TT vs 5th wheel

[VirgilJ]

I could not locate this with a search...
We (wife and I) are on a 1 1/2 year plan to start 4 months RVing December thru March and then 8 months home working. Then in 3-4 years full time RVing with some work-camping. We have were leaning toward a used MH until pricing ones I can fit in (I'm 6'8"). Then started looking toward used 5th wheels and used tow vehicle. Lately, realizing a TT might be cheaper than a 5th wheel. However, it's been hard to locate a used TT with enough height.

Any thoughts on TT vs 5th wheel?

Suggestions on TT interior height.

Thoughts on the need for a 4-Season insulation package?

[jmtandem]

Living space equals living space. The assertion was that one had more living space than the other, nothing to do with ratings or the way they are measured. The way that they are measured is just a convention and they could just as easily and maybe should have, simply used box size, but they didn't. Isn't that what really matters as far as livability goes? Perhaps there is a reason that there is both a travel trailer and fifth wheel forum? There is no "One size fits all" regardless of how they are measured. I went back to living on one level because I like it that way. Some don't.

The issue is being confused by those that want to measure the total length of the trailer including tongue in deference to just the living space inside. Thirty feet of living space is thirty feet of living space regardless if it is three feet longer outside due to a tongue. Overall length is another issue. And to complicate this the slide outs add to living space so the size of a slide out is also important.

To get back to an issue the OP has, some of the smaller fifth wheels do not enjoy the headroom in the bedroom that it has in the lower floor area. And headroom is a major concern for the OP. For some of us, having the truck bed for quads or motorcycles is/can be a major concern. It is all what works for each of us. Fifth wheel toyhaulers that can carry ATV's or full dressers are very nice but to get to the size that has a separate garage gets quite heavy, pin heavy, and often requires a one ton or even a one ton dually to tow it efficiently.

[Gr8life]

Living space equals living space. The assertion was that one had more living space than the other, nothing to do with ratings or the way they are measured. The way that they are measured is just a convention and they could just as easily and maybe should have, simply used box size, but they didn't. Isn't that what really matters as far as livability goes? Perhaps there is a reason that there is both a travel trailer and fifth wheel forum? There is no "One size fits all" regardless of how they are measured. I went back to living on one level because I like it that way. Some don't.

[Doug33]

One thing I don't like about 5er floorplans is that the bathroom is upstairs, and usually right next to, or even part of the master bedroom.

[goducks10]

opnspaces wrote:
Jayco Eagle TT's have an interior height of 84" (7ft). I imagine though that they are a bit more expensive than a standard Jayco.

You can probably rule out any "lite" trailer. They are narrower and lower than a standard trailer to save weight.

goducks10 wrote:

A 35' 5'er has 280sqft
A 35' TT has 256sqft because you can't count the tongue length.
All trailers are measured from pin/ball to bumper.

Not sure what's your saying about TT's. My Jayco 27BH is 29'1" from ball to bumper. But that obviously has nothing to do with the interior room.

My point is that all trailers are measured from either pin or coupler. The box size is irrelevant when towing. To get the same sqft as in a 5'er you need to have a TT that is 3+' longer. The tongue on a TT which is considered in the OAL is wasted space.

Yes you can go by box size but you still have to add the tongue length in. As an example our current 5'er is 235 sqft according to Northwood. Its 27'11" long. Our last TT was also 235 sqft according to Heartland, but it was 30'10" long.

[bhh]

I'm 6'5" and got an Ascend 191RB (travel trailer). It has "just under 7 feet" of interior headroom. The shower, because of raised height is a bit tight, but doable for me.

[opnspaces]

Jayco Eagle TT's have an interior height of 84" (7ft). I imagine though that they are a bit more expensive than a standard Jayco.

You can probably rule out any "lite" trailer. They are narrower and lower than a standard trailer to save weight.

goducks10 wrote:

A 35' 5'er has 280sqft
A 35' TT has 256sqft because you can't count the tongue length.
All trailers are measured from pin/ball to bumper.

Not sure what's your saying about TT's. My Jayco 27BH is 29'1" from ball to bumper. But that obviously has nothing to do with the interior room.

[Gr8life]

The implication was that somehow a fifth wheel trailer had more living space and storage then a similar sized TT. 8 X 30 still equals 240. No trick to actually measure the living area with a tape measure instead of using advertising numbers. BTW, many TT's are designated by their actual box size instead of the inflated figure. 25RS or 18XL means that the box is 25 or 18 feet long. The extra hitch feet are not included. Best thing to do is measure. Those who do not know how to use a tape measure are in for a lot of disappointments in life.

[goducks10]

PenMan wrote:

OpenRangePullen_Ford wrote:
A 5th wheel you get more living space and more storage.

A 5er will get you more storage space unless you count your truck bed which is basically lost for storage. It will not get you more living space as a square foot of space in a 5er is the same as a square foot of space in a TT.

A 35' 5'er has 280sqft
A 35' TT has 256sqft because you can't count the tongue length.
All trailers are measured from pin/ball to bumper.

[Gr8life]

Hitching/unhitching is much quicker and simpler for me and my TT than it ever was with my fiver. I use a 2500HD to pull a modest sized TT and no WD hitch is required or wanted. Back up, press the down button on the electric jack, connect chains and lights, pull out of the campground. No picking up blocking from the fiver jacks, no "test pull", and no worry about whether the tailgate is up or down. No chucking and no ducking when going down the back roads that I like to explore. The main thing, get what "you" want, not what the other guy says is better.

[TurnThePage]

You may want to consider a toy hauler. They are usually taller and are typically very spacious, with a lot of space versatility.

[jmtandem]

Another nice thing is you get virtually no sway when pulling a 5'er. No messing with WDH setups.

A 35' 5'er and CCLB truck will be about 52-53' OAL.
A 35' TT and CCLB truck will be about 60' OAL.

You can squeeze a 5'er into a shorter spot because you are able to back the truck under the front by splitting the 5th hitch and one side of the truck bed.

Hitching and unhitching is simpler as well. No cranking on chains or lifting bars onto brackets. No WDH sticking out from the rear of the truck. When hitched up you can walk between the 5'er and truck as opposed to climbing over the tongue or walking around the TT or truck.

5'er's as a general rule are less susceptible to winds and semis'.
It all just boils down to personal taste. Some don't have a truck big enough to haul a 5'er and choose a large TT instead.

You offer insightful comments. Here are some more. Most fifth wheels are built with the floor higher off the ground than most TT's. This means more steps to get into the fiver and, of course, the fivers almost always have steps into the bedroom area and often bath room. The fiver's section above the pickup bed increases the overall height of the fiver that can be problematic in some campgrounds and often offers more wind resistance when towing. As far as hitching/unhitching you mentioned some good attributes about the fiver over the TT; however, failed to mention that many factory 4x4 trucks today are so tall that to have a level fiver when towing the fiver needs to have it's axles repositioned or compromise bed clearance at the truck. If the axles are repositioned then the height of the fiver is increased even more for both getting in and out and overall height. With a TT it is very easy to use a drop shank and have a level trailer without repositioning axles. Also, using a Hensley, ProPride or PullRite trailer hitch the sway issues are almost moot. These hitches eliminate sway, not just mitigate it. Fivers tow well due to the hitch being over the rear axle. The PullRite hitch puts the pivot point of the hitch eight inches behind the differential, virtually the same as a fifth wheel hitch. In fact, is it often considered to work like a fifth wheel hitch under the truck's bed. None are cheap, all three work. None need air ride hitches to eliminate chucking or bed savers in case you forget to correctly latch the hitch. Everything about the difference between a TT and FW hitch is about trade-offs.

Choice is more about personal preferences than any hard and fast rules about full timing. I suspect more folks fulltime in a fiver than a TT but there are many that have full timed in Airstream trailers for years and would not trade for anything according to the Airstream forums.

[jaycocreek]

A 5er will get you more storage space unless you count your truck bed which is basically lost for storage.

I don't see the lost storage. Many people have toppers on there pickups and use tubs etc for the stuff some put in basement storage on motorhomes and fifth wheels.

Every rv'er is different in there needs and wants. Some pickups are used to haul big stuff and toys and others for storage or extras.

[PenMan]

OpenRangePullen_Ford wrote:
A 5th wheel you get more living space and more storage.

A 5er will get you more storage space unless you count your truck bed which is basically lost for storage. It will not get you more living space as a square foot of space in a 5er is the same as a square foot of space in a TT.

[myredracer]

Outdoors RV also has a decent 4-seasons package. They are owned by Nash /Northwood. One really good feature about Nash and Outdoors RV is that they both have heavy duty off-road frames. Frames on TTs can be problematic sometimes.

In the last year or two, TT manufacturers have been coming out with arched ceilings. Our arched ceiling is 6'-10" in the center and 6'-6" at the sides. You won't find really good deals on a TT that is only a year old tho.

Do they ever install taller entry doors as a standard feature? Ours is 5'-9" (actual clearance). Have never thought about what tall people do. Dexter Door makes them up to 80". Dexter Door

One thing we like about TTs is that everything is on one level.