I recently sold my old 5th wheel and am in the market for its replacement. I like the floor plans of some of the Grand Design and other mfr models. Many lack a rear cap. Besides the fact that a rear cap is nicer looking (in my opinion), are there other reasons why having a rear cap is better or worse(more/less prone to leaks, easier/harder to repair, etc.)?

No bumper for small Oops...fiberglass repairs instead.

Njmurvin wrote:I recently sold my old 5th wheel and am in the market for its replacement. I like the floor plans of some of the Grand Design and other mfr models. Many lack a rear cap. Besides the fact that a rear cap is nicer looking (in my opinion), are there other reasons why having a rear cap is better or worse(more/less prone to leaks, easier/harder to repair, etc.)?IMO, the biggest reason, besides looks, for a rear cap is to increase efficiency by reducing turbulence behind the trailer. That is one of the largest components of drag on a vehicle. I have no experience with one, so can't comment on leaks, repairs, etc.Lyle

laknox wrote:Njmurvin wrote:I recently sold my old 5th wheel and am in the market for its replacement. I like the floor plans of some of the Grand Design and other mfr models. Many lack a rear cap. Besides the fact that a rear cap is nicer looking (in my opinion), are there other reasons why having a rear cap is better or worse(more/less prone to leaks, easier/harder to repair, etc.)?IMO, the biggest reason, besides looks, for a rear cap is to increase efficiency by reducing turbulence behind the trailer. That is one of the largest components of drag on a vehicle. I have no experience with one, so can't comment on leaks, repairs, etc.LyleNot saying right or wrong but I'd like to see some stats on that.Seems a bit of a stretch. If it was so,I would think the manufacturer would publish that as a selling feature.

spud1957 wrote:laknox wrote:Njmurvin wrote:I recently sold my old 5th wheel and am in the market for its replacement. I like the floor plans of some of the Grand Design and other mfr models. Many lack a rear cap. Besides the fact that a rear cap is nicer looking (in my opinion), are there other reasons why having a rear cap is better or worse(more/less prone to leaks, easier/harder to repair, etc.)?IMO, the biggest reason, besides looks, for a rear cap is to increase efficiency by reducing turbulence behind the trailer. That is one of the largest components of drag on a vehicle. I have no experience with one, so can't comment on leaks, repairs, etc.LyleNot saying right or wrong but I'd like to see some stats on that.Seems a bit of a stretch. If it was so,I would think the manufacturer would publish that as a selling feature.Yep, any hard square corner creates more air drag. Seen the semi's with the panels that fold out the the rear doors?Chris

spud1957 wrote:laknox wrote:Njmurvin wrote:I recently sold my old 5th wheel and am in the market for its replacement. I like the floor plans of some of the Grand Design and other mfr models. Many lack a rear cap. Besides the fact that a rear cap is nicer looking (in my opinion), are there other reasons why having a rear cap is better or worse(more/less prone to leaks, easier/harder to repair, etc.)?IMO, the biggest reason, besides looks, for a rear cap is to increase efficiency by reducing turbulence behind the trailer. That is one of the largest components of drag on a vehicle. I have no experience with one, so can't comment on leaks, repairs, etc.LyleNot saying right or wrong but I'd like to see some stats on that.Seems a bit of a stretch. If it was so,I would think the manufacturer would publish that as a selling feature.That's why target bullets have boattails, to help the airflow around them and reduce turbulence for accuracy. It's why fish are "bullet-shaped", too, and where we learned it from. :-) =Turbulence= is simply huge in producing drag. FWIW, the old SR-71 Blackbird spy plane produced > 50% of its total aerodynamic drag from the bypass air being blasted out of the front of the engine nacelles as the inlet spikes closed off the inlet. Pure turbulence... I read an analysis...somewhere...that said that if the bypass air could have been channeled better, they could, possibly, have flown several hundred MPH faster, due to less drag. Dunno, I'm not an aero-E, but it sure sounds feasible, provided the materials would have stood up the it.Lyle

Rear caps - pros and cons | Good Sam Community

ckwizard777
Explorer
Jul 30, 2015
Nicer looking and one less area to worry about delamination
Racine96
Explorer
Jul 29, 2015
To agree in this forum....Lol
Mile_High
Explorer
Jul 29, 2015
rkassl wrote:
Guys can we agree that this is simply owner preference!

Who cares if we a agree or disagree, or agree to disagree? I didn't know the purpose of the thread was to get a consensus. I think it was to just get feedback.
rkassl
Explorer
Jul 29, 2015
Guys can we agree that this is simply owner preference!
Njmurvin
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
Thanks, everyone. Sounds like my answer is that it's a matter of preference. I didn't hear anyone say that the rear caps leak more or less. So, that's good. Good info about the repairs for cap vs. steel bumper. That could be major. Interesting that the Grand Designs I looked at didn't have any bumper on the back. Maybe an option? FWIW, I prefer the looks of a cap but could be talked into no cap for the right reasons.
Me_Again
Explorer III
Jul 28, 2015
larry barnhart wrote:

Nice view of the rear but how can you back into a small rv site. Is the picture misleading what I see?

chevman

Larry, it is not a camp site. We had friend with a beach cabin in Grayland on the Pacific South of Westport on Mid Beach Rd. We could get 4 or 5 RVs in the lot if we tried hard!!!! :):) Chris
CarlT100
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
Since I have a toyhauler, I obviously don't have a rear cap and I think my fiver looks just fine.
larry_barnhart
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
Me Again wrote:
rc135raven wrote:
Hey folks - Just a thought here, do you think that because of the new radiused roofs, that may have bearing on the shape of rear "caps"? I mean it's a lot easier to put a "cap" on a more squared off back I would think. Comments?

I have a curved truss roof and the rear cap was molded to match the curve.

Here is a similar vintage Cardinal without the rear cap.

Nice view of the rear but how can you back into a small rv site. Is the picture misleading what I see?

chevman
Jerry_B
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
BB_TX wrote:
Looks. Any reduction in drag, and increase in mpg, due to rounded edges would be negligible, IMHO.

No measurable effect at the speeds we normally travel.
Me_Again
Explorer III
Jul 28, 2015
rc135raven wrote:
Hey folks - Just a thought here, do you think that because of the new radiused roofs, that may have bearing on the shape of rear "caps"? I mean it's a lot easier to put a "cap" on a more squared off back I would think. Comments?

I have a curved truss roof and the rear cap was molded to match the curve.

Here is a similar vintage Cardinal without the rear cap.