Now I'm Really Confused

[summitpower]

So the wife and I went tonight to look at several brands we hadn't seen before, and drove a hour and half to do so, I have to say pictures can be deceiving, out of the 6 we thought we would really like only one really matched the pics, but in the process the sales guy said since we upgraded to 3/4 ton why aren't we looking at 5th wheels, I am a novice with this whole thing, what is the benefit of a 5th wheel over TT, and is it a better purchase?

[BB_TX]

Total length of truck and equivalent length trailer will be shorter with a 5th wheel than a TT. People frequently state a 5er is more stable towing than a TT. But a properly set of TT tows fine also.

Don't assume, or believe a salesman, that you can tow a large 5er just because you have a 3/4 ton. You must look at the payload rating of the truck and the pin weight of the trailer to make sure you will not be overloaded. Just today I saw a very new Ram 2500 towing a 3 axle toy hauler. Rear of truck was sagging probably 6" or more and front was pointed at the sky. But he was towing it. Probably just like a salesman said he could.

[Need-A-Vacation]

There's positives and negatives to each....

Plus for a 5ver:

Generally no worry of sway due to the hitch pivot location.
Usually a little easier to maneuver vs a comparable length tt.
Others will chime in also on possibly other positives....

Negatives:
Sometimes the ride isn't as smooth when towing. At least my buddy who has a 5ver, towing with a '13 Ram Mega Cab, seems to get a fair amount of chucking.... His first 5ver, so maybe there is something he could do??? Setup is pretty darn level.
Bed space, or lack of it!!! 5ver hitch takes a fair amount of room. This is definitely one reason my buddy isn't sure he would buy another 5ver.
Truck resale value possibly.... Someone may see the 5ver hitch or at least the holes in the bed and figure the truck was worked hard, even if well within the ratings of the truck.
Possibly payload, again!!! But since you have the gas motor it helps vs the diesel which eats more payload. The pin weight should be roughly 20-25% (I think is what is suggested) of the loaded trailer weight. Plus the weight of the 5ver hitch. So a 10k oh 5ver could have 2000-2500lbs pin weight, plus the 5ver hitch, plus the family weight, plus the small items you may have fit in the truck bed.

I am sure more experienced 5ver owners will chime in! But hope this helps a little as I am still learning about them!!!

What did you look at today?

And how is the new truck???? Lol

[poppin_fresh]

Ohh boy, that question is not an easy one to answer. Everyone will have a different opinion on which is better and why. In the end it will come down to what best suits your needs.

My .02 is that if you are looking at larger trailers, a 5th wheel might be the way to go. When trailers get heavy, 5th wheels tend to tow better because of how they place all the weight directly over the rear axle instead of hanging off the back of the truck. They also tend to have a lot more exterior and interior storage than a typical travel trailer.

The downside is that 5th wheels are typically more expensive than a TT of similar length. You probably wont find a 30 foot mid-level 5th wheel starting at $25k like some TTs.

This is really only a small fraction of the pros and cons of the TT vs. 5th wheel debate.

[Tiger8r]

Just my opinion, 5th wheels tow a lot better without investing a lot of extra in hitch and sway bar set up. They give you a lot more storage room. Now, the way you are going to use the Rv and finding a floor plan you like should be the deciding factor in what you eventually decide on. One other thing buy a trailer that you can safely tow with the vehicle you have. A salesman is there to SELL trailers and your truck can tow anything on he has on his lot. Hope this helps.