Stepdad,
IMHO I think 5th wheels advantages are better ride, they trail the truck better so they are easier to negotiate turns. Overall are more comfortable to pull. If you are on the highway alot a 5th wheel is hard to beat.

Dis-advantages might be loss of bed space and loss of floor space above the 5th wheel hitch that are usually bedrooms anyway. They are not as comfortable to tow as a 5th wheel, also IMHO.

If you have several kids you may want to consider a travel trailer as it seems to me there is usually more sleeping space.

Either way you go a slide-out adds valuable floor space to a camper.

Just some thoughts....
D.

 

Stepdad: Here are my thoughts, for what they're worth. I have pulled both. The FW will tow better (less bounce than TT) and some feel is easier to hook up than TT. Trailer sway is not a problem when trucks pass and in theory, you can turn it shorter. FW's also have more storage space than TT (of similar lengths).

However, I personally have a 34 ft TT with a Hensely-Arrow hitch. There is more use of internal space in TT (foot per foot). They track more closely behind the truck (especially with the Hensely-Arrow hitch) and are easier to back up because they respond much quicker to truck steering compared to FW's that are slow to respond and require a bit more practice mastering the back-in maneuver. With the Hensely-Arrow hitch, sway is completely gone (which contributes to most TT puller's nightmares when being passed on a long down hill coast by a semi).

I have read several posts where some other hitches have little to no sway. Can't speak for any others, but the Arrow is my choice if pulling a TT. If pulling a FW, go with a 4-way hitch with some shock-absorbing features...you'll be glad you did.

Not sure if this helps, but should give you thing to ponder!!!

 

I have a 5th wheel. I have never had a bumper-pull. I went with the 5th wheel because I wanted the ability to pull another trailer. I have jet-skis that I pull to the lake behind the 5th. Some states don't allow double towing and the ones that do have different restrictions. My trailer is too long to pull a decent sized boat behind it, but the skis or even ATV's can be done with ease. Just my .02 worth. Good luck on your decision!

 

Thanks folks,
I really appreciate the replies. Good info. I can't afford new but will purchase in the $4,000 to $7,000 range. There seems to be alot of nice trailers/5th wheels in that range on the rvtrader.com website. What are your thoughts about buying from a private person vs a dealer? Some private sales seem real nice but it's "buyer beware" for sure.


Thanks again, John (stepdad)

 

No argument with what has been said so far. With a fifth wheel you can carry more stuff, get a bit more luxury and have more slideouts. Fifth wheels are inherently more stable in tow, but as Hooky points out that advantage can be entirely canceled out with the right hitch. I use an Equal-i-zer brand hitch, which while not as sophisticated (or expensive) as a Hensley, does an excellent job with my trailer. In very tight maneuvering, I prefer the closer tracking of a TT. This is distinguished from the ability of a 5th wheel to turn around in less space, which you can jackknife and turn around in virtually its own length. But in tight narrow roads, like California’s Hwy 1, the travel trailer will follow closer to the tracks of the TV, giving you a little more leeway before scraping along the cliff face on the inside of a turn. Again these are not major differences. The flat floor of a TT is very nice if you have any physical limitations that make stairs a challenge. I like having a shell on my truck and the bed clear for all the stuff I inevitably carry there. Most who have gone from a TT to a 5th wheel don’t come back, so there is obvious appeal there. For me, though the TT is the better choice and I’m not the least tempted to switch.

TC

 

many good points, but one i that considered that weighed very heavy on my mind, is the exposure of the unit over the top of the cab. what kind of extra power and fuel it takes to maintain the same speed, massive wind resistance. same truck, heavier and longer tt will easily be more efficent to tow at highway speeds. every 6 inches up will cost.

 

The 5th wheel is the way to go IMHO. There is no perfect solution. I've had 2 motorhomes, a TT and now I have a 37' 5th wheel. I pull it with a 05 3500 DRW Dmax. If your going to get a 5th wheel, consider the following:

1) Do you have a long bed or short bed? That will determine your type of hitch.

2) If you have a short bed truck, you will probably need to get a slider hitch. A slider will give you about 18 extra inches once it is slides back. You will only need this if you get into a tight spot and have to really cut it. If you cut sharp and aren't careful, the front of the 5th wheel will bust out your rear glass and possibly damage the back your truck cab.

3) Don't cut corners by buying a cheapo hitch. Go with a reputable brand name. Reese makes a good slider if that's what you need. I'm running a Reese 18K Signature series hitch. The advantages to this hitch are that the frame rails mount under the truck bed so you don't have them on the top of the bed, this hitch also seems to have greatly minimized the "thump" that you get when breaking and it is much lighter as compared to other hitches. When I'm done hauling, I simply pull 4 pins, unlatch it from the bed and set it under the 5th wheel.

4) Don't exceed your trucks weight capacity. If you should get a heavy trailer and have SRW, you will tend to roll side to side which can be a strange feeling.

Finally, as for locknload's question. I can tell you that I normally get 17.5 MPG on my truck running empty. When I tow my 5th wheel, I get around 9 MPG depending on the terrain. That would be expected for a trailer that weighs around 13,000 pounds.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions about my post.

 

Wow,
Thanks for the good info, I really appreciate it. There sure is alot of nice, fairly inexpensive 5th wheels for sale at rvtrader.com. Right now, I can hook up a TT and go (I need to get a electric brake module). If I decide on a 5th wheel I lose the truck bed and have to deal with the hitch. Really good info and I'll have to think about this one.

Thanks again, John

 

Wow,
Right now, I can hook up a TT and go (I need to get a electric brake module). If I decide on a 5th wheel I lose the truck bed and have to deal with the hitch. Really good info and I'll have to think about this one.

Thanks again, John

Not really. I have the Reese 16K 5ver hitch and all I do is pull 4 pins and the hitch comes out and it takes less than 3 minutes (one of the pins is a lock so it takes an extra 5 seconds for that one... ). I then have the use of the entire bed except for the 2 rails bolted to the bed floor (which are no taller than the ribs already in the floor) and I can haul anything that I could before. Unless of course you are talking about while you're out RVin'. Then you would have the hitch in there, but what the heck would you need the bed for then? Anyways, that's my $.02 worth.
JP

 

let me say up front that I am a retired state employee who now works in camper sales .... we camp extensively, just returned from a 71 day cross country swing ... there is no perfect style camper, they all have advantages and disadvantages ... many of the comments already listed are dead on and some may be off a little ... we have towed our current TT for just under 40,000 miles during the last 3 summers and currently are having a 5er custom built that should be here around the middle of October ... from our experience, advantages and disadvantages are as follows:

TT:
1. several modern hitches deliver extremely smooth towing with minimal (if any) sway so the tow-ability differences that used to exist are now almost nonexistant ... the pivot point difference is one that is up to personal preference
2. may be towed by a variety of vehicles (vans, pickups, Surburbans, etc)
3. have fewer steps (the older I get the more I like this feature : )
4. free up the bed of a pickup to haul other items
5. across the board have more floor plans
6. are generally cheaper
7. lower profile makes it easier to travel through parks with low hanging limbs
8. lower profile also reduces the impact of head and cross winds

5'ers:
1. more living space than a TT of the same length ... most, certainly not all, TT's count the tongue as part of the lenth of the camper
2. shorter length going down the road ... a 30' TT is all behind the tow vehicle while a 30' 5'er extends over the bed of the tow vehicle
3. in most (certainly not all, with the exception being centered mostly in the midwest) states, if a person wished to pull two trailers (ex: camper and a boat) the first must be a 5'er
4. can usually accomodate some options that most TT's can't (example: a generator)
5. most have considerably more storage space than TT's
6. many are available with more advanced suspension systems (like the Mor-Ryde system) that are seldom found on a TT
7. where height is not an issue, a 5'er and its tow vehicle can often be parked on a smaller site than a TT and its tow vehicle

the bottom line is which do you like the best and will provide you with the best service ... when looking for a used camper its age/condition, floor plan, the tow vehicle, manufactor (quality of construction) and quality of dealership are critical factors ... buying from an individual is fine but all of the above factors should still be considered

if you haven't done so already, check out the following general RV forums:

http://www.rv.net/forum/
http://irv2.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=cfrm&s=8076099152

the best brand specific forum I know of is:

http://www.sunnybrooktalk.com/members/index.php?

hope this helps

Jim

 

Thanks Jim,
Once again, alot of good info. At this point I'm leaning toward a used TT in the $4,000 to $6,000 range between 22'-26'. Some don't have awnings. I do remote camping so an awning is alot more important than an air conditioner.


Thanks again good folks......really great info. Best, John

 

I've pulled both TT's & 5'ers and many of the differences are exaggerated. 5'ers require less knowledge in setup. If they are level there's not too much problem. TT's require that you set them up properly or you can get sway, etc. If setup properly a TT will pull just as well, including sway. Many don't know how to set them up so they have problems regarding sway! Never have the front higher that the rear. I like a "barely noticeable" lower in the front rake to avoid sway! Get a good sway control.

You usually get get more for your money in a "used" TT because of supply and demand.

5'ers turn smaller circles which is sometimes an advantage, but sometimes causes you to clip curbs on right turns. TT's follow the path of the tow vehicle closer going around corners in cities. The only real advantage not obvious I've found with a 5'er is when they get really big (30ft.+) It seems to be harder to get a soft ride in the tow vehicle with a TT. I think that's because of where the weight is applied. Over about 25' I start thinking 5'er. Under 25' you can find a nice TT for less money.

Try to avoid rubber roofs if you go near trees, but look for leaking problems on alumn. roofs with seams. Rubber roofs are cheaper for the manufacturers, not better! Hit a branch with one and you'll find out. If a used trailer has a metal roof with seams with problems, clean the seams down to bare metal, wash with vinegar and apply White G.E. type II tube silicone on the seams. It's close to a permanent fix! I had it last 10+ years on a trailer and as far as I know it's still flexible and good today. I won't use the junk the industry puts on. It doesn't hold up over time and I don't like crawling around the roof every few years.

Hope this helps! Have fun!

 

I'd say it would depend on what you were going to use i for. My wife and I both ride dirtbikes and have a jeep. We were tired of driving two vehicles everywhere. We bought a toyhauler right after we bought our 3500. The space we lost in the truck bed is nothing compared to what we can put in the trailer.
If you were looking for a small 20' travel lite, then I'd it wouldn't matter. But witht he larger trailers...5th wheel is the way to go. Just be careful with the size; there are a lot of camp grounds I can't fit in. Especially in Yosemite.

 

If want to see some pictures... http://www.houseofperez.com/Motocross/Clear%20Creek/clearcreektrip.html