To Fifth wheel from Class A with toad

[Don_A_L]

Hi

We have a 2008 HR class A diesel and pull a car. Have had repair after repair, the worst of which is the breaking of slide cables. Body count at 8. The MH was purchased new 2010 and has 18K. My question for all you fivers is. Are fifth wheels easy to use for weekend trips, 1 or 2 week vacations with multiple stops, sometimes just over night?
We are not yet retired, two more years, but we will not full time after we do retire. Just winter south for a few months. We like fifth wheels and considered one before the class A, but I have no other need for 3500 series diesel PU crew cab, we have 4 dogs.

Thanks
Don

[Pop-Pop_C]

Have had both, MH, and 2 fivers. Daily living is better tin the fivers.
Nice recliner.Don't have to sit on acouch and crane my neck around to see the TV.
setting up and tearing down /(leveling) is easier I the MH. AUTO LEVELING I THE FIVER HELPS.

[mr__ed]

I made the change from a Class A/toad to fiver/TV six years ago. I can only state that BOTH have about equal pluses and minuses. I love my fiver with 3 slides (MH had none). I do miss my Saturn toad, though. It was completely reliable and great on gas. I have to use my diesel truck as a daily driver since I travel regularly and can't keep another vehicle.

If I stayed in one place most of the year I'd certainly get a small car and leave the diesel for towing. The fuel savings would be substantial and no doubt would practically pay for the car over time. (i.e., a friend's Prius gets about 50+ MPG as opposed to an estimated 14-15 MPG around town in my truck).

[Bumpyroad]

hone eagle wrote:


Just how do you imagine the logging /forest roads got there?
Dont worry you'll fit

it's not a matter of will it fit. I don't want to ding up my TV going on those logging roads. junk yours up if you want to.
bumpy

[hone_eagle]

RetSgt7114 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
the biggest downside I see with a 5er of any size, is that you need a monster TV which I wouldn't want to drive around cities or narrow forest roads, etc. I much preferred a MH with a small Toad for those excursions.
Just because he got a lemon with problems doesn't mean everybody did.
bumpy

Ditto

Just how do you imagine the logging /forest roads got there?
Dont worry you'll fit

[mountainkowboy]

We went from TC, to 5er, to Moho, to TC, and are settling back to a 5er.

IMO...if your a sitter, a 5er. If your a traveler, a Moho. We like to sit for a while and with the Moho....they don't like to sit. Its a vehicle with a drivetrain, sitting is not good for them. The 5er doesn't care, there is no drivetrain to deal with and the TV is your driver when parked. I've always owned at least a 3/4 ton truck, so its no big deal to use it for around town errands.

[Bumpyroad]

badbob1 wrote:
If you can drive a monster MH I bet you can handle a bit smaller monster truck and 5th wheel. I have owned both and for us the fiver is best for us.
Have Fun
BadBob

but I don't try to handle my monster MH on dugway and other nonsensical roads. that is where I use my small 4x4 vehicle. the MH stays on semi decent roads, unless I drive on I-59 in ALA.
bumpy

[ricatic]

I have had them all...but a travel trailer...tent, popup, Class C motor home, 2 Class A gas motor homes and a 36 foot Diesel Pusher...now a 35 foot Big Horn fiver.

I, too, never thought I would like another type of RV after going to Class A and a Diesel Pusher motor home. I towed Jeep Grand Cherokee's behind my motor home's...life was good.

I now think differently. The motor homes sat for long periods between long trips. We did make some short trips. When the girls were smaller, the motor homes made travel easier.Today, that has changed.

Now there is just the two of us...and the wunderdachshund...I find hooking up to the fiver no more time consuming than hooking up the Jeeps behind the motor homes. My last motor home was very nice...this Big Horn is just as nice...and has a lot more room...and livability. The tow vehicle is my daily driver and I see no big disadvantage in that regard.

Because of the ease of towing, relative ease of parking the rig and the excellent livability of the fiver, we will likely be in fivers until we stop camping.

Regards

[badbob1]

If you can drive a monster MH I bet you can handle a bit smaller monster truck and 5th wheel. I have owned both and for us the fiver is best for us.
Have Fun
BadBob

[Bird_Freak]

I have had both. I prefer the 5er now. I used to think I would never be happy with anything but a MH. Really takes me no longer to set up 5er than mh.

[Me_Again]

Don A L wrote:
As I suspected still a coin toss. With a Dodge Caravan, Sub. Outback and a Z4 for fun, I still have a problem with a 35K-40K truck sitting unused but for 6 or so weeks we use the MH now.

As I write this four days into a two week vacation, with a broken slide cable! Bedroom slide. Having just had a living room cable replaced two weeks ago, from a pre vacation weekend trip after winter storage. Oh and had to replace the hot water heater pressure valve, leaking, yesterday. Maybe we will just start full timing and live here, just west of lovely Detroit.

Don and very sad DW

Your MH sits unused with its drive train not being used. It is much easier to exercise the drive train of a PU than a MH!

Chris

[Jim_and_Barb]

All I can say is. As a monster TV my 06 2500 Ram Diesel works just fine. The question you had as far as ease of travel about 3 miniuts to hook up and the same to drop. We go for just short over night fishing trips to the lake or the beach. You may wish to see if any of your friends have a 5er to ride along or even test drive. Once you understand the physics of backing and at turning Right. You have nailed it as long you can keep it between the lines in a forward motion. Remember keep the tires properly inflated.

[Don_A_L]

As I suspected still a coin toss. With a Dodge Caravan, Sub. Outback and a Z4 for fun, I still have a problem with a 35K-40K truck sitting unused but for 6 or so weeks we use the MH now.

As I write this four days into a two week vacation, with a broken slide cable! Bedroom slide. Having just had a living room cable replaced two weeks ago, from a pre vacation weekend trip after winter storage. Oh and had to replace the hot water heater pressure valve, leaking, yesterday. Maybe we will just start full timing and live here, just west of lovely Detroit.

Don and very sad DW

[Road_Runners]

You could handle the monster truck. It is no problem to handle with a little practice. But, your four dogs would be hard to deal with unless you put them in cages inside your fifth wheel.

I have traveled with friends who have a class A. I couldn't believe all the problems they had with hooking up and unhooking their tow. And, we had to turn around a couple of times getting on a wrong road. I just turned my fifth wheel around and went back the other direction. It was a major project for my friend to get his rig turned around.

[RetSgt7114]

Bumpyroad wrote:
the biggest downside I see with a 5er of any size, is that you need a monster TV which I wouldn't want to drive around cities or narrow forest roads, etc. I much preferred a MH with a small Toad for those excursions.
Just because he got a lemon with problems doesn't mean everybody did.
bumpy

Ditto