Switch to Bumper Pull?

[Wanderingman]

My knees are starting to give out on me, and so I'm considering selling my Rockwood 5th Wheel, and buying a Bumper Pull. Going up and down the steps from the living room to the bedroom can sometimes be annoying.

The idea of everything on one level is appealing to me.

I had a bumper pull many years ago, but wanted to check with those who have had more years of experience than me before I totally give up on the fifth wheel.

What am I going to miss, or regret if I decide to move to a bumper pull?

Besides everything on one floor, what are the advantages?

Thanks,

[falconbrother]

We just went from a 28 foot class A motorhome to a bumper pull, 27 foot TT. I liked the motorhome. My thoughts are that if you use it a lot a motorhome is great. It cost a lot more to own than a 5er or TT. If you don't use it very much it's a money pit that gets worse simply by sitting. I did almost all of my own maintenance and repairs on the MH and it seemed like I was doing that a lot. Two oil changes, 4 filters, lube the chassis, $2,700.00 for tires, generator repairs, fuel filters, radiator repair, axle seal repair, master cylinder replaced, exhaust gaskets, air bags, relays, resistors, switches, exhaust, etc, etc.. In the motorhome the area around the front seats is wasted while camping. But, with the motorhome I could cruise at higher speeds more comfortably than pulling the TT. Maybe that was just me. At 70-75 that motorhome would track straight as an arrow and wasn't wanting for power or breathing hard. It would pull mountains all day.

The 27 foot travel trailer has a slide so, with the use of every inch of floor space and the slide it gives us a lot more room. I don't much like towing but, pulling the toad had it's dynamics as well. At the campground I think that the TT is more practical. It's basically a small house.

If my life changed so that I could start taking long, extended trips with a lot of moving around I would get another motorhome. But, for what we do the TT is definitely the better choice. We go someplace and stay a few days to a couple of weeks. I considered going with a truck and a 5er. But, we looked at all the reasons we RV and decided that the TT was the way for us to go. My sister pulled a travel trailer from Oregon to Tennessee, then went South to Florida and went back to Oregon by way of the Southern US. So, long road trips are entirely doable with a bumper pull. BTW, he was towing with a 1996 Dodge 2500ram diesel.

[Wanderingman]

LIKE2BUILD wrote:

Wanderingman wrote:
I've got a torn meniscus on the outside of my right knee which gives me stability problems, and arthritis on the inside of the knee, which causes the pain. There is also arthritis in my other knee, but not as bad.

That sounds more like arthroscopy than it does a total joint replacement. About 15 years ago I slipped on stairs and caused a tear in my meniscus. I got the knee scoped to clean out the debris, about 6 weeks of physical therapy, and all was good. Granted I was in my 30's then, but still it was minimally invasive and the results were great.

Now, if your cartilage is completely gone, you have bone-on-bone contact, and significant arthritis then replacement is probably the solution. If I were you, I'd look into getting it scoped then go through therapy before I really considered joint replacement.

KJ

The doc basically told me to use the heck out of my knee, manage the pain, and come back when I reach a 4. He thinks it'll take at least five years before I'm ready for any surgery.

I guess I haven't complained loudly enough about the tear. 🙂

[LIKE2BUILD]

Wanderingman wrote:
I've got a torn meniscus on the outside of my right knee which gives me stability problems, and arthritis on the inside of the knee, which causes the pain. There is also arthritis in my other knee, but not as bad.

That sounds more like arthroscopy than it does a total joint replacement. About 15 years ago I slipped on stairs and caused a tear in my meniscus. I got the knee scoped to clean out the debris, about 6 weeks of physical therapy, and all was good. Granted I was in my 30's then, but still it was minimally invasive and the results were great.

Now, if your cartilage is completely gone, you have bone-on-bone contact, and significant arthritis then replacement is probably the solution. If I were you, I'd look into getting it scoped then go through therapy before I really considered joint replacement.

KJ

[Wanderingman]

RCMAN46 wrote:
To the OP.

You did not indicate your age or what the knee problem is.

I had a very bad knee resulting difficulty with my 5th wheel.

Had a knee replacement and problem fixed.

If you are a candidate for knee replacement do it before the leg muscle get too weak. Rehab will go much faster if the leg muscles are still in good shape.

I'm bordering on 65. I've got a torn meniscus on the outside of my right knee which gives me stability problems, and arthritis on the inside of the knee, which causes the pain. There is also arthritis in my other knee, but not as bad.

My doctor told me that on a scale of 0 to 4 for knee replacement I'm currently at a 3.

Most people I know with knee replacements still have problems with stairs, etc. Although I have recently come across two folk who have had marked improvement in mobility after the surgery.

[Grit_dog]

GordonThree wrote:
I love my bumper pull. I don't mess with sway bars or load bars. I just set the trailer on the ball, engage the lock with it's little keeper pin, hook up chains and break-away, and head out camping.

Toughest part is getting lined up right with the ball when backing up 🙂

Omg, you're committing rvnets 3rd most deadliest sin! Lol
Can't pull a TT without a wdh and anti sway, didntchaknow...

[RCMAN46]

To the OP.

You did not indicate your age or what the knee problem is.

I had a very bad knee resulting difficulty with my 5th wheel.

Had a knee replacement and problem fixed.

If you are a candidate for knee replacement do it before the leg muscle get too weak. Rehab will go much faster if the leg muscles are still in good shape.

[mayo30]

Plus the one thing I really appreciate is the easy of parking,the bumper pull is so much easier to get into tight spots.We have had class a,class B,5th.wheels,and bumper pulls and as my 76th.birthday today leads me on to more camping enjoy our bumper pull and flat floor more every day.

[samsontdog]

I went from a 40 ft 5th w to a 30 ft TT on account of two many steps in the 5th w for my bad knees and hips. Don't regret it at all. I like not having to see how many tree limbs are going to hit my roof etc. I have no problem hooking up a TT. I might have to get out once or twice to if I am lined up to the ball. It tows as well as the 40 ft 5th w towed. I really like having my P/Up bed back as I have a topper on it also. I will never go back to a 5th w

[Colo_Native]

Been thinking of changing myself I hate stairs in the morning

[jspringator]

A 10-15 year old gas MH with 40,000 miles is pretty cheap. Get on ebay and see what they are really going for. Inspect it well, and do 3-4 thousand in maintenance (tires, shocks, Henderson bell cranks, sway bar bushings, rear axle brace, Sumo springs, 4 rolls of eternabond tape etc), and you will be good for 10-15 more years. I have an old p-32, and it took me a while to get it to handle well but I've got it straightened out and it is a great unit. Much easier to deal with than a TT. Generator starts at the push of a button. Traveling is much more convenient. My class a is more noisy than a car. I wear noise canceling ear buds.

[Wanderingman]

jspringator wrote:
What about a smaller motorhome? Mine is a lot easier to deal with than my TT was. I buy used so the financial hit wasn't that bad. Your truck will probably cover the cost of most of it.

Interesting thought. I've always assumed we couldn't afford one.

[Wanderingman]

rhagfo,

Nice work on the steps. The Rockwood has three steps, and it isn't as bad as old Savoy 5th wheel.

As far as a knee replacement, I have been told that I have one in my future. In the meantime, as I said earlier, I have good days and bad days.

Hooking and unhooking with a sidwinder kingpin and Reese Elite hitch has become bothersome. More times than not I am climbing into the bed of the truck to release the skidplate from the stand so that I can get the kingpin released.

[rhagfo]

Have you looked into knee replacement:)?

Not sure how your stairs are I replace a single step with new double stairs in our 5er which for one more step, but a much smaller rise.

We also did this to the entrance steps, went from a three step to a four step also smaller rise per step.

[Terryallan]

TBammer wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
I believe you nailed the biggest advantage. In a 5er, everything is up or down stairs. there are even more steps up into the trailer itself.

As for hooking up. Electric tongue jacks make it pretty easy.

Then there is the truck bed. then there is a chance you may not need as large of a TV.

It is really your choice. You know how your knees are. Mine won't take it.

Interesting, as I was thinking that I would want a 5er as I got older. So, the hitching up is less on the knees than the stairs into and within the trailer?

Really all you got to do is stand there while the jack raises it up, and down. I raise mine high enough that the spring bars just snap into place. I only have to bend over to hook the chains, and plug in the 7 pin. And I have a backup camera that guides me to the ball.

And the entrance to my TT is only 2 steps high, as opposed to 4 for many 5ers.