I've been told its easier to park a 5th wheel than a travel trailer. is this true due to the turning radius or is it bunk?The unit i'm looking at has a back up camera and is 8 feet longer than the old trailer and I know that if I can see whats happening and how close I am getting to whats back there I can make adjustments on the fly I don't like to rely on my wife because she waits until its at a critical point. A few months ago while backing in the trailer she turned down the walkie talkie and I got 1/4" from the fence. which was quite stressful.Thanks

Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Both have good and bad. You will get used to ether one very quickly if you can back one up now with no trouble. Going down the road the 5th wheel will usually win.

Nah, I wouldn't say a 5er is easier to park/back up. BUT they do tow much nicer than a bumper pull when going down the road

I don't know that maneuvering one is any better than the other. Different, yes, but better or worse is subjective. The 5th wheel is slower to respond than an equivalent length bumper pull, but it's something you get used to. To me, there's nothing more difficult to back than an extremely short bumper pull trailer - they'll jack knife in a heartbeat.Rusty

There are reasons the big boys to with the 5th wheel. Even the multi trailer often use a 5th wheel adaptor.

There is a reason they say "stepping up to a 5er".I would any day prefer backing a standard trailer. Much quicker to respond.

5th wheel vs travel trailer. | Good Sam Community

billyd11
Explorer
Sep 19, 2016
Depends on you. If you can back up it makes little difference. Towing, however the fifth wheel is better.
johndeerefarmer
Explorer III
Sep 17, 2016
Been pulling bumper pull and goosenecks for 35+ years. The gooseneck/fiver doesn't track the truck as well so you have to make your turns different. Fiver is easier to hitch and unhitch if your travel trailer has an Equalizer type hitch.
Gooseneck/fiver pull better with way less sway.
Main problem with backing a fiver is the sheer size of the RV, they are wider and taller than travel trailers.
I would never pull a 35' bumper pull across West Texas, NM or Colorado. Even with an Equalizer hitch the wind is likely to give you fits.
Coach-man
Explorer
Sep 17, 2016
OK, I'll bite! If you have been pulling a TT, then you will like it over a 5er! The other way around if you have been doing a 5er, and then move to a TT! They react differently! It is like, which computer do you like, "the one I learned on" is the correct answer. As stated, if you know what your doing, then it looks easy! What is good, is the fact that practice makes perfect, well almost perfect anyway!
RustyJC
Explorer
Sep 17, 2016
I don't necessarily subscribe to the "quicker is better" part, but yes, a shorter 5th wheel will respond more quickly than a longer one.

Rusty
danrclem
Explorer
Sep 17, 2016
Does a shorter 5th wheel back better (turn quicker) than a long one? Say a 28' vs a 36'. The reason I ask is that I just bought a 28' 5th wheel but haven't towed it yet. Never owned a TT or a 5r but I know I can do it because I had a Bass tracker behind a motor home that I backed down a narrow boat ramp at a place we camp a lot. If I could see the tracker in my mirrors I knew I wasn't going straight. Just curious.
tdsxt51
Explorer
Sep 17, 2016
Give me an inch on either side and I can put a conventional trailer in there. No problem. But I still have a hard time backing my 5th wheeler. Getting better, but still way more difficult for me. For me, I had to forget all the advice about backing it. Put your hand here, turn the wheel this way or that, blah blah blah. I now turn my head around, don't pay any attention to where my hands are at, and start backing up. If I can see with my mirrors, all the better. It is SLOWLY getting easier.
FishOnOne
Nomad
Sep 17, 2016
We recently switched from a 5ver and up to a conventional and backing up requires just about the same amount of effort once you get use it.
ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Sep 16, 2016
superhooperduty55 wrote:
I've been told its easier to park a 5th wheel than a travel trailer. is this true due to the turning radius or is it bunk?
The unit i'm looking at has a back up camera and is 8 feet longer than the old trailer and I know that if I can see whats happening and how close I am getting to whats back there I can make adjustments on the fly I don't like to rely on my wife because she waits until its at a critical point. A few months ago while backing in the trailer she turned down the walkie talkie and I got 1/4" from the fence. which was quite stressful.
Thanks

Do *YOU* want to decide on which one you want/need......

-OR-

do you want folks on an internet site ("us") to choose for you?..:@

:R :R :R

~
rhagfo
Explorer III
Sep 16, 2016
Well let's say it is different and it will take a bit to get use to how it reacts. You really don't want the trailer to get too far ahead in the as it is harder to change direction. Once I get the 5er turning, I start to straighten out otherwise it keeps going in that direction.

The length is less of an issue, 5ers tow shorter, you have at least 3' to 4' shorter than a TT of the same length as it is over the bed.
Irish2
Explorer
Sep 16, 2016
Bumper pull is easier to back up in my opinion but once you realize a 5 th wheel is slower to respond you quickly convert your technique. The 5 th wheel tows better which makes it a winner for me. Consider that you spend most of your time towing and just a few minutes backing up.

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