Discover This Cool RV Hiding Place

5th Wheel RVs have a basement. This is the area behind and below the king-pin where you'll find a massive storage compartment. This area is so large on many new 5ers that you could use it for separate living quarters for your mother-in-law. One of the problems I experienced with my 5ers was access to the stuff in the center of the basement. One of the ways you can solve this problem is to install a cargo tray that slides your gear out for easier access. Another way you can access you center basement is to install a trap door over the top. Here is an example of how a fellow RVer used this technique to have easy access to a freezer. He installed an electric outlet in his basement and put in a freezer. He cut a hole in the floor, reinforcing the the area around the hole and installed a trap door. Now they can easily access the additional freezer and a few items in the center of the basement. I would not do this without first consulting with the RV manufacturer because there may be structural problems (cross beam supports) that may prevent you from doing this. It never ceases to amaze me at how creative RVers are when it comes to modifying their rigs to suit their purposes. Keeping you up to speed on cool ideas - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Can You Triple Tow?

RV owners with fifth-wheel trailers sometimes ask: Is it legal to tow something behind my fifth-wheel? Our first "run in" with the concept was an older couple who pulled a fifth wheel, and behind it pulled their "toad car." It seemed totally out of whack to us, but in the years since, we've seen a lot more "triple tow" action.

According to TowingWorld.COM, the some 30 states do allow you to pull a trailer behind your fifth wheel. There are some "fine print" details on the matter, so we urge you to check out the full list before you hitch up and go. Here's the list of states allowing "triple tows:"

Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Ford Super Duty 450 for 2008 BIG 5er Puller

RVers who want to pull those really BIG fifth wheels may want to look into Ford's 2008 truck offerings. The new 450 Super Duty is now rated to tow a fifth wheel up to 24,500 pounds. Partly responsible for this capacity is Ford's 'souping up' the Power Stroke diesel engine to 6.4 liters, and rating it at 350 horsies under the hood.

One nice addition we spotted was the change in the fuel injection system. If you've ever sat around in the cold waiting for a glow plug light to give you the go-ahead, Ford says even at 20 below Fahrenheight you'll only have to wait 2 seconds to start. Our raggedy old Ford makes us wait several seconds on what Arizonans would describe as a chilly morning--and that's far from anywhere near that moribund 20 below stuff.

Another wrinkle? Integrated trailer braking. Integrated as you don't need to buy and install an after market trailer brake control--Ford's is tied into the ABS system that Ford says "synchronizes" the truck brakes and trailer brakes. This I gotta see.

To read more opinion and puff, check out a story found Indiana's Star Press.

Photo courtesy /www.fordvehicles.com

Carlisle Tires and Fifth Wheels

A good friend of ours bought a brand new fifth wheel from an Arizona dealer. Before he could get the beast come to California, he'd blown two tires. Another one went shortly after that, and to say he had the "heebeejeebies" about the matter is an understatement. The tires were Carlisle branded, and he contacted the company about them. They replaced his tires at no charge, and it wasn't long afterward, one or two of the new ones "blew." The company had the tires inspected, and apparently it wasn't a case of "owner overload." He finally gave it up and went to another brand.

A writer on a fifth wheel forum faces an interesting dilemma: He wants to stick with 15" tires on his RV (after hearing that others have swapped out to 16") and wonders about Carlisles. Got any experiences you'd like to share? Or check out the comments other readers have made regarding fifth wheel tire experiences from the Big C company. Visit the post on the RV Travel Forum.

Photo courtesy mlovitt on flickr.com