Yes much cheaper then a brand new F450 I was looking at and felt I made a good choice.

 

[Teamubr]

I was reading and watching the web sites for a Volvo but the Kenworth became available

If you are towing big, you made a great choice. And the KW was certainly a step up from the Volvo. I'll bet you get some looks with the Smart car on the back. I used to get enough comments driving a long bed crew cab dually one day and my Mini Cooper the next. I'm pretty sure the Mini would fit in the back of the truck.

The race team finally bit the bullet and bought a Renegade Toter. We have been towing 2 trailers with a pair of F350s for the last couple of seasons. The toter lets us add a 4th car and share the driving like we used to do.

j

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

1) She is right.
2) That is DEFINITELY overkill.
3) A "378" is big enough, and a "377" in a pinch.

Yea a 378 and 377 would work, but not as good looking as a 379. I seen the 760 Volvo and they are sharp lookin. Im a fan of the long nose Pete's and KW's. The F450 works good and I got a good deal on it $30k with only 18k on two years ago. Just had to get rid of some government required parts.

 

[double r]

If you are towing big, you made a great choice. And the KW was certainly a step up from the Volvo. I'll bet you get some looks with the Smart car on the back.

Yes we do, lots of people ride along side to take pictures, not a fan of people not passing us but getting used to it. Sometimes we do not even get a chance to back in our site before we get asked questions, even worse when we try to load or unload the car.
If anyone wants more info on towing like this check out the Escapees Forum and look under the HDT sub forum or Google HT Resource Guide, plenty of good info at either site.