We are planning retirement. Want to hit the road for 2-3 months and go somewhere warmer. We want to be able to bring a two seat golf cart or two seat UTV with us. Assume weight is no more than 1500#.We have never owned a toy hauler and are interested in hearing about the pros and cons of a travel trailer toy hauler or fifth wheel toy hauler.TIA for your insights.

Speaking from experience in towing both fifth-wheels and travel trailers, I would much rather tow a fifth- wheel. I also found them much easier to hook up.

I would go 5th wheel for this. A properly set up TT will tow fine. We've owned both and currently have a TT to match our current needs. Had it in 40-50mph winds out in Wyoming and while we got off the road as soon as possible, it handled as well as our 5ers but this assumes properly set up hitch and loading in the trailer. With a 5er, it's pretty much good by design unless you really get silly.The bigger issue is for longer trips, you likely want a big RV. One of the big downsides is for the same length RV, the living space is much smaller in a toy hauler. - Not a huge issue if you are stationary and have the toy unloaded, as you can use the garage as a work room/office. - If you are on the move frequently, it will quickly become a pain unloading at every stop and not every park will have space or even allow the toy.With that said, make sure the truck and trailer are compatible. Particularly for a 5th wheel, payload (not towing capacity) is often the limiting factor. Assuming 25% of the trailer GVWR is in the bed of the truck. So a 16,000lb trailer will have 4,000lb on the rear axle. Add in people and anything else in the truck and good chance you are looking at a diesel dually to get enough payload. With a travel trailer, you should conservatively assume 15% sits on the ball of the hitch.Keep in mind if you travel without the toy, your pin/hitch weight will tend to be higher as the toy sits behind the trailer axles and reduces the payload on the truck.Usually once you get really big, your choices for a TT toy hauler get limited pretty quickly.

If the golf cart will fit in the truck, I would get a travel trailer rather than leave my toys home. I pull one for the very reason that I need to haul stuff in the back of my truck. TT towing with a good quality hitch is perfectly comfortable and it's my experience that they are easier to maneuver during backing.

LadyRVer wrote:Speaking from experience in towing both fifth-wheels and travel trailers, I would much rather tow a fifth- wheel. I also found them much easier to hook up.Agree 100%. 5th. wheels are much more stable when driving down the road. Winds and big 8 wheel trucks have minimum effect on 5th wheel trailers.

I've had both also. I prefer a 5th wheel over a TT, toyhauler or not. A 30' 5th whell wil be 45' (with truck) long. A 30 TT will be 55' long (with truck). The ONLY thing I do not like about 5th wheels is the front bedroom height. But, if you're getting a toyhauler, that may not matter.

Fifth Wheel or TT? | Good Sam Community

N-Trouble
Explorer
Feb 26, 2022
Keep your 5er to a reasonable length and its no harder than a TT getting into places. Moved from a WW 21ft Superlite to an Attitude 28SAG (31ft) 5er several years ago. Only challenge I had was dealing with the extra height and tree limbs. Other than that cant thing of anything I gave up to move to the 5er.
valhalla360
Navigator
Feb 27, 2022
N-Trouble wrote:
Keep your 5er to a reasonable length and its no harder than a TT getting into places. Moved from a WW 21ft Superlite to an Attitude 28SAG (31ft) 5er several years ago. Only challenge I had was dealing with the extra height and tree limbs. Other than that cant thing of anything I gave up to move to the 5er.

5er vs TT maneuverability is "different" not better or worse.

A TT can start turning more quickly but it's limited to how sharply you can turn.

A 5er is slower to start turning but you can turn more sharply.
Bad_Brad
Explorer
Mar 14, 2022
I've had 3 TT trailers (2 were Toyhaulers). We now have a Momentum 394 (5th wheel toy hauler). The ease of towing, hooking up, and the layout...I'll never go back to a TT.

We bought the 5th wheel to give us additional space upon retirement and long vacations. So happy with our choice.
Edd505
Explorer
Mar 14, 2022
Sounds like a 5W toy hauler with any capable truck or option 2 a TT with a long bed P/U load the ATV win the bed and hook the TT. Either direction I would look at a diesel P/U for the torque to pull the weight which ever way you go.
WhitehouseLV
Explorer III
Mar 28, 2022
Galvinized wrote:
We are planning retirement. Want to hit the road for 2-3 months and go somewhere warmer. We want to be able to bring a two seat golf cart or two seat UTV with us. Assume weight is no more than 1500#.

We have never owned a toy hauler and are interested in hearing about the pros and cons of a travel trailer toy hauler or fifth wheel toy hauler.

TIA for your insights.

never had a TT toyhauler, only 2 fiver toyhaulers, but did consider the travel trailer ones.

We like the ceiling height in the 5ers. Makes the interior feel more spacious.

It seems like the 5er models have more storage space.

When we looked the fiver models typically have larger holding tanks. Not sure if this is still true, but more capacity is always nice to have even if you don't use it all.

Our 40' fiver has always towed well behind our dually, even in really windy conditions. We don't spend time trying to make sure weight is distributed etc. We just fill up with full water, gas, propane, and load the toy(s) and go.

For those times when you can't ride out of a campground or the trail is a little ways away, my parents have the Anderson Hitch for their 41' 5er toyhauler. It only weighs about 30lbs. So it's easy to remove so they can load their RZR in the back of their truck and haul it to the nearest trail.

If we had a TT toyhauler we would have a diamond back ATV/SxS cover. Its like a tonneau cover capable of holding your UTV.

Diamond Back ATV/SxS Carrier

Some of the TT 5ers with open floor plans (no separate garage) have swivel rockers. I think the swivel rockers are comfortable and with the open floor plan can seem as big if not bigger living space than 5er TH.

The separate garage models are nice. Garages give an entire separate space for keeping dirt out, add privacy, can be a nice place to hang out when your spouse is sleeping or you just want some space from each other or even guests.

With a TT TH you might not need as big of a truck. Some of these 5er THs are huge and if you want to stay within tow ratings you'll need a newer dually.

How exciting! Once you get your toyhauler you'll have to post pics!

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