Eagle 34.5 BHTS or Eagle 314BHDS; tough decision

rtazz17 wrote:
Get the fiver vs the tt based on length.Thats a long tt and you will feel it no matter what anyone states.The fiver will be much more planted.I had a 36 ft long tt and now have a 40ft fiver.Night and day towing.You will have a big basement to store stuff for the loss of your bed.You can still fit small items in bed.We have gotten around losing the bed for space quite easily via other options.

With a premium hitch,Hensley or Propride a TT can tow just as well as a fiver.
My 36' prior TT towed just as well as my current 39' fiver using a Hensley hitch.

Get the fiver vs the tt based on length.Thats a long tt and you will feel it no matter what anyone states.The fiver will be much more planted.I had a 36 ft long tt and now have a 40ft fiver.Night and day towing.You will have a big basement to store stuff for the loss of your bed.You can still fit small items in bed.We have gotten around losing the bed for space quite easily via other options.

I talked to my Jayco people today and they are having an exception year in sales. Just saying....................

We probably like the idea of a WD more than actually having one. Regardless, if Momma wants a set, she'll get a set.

I think those washer /dryers in trailers are really over rated. Unless you want to wash almost every day why bother. We've used the park laundrys for years . Take a couple three machines and are done with the whole thing in an hour and half. We normally don't "sit and watch" the drum spin but go do some activity while the clothes do their thing.

Considering that the fiver is only about $9,000 more than the TT, I think that may be a better deal. The W/D can also be added if we really want it, though would cost a good bit because of wiring/plumbing; wife is leaning more towards just hitting site laundry's when needed. Either way the Premiere and Pinacle floor plans we like are at least $30,000 more, and a W/D will be no where near that much.

After having bumper pull trailers in 2010 I bought my first 5er. After the first trip I swore I would never go back to a bumper pull and haven't. And pulling isn't the only reason I won't go back either but a big one.

Like many I have towed both..the TT was 27', the 5ver is 34+....even with WDH and sway bars, the 5th tows much, much easier, and the total length of truck and trailer was just about the same for both.

...and I no longer have greasy banged up shins....

gtsum wrote:
I have been debating the same thing myself....35ft trailer or 35ft fifth...I lean towards the fifth for shorter length on the road, in the camping spot, better towing characteristics and roomier feel to the layout. However I also lean a bit towards the trailer due to keeping the bed for a quad in there and other gear.

I don't have a quad so that could easily be a game changer, but with regards to all the "Stuff" that was our concern too when we made the decision on a 5er last August over a TT. I was shocked to see I could fit all my "Stuff" in the 5er rather easily. This resulted in not having to crawl into the cap and load up the bed of my truck with it and empty it after every trip into the garage.

I still have room in the bed for items such as firewood, large cooler between the hitch and cab, etc.

And no more arguments with the wife when hooking up :W

And for the OP, the added bedroom slide in the 5er will make it so much nicer for moving around, along with the normally better tow characteristics of a 5er vs a TT of that length. If you travel a lot, if you park it for the summer that's not much of an issue.

tomman58 wrote:

northmeck0255 wrote:
Sorry, but the superior towing of a fiver is a matter of physics and not just opinion. If a gust of wind hits a travel trailer, the force is multiplied by the distance between the hitch and the rear tires. This is called "moment arm". You can think of moment arm as "leverage" that multiplies force.

On a fifth wheel, the kingpin sits right over the rear axle so the moment arm is zero.

The fifth wheel does have a larger sail area, but the resistance to sway is pure physics. That is the reason all the big tractor-trailers are fifth wheels and not bumper pull.

I am not going to question your statement but then it is what I said of towing with my Dmax 2500 2008 Chevy. It isn't often that I even know the trailer is behind us. We normally don't drive over 66 MPH and are on the interstates and secondary roads never on gravel or sand. We travel a lot somewhere around 15,000 miles a year. We see many 5ers and trailers, been to many a show and looked at both. I can normally find at least 5 problems with any unit in a few minutes. Bottom line like what you have and have what you like.

That's very true. Every type of RV has its benefits and its shortcomings. The fiver has more room, larger tanks, and better inherent stability. The TT is easier to back, leaves the bed of the truck open, and has fewer steps.