This luxury fifth-wheel RV offers an intriguing layout full of upscale conveniences.
By Bruce W. Smith
August 2022
If you’re a full-time, part-time, or would-be owner of a towable RV, consider this scenario: You roll into a campground, drop the jacks on your trailer, and soak in the surroundings while enjoying the comforts of your home on wheels. One fifth-wheel can make this happen in a big way and stands out among the hundreds of models offered in today’s burgeoning RV market: the Jayco Pinnacle.
The Pinnacle line, as the name implies, is the premium model in Jayco’s vast array of RVs, and a walk through the 40-foot 2022 36SSWS suggests it is poised at the peak of pampered living. The model I recently toured left little doubt as to why a growing number of full-time RVers shopping for a new fiver are putting this model on their short list. The 36SSWS, which sleeps up to five, is one of six Pinnacle floor plans for 2022.
The Pinnacle 36SSWS floor plan positions the bedroom up front and includes a sofa, king-size bed, plentiful storage, an LED TV, and a fireplace.
Luxury Bedroom Suite
Usually, a fifth-wheel’s kitchen and living area leave a lasting impression with me when I tour a new model. But in the case of the 36SSWS, the bedroom suite stands apart from the pack.
First of all, the front bedroom area is accessed via three steps on the off-door side of the unit, after one passes a huge bathroom on the camp side. A “shoe garage” built into the steps is a thoughtful touch. As you walk into the bedroom, you’ll instantly notice a large, angled couch in front of the broad window built into the nose of the trailer. This makes a wonderful place to relax and read, or just chill and watch the 32-inch LED TV mounted above the dresser. A walk-in closet can be selected as an option in place of the sofa and window.
A 72-inch-by-80-inch king-size bed is positioned in the bedroom slideout; gas struts lift the mattress for access to storage below. The bed faces a wardrobe with a built-in fireplace. This setup is akin to having a private den. An optional queen-size bed is available for those who prefer more walk-around room.
In the hallway opposite the bathroom are side-by-side wardrobe cabinets that are prepped for a washer and dryer.
The bathroom in the 36SSWS features a beautiful residential-sized walk-in shower equipped with multiple spray heads, a holder for toiletries, and a flip-down teak seat. Rich under-counter cabinetry, a tile backsplash, an elegant solid-surface countertop with a porcelain-bowl sink and high-rise faucet, and a porcelain foot-flush toilet complete the bathroom amenities.
The galley features residential-size appliances, a large island, a movable dining table with extension, and designer lighting.
Home-Style Kitchen
The Pinnacle’s galley feels like a kitchen in a very nice apartment. It includes a full-size residential refrigerator with an ice maker and an 1,800-watt pure sine wave inverter. Cooking a meal for a family gathering or a special holiday should not be an issue in this fiver. Its generously sized appliances include a 24-inch range with four large burners, one furnishing an output of 12,000 Btu; a 3.73-cubic-foot oven; and a 30-inch overhead microwave-convection oven. The appliances are housed in the front portion of the off-door-side slideout.
An expansive island makes food prep easy. It holds a deep farmhouse-style stainless-steel sink accompanied by a pull-out faucet. The island also can serve as a social gathering spot while the chef is at work. For even more utility, the 36SSWS includes a 24-inch-by-24-inch island extension with a butcher-block top, and even a built-in trash can.
Cookware, food, and other necessities are easily swallowed up in the galley’s pantry and an abundance of drawers and cupboards. There’s even a beautiful hutch against the bathroom wall that provides more storage space underneath. The upper doors of the hutch hide the Pinnacle’s electrical panels and related monitoring systems.
Across from the kitchen, a free-standing dining table is ensconced in the front of the camp-side slideout. It comes with a leaf and four chairs: Two of the chairs fold for storage.
When it’s time to relax, the living area offers a pair of power recliners and a tri-fold sofa bed.
Entertainment And Relaxation
When it comes time to sit and relax, the Pinnacle 36SSWS offers full reclining theater seats along the rear of the camp-side slideout, and a tri-fold sofa bed against the rear wall. An abundance of USB and standard electrical outlets throughout the living room will help keep RVers’ personal electronics powered and charged.
The entertainment center, in the rear of the off-door-side slideout, opposite the power recliners, has an electric fireplace in the bottom half — the second fireplace in this unit. A hidden 50-inch LED TV raises with the touch of a button. The RV includes a home entertainment system with a built-in subwoofer.
For outdoor entertainment, a 32-inch LED TV is mounted in an exterior compartment on the camp side and enhanced by marine-grade speakers. The TV is protected by a 10-foot awning, which is positioned alongside a second, 19-foot awning.
The bathroom is an inviting space with its walk-in shower and upscale fixtures.
Additional Highlights
The Pinnacle’s front and rear fiberglass caps are painted and include LED lighting. The rear cap in the 36SSWS incorporates a large picture window. Three full-body paint options are available. The main entry door is paired with a set of MORryde StepAbove steps. The RV features a six-point hydraulic auto-leveling system, a tire-pressure monitoring system, a fully enclosed universal docking center, and pass-through storage with slam-latch baggage doors, among its long list of features.
Frameless dark-tinted windows made of safety glass are installed throughout; windows in the living area are paired with day/night roller shades. Vinyl flooring runs through the interior, including in the slideouts. Doors, drawers, trim, and slideout fascia are made of handcrafted hardwood. The 36SSWS is one of the Pinnacle floor plans that includes a ceiling fan in the living area. Jayco’s JayVoice voice-command system controls lighting, as well as the unit’s 40,000-Btu furnace and two 15,000-Btu air-conditioners.
Strong Bones
Under the flooring, inside the walls, and above the ceiling are some of the strongest structural components found in the industry, according to Jayco engineers. The Pinnacle line incorporates the company’s Magnum Truss roof system, a curved design said to be capable of withstanding up to 50 percent more weight — up to 4,500 pounds — than competitive brands, enabling RVers to safely perform maintenance. The extra strength also is said to avoid costly structural damage that could result from heavy snow loads or hits from debris or tree branches.
The roof is supported by Jayco’s exclusive Stronghold VBL (vacuum-bond lamination) wall construction process, which combines laminated fiberglass with welded aluminum framing, metal backers, decorative interior wall panels, and high-gloss fiberglass exterior siding. This super-durable structure is designed specifically for heavy use and travel while still reducing overall weight.
Heavy-Duty Frame Design
Underneath it all is a heavy-duty frame rolling on Dexter axles with electric brakes, an advanced MORryde RPB pin box, and a MORryde LRE 4000 rubberized suspension that contributes to a smooth-towing fifth-wheel. Jayco’s blog that discusses the company’s “one-of-a-kind” RV frames goes into considerable detail about the frame’s design: www.jayco.com/blog/rv-frames-review/.
But in a nutshell, the Pinnacle’s main beams are one-piece structures to offer maximum resistance to twisting. The outriggers that support the walls are spaced 4 to 6 feet apart and extend the full width of the trailer. Jayco also utilizes a heavier-duty 2-inch-by-6-inch boxed tube frame for the raised section of the RV that extends over the pickup bed; this reportedly provides better support of the sidewalls in that area and reduces flex during accelerating, braking, and cornering.
Last but not least in the frame design, Jayco engineers say they have reinforced the storage areas with both vertical and horizontal cross members. In addition, all Pinnacles feature drop-frame storage, which is reinforced with a larger, thicker monster beam below the main I-beam.
Overall, the 2022 Jayco Pinnacle 36SSWS doesn’t disappoint in its features and design. It exudes richness, comfort, and durability. This floor plan, with the off-door side hallway to the bedroom/bathroom and the sofa in the bedroom suite, gives a unique feel compared to the majority of other large fifth-wheels and travel trailers. For RVers considering a luxury towable RV, this one is definitely worth a tour.
SPECIFICATIONS | 2022 JAYCO PINNACLE 36SSWS
MANUFACTURER
Jayco Inc., P.O. Box 460, Middlebury, IN 46540; www.jayco.com; (574) 825-5861
MODEL
2022 Pinnacle
FLOOR PLAN
36SSWS
EXTERIOR LENGTH
40 feet
EXTERIOR WIDTH
102 inches
EXTERIOR HEIGHT
13 feet 3 inches (with A/C)
INTERIOR HEIGHT
8 feet 7 inches, main; 6 feet 8 inches, upper deck
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR)
16,750 pounds
UNLOADED VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING
14,040 pounds
DRY HITCH WEIGHT
3,075 pounds
CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY (CCC)
2,710 pounds
TIRES
Goodyear ST255/85R16E
BRAKES
Nev-R-Adjust electric
FRESH WATER CAPACITY
75 gallons
HOLDING TANK CAPACITIES
gray water — 87 gallons; black water — 50 gallons
PROPANE CAPACITY
120 pounds
WATER HEATER
12 gallons, propane/electric with direct spark ignition
ELECTRICAL SERVICE
50 amps
HEATING SYSTEM
40,000-Btu furnace
AIR CONDITIONING
(2) 15,000-Btu, one with heat pump
REFRIGERATOR
Full-size residential with ice maker and 1,800-watt pure sine wave inverter
TOILET
Porcelain with foot flush
WARRANTY
2 years limited; structural, 3 years
MANUFACTURER’S BASE SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE
$144,791