Why a 5th wheel over a tow trailer?
Want are the big advantages of the 5th wheel compared to a tow trailer? I would like to be able to use my bed of my truck to haul things. My brother in-law says he can back up a tow trailer much easi...
Forum Discussion
We had a Sandpiper 31 FKD bumper pull trailer for ten years and enjoyed the space. But even with weight distribution bars and dual stablizers we had more sway than we wanted in cross-winds or when big rigs passed. We wanted more towing stability for cross country travel and something with a little shorter tail-end going down the highway, but we didn't want to give up any significant interior room. We went with a "half-ton towable" (Not!) Rockwood 8282 Ultra Light (33 ft.) Our dry weight went from 8,300 with the Sandpiper to about 7,700 with the Rockwood; we got a much more streamlined nose with the 5'er rather than the concave parachute wind-drag front on the Sandpiper. the basement storage was huge by comparison and all the amenities like heated tanks for three plus season camping were great. Hitching up is much easier with no weight bars or stablilizers to hook up. Our Rockwood just looks sharp and is much more aerodynamic. Mileage is up about 1 mpg. We use a RAM 3500 dually megacab with a Commins 6.7 diesel to pull both. No sway once we got the dually!
Our bedroom gives up some floor space for the dogs, but everything else seems roomier inside the fifth wheel.
Short bed owners also need to worry about buying a special hitch if they want to go to a fifth wheel, as most would require a special movable hitch which is more $$ than the basic unit for a short bed. I was lucky that the new Rockwoods all boast the Reese Sidewinder hitch which pivots at the front or back, so no special truck-mounted hitch is needed.
Overall we feel that the fifth wheel tows smaller and lighter with less sway and less hookup issues, while it lives bigger with more storage, amenities and headroom.
Terryallan: Get a knee replacement! Surgery by good orthopedic guy isn't bad and pain is completely gone! I had both knees replaced.
Our bedroom gives up some floor space for the dogs, but everything else seems roomier inside the fifth wheel.
Short bed owners also need to worry about buying a special hitch if they want to go to a fifth wheel, as most would require a special movable hitch which is more $$ than the basic unit for a short bed. I was lucky that the new Rockwoods all boast the Reese Sidewinder hitch which pivots at the front or back, so no special truck-mounted hitch is needed.
Overall we feel that the fifth wheel tows smaller and lighter with less sway and less hookup issues, while it lives bigger with more storage, amenities and headroom.
Terryallan: Get a knee replacement! Surgery by good orthopedic guy isn't bad and pain is completely gone! I had both knees replaced.
