5th wheel or bumper style camper

[RKraft]

Hey guy's need some help and advice. My family is looking to purchase a camper soon and was just wondering which route to take? I am leaning toward the 5th wheel route but not sure. Any comments or suggestion would be gratefully appreciated.



Thanks

Randy

 

[rkruid]

Randy,

Check out the open roads forum web site. They discuss these issues all day long. I finally decided to go to a fifth wheel for a number of reasons. The biggest was the interior space I got with a fifth wheel.

http://www.rv.net/forum/

 

[LesStallings]

My enclosed trailer is about the size of most 5th wheel campers and I tow a lot of miles across I-40, including the windy western regions.



I've noticed that bumper pull campers have MUCH more problem with cross winds than the 5th wheel trailers. Bumper pull trailers will be all over the road.



Also, the manuverability of a 5th wheel is far superior.



Check out rv.net. There is a lot of information there for you.

 

[Grizzly]

I prefer a cab-over camper, however if I were considering a trailer, it would be a 5th wheel. I had a 29' Alumalite and it was great handling. I would never consider a TT.

 

[CLAYTON]

I went with a 5th wheel too and haven't looked back since I can't believe how easy the 5th wheel tows. I would definitly do the same if I had to do it over again.

 

[nps]

OK - someone has to defend travel trailers.



My main concern with going for a TT instead of a 5th wheel was to keep the bed of the truck clear - both when towing and for normal use. I like my bedliner, frequently haul dirt and rocks, and didn't want to cut holes or have to remove it. Also we didn't find 5th wheel floorplans we liked as well as the TT.



With a weight distributing hitch and a sway bar my 25'TT pulls like nothing is back there and the truck sits level - even in the strongest of crosswinds. The whole hitch setup is about $450 so about the same as a 5th wheel hitch. Pull the pin from the receiver, and it's all gone!



If you don't mind losing the bed of your truck then 5th wheels do offer several advantages - but not for me.

 

[klenger]

I went through this same debate when I bought my camper. Went with a 5er based on the advice of many members here. No regrets from me. The issue of a clean bed when not towing can be taken care of by getting one of the newer hitches that allows all of the above bed parts to be removed. I went with the PullRite Super5th and SuperRails. See http://www.klenger.net/dodge/pullrite/index.html for my comments and pictures.

 

[Joe G.]

I have a 32' TT. No problems towing it anywhere I want including winds. If I didn't want to use my truck for anything else a 5er would be a little better to tow. When we go anywhere I usually have a bed full of stuff including a 50 gallon fuel tank. When I am not towing I haul all sorts of things. I really could not do that nearly as easy with fifth wheel hitch stuff in the bed. Even with the hitch removed there would still be holes in the bed liner and some sort of bracket for the hitch. Too much trouble for a few vaction trips.

 

[PFerris]

Been towing for 30 years and have had both. 5th wheels are much more stable on the road and if trailer is 36 feet yoe basiclly have 36 feet of living space. You have to take 3 feet off of a travel trailer because of the hitch. pferris

 

[LesStallings]

I wonder why they don't make more campers gooseneck instead of fifth wheel???



The simplicity of a GN hitch is nice in that most current hitches flip over, retract, or rotate and leave the bed completely clear for normal pickup truck use.

 

[rluft]

Having had both I will give you my opinion.



I had a topper on the pickup which was nice to keep all the stuff I hauled with us when towing the TT. With load-distributing hitch and sway control the trailer will had some sway. There was not alot of storage on the trailer which is why so much was hauled in the truck bed.



The fifth is a lot bigger, with a lot more storage. Everything I carried in the back of the truck is now stored in the 5th. Because the trailer is so large I still feel the crosswinds but have never had a sway problem like I had with a TT. I think the truck handles the load better, being hitched over the rear axle instead of behind it. Personally, the 5th wheel is the to go.

 

[Schrowang]

Hey Randy,



I think from the replies that your getting the sense that the type of trailer that RV'ers pull is one of personal choice. I've had two 5'ers. The first was a 1989, 18. 5' gooseneck Sunline. I towed that with a Dodge Dakota with the 318 CI gasser, auto trans and 3. 55 rear. Loved that little trailer. Towed it home throught the front edge of a hurricane here in NH and never felt the wind want to take it off the road.



The second 5'er is a 27. 5', Trailharbor with the standard kingpin hitch. I use a Husky 16K manual slider that is removable from the bed. I tow this with my '04. 5 CTD, 6-speed, 4. 10 rear. My stump puller of a truck doesn't even know that 4. 5 tons of trailer is back there. Again, I've never had a problem towing this unit.



With both 5er units, I found that they were very stable in towing. Didn't matter whether it was wet or dry, windy or still air; they stuck right behind the truck where they belong. In talking to other campers, I've heard that 5er's are easier to back into a space when all the pull thru's are gone.



One thing that I've heard from campers who tow TT's is that the longer the wheelbase of the TV, the more stable the trailer will be on the road. I know I've seen some pretty awful alligator tails whipping onto the shoulder and into the next lane. They always seem to be towed by short wheel base Pick-ups and SUV's. There may be come truth in what I'm told.



Again, its your choice. Mine was a 5er on the advice of a long time friend who was also an owner/operator, big rig driver and a fellow RVer.



Best of luck in your search.



Mike

 

[gonzo2]

Well, I went through the same thing last fall and ended up with a fiver. The fifth wheels do seem, in general, to have more storage space, tow better and have more holding tank capacity than equivalent tow behind rigs. That being said I had no problem towing the previous unit and was not shopping particularly for a fiver, but the floor plan and 'deal' on the unit made my purchase easy.

So far I am quite happy with my decision but I do miss using more of my box during camping and having to lug the hitch out when not.

One thing to consider with a 2500 is that, using a fiver, you will probably go over your trucks GVW because of tongue weight before you get near it's towing capacity. If this is a big issue to you, a tow behind may be a better choice. I think you would find either worthwile.

 

[viper700]

I would go to the 5er if I was you. Go out to a real busy highway on a weekend and watch the rigs go by. You will probably see 9 out of 10 rigs are 5ers. I have a 04. 5 CTD QC 4WD 48RE DRW, AFE Pro Guard 7. I also have a 65 gallon transfer tank permanently in the bed. . I live in Alaska and have a topper on it, when we get to Yuma in the Winter I take off the topper and set the hitch in place for the 5er. The 5er I have is a 36' King of the Road 3 axel with 3 slides. It weighed 14,075 lbs empty and we do not tow with much water on board. The friends we travel with have a 31' TT and we have a huge ammount of room compared to them. They also had to buy a real exspensive Hensly hitch to stop the sway problem they had. With the Dually the stability on the road is really super. I don't run as fast as most do but I do not have any sway problems at all when the 18 wheelers are passing. Good luck with what ever you do.

 

[BigMike]

I like my 5er, but one of the downsides is you lose the bed of your pickup. Not much room left after you hitch up plus you're probably already overweight anyway.

 

[RKraft]

Well, I picked up a 26ft Terry Resort TT on Saturday 30th. The price was right at what we could afford. Figured we could use it for the season clean it up and sell it next season make some money and maybe go the 5ver route. I really apreciate all your input and info. Thank you all again for the help, I am very grateful.



Randy

 

[DPelletier]

If you need your truck bed for carrying something, check out a toy hauler type 5er. Only advantages to a bumper pull that I can see;



- you have an E350 12 passenger van for your 45 kids or... .



- you want to spend less money. A TT is way cheaper to buy than a 5th wheel toybox.



Dave