Do I want a 5th wheel?

[looper]

The wife and I are retired. We have been camping for many years. From tent to popup to travel trailer. Been in our 23.5 Pilgrim for 7 years and it is time for a change. We really like what we see in 5th wheels but just can't make up our mind. I am OCD about reading and learning all I can about something I plan to do. In my research on what it takes to go from TT to 5er it seems like a MUCH bigger step than any we took before. I am trying to learn about the weights and I am a stickler about sticking to the wt limits. I have a low mileage F250 with the old 7.3L diesel and know that limits my choices and we are good with that. Actually would not consider anything over 30'. All that to get to this. What would a veteran 5th wheel owner tell me to consider and research before making my final decision to move up to a 5th wheel or stay with a new TT?

[tinner12002]

A fifth wheel will pull and handle better and in my opinion, is easier to back. More storage space and auto level-up availability are a couple big pluses for a 5th wheel for me. Downside of 5th wheel would be the additional overall height and possibly having to go up and down stairs to front bath and bedroom are just a couple things I can think of off hand.

[IdaD]

jerem0621 wrote:

johndeerefarmer wrote:
Sorry but no travel trailer will ever pull as good as a fifth wheel even with a thousand dollar hitch. I have both types and have towed with both for years. (I use an Equalizer.) The simple fact is that if your tow point is on your bumper you are going to get more sway than if it is front of your rear axle. Physics dictate this and you can't change it with opinions.

You can find a lot of "1/2 ton" fivers that are 32' and under that are light enough and would work good with your truck.

Not trying to argue but my 32 ft TT had Zero sway...I mean ZERO. No wiggle..no wonder...nothing but a rock solid tow. It was behind a dually F350 CC but to say that NO TT will tow as good as a fiver is simply false.

Had a standard weight distribution hitch and two friction bars...all properly adjusted. No wiggle no sway.

Like I said, I'm not arguing. I'm probably going fiver on my next rig. But a well set up TT can tow incredibly well.

My dad use to get blown around by his 39 ft fiver (man handled) to the point it scared him and he sold it. (Despite 30k Miles towing) He now has a much lighter "Half Ton towable" fiver matched with his 03 Ram 2500 Cummins truck. For a long time that big trailer "towed great" but there was that one tow with the right road conditions and the right weather conditions and it put a huge magnifying glass on his combo and it was found wanting and very overloaded.

OP you are doing a great job doing research. Don't be like my dad who simply bought a diesel and thought he could tow anything.

Research some "half ton" towable fivers and you will have a great combo with your F250.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

A TT can certainly tow well, but geometry is geometry - a FW has certain advantages that make for a better tow in all conditions. It is what it is.

[jerem0621]

johndeerefarmer wrote:
Sorry but no travel trailer will ever pull as good as a fifth wheel even with a thousand dollar hitch. I have both types and have towed with both for years. (I use an Equalizer.) The simple fact is that if your tow point is on your bumper you are going to get more sway than if it is front of your rear axle. Physics dictate this and you can't change it with opinions.

You can find a lot of "1/2 ton" fivers that are 32' and under that are light enough and would work good with your truck.

Not trying to argue but my 32 ft TT had Zero sway...I mean ZERO. No wiggle..no wonder...nothing but a rock solid tow. It was behind a dually F350 CC but to say that NO TT will tow as good as a fiver is simply false.

Had a standard weight distribution hitch and two friction bars...all properly adjusted. No wiggle no sway.

Like I said, I'm not arguing. I'm probably going fiver on my next rig. But a well set up TT can tow incredibly well.

My dad use to get blown around by his 39 ft fiver (man handled) to the point it scared him and he sold it. (Despite 30k Miles towing) He now has a much lighter "Half Ton towable" fiver matched with his 03 Ram 2500 Cummins truck. For a long time that big trailer "towed great" but there was that one tow with the right road conditions and the right weather conditions and it put a huge magnifying glass on his combo and it was found wanting and very overloaded.

OP you are doing a great job doing research. Don't be like my dad who simply bought a diesel and thought he could tow anything.

Research some "half ton" towable fivers and you will have a great combo with your F250.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[Dtank]

looper wrote:
Thanks for all the input. As mentioned in some posts, one of the things that concerns me is the 8800# GVWR. I don't know the weight of my truck exactly and weighing it would not be totally accurate because I have a Leer fiberglass top on it that I won't remove unless I decide on a 5th wheel. I don't carry a lot of gear but if I had a 5th wheel may find myself carrying more in order to go on longer trips. I'm guessing from reading so many "over weight" threads that it will be tough to stay below that 8800#. Towing a TT has been a breeze. My TT is only about 7000# loaded and with my Equalizer hitch I hardly know its there other than when I have to start from a full stop. Guess we will just keep looking and noodling the numbers to see if we can get in a 5th wheel at some point. Show season here is in January so I can go wander around them all and dream.

I have a 5th - and lots of good -correct- info has been posted regarding the advantages, etc.

Owned TTs for may years - and would consider going back....but
jump to my bottom line - below.

Here's a few thoughts:

A TT does *NOT* require a pickup as a tow vehicle.
At some point in time would you like to tow with something like a Suburban or?
(I towed TTs with 1T vans as well as 1T pickups)

Like to bring along "toys"?
You lose the bed of your pickup for them - so, the best solution is a 5th wheel toy hauler.
Good solution - for you?

Get in a bind? Your tow vehicle "out of service"?
Anyone with a "capable" vehicle with a 2" receiver can tow your TT.
You will need someone with a 5th wheel hitch to tow a 5th.

Bottom line - the *BEST* RV is (may be) the one you have!..:C

Having second thoughts is *NOT* a bad thing...:W

Good luck with your decision/choice!



:C

[johndeerefarmer]

Sorry but no travel trailer will ever pull as good as a fifth wheel even with a thousand dollar hitch. I have both types and have towed with both for years. (I use an Equalizer.) The simple fact is that if your tow point is on your bumper you are going to get more sway than if it is front of your rear axle. Physics dictate this and you can't change it with opinions.

You can find a lot of "1/2 ton" fivers that are 32' and under that are light enough and would work good with your truck.

[minnow]

One thing to also consider is your limited choices in the 30" and under fifth wheels to choose from. Not many to look at. Seems many of the manufacturers feel us RV'ers only need a fifth wheel at 35' and up. Don't know if this is the chicken or egg argument. Manufacturers don't cater to the small fifth wheel crowd because no one buys them or because dealers refuse to stock them so people can't buy what they can't see.
The smaller fivers are out there but you got to really look.

[Racine96]

A couple things, first I went from a TT to a FW and two things are different. One is backing up. I still think it's easier with the TT. Also, if you have a cap on the back of your truck, the storage space in the truck equipped this way is more than the space in the basement of a FW. However, towing is more stable and easier with a FW. I would caution you about 2500 payload. I started with a 2500 until I hit hill country and my DW who doesn't know much about truck told me "we need a bigger truck". I now have a 3500 RAM. My two cents.

[Kevin_O_]

looper wrote:
Thanks for all the input. As mentioned in some posts, one of the things that concerns me is the 8800# GVWR. I don't know the weight of my truck exactly and weighing it would not be totally accurate because I have a Leer fiberglass top on it that I won't remove unless I decide on a 5th wheel. I don't carry a lot of gear but if I had a 5th wheel may find myself carrying more in order to go on longer trips. I'm guessing from reading so many "over weight" threads that it will be tough to stay below that 8800#. Towing a TT has been a breeze. My TT is only about 7000# loaded and with my Equalizer hitch I hardly know its there other than when I have to start from a full stop. Guess we will just keep looking and noodling the numbers to see if we can get in a 5th wheel at some point. Show season here is in January so I can go wander around them all and dream.

Hey there, I'm always glad to see another proud 7.3L owner! There are not many of us left.. Is your truck a crew cab? Short bed? 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive? Keep in mind if you have a short bed you will need a slider hitch..

My F350 has a 9900lb gvwr . Last spring I traded in our 32' travel trailer for a 35' Jayco HT lite weight fifth wheel and couldn't be happier!! If you decide to go with a heavier trailer I recommend getting a 6.0 transmission cooler for the truck. It's four times the size of the stock unit and bolts right into the same spot. Good luck with your decision!!

Kevin

[hatchhanlon]

As a present owner of both, TT to Florida in winter and 5W on owner lot in summer, I believe that a person has to weigh the pros and cons, just like any other decision.

Aside form the issues of space, weight, construction, tow ability, etc., there is one factor that is usually missing in the comparison of fifth wheels and travel trailers. That unaccounted for variable is view to the front.

I spent summers for 15 years in an Airstream. As you know, these units have lots of windows, including ones that wrap around the front. But it was, even at 34feet, quite small in terms of available living space and really lacked storage. So I decided to get a 40’ fifth wheel, which solved two problems, but created another.

We own the lot, lake in the back, with roadway and park in the front, and we became accustomed to watching people pass and kids playing outside our front windows. Although we gained a terrific space at the rear of the fiver to look at the lake and view sunsets, there is definitely a big component missing without that view to the front. It’s really a big deal.

In summary, if you watch a lot of TV in your lounge chairs or often entertain friends across your dining room table, it doesn’t really matter what you buy. On the other hand, the design of most modern fivers can cause a claustrophobic effect, which can catch people off guard. Fivers with a front window can be found or one could opt for a rig with a front living room, but these options might be considered as niche markets and models like these may limit your buying choices.

Just something to keep in mind for those that think buying a fifth wheel is “moving up.”

[rhagfo]

looper wrote:
As a postscript to why I'm so OCD about all this. I once had a large Uhaul trailer break free of my truck in the mountains of N. Ga. The chains broke and the trailer took off down the on coming lane of traffic and finally ran off into the ditch just before hitting a couple in a car head on. I had been towing boats and trailers for years before that without a second thought. That was over 30 years ago and I can still fill the knot in my stomach as I saw the trailer pass me in the oncoming lane and I can still see the faces of the lady and man in the car as they watched this trailer coming at them. Since then I do more than needed to make sure I don't have to go through that again.

Well the difference between a U-Haul trailer and a RV is an on-board battery that will activate the trailer brakes in case of a breakaway. To simplify the renting of trailers, U-Haul uses surge brakes on their trailers. When you step on the TV brakes there is a section of the trailer tongue that can move forward and activate a hydraulic brake master cylinder to provide braking to the trailer, once it is loose, there is no way for the brakes to be activated.

When the pin is pulled on my 5er, the brakes activate HARD, I know my cable caught on the hitch backing into a spot once, DW was outside watching and scared her badly. She said the back tire of the truck came off the ground it stopped so hard, and that was going backwards.

Your reasons are your reasons, I can't fault you for that.

[looper]

As a postscript to why I'm so OCD about all this. I once had a large Uhaul trailer break free of my truck in the mountains of N. Ga. The chains broke and the trailer took off down the on coming lane of traffic and finally ran off into the ditch just before hitting a couple in a car head on. I had been towing boats and trailers for years before that without a second thought. That was over 30 years ago and I can still fill the knot in my stomach as I saw the trailer pass me in the oncoming lane and I can still see the faces of the lady and man in the car as they watched this trailer coming at them. Since then I do more than needed to make sure I don't have to go through that again.

[looper]

avvidclif1 wrote:
Add up the FAWR and RAWR. You will find it exceeds the GVWR. To me the GVWR is a number to tell the license plate people how much to charge as it changes the rating with higher GVWR numbers(more $$$).

I had not even noticed that. I assume those are max weights on each axle and you still should not exceed the GVWR. I don't know.

[looper]

Snowman9000 wrote:
The Leer top will just about equal the weight of the fiver hitch you'd install, so go ahead and weigh the truck IMO.

That's a good idea. I don't know how much the top weighs but it's pretty heavy.

[avvidclif1]

Add up the FAWR and RAWR. You will find it exceeds the GVWR. To me the GVWR is a number to tell the license plate people how much to charge as it changes the rating with higher GVWR numbers(more $$$).