5th Wheel or PU Camper

[ray1933]

We have hauled a PU Camper for the better part of 36 years and never paid any attention to the mileage.

So last year we decided we needed more room when dog showing and camping

so traded for a 5ver. Man, with the price of fuel we feel like we made a big mistake. Does one get better mileage hauling a camper than towing a 5ver.

 

[LRutigliano]

I used to own a 2003 Eagle Cap camper (10' w/slide). It weighed 4100lbs. I also towed the 4000lb Reinell with the camper.



I consistently got 3mpg better fuel economy with that setup than with the 11,000lb 5er I own now... 13-14mpg vs 10-11mpg. Same campgrounds, same routes, etc. The stock power was also good enough with the camper/boat vs. needing/wanting mods when we got the 5er.



We needed more living space too with 2 small kids...



Hope this helps,

Louis

 

[DonTX]

We went from PU camper to 5er, and am trying to go now to PU camper with slides.

Mileage for me was slightly worse with the PU camper! It was a 12ft one, very heavy with genset etc. The 5er is a 34-35 foot double slide, 10,800 empty weight Avion, very tall upstairs bedroom. I have not been able to explain the mileage figures. With just two of us with two pets, the 5er is just too big inside! (I know, that is kinda like having too much fun).

 

[Jefff929]

So last year we decided we needed more room when dog showing and camping

so traded for a 5ver. Man, with the price of fuel we feel like we made a big mistake.

You made a trade, space for mileage. I would choose space. So you eat out one less time per trip, is it really that big a deal?

 

[Bob V]

More weight = more mechanical energy to move that weight



More mechanical energy out of an engine = more chemical energy (fuel) into the engine



More fuel into the engine = less MPG

 

[AABEN]

I had a bumper pull 33ft toy hauler. Went to a 38 fifth wheel front living room. Went down 3mpg more in head wind. If I could do it all over again I would go with a larger Bumper pull with a ARE shell the height,s one made. That way I would have my truck bed back!!----BEN

 

[DonTX]

But that still don't explain how I went from a truck camper, to a fiver with twice or more weight, three times as long, four more rolling tires, and my mileage went UP! I has to do with aerodynamics somehow, wish I had a wind tunnel.

More weight = more mechanical energy to move that weight



More mechanical energy out of an engine = more chemical energy (fuel) into the engine



More fuel into the engine = less MPG

 

[DMcGalliard]

Use both truck camper and fifth wheel

I drive too fast and at 65 to 70 mph I notice very little difference between the tc and fw. However on a trip last year in WV, speeds of 50 to 55 I got almost 19mpg with the tc. Could never do that with the fw because of the weight.

The tc weights 6k and fw weights 15k. The frontal area of the tc may be less streamline than a fw at highway speeds. Fuel costs will make me slow down.



Dave Mc

 

[Grizzly]

I went from a 10. 5' cab-over-camper to a 29' 5er then back to a 11. 3' cab-over-camper. Now we have a 27' 5er. My experience has been 3 to 4 mpg better with the campers. The reason are pure and simple. The 5er are much heavier and have much more wind resistance. We wanted more space and for that we pay for it with more mpg.

 

[Grizzly]

But that still don't explain how I went from a truck camper, to a fiver with twice or more weight, three times as long, four more rolling tires, and my mileage went UP! I has to do with aerodynamics somehow, wish I had a wind tunnel.

Don, your doing something wrong in your mileage calculations because that totally defies the laws of physics.

 

[bigdaddydieseldan]

5ver all the way Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[GaryOwen]

Don, your doing something wrong in your mileage calculations because that totally defies the laws of physics.

Actually wind resistance is the main contributing factor for fuel mileage. I can add a couple thousand pounds in the bed of my truck and not see any measureable difference in fuel mileage. But, when towing a small 3000 pound travel trailer my mileage drops by about 25%.



Many 5th wheels have less wind drag than truck campers. Truck camper width and height are comparable to 5th wheels, so not much of a factor there. Comes down to aerodynamic designs.



Gary

 

[steved]

Mileage for me was slightly worse with the PU camper!

Same here... I have a low height 5vr, seems wind resistance play more than weight, in my case anyhow.

 

[Jim W]

I agree with what you stated mostly but mass and rolling resistance do account for some milage loss also. I towed my 5er down to the Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky this May 2008. On the way down my milage was 10. 2 wind was from the south (heading in to it) 15 to 20 MPH. On the way home my milage was 12 . 2 until the wind picked up in the afternoon and milage went to 10. 2. I could see this on the OHD. Hand calculated also down and back along with each fill-up. I pulled at a steady 55 to 60 MPH cruise on.

The two main reasons I own a 5er one is towability takes a lot more to wag the TV. The second is space and no one wants to borrow a 5er for the weekend (ok three). Spending my kids inheritance on fuel.

 

[DonTX]

Your'e telling me! I am a pilot and have some awareness of physics, all good sense would also accuse me of failing math. Nope, the figures are correct. I attribute part of it to the "egg on the footfeed" style I have, and I THINK I may be a little more rembunctions with the fuel pedal when no trailer is dragging me down, but other than that, there would appear to be SOMETHING about the aerodynamics involved. I always drive the same speed with either load. I was hoping someone could shed some light on it, someone else had the same experience I see.

Don, your doing something wrong in your mileage calculations because that totally defies the laws of physics.

 

[DonTX]

Then again Grizzly, maybe it is that shiny chrome tailgate that does me in!

 

[steved]

Actually wind resistance is the main contributing factor for fuel mileage. I can add a couple thousand pounds in the bed of my truck and not see any measureable difference in fuel mileage. But, when towing a small 3000 pound travel trailer my mileage drops by about 25%.



Many 5th wheels have less wind drag than truck campers. Truck camper width and height are comparable to 5th wheels, so not much of a factor there. Comes down to aerodynamic designs.



Gary

Actually, its placement of the camper...



The pickup camper is like pushing a brick through the air... and the air coming across your hood is force between the cab and the camper. With the 5vr, the air flows over the hood of the truck, over the cab of the truck, and (in my case) up over the camper.



I can pull a 2400# flatbed with negligable mileage loss. Pulling my 5vr drops me some, but not nearly as much as the truck camper. Plus, I can have the trailer off the truck in under 5 minutes, whereas dropping the truck camper takes a little more effort.

 

[DonTX]

Thanks, I don't like being the only one with puzzles I can't answer. I tend to drive FAST with either, 70-75 range, where the airflow has more effects.

Fortunately I am at the stage in live where I can just leave the pickup camper on year around, yet when I want to use my truck on a fifth wheel trip, it takes that few minutes to unhitch.

Actually, its placement of the camper...



The pickup camper is like pushing a brick through the air... and the air coming across your hood is force between the cab and the camper. With the 5vr, the air flows over the hood of the truck, over the cab of the truck, and (in my case) up over the camper.



I can pull a 2400# flatbed with negligable mileage loss. Pulling my 5vr drops me some, but not nearly as much as the truck camper. Plus, I can have the trailer off the truck in under 5 minutes, whereas dropping the truck camper takes a little more effort.

 

[DonTX]

Thanks, I don't like being the only one with puzzles I can't answer. I tend to drive FAST with either, 70-75 range, where the airflow has more effects.

Fortunately I am at the stage in life where I can just leave the pickup camper on year around, yet when I want to use my truck on a fifth wheel trip, it takes that few minutes to unhitch, so for me it is quicker and easier to have the truck camper.

Actually, its placement of the camper...



The pickup camper is like pushing a brick through the air... and the air coming across your hood is force between the cab and the camper. With the 5vr, the air flows over the hood of the truck, over the cab of the truck, and (in my case) up over the camper.



I can pull a 2400# flatbed with negligable mileage loss. Pulling my 5vr drops me some, but not nearly as much as the truck camper. Plus, I can have the trailer off the truck in under 5 minutes, whereas dropping the truck camper takes a little more effort.