Traveling in a 5th wheel while driving.

[smcrea]

We are at a crossroads as to going for the 5th wheel or a motorhome. This is after having a TT for 4 years.

My wife has a bad back and suffers terribly when sitting for hours in the tow vehicle. Being able to simply lie down is a HUGE benefit to her.

I know that some folks will say DON'T Do it etc etc.. but the fact is that if my wife was able to take a lie down in the 5th while on the move then it would be a decision maker for us.

It looks like most of the modern 5th's have shocks etc and seem to be as sturdy as any motor home. Also I believe that it's also legal in most states.

Is anyone on the forum doing this?

Thanks for the feedback!

[KATOOM]

rtazz17 wrote:

KATOOM wrote:
We chose a 5th wheel over a TT specifically because of being legal to ride back there while driving. Check your states for laws though. Wife and kids say thats it no different than ridding in our TH than in any MH we've spent thousands of miles in. I think the experience in ride condition is going to be different from trailer to trailer. And it doesn't matter if you hit the brakes hard towing a trailer or driving a MH, because everyone not tied down will be briskly flying across the living space. Thats the risk of walking around while the vehicle is moving. As for construction and accidents, I dont think I've been in any MH which was built better than most trailers. They're all cheap until you get in the stratosphere price range.

its just surprising to me you would let your kids back there ?When they could ride in a much safer truck with seatbelts.Jmo

The kids aren't tots so its not like there's toddlers running around the trailer while I'm whizzing down the freeway. But on that same note.....do you have all your passengers buckle up while traveling in the RV? If yes then I can only imagine how much fun they enjoy the vacation.

There is some inherent risk we all take when traveling in RV's/trailers, and I cant remember the last time I ever saw an RV/trailer subject to any crash test standard.

[christopherglen]

I have a trailair hitch, and centerpoint suspension on the trailer, and an air suspension on the truck. DD rode several hundred miles in the 5er due to "cramps".. The only complaint was she was stuck in the bedroom without a tv.

FWIW class a & c rv's don't fare any better in a rollover crash. They all end up with large side panels broken into a few pieces, and thousands of little sticks with bits of fabric on them.

[tgreening]

Personally I could care less what the ride is like back there. Nothing breathing that I care about will be riding in the camper. There is zero attention given to crash safety in their engineering so my wife and kids (2-legged or otherwise) will be riding up in the truck where they stand at least a snowballs chance of surviving if things go bad.

Krapp happens and the last place I'd want them is bouncing around the interior of some poorly constructed box in the case of an accident. My personal opinion is it's poor judgement at best to ride back there.



For the OP: You could probably find a place that does things like van conversions, and have a bench seat installed in the back that folds flat into a bed, or another possible option is having air ride seats installed in your truck. They make them though the maker escapes me at the moment.

[Reader1]

mpierce wrote:
I filled a glass with orange juice, and then forgot it, and left it on the kitchen counter. Drove, almost 300 miles, and when I went in the trailer, I noticed it on the counter. It had not moved, and it had not spilled a drop. It was within an inch of being full.

So, it certainly could not have been an "earthquake" or "hurricane" back there! LOL

Wow - must have been a very straight and smooth road. I always open cupboards to find what was "dancing" while on the road. I wonder if you have a truck with a back seat and if she could lay down in the back seat?

[rtazz17]

KATOOM wrote:
We chose a 5th wheel over a TT specifically because of being legal to ride back there while driving. Check your states for laws though. Wife and kids say thats it no different than ridding in our TH than in any MH we've spent thousands of miles in. I think the experience in ride condition is going to be different from trailer to trailer. And it doesn't matter if you hit the brakes hard towing a trailer or driving a MH, because everyone not tied down will be briskly flying across the living space. Thats the risk of walking around while the vehicle is moving. As for construction and accidents, I dont think I've been in any MH which was built better than most trailers. They're all cheap until you get in the stratosphere price range.

its just surprising to me you would let your kids back there ?When they could ride in a much safer truck with seatbelts.Jmo

[KATOOM]

We chose a 5th wheel over a TT specifically because of being legal to ride back there while driving. Check your states for laws though. Wife and kids say thats it no different than ridding in our TH than in any MH we've spent thousands of miles in. I think the experience in ride condition is going to be different from trailer to trailer. And it doesn't matter if you hit the brakes hard towing a trailer or driving a MH, because everyone not tied down will be briskly flying across the living space. Thats the risk of walking around while the vehicle is moving. As for construction and accidents, I dont think I've been in any MH which was built better than most trailers. They're all cheap until you get in the stratosphere price range.

[Too_Young_to_Re]

I'm going to try it. I'll let you know how it was. Or, maybe I'll let the Wife try it.

[mpierce]

I filled a glass with orange juice, and then forgot it, and left it on the kitchen counter. Drove, almost 300 miles, and when I went in the trailer, I noticed it on the counter. It had not moved, and it had not spilled a drop. It was within an inch of being full.

So, it certainly could not have been an "earthquake" or "hurricane" back there! LOL

[PAThwacker]

My mother got up to get something out of the fridge of their Prevost. My father hit the brakes and she went airborne at 65 years old. She broke her wrist and it could of been much worse.

[fly-boy]

All these naysayers are relying on second hand information.
I have spent countless hours in a trailer going down the road- most in a goose neck but many in a fifth wheel. Very comfortable to be honest.

Shoot- first thing I do is fire up the generator and turn on the a/c. Then I take a shower, turn on the satellite and pour a drink. Much rather leave the driving to someone else.

[wolvereeny]

Tow a trailer for your toys behind the motorhome. We use an enclosed trailer, and also bought a tow dolly used for when we want tot take the car.

smcrea wrote:
Thanks folks, the replies are what I expected..

The big answer of course is NO don't do it either in a motorhome or 5th as you should always be restrained!

I do know that :).. but we all see folks walking around the motorhomes while doing 70mph along the freeway don't we!

I did forget to say that riding in the back would NOT be the normal thing to do.

It would be in circumstances where my wifes back is killing her and we have to get to point B and can't stop.

This doesn't happen often. It would just make that difference if now and again she could lay back.

We REALLY want a Toy Hauler so a motorhome is a last option.

Steve.

[ddschuman]

Not only do I think it could be a very bumpy and possibly uncomfortable or dangerous ride due to rougher roads you may come across on your trip, I also wonder how in the world a person could be comfortable temperature wise. You don't have access to the A/C while connected to the truck in a FW. Depending on where you are traveling to/from, that could be a big issue. Here in Texas, I would not even consider it. I know everywhere we go (even out of state) we have either the A/C, outside air vent or heater on. Rarely do we travel with just the windows open because of road noise and wind tunnel effect inside the cab. Just doesn't sound comfortable to me to be in a stuffy FW on a bumpy ride. I think it may possibly make my back worse if I did it.

[Atom_Ant]

At my age I found things get worse rather than better. Give your wife a break and get a motorhome and tow the toys.

[RoyB]

My sister has the big Montana fifth wheel and had fixed up a nice dog room just inside the pass thru storage with access from a dog door on the inside of the trailer. They had their dog in the trailer alot while fixing things up for him. He was liking his home just fine.

First trip out they put their large dog in the fifth wheel and headed on down the road. Stopped at the first pull off to stretch some legs and let the the dog out. The poor dog was all messed up - wide eyed - and scared to death...

They could not drag their big dog back into the fifth wheel. Even today (years later) the dog will not go into the fifth wheel haha...

Must have been a real nightmare of a ride for the dog... The dog travels in the back seat of their truck and lives under the trailer on trips now... He sleeps up on the picnic table...

true story

Roy Ken

[fj12ryder]

My wife and sister-in-law rode in the 5th wheel for a hundred miles or so. They had no issues, laid down on the sofa and on the bed. Said it rode fine. YMMV.