My husband and I are new to the RV world. We have been camping for about six years, went to a pop-up last year and are considering a Travel Trailer (eventually no time soon) Can someone explain why one would get a Fifth Wheel instead of a Travel Trailer. (please forgive me if I'm using the wrong terms)
We personally have owned only motorhomes. However, my mother and father-in-law first owned a travel trailer and traded it for a fifth wheel after about a year. They said the 5er pulled much better, did not sway as much, and they felt like they had more control. It also seemed much easier to back up. Also their 5er was longer than their TT. But because the front of the RV overlapped the rear of the truck their total length was about the same as before. So in effect they got more space without adding to their total length. Unfortunately we don't have any first hand experience to offer, but I'm sure other members do. Good luck with your purchase. (PS You did great with terms.)
Hi We have a TT aka a "pull behind Trailer" And I'd rather have it vs a 5ver but that is my opinion Yes I have pulled both and the 5ver maybe easier to back in and such but the bedroom is up over the bed of the truck and I never seemed to have the room to stand up in the room ( I'm 6'3") My TT I have the room to stand up without knocking my head all the time. You'll find more staorage in a 5ver sometimes but the newer TT are getting better with storage. They have weight distributing hitches and setups to help sway so you can get a better pull with a TT it's really your decision....Here's a link for more info that maybe of some help www.rv.net you can look under the Travel trailer section or try the fifth wheel section You maybe able to search the site as I believe this question has been asked before on the site. Good Luck
I have had both and there is no way I would choose a TT over a 5th wheel. The 5th wheel pulls easier, parks, easier and has better separation of living and sleeping areas. Of course, I am only 5'9" so I didn't have Brian's problem. Also much easier to hook up.
There are some 5th wheels out there with a higher bedroom ceiling. My son has no problem standing up straight in our current 5th wheel nor did he have a problem in our last one. He is 6'2" without shoes on. We have a Heartland Landmark now, our last one was a Jayco Designer series. The Grand Tetons also have higher ceilings. We toured them at a RV show. There were more, but I don't remember all of the brands.
One thing you might do is compare the two when you get ready to make the purchase and see which meets your needs the best! We chose the 5th wheel because of the options it had and the storage space. At that time, the tow behind didnot have the amount of storage for the same length of camper.
We have had both TT and 5th Wheels. I personally prefer the 5th Wheel because of the way it pulls. Our's has enough head room in the bedroom and I'm 6'3" without shoes. We like the layout for us along with the outside storage. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a Travel Trailer... so I just think it comes down to personal preference. Good Luck in your search... RVman / John
I have never owned a 5th wheel. I did have a 32 ft Holiday Rambler trailer when I first started full timining. Since have had 3 MHs. If money is a consideration the trailer is the most inexpensive way to go. It take way less HP to move it down the road. You can pull one with a 1/2 ton PU, which when not pulling is more economical, and the cost of the pull vehical can be far less. I dis agree about about a 5th wheel being easier to back up. In this day and age of $4+ gas and $5+ fuel it is worth considering a pull trailer. I am.
I’ve owned or used both TT and 5W. If it’s a recreational, week-end thing, then the TT is probably the better of the two for reasons already mentioned. Purchase cost, fuel costs, doesn’t take a larger truck to pull it, etc. One needs to also remember that to pull a 5W you need a hitch to go in the bed of the truck. Those aren’t cheap. The 5W does have more external storage space especially those that have a flow thru bay. They are less susceptible to rocking and bouncing motions when you are moving around in them. It’s a whole lot easier to hook up. Much easier to put a 5W hitch pin into the truck bed hitch than it is to put a bumper ball under a TT hitch – especially if there is only one person doing it. The forward bedroom/bath combo has it’s advantages over a TT. Be that as it may, there are some advantages to a pop-up. You can go and stay places that would be inaccessible to a TT or 5W. There’s a lot to be said for communing with nature.
We have actually owned 3 different types of campers. Our first was an old 85 class C which we sold and bought a 97 pop-up. The pop-up was ok until our daughter started walking and then it just became too small. That led us to buying our 27' 2000 travel trailer and we love it. It has enough room and is laid out perfect for our needs. We don't have a vehicle big enough to pull a 5th wheel so this is the perfect solution for us.
WE have owned 2 travel trailers and currently own a 5th wheel. All the points above are valid. I prefer my 5th wheel because of the ease of driving. I owned the best weight distribution and sway controls on the market and had way more sway on my travel trailer than my current 5th wheel. Unfortunately with gas prices, you will need a truck large enough to pull the 5th wheel, but you will also need a large truck or SUV to pull any travel trailer with size. The best advice I can give you is to match the trailer with the size of the tow vehicle you have. Unless you have a full sized SUV or truck, stay with the pop up for safety reasons. The length of the wheel base of your tow vehicle and the suspension systerm determine the amount of sway. My smaller travel trailer swayed the most because of the size of the vehicle I pulled it with. Dealers will tell you that a trailer is safe to pull behind your vehicle, when it is not. Others can probably tell you the percentages, but you will need to stay under the GVWR on a travel trailer. By the way, Brian, My best friend is 6 4 and can stand up in my 5th wheel.
The main reason I haven't considered a 5th wheel - 1 1/2 years ago when I was looking to replace my vehicle, there were no pickup trucks that could seat more than 5 (at least I couldn't find any around here). Now 5 seats would be enough for me, the wife, and the 3 kids - but no one else could ever go with us. Our past two trips my mother has gone with us, and we wouldn't have fit. Plus with the big mutt we have to have the Suburban.
