5th wheel camper ?

[Jim P]

My wife and I are considering buying a 5 th wheel camper to possibly take to the rendezvous. We found an 88 30 foot Jayco that seems to be in pretty good shape. It has real nice oak cupboards, a couch that turns into a bed and a queen size bed up front. The owners want 3,500 for it but they have been trying to sell it since last summer and are open to offers. Does this seem like a pretty good buy?


Here is another question. Is it possible to have a truck set up to pull both a gooseneck and a fifth wheel trailer? I have a gooseneck trailer but would also like to be able to pull this fifth wheel trailer.

[tanker]

Hi Jim, You see the condition of the Jayco, so only you know how much it is worth. The older units do not possibly have slide-outs, and that will keep the price low. Make them and offer if its been on the market for a while, they may want it off their backs. Keep in mind a 15 year old unit may need some work. Do all the appliances work, heat, A/C etc. Was it winterized? Frozen/broken pipes, waterpump, water heater, etc. What about the running gear, tires, brakes, bearings, springs, etc. Figure what that would cost you to do, or pay to have done. Sounds like a good deal.
By the way this should be posted on our 5th wheel, trailer, towing forum below this forum. Good info there. ;) Good luck, and hope to see you at Rendezvous #6 smile.gif

[jspringator]

On a unit that old, be on the lookout for leaks. The owners manual details places to inspect for failing caulk. Of couse the appliances are somewhat expensive to replace, but rot in the wooden structure can't be replaced in a cost effective manner. BTW, Jayco is a good product. You might want to check out www.rv.net. (http://www.rv.net.) You will get a more detailed response over there, possibly even from an owner who had this exact trailer before.

[MTTwister]

Does anybody, or very many, convert a 5th wheel to a goose-neck ball? I've seen 6 horse + slants with living quarters and tack rooms on a "goose ball ", and they have to be a heck of a lot heavier, loaded, than a 'camper'. Sure would free up a lot of room in the bed..

[tanker]

Member "Tractor" from Wyoming has done this. He uses a few goosenecks on his farming operation and also tows a 5th wheel RV (Jayco) which I last saw at Rendezvous #4 in British Columbia.
Tractor are you there? ;)

[Kidd]

Was at a farm show a couple weeks ago, a dealer there had a converter to turn a 5th wheel hitch into a gooseneck type. Basically, it was just a heavy pipe that clamped onto your 5th wheel pin with a goosenck socket below. Looked quite stout, machined out of stainless steel. I would check with your local trailer dealer, they might have it.
K.D.

[Tractor]

I,am here now TANKER. Yes I use what is called a Ranch Hitch adapter. It is very well built, and hooks up to the fifth wheel in a very secure way. I pull a 30 foot Jayco Designer series. It locks on to the pin and is also bolted on to the out side of the fifth wheel plate. I have pulled my RV in all types of weather and road condtions. Some say the RV frame is too weak for this kind of leverage, will I have had no trouble at all, and I keep a close watch on this. It also adjust so you can set your trailer height. Last Nov I was even in four wheel drive as there was 6 inches or more of snow on I-80 when I was headed to Las Vegas, high winds and all. It handles very well at all highway speeds. If my trailer was 36 foot or so I might use the fifth wheel hitch. My new Diamond T tandem axle dual wheeled flat bed with a dove tail amd ramps is a gooseneck, might be built tougher then my Jayco frame but that neck will see a heck of a lot more weight, alot more weight....
TRACTOR

[a5150nut]

Tractor,
Does your adaptor eliminate the bounce and back and forth shifting I get with a fifth wheel pin? Is it quiet?

[Tractor]

5150NUT
I can,t imagine you having that much freeplay in your 5th wheel. Is it worn abit? There is no free play in this set up at all it latches solidly on the 2 5/16" ball in the bed of my truck. What noise?
TRACTOR

[rjschoolcraft]

A friend of mine tows a fifth wheel with a goose neck adapter behind his Duramax. I am not sure of the brand, though.