5th wheel or pull trailer

[2freelife]

I am trying to decide if I should buy a 5th wheel or pull trailer. I am a small female (5'2/125lbs}. I'm not very strong. I will be on my own. I would like to bring along a small motorcycle & bicycle to use for errands so I don't have to keep using the diesel truck for all trips. I'm concerned I wouldn't be strong enough to hook up a pull trailer but it would be cheaper to buy & work out better to bring with a cycle. I pull a 25 foot 5th wheel now, but it is a little too small to be comfortable for fulltime. Opinions would be welcome.

[campigloo]

For your needs a 5er sounds like a good choice. I have seen some that have mosquito nets and awnings over the garage so it can be used as a porch when empty. One even had an attachment for the loading ramp that turned it into a deck. Looked like a pretty neat idea to me. If all you will be hauling is a scooter, it would probably be pretty easy to modify the remaining garage space to be turned into living area.

[MarkTwain]

Most places will charge your stay according to the length, so, why not make that TOTAL living space instead of paying for the empty space of your tongue?


I have never been to any campground, either private or public, that charges by the length. That practice seems to be common to boat marinas but not campgrounds. The campground owners will often ask how long your rig is but it is not for the purpose of charging. It is for trying to fit your rig into a large enough site.

In addition, many campgrounds have various prices on their sites but it is not necessarily based on length. Some may be waterfront, some have more anemities, some closer to the pool, some 50amp, etc. etc. etc.
Barney

In 30 yrs. of Rving, I have never been charged by the length of my rv. Yes they will ask you what your length is but only so they find you a site that will accomadate your length. Not all rv sites in every rv park are 50' in length, there is a variety of lengths in every rv park:)

x2. In over 45 years of camping I have never been charged for length. Laundry, yep, showers, yep, sewer, yep, more people than 2, yep; but never length.

[mkirsch]

Looks like your mind is set on a 5th wheel at this point, and I agree with the choice. Something a bit bigger than what you have, with a slide, and a small garage in back for the bikes, would be a perfect fit for you.

Just don't sell yourself short with the whole, "I'm just a wimpy little girl," attitude. You've been hitching that 5th wheel up for how long now? If you can handle that, you could handle a bumper pull trailer no problem.

[JordanH]

A toy hauler seems like your best bet! When I am ready to get a new trailer I will be looking for a toy hauler as well for my motorcycle.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

BarneyS wrote:

Owldancer wrote:
Snip... Most places will charge your stay according to the length, so, why not make that TOTAL living space instead of paying for the empty space of your tongue?

:R Just Sayin'

I have never been to any campground, either private or public, that charges by the length. That practice seems to be common to boat marinas but not campgrounds. The campground owners will often ask how long your rig is but it is not for the purpose of charging. It is for trying to fit your rig into a large enough site.

In addition, many campgrounds have various prices on their sites but it is not necessarily based on length. Some may be waterfront, some have more anemities, some closer to the pool, some 50amp, etc. etc. etc.
Barney

:h :h :h

x2. In over 45 years of camping I have never been charged for length. Laundry, yep, showers, yep, sewer, yep, more people than 2, yep; but never length.

[BarneyS]

Owldancer wrote:
Snip... Most places will charge your stay according to the length, so, why not make that TOTAL living space instead of paying for the empty space of your tongue?

:R Just Sayin'

I have never been to any campground, either private or public, that charges by the length. That practice seems to be common to boat marinas but not campgrounds. The campground owners will often ask how long your rig is but it is not for the purpose of charging. It is for trying to fit your rig into a large enough site.

In addition, many campgrounds have various prices on their sites but it is not necessarily based on length. Some may be waterfront, some have more anemities, some closer to the pool, some 50amp, etc. etc. etc.
Barney

[Owldancer]

My Father just bought a 35' Cougar BP with side load "toy garage." Meaning, the garage part is just wide enough for a small golf cart/scooter, motorcycle or sm ATV. Also has a 12' slide and bedroom slide. Really like a small apartment.

I will be looking for a nice 5th Wheel myself next year or so. Most places will charge your stay according to the length, so, why not make that TOTAL living space instead of paying for the empty space of your tongue?

:R Just Sayin'

[2freelife]

Thanks so much for all the advice. I never thought of getting a toy hauler. I'm going to start looking for a 28-30 foot 5th wheel toy hauler with slides.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

2freelife wrote:
I thought it could be difficult to hook up a tow bar on a pull trailer. I'm also wondering if pulling a trailer is as easy as pulling a 5th wheel. I travel mostly in the west so I am on hills a lot. I have no problem hooking up my smaller 5th wheel. I've seen people who have a lift to put a cycle into the bed of the truck, so I'm considering how to work that out also. I sit in one spot for a few months at a time to workcamp so it's become kind of important to be able to get a small cycle for errands. I don't like my present 5th wheel. It has no slides & is only 24ft. I would like something a little bigger. I have a 2005 one ton ram diesel so the truck shouldn't be an issue.

Got ya. If you mean by tow bar you mean WD it's a non-concern. If you want you can take weight off of them by jacking the trailer up a bit.

All that being said, if I were in your shoes I would look for a medium toy hauler 5er or TT. I would tend to lean toward a 5er. You have the truck for it so all you need to do is get one of your liking.

Good hunting.

[pitch]

Stay with a fifth wheel. Bumper pull TT is a MUCH longer unit to get the same usable space. 5th wheels usually have much more storage than a TT and are less susceptible to cargo loading discrepancies. Toyhauler would be ideal for you.

[shutdown]

With electric jacks a TT is just as easy to hook up as a 5er. to put tension on the weight bars i run the jack (electric) up until there is very little pressure on them.

[MarkTwain]

My vote is the 5th. wheel for the following reasons:
1. you already have 5th.wheel experience, so no learning curve.
2. A 5th. wheel between 25 and 30' in length with one or two slide outs will make a world of difference to your living style needs.
3. 5th wheels are generally more stable when towing down the road. This is not intended to suggest that TT are less stable. I have driven both and currently have a 34' 5th. wheel.
4. 5th. wheels are easier to load and unload in comparison to a TT. Yes there are some a few instances where the pull handle on the 5th. requires a little coaxing. This usually occurs when the site is uneven. The TT can also have difficult moments when the trailer hitch and ball require some extra effort to disconnect.

[powderman426]

mbopp wrote:
Have you considered a toy hauler and putting the bike in the back?

Its seems this would be easiest. I can't imagine it being very easy to get a cycle into the bed of a truck.

[mbopp]

Have you considered a toy hauler and putting the bike in the back?