AN OWNERS PERSPECTIVE: FIFTH WHEEL VS TRAVEL TRAILER
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มี.ค. 2024
- We have owned both travel trailers and 5th wheels. In this video, I am going to share my thoughts on the differences between these two different tow behind RV types. Both have their positives but one definitely tows better than the other.
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If we did not have a motor home we would definitely have a fifth wheel. They just have the most space. Lynn and Danny
We have had several th wheels and now are in our mid 70's. We now have had 3 bumper pulls due to or age and knees. So age sometimes dictates what you ca.p in .
With a fifth wheel, you lose space in bed. You have to have a 3/4 or bigger truck to pull, not because of overall weight but the hitch/ tongue weight. Then there’s the overall height issue. Most trailers are approximately 11’ or so, whereas the 5’ers are 13+’ . I’ve looked at 5th wheels in the past, but my wife had problems with steps into the trailer and didn’t want to climb more stairs inside. My vote is still travel trailers.😊
I would have thought a fifth wheel would be harder to hitch up so this along with the overall length and the extra space…. this was both interesting and helpful knowledge for us who’ve never experienced both! 👍
I have a Scamp 19 - think it's the best of both worlds really. With a Nissan Titan can fit it in two tandem parking spots. Great video!
I agree - have a Scamp 19 too! We tow with a GMC diesel and get great mileage.
Have had both and towing a fifth wheel is much easier for me. I found backing in much easier too.
I have towed both and either can work fine. Have a travel trailer at the moment. Like the lower overall height mainly for some tight camp spots with lower branches and the like. If I have my weight distribution hitch putting enough weight on the front of my tow vehicle then it is very stable. No issues with trucks passing or meeting them on two lane roads. Reality is that most folks do have a weight distribution hitch, but don't have it properly set up, and ultimately are not transferring much weight to the front. Properly set up and sway is a non issue. But either can work well and tow well depending on your wants and needs for sure. My overall length with an almost 30 foot trailer and a long pick up is right around 50 feet, so ferries cost a little more :) but not a problem for towing, and I still seem to be able to get into most camp spots without issue. That is the beauty of RVing, there is something for everyone.. Great review, and as always safe travels....
Good job on explaining the difference between a TT and 5th wheel. For us we are definitely preferring our 5th wheel to our previous TT when it comes to hitching and unhitching. Not having to deal with the anti-sway bars which were heavy and cumbersome has made the job of hitching and unhitching a lot quicker and easier. We are so quick with our 5th wheel that it's no longer a dreaded task.
We have so enjoyed going to the Fith Wheel for drivability and comfort! No more "White Knuckle" for John pulling the 36 foot Toy Hauler! 😂 There were some days with road conditions or wind that made the travel trailer a real challenge. Great video! Thanks Patrick and Patty. J&C 🍀
Thank you so much!
As always a great talk 👍
Over the last 40 years we have had several different, Class A, Class C, Fifth wheels, and Bumper Pulls. We have tried them all. Currently we have a 32 ft bumper pull. Love the lower height and this time we installed a Hensley Sway Elimination Hitch. With this hitch this unit tows better than "Any fifth wheel" we've had (3 units 30 - 35 ft) The big difference is the sway elimination versus all the others that are sway control. If your unit is set up with the Correct Hitch and Setup Correctly then the towing issue should be strictly which trailer better suits you living needs.
Thank you! You did a good job, very informative.
ODTR, Bruh! ODTR! Great video, BTW!
And, as always, Bentley says, "Woof, woof!" to the the pups!
Super vidéo merci
The big difference I found is with the disconnecting. A travel trailer can be slightly jackknifed. A 5th wheel has to be disconnected almost straight on. You can't go over the side of the bed of a truck.
Very good point!
Excellent insights. We are considering downsizing from a Class A and your video helps a lot! Many thanks!
I’ve pulled both and a 5th wheel is so much better towing!
Well said! I had a TT and went to a 5th wheel and everything you have said is absolutely true! I especially liked the feeling of never having to worry about the TT swaying and killing us!
We went from Rockwood mini lite to 26 RD Alliance. The room is such a difference and the towing is easier.
Love all your sharing and comparisons. Please keep your channel 🙏 ❤😊! You won't run out of ideas.
Thank you so much!
Thanks for the information. Actually, good information. I support you bro.
Thank you!
I thought about a fiver but I am concerned about the loss of truck bed space for kayaks and bikes, so I have been hesitant.
Gooseneck hitch is the answer to that issue.
I should have mentioned that as a difference between the two.
Exactly my concern. I don't want to give up the use of the truck bed.
Thank you for making this video! We picked up our new Cougar fifth wheel in a few weeks. We have a travel trailer and when a truck goes around you do hang on to the wheel a lot tighter. I can't wait to experience the fifth wheel and you're right about the room it feels more comfortable more roomy when we were looking. This video answered a lot of my questions you can't find from other channels.
Congratulations on the new Cougar 5th wheel!
I have had both and prefer a travel trailer. Backing a 5er takes a lot more tow vehicle movement and space than conventional and they tend to cut corners and not track the same path as the truck . Also from a physics perspective 5ers have a much higher center of gravity and can push more while cornering. Not much difference going forward down the road with a properly set up anti sway hitch system. 5ers tend to buck with expansion joints on the freeways. Smaller 5ers usually but not always require you to open the slide to get to the bathroom and bedroom which requires getting to a pretty level spot. I do agree about the increased living space once at your location.
This is the answer I was looking for. Which one is easier to back up into a spot sounds like 5th wheel is harder. This is all new to me so trying to learn!
Great video. I see you were listening to Yacht Rock radio. The best station!!!!
We love Yacht Rock and seem to listen to it most of the time.
The hot topic with 5th wheels lately has been nothing but "frame flex." Glad to see something else on You Tube instead of that topic when discussing 5th wheels.
TH-cam station big truck big rv talked to lippert and had a two part video. Mentioned the frame flex was happening close to 17000 lb trailers mentioned from lippert
We have a friend that had that issue with their 41’ 5th wheel. Fortunately Grand Design took care of it under warranty for them.
Four travel trailers, first fifth wheel, I will never go back to travel trailers.
Good job on the video you made all good points! I've thought about making a similar video on truck camper vs travel trailer but I just haven't got around to it.
Thanks Todd! I think you should do that video. I know I would love to see it as we have always thought about a truck camper.
Great breakdown. i bet this video will find new people that haven't seen you before. The 5th makes more sense to me between the two.
Hopefully it will help someone who is trying to decide which one would be best for them.
Love our 5th wheel. We experienced the same things going from a travel trailer. Both were basically same length so we are actually shorter with the fifth wheel. And yes more roomy than the TT. Great video.
Thank you.
Great video. Should do a video on how you hook up the 5th wheel to your truck like you did with the trailer.
Thats a great idea….I will work on that.
We don't camp any more. My thought is if you're full time then 5th wheel is the way to go. If your still working and camping part time then I need the pick up bed for hauling ect.
Thanks for telling us about your experience with both. We've ordered our first fifth wheel, a Brinkley Z2900 and will have a Gen-Y Gooseneck hitch on it. Our current travel trailer is 35'7" and the Z2900 is 33'11" so our total length will be less with the 5th than with the TT. So exciting.
Congratulations! The Brinkley’s look so nice. We loved the look of them inside….almost felt more like an apartment than an RV which we loved.
Any issues wit hgas stations? My biggest issue is getting gas in my truck while pulling camper. Was seriously considering buying a diesel just to make it less stressful getting fuel.
Good Sunday Morning !
Great comparison on the two types of RV units. I too have experienced the 'white knuckle' clutch ( on the steering wheel ) while driving my Rv Trailer down 495 in New England. When pulling my rig, I always keep an eye out for the wild cat trucker doing 75 mph, getting through the crowds of vehicles out there. I have noticed a recent uptick in the number of state troopers out patrolling our interstates here in Massachusetts. There seems to be an effort by the state to control the excessive speed out there. Pulling my Sonic 200 VML back to Maine for the summer...... Bill S.
Thank you Bill! You know we love Maine. I don’t think we will make it up there this year though
To help With the Wind & Milage U can use A Wing for the top of the Cap of the Truck to help with U-R Mileage U Can get in Fiberglass it is cheaper than The Chrome Aluminum Good Luck with U-R Milage.
Hands down pulling a 5th wheel is way less stressful
You do loss bed space
But.
5th wheel have way more under storage that a TT
Hello Delany. This helps out alot.
I have a question. In regards to solar and a good sized battery bank and an atmospheric water generator (like water gen)... I don't see much discussion surrounding this. Granted, it's not cheap... Maybe 6 to 8k for a 2.4Kw system and another 2 grand or so for a water generator. Aside from cost, I just love the idea of always having power and producing all of my water needs. Say 6 to 8 litres a day for cooking cleaning, washing, toilet etc. If you're docking at a camp with hook ups, then obviously you don't need this but to have piece of mind to go wherever you want or boondocks on BLM land etc. it just seems like a no Brainer to essentially be independent of any hookups.
Do the make mini 5th wheels....that would be crazy
The Scamp 19' is small but it is a goosneck hitch, The ball is in the pickup bed right where the fifth wheel would be. I had one and towed it with my V-6 2005 Tundra got excellent fuel mileage and no issues going up grades. The trailer was just to small for us. We now have a 1685 Lance trailer.
With the addition of antilock brakes on both TT and fifth wheels, it is more about diesel vs gas tow vehicle. No doubt with over 12,000 lbs a diesel is better. Less than 10,000 and anti sway hitch gas is better.
Awesome vids as always. I’m more curious about how you deal with the drop in quality. I have watched your videos of the new rig. Seeing trim in the seam panels is horrific in terms of fabrication…. What are they covering up or do they not use precision CNC routers? Glass windows versus thermal, electrical wiring thru the sub cabinets, looks like Medusa’s hair, versus a well thought out wiring bundle of the Lance. Maybe it is just me, but going from a Lance Trailer (or Oliver, Airstream, KNAUS/NuCamp) to ANY RV Product made in Indiana is like going from a 5 star seafood restaurant where a helicopter airlifts you fish from the fishing boat while you enjoy and $900 bottle of wine, to walking across the street and waiting in line for hours at a Jack in the Box. lol I can dewinterize with air in less than 2 minutes with on board air due to the smart layout , not to mention making 7 to 10 days off grid is cake in the Lance. So efficient on energy due to the 4 seasons build. Beyond quiet for those times we are at an RV lot we don’t hear anybody outside our trailer. Windows are a huge part of that. However, a large chunk our trips is enjoying the travel time; being able to quickly pass from 45mph to 90Mph in a few seconds around multiple semi trucks , stay up or out of potential traffic issues in high wind roads, cut thru back roads, drive in cities... As an engineer I don’t think using a weight distribution hitch with a trailer over 5000 lbs is ever a good idea, structurally , but our Lance tows amazing as is. ~So well balanced and we replaced the black tank with an additional 50 gals or freshwater which we take every time which technically is in the wrong direction. IF I am going to pay for an RV , I really struggle ever going to any RV dealer for anything once I purchase an RV. Have you had to take it back due to poor craftsmanship ? Your videos are one of the reasons we bought a Lance over an airstream. So glad we did so thanks for your effort depicting your Lance. I like a lot of what a 5th wheel could offer but there are virtually none made outside Indiana by a quality company so that would be a hard obstacle.
I think you are correct in all of your observations. We went from a NuCamp which in my opinion is the best built RV we have ever owned down to a Lance which is very well built down to the Alliance and that was a huge step down in quality construction in my opinion. BUT....we are loving the extra space it provides us so we are dealing with the construction issues. Great post...thanks for sharing.
@@TravelswithDelaney Thanks! Being that KNAUS owns NuCamp I keep hoping they would start to manufacture premier brands like KNAUS, Tabbert or other quality units from other companies within the USA. Or even other brands like ADRIA. The euro units and Caravans are miles head of what we have here in the USA at a fraction of the cost. 10 Year warranties are the norm there. There is a very large flood in western US, with Australian Caravans. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a $200K BruderX8 on the road and 5 years ago nobody knew what that was. A lot of the problem is most Americans buy from features not quality and construction, picking emotion over education. So the structure to build cheap keeps growing. We have some friends that like our Lance but we actually steered them towards a Tab320 Black Canyon which they just ordered. Smarter, better, more efficient, smaller. To think a Chevy half ton diesel can pull one at 75mph and still get 23mpg is crazy.
Can you comment on the truck that you are currently towing your 5th wheel with?
It’s a Silverado 2500HD gas truck. It does a great job for us. We average around 8.5 mpg
What hitch do you use? Autoslide?
Ours is just a fixed position Reese hitch. It’s what we used with our 35’ 5th wheel and we never had any issues with it. We do get some chucking with it but it doesn’t really bother me.
Can you have a fifth wheel on a half ton truck?
Possibly if you have a 1/2 truck with a large payload capacity and small 5th wheel with a low pin weight. Most 5th wheels though would need at least a 3/4 ton to properly tow.
My F150 has a max tow of 11,300#. Is that sufficient or do I need a 250?
The issue most likely would be payload of your truck. The pin weight on our 5th wheel is 1550#.
Is your truck gas or diesel?
Ours is a gas 2500HD Silverado