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Anyone switch from a motor home to a fifth wheel?

MookieKat
Explorer
Explorer
If you have, would love to know the reasons why!
37 REPLIES 37

Learjet
Explorer
Explorer
I went from a Class A 30' to a Travel Trailer 23' to 5th wheel...see signature.

This is my favorite of all 3 ๐Ÿ™‚
2017 Ram Big Horn, DRW Long Box, 4x4, Cummins, Aisin, 3.73
2022 Jayco Pinnacle 32RLTS, Onan 5500, Disc Brakes, 17.5" tires
B&W Ram Companion

ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Explorer
Veebyes wrote:


Whatever floats your boat.


Floats your.....boat...:@

Purdy sure this was about switching from a MH to 5th wheel..:?

OP - nope, nobody has done that.

The "switchers" usually go from a MH to a pop-up for access to those remote campgrounds with no hook-ups and boondocking...:W

~

mountainsam
Explorer
Explorer
John&Joey wrote:
FWIW, when we owned the Class A most would comment on how nice it was to have a bathroom on board. Yes, my DW really misses that. On the other hand I had to develop a bladder the size of a basketball.

Now we all get to pee and gas up every 100 - 200 miles. Which for me is also a con for a 5'ver. With a MH you have a huge gas tank that can last all day, not so with a truck. Seems like I'm always in and out of gas stations.


John&Joey, Maybe you have the wrong truck.
2017 Thor Gemini 23TR w/ 3.2 Power Stroke turbo diesel
2014 Ram 6.7 Cummins Turbo Diesel Crew Cab, Long Bed 4X4 6 Speed Auto (sold)
2013 Rockwood Signature 8281 WS w/Sidewinder Pin (sold)
DW and Sofie our Black Lab /Boxer and Phoebe our Schnoodle

IdaD
Explorer
Explorer
We have three young kids so having them in a safe truck with airbags and their car seats/boosters is a big deal to us. Plus from a performance and ease of driving standpoint I don't imagine most motorhomes can match a newer diesel like our Ram.

And fifth wheels are just versatile. We mostly take ours camping which is nice because once camp is set up and the trailer is parked we've got a good 4wd truck that can handle the rugged forest service roads well. We're taking it down to southern Cal later this summer for a family vacation and once we're parked we've got a safe truck to get around in that's more comfortable for a family of 5 than most of the dingy type vehicles I've seen behind MHs. Plus I want a truck anyway for all the truck stuff that comes up all the time - hauling building materials from the home center, trees from the nursery, appliance purchases, and etc.
2015 Cummins Ram 4wd CC/SB

Nevadastars
Explorer
Explorer
We are in the process of switching from a Class C to a 5th wheel. There are several reasons, but mainly because of the steep mountain passes here in Nevada and nearby California. Our poor Ford gas V10 screams bloody murder going up some of these mountains pulling our Liberty with the tach parked at 4800-5000 RPM for miles. Of course this contributes to the 7 mpg we get with it.

Also, the MH is just plain noisy, no matter how much we try and quiet it down. The last straw was on our last trip down hwy 95 with a fairly stiff crosswind. I didn't want to go much over 50, yet trucks with large fivers were passing us like we were parked. This was right after we spent a good chunk on HD sway bars, Bilstein's and had positive caster shims installed to help with the steering.

So, I sold my Hemi Ram 1500 gasser and bought a clean 2007 Ram 2500 5.9 Cummins 4x4 last week. Now just gotta get the MH sold and search for a fiver. I think the only thing we will miss is my wife taking potty breaks while we are on the road.
2016 Forest River Wildcat Maxx 262RGX 8,268 UVW 11,754 GVWR
2007 Ram 2500 QC SB 4x4 Smarty tuned 5.9 Cummins
B&W Turnover Ball & Andersen Ultimate

zb39
Explorer
Explorer
Yes, we did. After 22 years and 4 MH we switched to a 5th wheel. Pros and cons with each. Set up is the same for me. Major $$$ savings with the 5th wheel. Bottom line is you can have a ton of fun with either.
They are just different, not a big deal. More room in our 33 5th wheel than was in our 45' DP. yes really.
2017 Host mammoth, sold
49 states, 41 National Parks, 7 Provinces
2019 2 door Rubicon 6 spd.
2019 Berkshire XLT 45B
2022 Host Cascade
2021 Ram 5500 Air ride

Veebyes
Explorer II
Explorer II
Didja ever wonder why you don't see many big purdy class As wandering around the secondary scenic roads but they are all over the interstates passing everything in sight in their rush to get to the next full service CG?

You don't see many big purdy class As at state parks or National Park CGs. You don't see many big 5ers at these CGs either. You don't see many big purdy class As on the road to Alaska. Those that do tend to travel in flocks of caravans led by somebody. You don't see many big purdy class As, or big purdy 5ers, for that matter, parked out in the dry camping section of big events, even though they are perfectly equipped for dry camping with their gennys & high water capacity.

Maybe it is because of the depth of the pockets of the big purdy class As vs the pockets of the 5er ownners.

To each his own. There are exceptions in every group.

RVing is similar to boating. There are various groups & types of boats to suit. There is the blowboat vs the stinkboat crowd. There is the go fast vs the go slow in each. There are the marina hoppers vs the 'on the hook' boaters. There are the weekend warriors vs the cruisers. There are those happy with their <$100,000 boat & those who must trade for the latest & greatest every few years. Some spend millions on something they only use a few weeks a year.

Whatever floats your boat.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter

2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
2006 Chevy 3500 LT, CC,LB 6.6L Diesel

Ham Radio: VP9KL, IRLP node 7995

rskeans
Explorer
Explorer
John&Joey wrote:

With a MH you have a huge gas tank that can last all day, not so with a truck. Seems like I'm always in and out of gas stations.

This is true, but there are after market solutions. I have a 70 gallon aftermarket under bed fuel tank and still have all of my truck bed for 'whatever'. http://www.aerotanks.com/ My routine is to just un-hook at the park and just drive over to a local fuel station and top up the tank. I'm good for 600 miles on a fill-up.
'14 RAM CTD,Aisin,CC,DRW,4.10 Longhorn, LB
Aerotanks.com 70 gal underbed fuel tank.
Lifestyle LS36FW, Andersen Ultimate AL hitch

jsrore
Explorer
Explorer
We had a 35 ft class A and just bought a 40 ft 5th Montana..
I think you get more BANG for the buck with a 5th wheel and dont have to worry about another motor, drive train etc, less to go wrong.
still getting used to backing it up but will come with practice, practice , practice...
very happy
2016 Montana 3790RD
2015 Ram 3500 Larmie
1998 BlueWater 18',fish/ski Boat
1 DW, 3 Dogs,
United States Navy 10yrs
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of ALL who Threaten It!
Nothing but the good life,cool breeze plenty of Beer!

John_Joey
Explorer
Explorer
FWIW, when we owned the Class A most would comment on how nice it was to have a bathroom on board. Yes, my DW really misses that. On the other hand I had to develop a bladder the size of a basketball.

Now we all get to pee and gas up every 100 - 200 miles. Which for me is also a con for a 5'ver. With a MH you have a huge gas tank that can last all day, not so with a truck. Seems like I'm always in and out of gas stations.
Thereโ€™s no fool, like an old fool.

sayoung
Explorer
Explorer
We went from MH to no RV for awhile simply cause a guy offered a lot of money for the MH we had,the couple liked it way more than we did.
I just wanted a 5er when we got back to rv-ing. Now that We are retired , MH is looking like what we want to go back to.Its just harder to climb the bedroom steps is probably all there is to reason.
Still like the 5er but we are looking at possible switch.Problem is we want one of those really nice ones and they just are expensive.

Sinbadman5024
Explorer
Explorer
We have just gone from Class A gas to a 5er. Our reasons were...

Take the truck to go anywhere
More for our money
Less maintenance/cost on the chassis
Better range towing
Less insurance

We already had the truck and was just an easy switch for us. Our 5er also has a generator installed, making it similar to out MH.
Shane, Ann, and Sebastian
2007 Volvo VNL 780 "Vlad"
2008 Dutchmen Grand Junction 34 QRL

northmeck0255
Explorer
Explorer
https://youtu.be/9LkLeljt4t0

What do you think happened to the person making the cheese sandwich???
2010 Airstream 27FB Classic Limited
2012 Ram 3500 DRW 4X4

Traveler_II
Explorer
Explorer
In retirement during 17 years we've had 5 RV's, 3 MH's and 2 fivers, we like what ever RV we have at the time, you just can't beat the RV lifestyle If someone ask after having both which ONE would we pick I'd have to go with the motorhomes. Many reasons, but one big one for us is the big truck we need to pull the fiver, they are just too awkward For us we've felt the need to buy a second car, while the truck sits in the garage for half the year and the car the other half. We would rather pull a car behind a MH to go sightseeing or shopping and go down to one vehicle. It's true a nice fiver with a truck cost less than a many MH's but I vote for the MH.
2011 Cameo 34SB3
2014 Ford 350 King Ranch, Trailer Saver BD3 Air Hitch, Mor/Ryde pin box, IS Suspension, Disk Brakes
Nights Camped in 2012 - 142
Nights Camped in 2013 - 186
Nights Camped in 2014 - 185
Nights Camped in 2015 - 231
Nights Camped in 2016 - 162