Forum Discussion

Drukoon's avatar
Drukoon
Explorer
Sep 23, 2013

fifth wheel or super c

Planning a trip from our home in Ohio to the Paiute ATV Trail. I own a fifth wheel toyhauler (Heartland Razor sb3212). We will be taking a Polaris mid size ranger 800 and Yamaha TTR 230 trail bike. Going along will be my wife and son and of course me and two beagles. Tow vehicle is 2007 chevy quad cab 3500 dual wheel duramax with Allison (140000 miles on it). Or I can borrow my Mother in law's 2006 Gulf Stream Endura 6316 33 foot super C with 8.1 gas job (26000 miles on it). With an enclosed trailer to haul the UTV and trail bike.

Which do you think would be better?

I know I will have better fuel mileage with my setup but most places diesel is more expensive. We plan on making this a 1 month trip in the summer. So we will see the sites out west and camp often in campgrounds and rest area's. We will have some plans laid out on where to go but plan on going where our nose takes us. It would be nice to just to park and not unload bikes to make room in the fifth wheel to sleep. We can make enough room for a son to sleep on the couch and not take out the bikes to lower the rear bed. But the motorhome would even be easier and with the hydraulic jacks to steady the rig even sweeter. Plus it has dual air conditioners where my fifth wheel has one. Both units have a onan 5500 generators. My fifth wheel has a fuel station, the motorhome does not but I can haul the fuel cans in the trailer.

Other thing is we will be traveling with another couple who will be using a 2008 chevy duramax dual wheel Allison and towing their raptor 300MP with their razor 570. So if one of us has a problem the other can tow their camper to the campground if we have truck problems.
  • I think you should use your own. How would you feel if something happened to her stuff. I know she is your Mom but I'm just sayin.
  • Hydralic jacks are a tempting reason to bring the motorhome. Also as you point out, most toy haulers are much more useful once unloaded, and many places they do not want to see a quad ouside.

    Fuel mileage will be much better with the diesel though. Also you will have a sightseeing vehicle. One huge advantage of a fifth wheel is you don't have to break camp in the RV to go out sightseeing. So bringing out things like flowers, or setting up the awning or leaving dishes in the sink is OK in the fifth wheel, while the RV would need all these things put away before going sightseeing.

    Just a couple more things to think about.

    150,000 miles is not to much for a Allison DM truck. I would not be worried about the mileage.

    Fred.
  • Thanks for the info and thoughts. After talking with my wife we decided the fifth wheel and truck is what we will use. It is ours and we will not worry about using it.
  • If you take the 5er, you will have a vehicle to drive other places. If you take the Super C, all you will have are your ATV's so if you need to go to the store/hospital/vet, you will have to drive the Super C.