Going from a 5th wheel to a TT

[dieseldan723]

I realize this is backwards to most people (including me), but for various reasons we are considering going from our 40ft 5th wheel to a shorter TT. I don't want to discuss which is better as I already know the significant benefits of the 5th over the TT.

What I need help with is understanding the benefits of the TT for families. We like a door to the master bedroom not a curtain. We would like for the kids to have their own room and not have to sleep in the living room. We would like a decent dinette that seats 4. These seem like simple requests.

Are there suggestions as to which model might be a good move for us?

TIA

[jon_lansing]

Check out the 31qbts several brands have the floor plan I think they are mostly forest river products. There is a full double slide kids room in the back with hard door, depending on options 4 bunks in bunk room, fold down sofa, dinette... queen bedroom in front also with hard doors.

[mtofell1]

I went 5th to TT mainly for the easy of hooking up w/o emptying my pickup bed. And, of course, so I could use the bed to store stuff in. I always hated to have to decide which of my daily tools (I'm a contractor) to bring with me and which to leave at home.

As for what you are looking for it sounds like a bunkhouse with 2 slides should do it. Most manf. have something around 30 feet (realistically about 33-35 feet with the tongue and rear bumper) that should have a door to the bedroom and a door to the bunk room. By far the main thing I miss about the 5th is the bedroom being isolated from the other areas so nicely. Otherwise, I like everything about the TT better.

[WoodGlue]

Rick P. wrote:
You're not going to find a tag-along with the same build quality and finishes as a 15,500 lb 5er

Lance has exceptional build quality as well as fit and finish. If you've never been in one, I couldn't expect you to know that.

WoodGlue

[dieseldan723]

We looked at a Keystone Fuzion Toy Hauler last night. It was very nice. Toy Haulers seem to be a bit nicer than most regular TT's we looked at. It was 34ft in length. How much different is towing a TT this length vs. a 40ft 5th wheel?

[jmtandem]

You're not going to find a tag-along with the same build quality and finishes as a 15,500 lb 5er

I don't necessarily share your sentiment. I think Airstream and Arctic Fox are two examples of craftmanship that is equal to or better than most fifth wheels. Industry wide you might be making a reasonable assertion, but there are always exceptions. And I like the bed of the truck available so I tow a very nice
'high end of the mid range' travel trailer. It may not have as much quantity stuff as a nice fifth wheel inside but what it has is the same quality or better than many fifth wheels and I have had to fix nothing in four years of ownership.

[babies_dadeo]

Rick P. wrote:
You're not going to find a tag-along with the same build quality and finishes as a 15,500 lb 5er but if you like your Dutchman how about the 315BHDS, Denali 311BH or Aspen Trail 3100BHS or 3010BHDS? None of them are small and are still at the heavy end of the tag-along scale but you didn't say what you're towing with now.

While I would agree with ya for the most part, I think there are some exceptions.. I know when we looked at both pull behinds and 5ers, we did find some lines that were comparable. The Open Range I am in now is pretty much the exact same fit and finish as their big fifth wheels, just in a pull behind package (and a little less money, but not much less, LOL). My pull behind is a big unit. Not everyone will be comfortable hooking up to that much trailer. If the OP is used to a fair size fifth wheel, it might not be a huge issue.

[Rick_P_]

You're not going to find a tag-along with the same build quality and finishes as a 15,500 lb 5er but if you like your Dutchman how about the 315BHDS, Denali 311BH or Aspen Trail 3100BHS or 3010BHDS? None of them are small and are still at the heavy end of the tag-along scale but you didn't say what you're towing with now.

[babies_dadeo]

I hear what your saying. I too ended up with a TT instead of a Fifth Wheel. Our reasons were not unlike yours. I wanted to use the box of my truck and not have to remove my headache rack and tool boxes every time I hook up my trailer.
As for the trailer itself, We found exactly what we wanted, but it is not a small package. Ours is 37 feet tip to tail with 2 slides. Bedroom up front with nice hard doors, good size living and dining space and a separate kids bedroom with 3 beds (bunks on one side) Ours is an Open Range, which we bought because of the extra head room, width and what we felt was superior build quality. In our shopping tho we saw similar units in other brands, Jayflight, Cruiser, Flex by Augusta etc.

Have fun shopping

[coolbreeze01]

I haul toys in my pickup. Wouldn't even consider a 5-er unless it was a toy-hauler. Have fun.

[Highway_4x4]

Put the kids outside in a tent or California room.

[dieseldan723]

jmtandem wrote:

Are there suggestions as to which model might be a good move for us?

It might help us help if we had a little more infomation as to why the fifth is not working for you anymore and a travel trailer is entering your life. But, without that info there are some models of TT's that have separate kids rooms that might work for you. Pacific Coachworks, Jayco and if I am not mistaken Rockwood make models with separate rooms. Arctic Fox has a few floor plans that have tables and chairs and not hard to squeeze into dinettes. Good luck.

I got a new truck that is not adequate to tow my current 5th wheel. Since we need to sell it I wanted to get something lighter and shorter in height. Also, I like the idea of keeping my canopy on the truck while camping.

We have two teenagers that may want to bring friends from time to time. Our current trailer has two bathrooms and is VERY nice but didn't expect such accommodations in a TT. Maybe I am wrong! 😉

I am intentionally keeping my expectations low for a TT as the current 5th wheel we have now has everything we could want - it's just too BIG for our needs.

The list I posted were my wife and my big concerns. The rest will be gravy!

[jmtandem]

Are there suggestions as to which model might be a good move for us?

It might help us help if we had a little more infomation as to why the fifth is not working for you anymore and a travel trailer is entering your life. But, without that info there are some models of TT's that have separate kids rooms that might work for you. Pacific Coachworks, Jayco and if I am not mistaken Rockwood make models with separate rooms. Arctic Fox has a few floor plans that have tables and chairs and not hard to squeeze into dinettes. Good luck.

[WoodGlue]

Travel Trailer

This is a 2012 but I think they still offer this model.

WoodGlue

[Opie431]

Our TT sits one extra when we place a chair at the end. In an emergency two chairs will fit at the end. Everyone has to use the bathroom before we eat than because there is no getting out until the people at the end are done eating.