Anyone switch from a fifth wheel?

I like being able to have wife make meals while we drive. Everybody gets bathroom breaks while driving. I think set up at camp and leaving camp is easier and faster than when I had a 5er. Nicer ride for all of us. And for all you busy bodies out there yes I know it's safer to wear belts all the time when we are moving but no one in the back has to and we don't. Pilot and co-pilot do. Good luck

Assuming a larger DP, I would say the convenience. Easy setup or not needing to setup if just stopping for a night. Fully self contained with large tanks, generator, and most of the conveniences of home. The ease of towing a car that we will put as many miles on as the DP becomes our base camp for usually five days and then we move on the weekend.

I love driving my DP as you can see above most vehicles, it's handles well, and when you stop it's already cool or heated in the winter. Want lunch on the move... no problem. DW needs a potty stop... no problem. It's the nicest and most expensive way to RV.

We switched from 5er to class A in April of 2009 and definitely enjoy it more. I feel more relaxed driving the A than when towing a 5er. Everybody including dog have more space around them because I no longer have that cooler in the rear seat and dog moving everywhere because he restless and wife LOVES having feet up in her passenger seat.

gemert wrote:
I like being able to have wife make meals while we drive. Everybody gets bathroom breaks while driving. I think set up at camp and leaving camp is easier and faster than when I had a 5er. Nicer ride for all of us. And for all you busy bodies out there yes I know it's safer to wear belts all the time when we are moving but no one in the back has to and we don't. Pilot and co-pilot do. Good luck

It isn't about being a busy body. But if that is the extent you care about your family , so be it. There's nothing safe or logical about any of that. I certainly hope the OP doesn't look at that as a advantage between the two ... It is not, and could get someone killed or seriously hurt.

But to answer the OP. Yes we have. Due to getting older and harder to climb around the truck it made sense for us. Hooking up the toad is much easier. The wife wouldn't drive the truck and it sat most the time anyway. I was one of those who said we'd never own a MH. I find it more pleasurable to drive, and more comfortable compared to the dually / fiver. Many will tell you there is more room in a fiver. With our MH I have every bit and some extra with the MH.

We don't miss the fiver one bit. Looking forward to one more MH in the next few years. It'll be our full time rig.

et2 wrote:

gemert wrote:
I like being able to have wife make meals while we drive. Everybody gets bathroom breaks while driving. I think set up at camp and leaving camp is easier and faster than when I had a 5er. Nicer ride for all of us. And for all you busy bodies out there yes I know it's safer to wear belts all the time when we are moving but no one in the back has to and we don't. Pilot and co-pilot do. Good luck

It isn't about being a busy body. But if that is the extent you care about your family , so be it. There's nothing safe or logical about any of that. I certainly hope the OP doesn't look at that as a advantage between the two ... It is not, and could get someone killed or seriously hurt.

But to answer the OP. Yes we have. Due to getting older and harder to climb around the truck it made sense for us. Hooking up the toad is much easier. The wife wouldn't drive the truck and it sat most the time anyway. I was one of those who said we'd never own a MH. I find it more pleasurable to drive, and more comfortable compared to the dually / fiver. Many will tell you there is more room in a fiver. With our MH I have every bit and some extra with the MH.

We don't miss the fiver one bit. Looking forward to one more MH in the next few years. It'll be our full time rig.

Thanks for making my point.

gemert wrote:

et2 wrote:

gemert wrote:
I like being able to have wife make meals while we drive. Everybody gets bathroom breaks while driving. I think set up at camp and leaving camp is easier and faster than when I had a 5er. Nicer ride for all of us. And for all you busy bodies out there yes I know it's safer to wear belts all the time when we are moving but no one in the back has to and we don't. Pilot and co-pilot do. Good luck

It isn't about being a busy body. But if that is the extent you care about your family , so be it. There's nothing safe or logical about any of that. I certainly hope the OP doesn't look at that as a advantage between the two ... It is not, and could get someone killed or seriously hurt.

But to answer the OP. Yes we have. Due to getting older and harder to climb around the truck it made sense for us. Hooking up the toad is much easier. The wife wouldn't drive the truck and it sat most the time anyway. I was one of those who said we'd never own a MH. I find it more pleasurable to drive, and more comfortable compared to the dually / fiver. Many will tell you there is more room in a fiver. With our MH I have every bit and some extra with the MH.

We don't miss the fiver one bit. Looking forward to one more MH in the next few years. It'll be our full time rig.

Thanks for making my point.

You're welcome - anything to save a life

My first RV was a Class A DP and I went full time in '04. After all the RV parks I've been to from Alaska to Cancun watching, observing, talking to 5er owners I'll never have a 5er. Too much work. Watching 5er owners spend all that time & effort setting up and breaking down is just too much for my lazy a** self.

I do think they look pretty nice inside, but so does my A.

I didn't switch from a 5th but I went from a trailer. It's about the same jump. The only advantage of the trailer (or 5th wheel) is that you have another vehicle with you when you leave the camper behind. Some people pull a toad and solve the problem that way but I pull a trailer with motorcycles in it. If it rains, we stay at the RV.

I wouldn't want to go back to the trailer. It's nice driving your living room down the road. The truck always felt like it was towing something. The class A just goes. It's also a pleasure to pull in, hit the jack button and relax. The trailer was a job to get set up.

Another issue I had was my driveway. If I ever would have been stupid enough to try and pull the trailer up it I would have made a call to State Farm! The class A goes up it but that's about it. When we get to the top I always celebrate the accomplishment!

The difference is I feel like I'm not pulling something. It's not a big deal, I'm just driving a living room down the road and the view is better.

There's some really nice 5th wheels out there and some people love them but I wouldn't want one after owning an A.

I made the switch in 2014. I was planning a trip to Sturgis and wanted to be able to take the RV and motorcycles. My options were a toy hauler or motorhome with a trailer.

I found a good used motorhome. Kept the 5er thinking we'd make our final decision after the trip. My kids were adamant that they liked the fifth wheel so better as the floor plan gave them their own space.

Well after the first trip in the class A we were sold. Loved the ability to get refreshments while on the road. Four adults with older bladders made for much less stopping for potty breaks. We had access to everything in the camper and the passengers were not cramped up in a truck for several hours at a time. When we stop for the night there was no having to move things to the fifth wheel and getting it cooled down, the motorhome was already comfortable.

We take our dog camping with us and he is much happier traveling in the motorhome. Once the kids took their fist trip in the motorhome they both agreed they like it better. Even though they are sleeping on the pull out sofa and folded down table the travel part is just so much more comfortable with the ability to watch movies and move around when needed. Yes everyone is secured in seat belts but they are just much more comfortable. I promptly sold the fifth wheel, it was a easy decision for us, the class A was the one to keep.

I like the ability to choose between trailering the bike or towing the Jeep. Ultimately I'd like to upgrade to a DP with a bike lift on the back so I can have both with me.

I really enjoyed the fifth wheel but for now I prefer the motorhome. We're more into travel rather then going somewhere to park for extended periods of time so it suits our needs best.

We traded a 38 foot Montana 5th wheel for a used 36 foot Foretravel. The reason was so the wife could drive and give me some relief. She was afraid to drive the F350 pulling the Montana where she is comfortable driving the bus. Set up is so simple in bad weather. Just pull up to your campsite. Push a button to level, push the button to extend the slides, start the generator and relax. Then there is the convenience of having the bathroom available any time you need it.

I miss the storage we had in the Montana and the interior is not as cozy, but all in all it is working out for us.