Camper, Trailer or motorhome?

[Blanco1]

I'm coming to realize I will need to upgrade soon enough.

& planned on a multi slide Truck Camper , but when even I drive in heavy wind this heavy truck camper up high on top of my pick up bed concerns me.

Seems like a lot of weight up high ( High Center of Gravity )

Yet have never seen even a picture of one flopped over in the wind?

I've seen in person a couple of tongue trailers & never a Motorhome?

Nor a 5th wheel.

Are the tongue trailer the most likely issue in high winds?

What about compared to a 5th wheel trailer?

I'm not crazy about buying a motorhome being the cost & I like the idea of disconnecting from a TC or Trailer & having my truck again.

& yet with any of these choices, my storage space comes into play.

I originally went went with a TC for it towing ability behind it with a car trailer or boat & etc..

Yet have learned to HATE taking my boat to the loading ramp at the water with my HEAVY TC on my trucks bed & it being a manual trans rig.
That whole parking brake & clutch & steep ramp angle game is no fun!

Yes my rig is 4X4 & 4x4 LOW does help but still.
Not in anyway pleasant.

I may just stop using this truck with the TC on it for any fishing trips.

Yet also realize most trailer sorta become an issue with the boat being involved.
Sure in Ca. I can tow a double if its a 5th wheel, but the I can't back up & its just become so long!

[pnichols]

We have a 24 foot Class C RV and sometimes tow and launch our fishing boat with it. The launching we do should only be done on certain ramps, however.

Back at the campsite, we have all the comforts of home in our little Class C in between the fishing times. Our small Class C on it's overkill E450 Ford chassis is rock solid stable on the highways, including even in fairly high cross-winds due to it's wide rear dual tires track and having it's heavy appliances and components mounted very low down near the chassis frame.

[fagnaml]

As a kid in the 1970's my parents had a 24 foot travel trailer we used for camping/fishing in the Wyoming mountains. Fast forward forty years and I purchased a 32 foot travel trailer to use as my "home" during a temporary project assignment and then have as a family toy. Just two years ago as young grandchildren started appearing, my wife and I upgraded to a 39 foot diesel pusher motorhome towing a Jeep Wrangler. The point of all of this, whether owning a travel trailer, fifth wheel or motorhome, we non-truck camper RV owners are always hooking/un-hooking whatever we tow. That's just part of RV life!

When my wife and I upgraded to a motorhome, we found a very nice, gently used (only 6,000 miles) 2007 model for less than the cost of a new/one year old fifth wheel trailer. And we didn't have to also spend $50,00-$60,000 for a new 3/4 ton/one ton truck to pull a fifth wheel. My motorhome has several "push button" set-up conveniences over the travel trailer I owned. When boon-docking (such as an LSU football game) I don't have to set up parallel Honda 2000 generator with five gallon feed tank, hand crank leveling jacks, have very restricted use of fresh water, etc.

Fifth wheel trailers from my point of view have the best set-ups for long term living as they often come with a large, comfortably furnished "living room".

It boils down to what you want to do with an RV. Travel trailers are the most economic and are arranged for short term living. Fifth wheel trailers (and the truck needed to tow them) are expensive a very well suited for long term living. New motorhomes are the most expensive (unless you're lucky like I was to find a gently used motorhome) but motorhomes have the most conveniences.

Hope this gives you some thoughts to ponder.

[Grit_dog]

Well you just discovered that no RV can do everything well. IMO, wind should be the least of your concern. Nothing you're thinking about is exactly low profile.
If you're bringing the boat, TC or a C are about your only options.

[bikendan]

TT stands for Travel Trailer.

[Blanco1]

I have no idea what a TT is & yet do have a front hitch mount on my front bumper!
Never thought about that!

Yet still being a stick shift manual trans with the heavy camper on its back does not allow for any error on my part!

If I stall it as I have, the power brakes go away!

[bfast54]

Stability wise a 28 to 40 foot fifth wheel with a dually Long bed crew cab truck will be the most stable without question.


The long wheelbase of the truck makes for stability and the dual wheels on the rear absolutely make it more stable-- and just the way it's mounted ,the fifth wheels have best stability.--if it wasn't the best setup then --Why is every single commercial tractor-trailer a fifth wheel and not a tow behind...????

(And before someone says" well the ones on Three trailers are pull behind"..-- no they're not-- they are fifth wheel on a dolly.:W

[mgirardo]

We've owned a Hybrid TT and a Class C Motorhome. High winds effected the Motorhome more than the TT, granted the Motorhome was 13' longer. I've never seen or heard of an RV that has been blown over by wind. I don't think most folks venture out in their RVs when the wind is blowing strong.

I have seen the results of Motorhomes, TTs, 5th wheels and TCs after an accident. In the accidents I have seen, it seems the Motorhomes and TCs survived the accidents the best. TTs and 5th wheels seem to implode when they flip over.

If you plan to tow a 5th wheel and the boat, you might be able to get a front mounted hitch and put the boat in the water from the front hitch. Not sure if backing up a steep boat ramp with a 5th wheel behind you will be anymore fun than having to pull forward with the TC on the truck. You could always just drop the 5th wheel before putting the boat in the water.

-Michael

[ncrowley]

Wind will cause trailers to sway but if you use a weight distribution hitch with a sway bar, you will not be pushed byte he wind as much. The longer the wheel base on the tow vehicle, the better off you will be. If the trailer is long and you have a short wheel base truck, the tail will wag the dog.

[Lwiddis]

Wish you well as you sort out these issues and concerns.