5th wheel or TT?

TenOC wrote:
I have had both. First TT was in 1980's. Get a GOOD TT hitch like an Hensley or a ProPride. Sure they cost $ but not much more than a 5er hitch.

With a cheep TT hitch and a poorly loaded TT (yes I have had each) there will be lots of White Knuckle Events while towing.

With a good TT hitch there is really no reason to choose between a 5er and TT. They tow about the same. Each takes about the same time to "learn" how to hook up and back up.

On one trip with my Hensley Arrow a wheel can off my TT while I was driving 70 MPH. I did not know it until a car pass me and flagged me down.

Have to agree with this (except for the driving 70), but we too have had both. We purchased a fifth wheel for the room versus the overall length. Our last TT was a 32' Komfort and we purchased a Hensley Arrow to tow it. Made a HUGE difference. When we traded in the TT for our FW, we also traded in our Arrow for the Hensley TrailerSaver BD3 and they mean it when they say it is a trailer saver. It controls the chucking, but then our FW has the suspension to assist with this too. As for backing. I tried to do the backing, but never mastered it, as DH has. The response is slower, but once you get the hang of it as far as turning and backing you'll get it. We went to a school parking lot and practiced with cones.

With a TT, you have the bed of a truck and with a FW, you lose a good portion of the bed, but still have some room for cargo.

Do yourself a favor and do a search for bucking and chucking.

Backing a Ball mount/TT is "EASIER" but that's where the advantage ENDS!

TT's are prone to sway unless you have PLENTY of truck. 5er's tow like they are not back there.

MUCH more storage in a 5er. OH, TT people will say OMG there are stairs inside! What the HE!! do ya think you are climbing into each one???

List goes on and on.

My experience has shown that a 5th wheel sacrifices some fuel mileage (frontal area) for much more stable towing experience. I don't have a strong preference, but I doubt I'd go back to any ball hitch trailer after a few thousand miles pulling my fifth wheel. I have never pulled a 30'+ travel trailer but if one that long started misbehaving, you'd be in for a wild ride. The 5er stays firmly planted no matter what.

One consideration is what do you want to pull it with? I think the TT option gives you a few options that you don’t get with 5th wheel.

With a Properly set up and matched TV and trailer, I still feel there is a better experience with the 5th wheel....

Having owned and towed both, the edge (IN MY EYES) has to go to the 5th wheel... for stability when trucks pass... for ease in setting up and breaking camp...

As far as backing, once you get the hang of the pivot change on the 2, I found that the fiver was easier, BUT I also drove a BIG RIG for many years before my RV's . .

Either way, were ALL CAMPING ! ! ! ! :B

Hands down a 5th wheel pulls better. The backing is more difficult at first going from a TT to 5th, but once you learn how they react it is not much different. A 5th wheel reacts much slower than a TT but you can get a much tighter turn when backing. It is also quicker to hook the 5th wheel up compared to the Equalizer I had on the TT. As far as turning and cornering they do track a bit different, but either one you have to allow for wider turns, so that is not a huge deal.

I had a 2017 TT. 7200 pounds loaded, 32'. My new to me 2015 5th is 14 gross (have not weight it loaded yet) and 38'. I had an Equalizer hitch on my TT. While it pulled good most days, the windy days are what makes pulling interesting for sway. With the 5th that is taken care of.

For those that say bigger trucks take care of that, I disagree. I pulled the TT with a 2016 Chevy 1500. I was within my ratings. I now have a 2019 3500 Duramax. I have pulled the TT with that as well on a windy day. While the sway was handled better by the bigger truck it was still definitely there and just as uncomfortable in the bigger truck on the interstate.

The cost of owning a TT and half ton is less than a 5th wheel and one ton diesel. Now that I have had both, in my opinion, I would never pull as long of a 5th wheel that I have as a TT simply because of the sway issues. To me the 32' TT was as long as I would go.

As long as your set up is good, your within your ratings (If you care about that) get the trailer and floor plan you like. That is the most important.

Backing up a TT is easier. They respond quicker and you don't need to worry about swinging the front of the truck around as much. For towing a fifth wheel is better, there's just no getting around the fact that your setup will be more stable when the actual hitch point is over the rear axle. I think the extra pin weight helps too, but the real key is not being hitched up 4' or 5' behind the rear axle where the TT can apply leverage.

Aside from those points, a FW gives you more trailer in a shorter overall combined package but does so at the expense of space in the truck bed. A FW is also generally taller and has interior steps to deal with, which are negatives to some.

Just for towing, there is no comparison. 5th wheel is better in every consideration you listed.

As far as backing into a site, it's just different...once you are used to it, it's just as easy.

That said, a properly set up bumper pull shouldn't be scary or a problem.