Moving 5th wheel RV trailer with big truck

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by slow.rider, May 3, 2021.

  1. slow.rider

    slow.rider Road Train Member

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    Saw this mentioned in another thread:
    I'm interested. Suddenly there's a vision of buying a couple cheap pieces of land and shuttling a trailer between them seasonally, in lieu of a real home.

    Talk to me. Legalities, recommendations, benefits, pitfalls. The whole nine yards. What's the deal.
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2021
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  3. Arctic_fox

    Arctic_fox Experienced mx13 execrator

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    Lot of guys did it in ND when i did oilfield. AFAIK they just needed all the standard RV stuff as if it was a pickup and to either run in personal use or in standard HoS. No BoL needed afaik. Dont know much beyond that
     
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  4. slow.rider

    slow.rider Road Train Member

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    OK nice, but help me out here. What do you mean by all the standard RV stuff?
     
  5. Arctic_fox

    Arctic_fox Experienced mx13 execrator

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    Insurance and tags, 4 or 6 pin to 7 pin converter depending on trailer. That kinda thing.
     
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  6. slow.rider

    slow.rider Road Train Member

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    Are RV tags like commercial trailer tags? Get one from Maine for a couple hundred bucks?
     
  7. Arctic_fox

    Arctic_fox Experienced mx13 execrator

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    Yes and no. I have no idea how it works in maine. In missouri you just pay your taxes on the unit. Get a certification that its safe and everything works. Then go to the dot with your info and they give you plates. Its just like a car for the most part sans emissions test.
     
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  8. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    You’ll need an electric brake controller and an adapter to make your lights work off your 7 way as mentioned above. Insure it and license it in your home state and have at it.
     
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  9. Kyle G.

    Kyle G. Road Train Member

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    We have a member here who pulls a 5th wheel camper with a big truck, I think he’s retired. pretty darn nice setup too. But his name escapes me at the moment.
     
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  10. slow.rider

    slow.rider Road Train Member

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    You can plate a CMV trailer in Maine for super cheap without living there.
     
  11. Arctic_fox

    Arctic_fox Experienced mx13 execrator

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    Mine is leased so its plated where i leased it from :p besides SD is not too bad from what i hear.
     
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  12. ZVar

    ZVar Road Train Member

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    In a nutshell there are three "issues" pulling a 5th wheel camper.
    1. Frame swing. Make sure there is clearance so the frame/mudflaps don't hit the RV in a turn.
    2. 7 flat to 7 round and combining the tail lights converter.
    3. Brake adapter. Anything from an electric brake controller, to a proportional air to electric converter.

    All three are fairly easy to manage, and all have over the counter solutions.
     
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