5th wheel towing question

[hondapro]

The wife and I are considering getting a 5th wheel.We now have a 35 foot TT. My question is do 5th wheels have the bow wave effect when trucks pass on the interstate? My TT has it when trucks pass by,I hate the suck push feeling,I was thinking because of the hitch point of the fiver over the truck rear axle that it should not do it as much.

[laknox]

azdryheat wrote:
Wind has very little effect on 5th wheels. Everyone else seems to get blown around but not 5th wheels. Very stable.

Caveat would be stiff cross-winds from weather. Any number of people have written here about NOT traveling, or stopping, when they know/encounter high cross-winds. Others have written about knowing they'll be traveling into crosswinds and filling all their holding tanks to weigh down their FW while traveling. Usually as a last-ditch option when they =have= to make miles.

Lyle

[justme]

Youtube has many good tutorials of 18wheeler/schools about backing of 5th wheel/gooseneck trailers. I suggest viewing them for straight, angle, parallel, blind side and other types of backing. Then go out an practice with your specific rig in a large parking lot. I did that and it has paid off for me. Also a 18 wheeler driver school would be helpful as well for backing and rules of the road.

[MarkTwain]

Backing up 5th Wheel trailers---
The best technique I learned about backing up 5th wheels was to frequently " pull forward and back up" as many times as needed to keep your 5th wheel as straight as possible while backing up.

[Michelle_S]

I'll add this about cross winds. Several years ago while out West, we encountered to pretty good cross winds, we were fine with very little movement, but friends right behind us in a 40' MH were having trouble staying in their lane.

[rhagfo]

valhalla360 wrote:

justme wrote:

Backing of 5th wheel is more of a challenge than tow trailers because the of physics again. The fifth wheel trackes differently and responds more slowly than tow trailers. It takes more practice to back a 5th wheel IMHO.

It's no more of a challenge just a little different.

5th wheels are slower to start turning but once started you can turn them more sharply. Just takes getting used to.

To the original question: absolutely feels more solid with no fighting the sway.

X2 to the backing!
One just needs to understand that you need to think ahead, you need to start to straighten early.
Once again to stability a 5er can't be beat, I can say I have never felt the wind effect from trucks or coastal storms.

[jorn]

I’ve driven TTs, Class Cs and now am on my 5th wheel setup. My fiver is my best highway driving experience.

[RollandB]

I also don't feel much effect with wind no matter what the source, large vehicles or Mother Nature. I've stopped and got out then noticed wind but didn't feel it towing. Know I do keep an eye on trees as an indicator.

[valhalla360]

justme wrote:

Backing of 5th wheel is more of a challenge than tow trailers because the of physics again. The fifth wheel trackes differently and responds more slowly than tow trailers. It takes more practice to back a 5th wheel IMHO.

It's no more of a challenge just a little different.

5th wheels are slower to start turning but once started you can turn them more sharply. Just takes getting used to.

To the original question: absolutely feels more solid with no fighting the sway.

[ACZL]

I love both RVing and snowmobiling. RV is in sig and sled trailer is a 4 place V-nose enclosed (approx 30', alum frame, 6' interior height and weighs 2400 lbs). Have 3 sleds in it at 500 lbs each. No sway bar hitch. Run w/ 400# tube sand in bed of truck. I would much rather tow the 16,000 lb RV than the sled trailer at times for the sled trailer will let the truck know it's behind it.....and that's with a 8500 lb truck!! Don't get me wrong, truck tows the trailer great and trailer is by no means out of control, but re-affirms what others have said about bumper pull trailers.

[ReneeG]

hondapro wrote:
Thanks everyone.Sounds like the fiver is the way to go for the best towing expereince.

If you like your TT, a Hensley Arrow is much less expensive than purchasing a fifth wheel PLUS a hitch.

[hondapro]

Thanks everyone.Sounds like the fiver is the way to go for the best towing expereince.

[azrving]

TT are the pits. FW all the way with a far better ride. I've seen several TT turned into great chicken coops.

[justme]

It is all about physics and leverage. Tow trailers are at the end of the truck and have more leverage effect the truck than a fifth wheel/goose neck that is ahead of the rear axle. As far as dually's having more stability than a SRW, it is more about sensation/emotion than physics. The truck is effected more on the how the springs are mounted to the axels/frame which is the same for both kinds of vehicles. Assuming that the dually and srw have rear sway bars which is optional on srw. I have driven most and they both are stable with 5th wheel/goose neck trailers.
Backing of 5th wheel is more of a challenge than tow trailers because the of physics again. The fifth wheel trackes differently and responds more slowly than tow trailers. It takes more practice to back a 5th wheel IMHO.

[Road_Phantom]

I tow a light, 8500 lb cougar 5th wheel with a 2500 Ram. The truck only has a Hemi but is more than enough power for this 30 footer and we season between Pa and S. Texas every year. I always had 5th wheels and at one time decided to get away from diesels and duallies and downsize to smaller travel trailers. I couldn't find a floor plan we liked that was under 30 ft. but found it in the 5th wheel so we dumped the TT and went back to the 5th wheel.
When hooking up, I have a plastic two step stool that I use alongside the truck for hooking up the hitch which is so much easier and fewer steps than loading Sway controls, equalizer and chains. Add to that the ease of handling on the road and its a no brainer for us.

[dfletch]

I just got my 5th wheel last June and love the ride. Very little effect by passing traffic. 42' 16,000 lb Silverback and a Silverado 3500HD Duramax crewcab longbed dully.