Why did you go with a 5th wheel?
We are a first time RV buyer and are weighing some of the options. We started our quest for an RV thinking that we would buy a TT, but now we are open to 5th wheels, as they have been suggested to us...
Forum Discussion
Here's my story but with a twist. Like you, our plan was to be out for extended trips......... a lot. In such a scenario, I think a fifth wheel is the way to go for two reasons, living space and storage. But, as life has a habit of doing, things change, and we weren't using the fifth wheel in the way we envisioned. Use was more "vacation" like. In the five years we owned it, I came to fully appreciate both the work to maintain it and the attendant expense (I owned a boat, thought I would have known better). Our TV was more than capable of towing the fifth wheel (axle capacity and gross weight), but I was never really comfortable with that 12000 lb. plus beast following me down the road, plus the height when going off the beaten path (trees) and navigating campgrounds (more trees).
Long story short, we traded down to an ultra light TT, which has turned out to be better suited to our usage. Make no mistake, I really miss some of the fifth wheel's amenities, but the TT has worked out fine for us, and is less of a burden on our TV. Like was posted above, seriously think and consider how you plan to use an RV and you'll arrive at the type that best suits you and your travel plans.
PS: The maintenance requirement remains with the TT, but now I have one slide to worry about instead of three, a whole lot less caulking, and I can buy a set of tires for the TT for about what one tire cost me on the fifth wheel.
Long story short, we traded down to an ultra light TT, which has turned out to be better suited to our usage. Make no mistake, I really miss some of the fifth wheel's amenities, but the TT has worked out fine for us, and is less of a burden on our TV. Like was posted above, seriously think and consider how you plan to use an RV and you'll arrive at the type that best suits you and your travel plans.
PS: The maintenance requirement remains with the TT, but now I have one slide to worry about instead of three, a whole lot less caulking, and I can buy a set of tires for the TT for about what one tire cost me on the fifth wheel.
