How Big?

we just switched from a large toyhauler (one in my sig) to a similar sized frnt living space 5th wheel

even for just a weekend the toyhauler felt cramped; being in the same footprint but all living space is a rock star deal

I could easily full time in the rig we have now; in the toyhauler it would have been hyper painful


my 2 pennies
if you don't have to have the garage; keep the space for living

I personally don't own a 5 Th wheel tow hauler myself but I've driven my buddies a few dozen times there very nice. Don't worry about the length they tow easier then a bumper pull and back up much easier as well. (drive closer to the speed limit) Well.... I don't and it's a non issue.

You won't need a class 4 or 5 truck to pull the toy hauler. And, you won't have a "monster" truck to have to deal with. A 3500 dual or single rear wheel diesel truck will be fine and will actually be a benefit and not a burden when you get to your location.

A toy hauler provides a lot of flexibility for what you will be doing. The garage can be used for an office or to carry a RZR or golf cart or other onsite transportation or both. I think it makes sense, but you need to decide what will work best for your specific situation.

iam3md wrote:
My wife and I are about to begin a new career as catastrophic insurance adjusters and will possibly be on the road for 6-8 mos at a time. She wants a new 44ft toy hauler and I am leaning toward a smaller used 5th wheel until we see if staying in a rv is at all what we want.

I have pulled bumper trailers all my life, but know nothing about 5th wheel adventures.

Any input would be appreciated.

Scott

I would not jump into a new 44ft toy hauler unless you knew you liked the 5th wheel pulling and knew for certain that size worked for your situation.

Like you said ''USED 5th wheel'' would work great and you are not out all the depreciation of a new toy hauler. If a used fifth wheel works you can upgrade later without losing your shirt.

I found gooseneck and fifth wheels pull so much easier than bumper pulls.

And what truck do you have? Diesel?, dually? New? Newer? None yet?

check out any special hoops you have to go thru with a RV over 40 ft long. and if you get a 5th wheel, your only vehicle to drive around will be a monster pickup truck. a Class A with toad would be more practical.
bumpy

If you plan to take something like this into disaster areas, you may find it is too large to maneuver in damaged areas. We stayed with a smaller combination rather than going to a largest toy hauler since it would have limited access to some of the places we like to visit.

You will most likely need a current model Class 3 truck or larger. The pin weight of some these large toy haulers may even make you consider a Class 4 or 5 truck to get the required payload.

Decidde whether you or your wife will be following in a car or if you will hauling a vehicle in the toy hauler. Your preference may limit your selection of toy haulers that have sufficient garage capacity and size for your second vehicle.

I vote toy hauler.
In a catastrophe situation you need to be self sufficient. Toy hauler will allow you to carry lots of supplies such as
A big Genny.
Gasoline for the genny.
Bottled water and shelf stable milk.
Lots of other things come to mind.
You may have to be self sufficient for a long time there may be no gas station, grocery or other services. May not even be water available.

We full-time in a 43' Toy Hauler and love it. BUT, the length does limit spaces you can get into. I assume in your case the garage would be an office which would be great, but since you'll be going to the site of disasters, I'm not sure that's the best choice.

Is there an association of adjusters you could contact for guidance? I've run across some using smaller THs and trailers, but not seen one this big. Also, as previously mentioned, a 44 footer is probably going to require an f350/3500 DRW to tow comfortably and safely. Another expense to consider.

How big is your truck?

I think you will find towing the 5th wheel will be a much more relaxing experience than the TAG trailer. The only issue to be concerned with is the weight of the trailer and how your truck performs. For me I like to drive closer to the speed limit but some folks are fine driving slower. The larger trailers require newer trucks with more HP to keep the speeds up comfortably. In my case if my truck is loaded to the point I can't keep close to the speed limit it drives me nuts. 44ft also limits the places you can say to some degree. Some of the newer trailers sure are nice though.