Fifth Wheel or TT?

[Galvinized]

We are planning retirement. Want to hit the road for 2-3 months and go somewhere warmer. We want to be able to bring a two seat golf cart or two seat UTV with us. Assume weight is no more than 1500#.

We have never owned a toy hauler and are interested in hearing about the pros and cons of a travel trailer toy hauler or fifth wheel toy hauler.

TIA for your insights.

[BurbMan]

Having towed a TT for many years we just pulled the trigger on our 1st 5er and are excited about towing it for all of the reasons mentioned. I would look at fifth wheel toy haulers and here's why:

1. Ease of loading and unloading. Yes, you could fit a golf cart of SxS in the truck bed, but dealing with ramps, etc., is not my idea of convenient.
2. Toys stay out of the weather, stuff loaded in the truck bed will get wet. Even if you go somewhere warm, you'll want the convenience of bringing the GC inside if you get rain.
3. Toy haulers load the weight of toys behind the axles, and that actually helps to decrease your tongue weight or pin weight. Toys loaded in the truck bed subtract from the amount of payload available for hitch weight limiting your choice of TTs. 5ers are much less weight/balance sensitive than TT's for proper towing and handling.
4. Most times the ramp/garage in toy haulers converts into a deck or patio with screening, sliding doors, etc. Nice extra space.
5. The 5er will give you more living space in the same length truck/trailer rig since part of the space overhangs the truck box.

ALSO: think about how you plan to spend those 2 months. If you're going to drive to a resort and stay there 2 months and drive home, then you're only loading/unloading one time. Putting the toy into the truck bed is not that big of a deal.

If you're planning a long trip with many 2-3 night stops, you'll be loading and unloading quite a bit and also towing more. A MH towing the toy ion a cargo trailer will tow the best, and be best top travel with, but as was noted you'll have no other street-legal vehicle when you park.

[Galvinized]

These are terrific and thoughtful insights.

Are there any significant differences inside a TT or FW in the toy / garage area? Space? Electronics? Ramp door? What should we take into consideration for the garage area or is basically the same in a TT or FW?

[mleekamp]

valhalla360 wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
Motorhome, tow the toys

Yeah but then you don't have a street legal vehicle (at least in most places).

You could drive the Motorhome, tow a pick up, with golf cart in bed.

[theoldwizard1]

Make sure you have a big enough truck to tow your trailer.

[valhalla360]

Tom/Barb wrote:
Motorhome, tow the toys

Yeah but then you don't have a street legal vehicle (at least in most places).

[Tom_Barb]

Motorhome, tow the toys

[jdc1]

I've had both also. I prefer a 5th wheel over a TT, toyhauler or not. A 30' 5th whell wil be 45' (with truck) long. A 30 TT will be 55' long (with truck). The ONLY thing I do not like about 5th wheels is the front bedroom height. But, if you're getting a toyhauler, that may not matter.

[MarkTwain]

LadyRVer wrote:
Speaking from experience in towing both fifth-wheels and travel trailers, I would much rather tow a fifth- wheel. I also found them much easier to hook up.

Agree 100%. 5th. wheels are much more stable when driving down the road. Winds and big 8 wheel trucks have minimum effect on 5th wheel trailers.

[ScottG]

If the golf cart will fit in the truck, I would get a travel trailer rather than leave my toys home.
I pull one for the very reason that I need to haul stuff in the back of my truck. TT towing with a good quality hitch is perfectly comfortable and it's my experience that they are easier to maneuver during backing.

[valhalla360]

I would go 5th wheel for this.

A properly set up TT will tow fine. We've owned both and currently have a TT to match our current needs. Had it in 40-50mph winds out in Wyoming and while we got off the road as soon as possible, it handled as well as our 5ers but this assumes properly set up hitch and loading in the trailer. With a 5er, it's pretty much good by design unless you really get silly.

The bigger issue is for longer trips, you likely want a big RV. One of the big downsides is for the same length RV, the living space is much smaller in a toy hauler.
- Not a huge issue if you are stationary and have the toy unloaded, as you can use the garage as a work room/office.
- If you are on the move frequently, it will quickly become a pain unloading at every stop and not every park will have space or even allow the toy.

With that said, make sure the truck and trailer are compatible. Particularly for a 5th wheel, payload (not towing capacity) is often the limiting factor. Assuming 25% of the trailer GVWR is in the bed of the truck. So a 16,000lb trailer will have 4,000lb on the rear axle. Add in people and anything else in the truck and good chance you are looking at a diesel dually to get enough payload.

With a travel trailer, you should conservatively assume 15% sits on the ball of the hitch.

Keep in mind if you travel without the toy, your pin/hitch weight will tend to be higher as the toy sits behind the trailer axles and reduces the payload on the truck.

Usually once you get really big, your choices for a TT toy hauler get limited pretty quickly.

[LadyRVer]

Speaking from experience in towing both fifth-wheels and travel trailers, I would much rather tow a fifth- wheel. I also found them much easier to hook up.