Trailer or 5th wheel?
- Thread starter wrrjar1
- Start date
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We currently have a small fifth wheel and would like to go slightly larger but nothing has seized our interest enough yet to pry open the wallet. Lots of nice interiors in larger fifth wheels but I don't want to be towing down the road or backing into a site something that is 40 ft. long, 13 ft. tall, and 14, 000 lb. heavy, if only because it would necessitate using a heavy duty tow vehicle as a daily driver. Most of the smaller, lower fifth wheels we have looked at have little insulation or down-market furnishings. May take another look at Crossroads Cruiser, Sunnybrook Raven, some of the Heartland fivers. One very interesting travel trailer is the Forest River Aviator, but so far there are few non-pickup truck tow vehicles with sufficient towing capacity - Mercedes GL and VW Tourareg are just a bit shy - I know the very large SUV's would be able to do it, but they are so huge we might as well go the fifth-wheel with a pickup truck option and save 5 ft. of length. Another issue is that the Aviator floor plan we like is quite long, and coupled with a long-ish pickup or a very large SUV it might be awkward to back into some campsites. Still looking for the perfect mid-size fifth wheel. And so the wallet stays closed.
Frizlefrak
Well-known member
This subject has beat to death on here....do a quick search.
But the short of it is this....
5th wheel pulls better, has better storage. Downside, you lose the use of the truck bed.
Travel trailer is typically lighter and less expensive for a given size, keep use of truck bed, doesn't pull as well as a fiver.
For full timing, I'd buy the floor plan that suits us best (in either configuration), THEN buy a truck to pull it. If you plan on going anywhere near the mountain west, get a diesel....any modern diesel is fine. This of course means at least a "3/4 ton" 2500 series truck or better. Ensure you have a decent amount of spare capacity over the trailer's GROSS (not dry) weight. 20% or better is highly recommended.
Happy shopping.
But the short of it is this....
5th wheel pulls better, has better storage. Downside, you lose the use of the truck bed.
Travel trailer is typically lighter and less expensive for a given size, keep use of truck bed, doesn't pull as well as a fiver.
For full timing, I'd buy the floor plan that suits us best (in either configuration), THEN buy a truck to pull it. If you plan on going anywhere near the mountain west, get a diesel....any modern diesel is fine. This of course means at least a "3/4 ton" 2500 series truck or better. Ensure you have a decent amount of spare capacity over the trailer's GROSS (not dry) weight. 20% or better is highly recommended.
Happy shopping.
Bob Buchanan
Well-known member
Having had Class A, Class C motorhomes, a TT and a 5thW as a full timer over 17 or so years -- I have settled on a Class A MH as best for me.
However, can see the advantages of pulling a 5thW if not moving around very often. Then - between a 5thW and a TT, the 5thW worked best. Main reason was how much easier it was to pull and it's resistance to wind vs. the TT. Of course, hooking up or unhooking and backing either into a parking space or whatever, was always a pain vs. a MH.
However, can see the advantages of pulling a 5thW if not moving around very often. Then - between a 5thW and a TT, the 5thW worked best. Main reason was how much easier it was to pull and it's resistance to wind vs. the TT. Of course, hooking up or unhooking and backing either into a parking space or whatever, was always a pain vs. a MH.
Howard Kelly
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2010
- Posts
- 576
trailers have less stairs then 5th wheels a consideration if you have knee or back problems
