Long time lurker, first time poster!I was wondering if anyone here went from a 5th wheel to a travel trailer? I am currently looking to do just that, and was wondering if anyone had any insight, did you regret it? Wish you did it sooner?My thought is this, my 5er is basically permanently parked in a nice campground and I never really take it anywhere any more. The fifth wheel is so danged heavy I just leave it in my truck bed all the time, and it would be nice to recover my truck bed. I am looking to get back to travelling and feel that I would be more likely to do so with a smaller rig. I am looking to start boondocking, thoughts on 5er vs. TT for boondocking? Will just be me and my small dog.I am specifically looking at the Forest River Heritage Glen 22RBHL.Thanks!

I have never had a fifth wheel, but in thirty years of rv'ing a ;pop up, a 19 footer, a 25 footer, and now a 40 foot -all trailers, and mainly because of all the gear I can fit in and on the pickup truck with a cap on it. I carry two kayaks and a canoe on the cap roof, and two mountain bikes in the bed along with all our luggage and back packing equipment. To me it is a no brainer !Guy

One of the moderators on one of the Grand Design forums lost his fifth wheel to a truck fire while on the road (the fire spread from the truck so quickly there was no way to get the fifth wheel unhitched). They used the fiver to travel all over the country for extended periods of time. A number of us were surprised when he replaced the fifth wheel with a travel trailer with a similar floor plan. His goals were: 1) keep the living area on one level as they get older, 2) put a shell on the truck for storage space in the back, and 3) have room for a small boat on a rack on top of the truck. As an engineer, he implemented all of these goals rather elegantly. They still make trips all over the west (they live in Arizona) and pull up to rallies in Indiana. They don't stay gone quite as long as they used to (a month or six weeks compared to the three months at a time with the fifth wheel). They seem very happy with the whole setup.Rob

Well I currently own both. I take the TT more then the 5er for the very reason you decribed. I still use my 1 ton for a tow vehicle with a topper on the back. I just have access to so many more places then with the large 5er. For me it works fine others might not be able to give up the additional space of a large 5er.

The wife and I travel quite a bit and decided to downsize on our latest trailer and couldn't be happier.....25ft box with 2 slides. This allows us to visit some of the more rural state parks that we prefer. I carry a small Bass boat everywhere we go so need truck bed.5er's can be quite elegant but to much for us and too high for shed.

We went from our third 5th wheel back to a travel trailer in our quest to downsize. I much prefer backing a TT. In our experience, a TT rides better on the interstate aside from the occasional sway from passing trucks in a crosswind. I have no sway control on our hitch. When I use the Equalizer 4 point, no sway even with passing trucks. Along with not having to install a 5th wheel hitch in my next truck, I have my truck bed back. I’ll simply buy a truck with tow package and integrated brake controller and I’m ready to go. For me, a TT doesn’t mean a lighter tow vehicle. I’ll still want at least a 3/4 ton for a travel trailer. With the newer HD pickups, I might forego the WD hitch altogether. I like simple ball mounts while others like massive contraptions for hitches. I have no regrets going back to a travel trailer.

Fifth Wheel to TT? | Good Sam Community

Second_Chance
Explorer II
Feb 28, 2020
One of the moderators on one of the Grand Design forums lost his fifth wheel to a truck fire while on the road (the fire spread from the truck so quickly there was no way to get the fifth wheel unhitched). They used the fiver to travel all over the country for extended periods of time. A number of us were surprised when he replaced the fifth wheel with a travel trailer with a similar floor plan. His goals were: 1) keep the living area on one level as they get older, 2) put a shell on the truck for storage space in the back, and 3) have room for a small boat on a rack on top of the truck. As an engineer, he implemented all of these goals rather elegantly. They still make trips all over the west (they live in Arizona) and pull up to rallies in Indiana. They don't stay gone quite as long as they used to (a month or six weeks compared to the three months at a time with the fifth wheel). They seem very happy with the whole setup.

Rob
Guy_Roan
Explorer
Feb 28, 2020
I have never had a fifth wheel, but in thirty years of rv'ing a ;pop up, a 19 footer, a 25 footer, and now a 40 foot -all trailers, and mainly because of all the gear I can fit in and on the pickup truck with a cap on it. I carry two kayaks and a canoe on the cap roof, and two mountain bikes in the bed along with all our luggage and back packing equipment.
To me it is a no brainer !

Guy

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