5th Wheel vs Class C

jtaylor1920 wrote:
We switched from a 29' class C towing a CRV to an F350 towing a 36' 5th wheel. There is no question that we are far more comfortable in our 5th wheel. Bigger kitchen, bigger bathroom and a shower as large as the one in the house. We tend to go somewhere and stay for up to a week then move on to another spot. We're not full timers yet but spend a couple weeks a year in our rig and many long weekends away. I like the way the 5th wheel tows and I've found my truck to be more comfortable to drive as the slide in our C was right behind the drivers seat limiting its adjustability. If getting gas now is uncomfortable then the 5th wheel and truck won't be any easier unless you drive short distances and setup for the night and take the truck back out for fuel. The other option here would be to get a transfer flow tank that sits in the bed of the truck which would allow you to carry quite a bit more fuel reducing your need to stop as often. You can also fuel up at truck stops which have a lot more room.

In short we really like our current setup and it works well for us. If there are other full timers in your park check with them to see what they think. One other option would be going to an A.

Good luck.

Very well put. Add to that automatic leveling, king size bed, walk-in closet with washer/dryer hookup and a large kitchen area plus if fueling up is a issue, go with a diesel TV and just follow the truckers through the pumps.

I won't tell you to buy what I now own. I have owned 2 tt's, used my folks '78 Mini-Winne class C no slides, and thier 33' Winnabago class A no slides and now own a 32'5th with 2 slides. My biggest reason was that I did not want another power train to deal with that was not gonna get used enough. We needed a truck so I could get to work and home, to haul some stuff as needed besides an rv. So we bought a 3/4t diesel. Now 10 years latter the truck is still doing just fine with our 32' Montana and has 160k on it. My next 5er will be a mid entrance instead of the rear we now have. I find that the steps getting into the 5th are no higher the the MH was. When we need to use rest rooms I fnd the nearest rest stop or pull off interstate to the on ramp and pull over to use restroom. You would have to do that if you are the driver of a "C" or "A" anyway. Besides breaks are great. We just prefer a 5er over anything else we have used. Others have a different view. Happy rving.

Our first experience with a RV was a rental class C. Two things were learned. First, we really enjoyed ourselves & confirmed the buying a RV was going to be for us when the time was right. Second, we learned that it would most definetly NOT be a C or an A. The rattle & shake of everything in the cupboards of that rental drove us near nuts.

The pulling of a 5er & the occasional challenges parking it are no big deal & all part of the experience.

OK, I'll throw out a couple of thoughts:
I see lots of talk about the difficulty of setting up a 5er, will if you get a newer one, many have hydraulic auto leveling. Hookup and disconnect of the TV & 5er is quicker and easier than hooking up a Toad to a MH.
We have a 40' 5er and travel with friends with a 40' DP. Size wise we almost equal in height and length. We setup and teardown in pretty much equal time.
Yes they do have more outside storage, but I think we have a little more inside.
We sold our Honda 2000s and went with the on-board Onan 5.5 that can run everything in our unit.
As far a pit stops, we need to get out and stretch our legs anyway. And we only have one drive train and engine to maintain.
Some have given extremely optimistic fuel mileage numbers, read other threads, typical miles with a Diesel TV is 9.5 to 11.5 almost regardless of the actual weight of the RV.

With a decent mattress our bed is really high and we are both over 6 feet tall. Bed height is just not going to change from one RV type to the next. Buying the wrong RV happens all the time with people that have not RV'd much if at all. People just don't realize how small an actual RV is until they live in them for an extended period of time. Changing from a MH to a fifth wheel is going to cost you a lot of money. First is the loss trying to sell your MH. Then there is the purchase of a suitable truck and then the trailer. Are you prepared for all that much outlay in money?

There are pros and cons to each design. If you sit out the winter instead of moving a lot the 5th wheel might be the better choice for space. If your snow birding now discuss with your neighbors what they like and dislike about their units. Since your husband has a cdl the 5er will be a more comfortable match to his experience.

For us the 5er was the better choice as we tend to stay put. Only you can determine what rig best meets your needs. Pickups or tow vehicles for the larger 5er's are not cheap. Since your husband has a cdl a converted semi might make a more cost efficient tow vehicle depending upon the size 5er you'd chose.

There's an option for everyone. Just have to find the one that fits. Good luck.

No way, no how would I put my animals in any type of pull behind. Mine are right by me all the way.

BuckBarker wrote:
No way, no how would I put my animals in any type of pull behind. Mine are right by me all the way.

That won't change anything if you roll any RV off of an interstate exit ramp. It will be nothing but balsa and insulation spread across the grass. The only exceptions are Bluebirds and others that are built on commercial bus chassis.

The advantage of the fifth wheel is that at least the tow vehicle has to meet NHTSA crash standards.

We decided on a fifth wheel because:

1) The have a lot more room inside
2) They have a lot of basement storage space.
3) We did not need a toad, which means you only have one engine and other systems to maintain not two.

I'm guessing that a fifth wheel may be a bit harder to maneuver into tight spaces than a class C.

But as others have pointed out, you are going to have limited space in just about any RV compared to a house. There are really big fifth wheels tho, 45 feet long or longer, but I wouldn't even think of pulling one.

We switched from a 29' class C towing a CRV to an F350 towing a 36' 5th wheel. There is no question that we are far more comfortable in our 5th wheel. Bigger kitchen, bigger bathroom and a shower as large as the one in the house. We tend to go somewhere and stay for up to a week then move on to another spot. We're not full timers yet but spend a couple weeks a year in our rig and many long weekends away. I like the way the 5th wheel tows and I've found my truck to be more comfortable to drive as the slide in our C was right behind the drivers seat limiting its adjustability. If getting gas now is uncomfortable then the 5th wheel and truck won't be any easier unless you drive short distances and setup for the night and take the truck back out for fuel. The other option here would be to get a transfer flow tank that sits in the bed of the truck which would allow you to carry quite a bit more fuel reducing your need to stop as often. You can also fuel up at truck stops which have a lot more room.

In short we really like our current setup and it works well for us. If there are other full timers in your park check with them to see what they think. One other option would be going to an A.

Good luck.