Question for Full Timers: Bumper Pull

[RUSSELL5000]

For those who full-time RV, I wonder if any of you have a bumper-pull travel trailer rather than a fifth-wheel or gooseneck.

If so, what do you have?

If so, why do you prefer the bumper-pull over the fifth wheel/gooseneck?

Thanks!

 

[JLandry]

My wife and I full-time in a 2007 Arctic Fox 25R made by Northwood. While it's probably too small for many full-timers, so far it's worked well for us. We chose it because it's what we already had at the time we decided we wanted to become full-time RV'ers. About the only things I wish it had is more storage room (you can never have too much of that) and a couple of nice, comfy recliner chairs... which our current travel trailer completely lacks.

Once our travel trailer is over 10 years old, I think we'll be ready to upgrade. At that time we'll give a 5th wheel trailer some serious thought for the extra room they offer.

Best regards,

John L.

 

[SnoKing]

http://www.airforums.com/ Lot of info most likely available here! SNOKING

 

[TLane]

The main reason I have a bumper pull is that I have an 18' canoe that I like to carry on the truck (on a ladder rack). It won't work out with fifth wheel or gooseneck. Otherwise, I think I'd opt for a fifth wheel.

There's a couple of other minor points - the shower on most fifth wheel campers is up on the shower deck - so it typically doesn't have as much height as a travel trailer. I'm 6' 6", and put my head up in the skylight when in the shower on my TT. If you're not that tall, no problem, and I'm sure there are a few fifth wheels with plenty of head room in the shower. On the other hand, most fifth wheels have a lot more head room back in the living area. I've been in a few fifth wheels at RV shows and they seem much roomier to me because of the head room in the back, even though they are almost the same floor plan as my bumper pull.

A few people don't like the stairs in a fifth wheel. It wouldn't bother me at all, but I know some people who avoid fifth wheels because of the stairs (even though they never complain about stairs to get into any trailer).

The other last issue for me is size creep. "Hey, we've got a bigger truck, let's get a bigger camper". Once we get the bigger camper, "hey, let's add more power to the truck." Then it's back to a bigger camper... bumper pulls only get so big. When you're looking at fifth wheels, pretty quickly you get into the weight range where you need dual rear wheels instead of singles.

 

[Dl5treez]

Exactly the same situation I'm looking at. Need the bed space in the truck for other things--tools, equipment, etc--and can only run with a bumper pull. I'm completely off the rails as also would like to have garage space for a bike or ATV so a bumper pull toy hauler is in the equation, with true all season capability.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Thanks for the responses.

 

[AnOldBiker]

People I know who have trailers said:
they like their bumper pull to give them the truck bed to haul / store stuff.
the biggest thing the 5er's like was the tighter turning radius compared to bumper pull.

Now most my friends are old, and us old coots are rough, they all said they wanted more room. Both from the bumper pullers and the 5er's. (and more beer)

 

[SnoKing]

The pluses for a 5th Wheel:

1. Stability and Handling on the road!!!!!!
2. Basement Storage
3. Higher Ceiling - open feeling - more storage
4. Shorter overall length of combination for trailer length
5. Better privacy as they sit much higher
6. Ease of hitching and unhitching
7. More higher quality choices - more manufacture effort to make livable units.

Negative:

Loss of truck bed storage
Different / harder to back up.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

My little 21' Airstream tows very well, partially due to the Henschen suspension, similar to the Dexter Torflex. Not the ideal full timer trailer, I suppose, but everyone has to compromise between easy towing and easy living in it.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Snoking - thanks for the pro/con summary. I was a little surprised at the "different / harder to back up" - I thought 5th wheels were a little easier to maneuver around. It also seems to me that 5th wheels generally have more a little more in the way of things that may be desirable for full-timing; e.g., washer/dryer prep, bigger kitchens and living rooms, etc.

Joe Donnelly makes a point about how well Airstreams tow - which I have read on the Airstream forum site - but my wife does not care for Airstreams, so may not apply to me anyhow.

AnOldBiker - yes, more room is always perpetual. More beer is always better as well.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Some Airstream interiors probably will appeal to her much more than others. One good thing is that they first make sure the weight is distributed properly on all the wheels, then make it look nice. Some trailers are designed to look nice and have the stuff distributed in a way that appeals, but they end up with one or two wheels overloaded.

 

[Shadrach]

Fifth wheels can cost a lot more as does the hitch and most have generator capabilities. There seems to be a better ( to me at least ) selection in floor plans.

Travel trailers don't generally have generators. You can have a canopy on the truck all year round to keep stuff safe and dry.

David

 

[Ram4Sam]

Snoking - thanks for the pro/con summary. I was a little surprised at the "different / harder to back up" - I thought 5th wheels were a little easier to maneuver around. It also seems to me that 5th wheels generally have more a little more in the way of things that may be desirable for full-timing; e.g., washer/dryer prep, bigger kitchens and living rooms, etc.

Joe Donnelly makes a point about how well Airstreams tow - which I have read on the Airstream forum site - but my wife does not care for Airstreams, so may not apply to me anyhow.

AnOldBiker - yes, more room is always perpetual. More beer is always better as well.

It's not harder, just different.......Your travel trailer reacts more "linear" when backing up, a fiver is slower to react to your input the first few feet when backing up and then turns quicker in less distance. You have to start your course corrections sooner than a travel trailer.......If you tow both it can be confusing at times.......

Sam

 

[Mawvelous]

We have a 2011 Keystone Outback 277RL. It is 35' bumper to tongue 30' 8 " of coach. It has plenty of storage and 2 slides. Once I got it set up with Air Safe hitch and load lever/stabilzers it tows better than my 25 footer. We have no plans to full time it but would probably take it south in winter (retire in 3 years) We have towed from WA state to CA & Montana. We do have to plan a little to make sure sites will accommodate length but this is not a big deal. When backing into tight spaces my wife is the spotter. We use cell phones as the truck has bluetooth with the 8.4 AN works very well so i have "hands free"

 

[mwilson]

I have towed all kinds of trailers over the years (the most wretched being 48' lowbeds, they simply track totally different than any other trailer) and the fifth wheel is hands down over a tow behind. It will back up and track the same as a semi-trailer which makes backing into a spot second nature for me. A tow behind takes a lot more room and a different mindset when backing.

A fifth wheel trailer can be going just nuts behind you and it is not affecting the tow vehicle. Everything that happens with a tow behind throws the vehicle in the opposite direction. I had a 33' tow behind and it was just terrible on secondary roads.

Ease of hooking / unhooking, better behavior while underway, storage space, ceiling height outweigh the loss of the cargo bed for us. I can still put quite a lot of stuff in the body so it is not a total loss.

 

[mwilson]

It's not harder, just different.......Your travel trailer reacts more "linear" when backing up, a fiver is slower to react to your input the first few feet when backing up and then turns quicker in less distance. You have to start your course corrections sooner than a travel trailer.......If you tow both it can be confusing at times.......

Sam

It is the pivot point, a tow behind is hinged at the rearmost point of the tow vehicle and the most forward point of the trailer.

A fifth wheel is hinged over the rear axle of the tow vehicle and the most forward point of the trailer so the tow vehicle is pivoting directly under the hitch instead of trying to push or pull the trailer tongue sideways at the start of or in reaction to a maneuver...

When backing up any fifth wheel (from your camper to a 53' dry van) you strive to start the perfect arc in your mind that begins where you are, ends where you want the trailer placed, avoids any obstacles and then keep the tow vehicle in that same arc. When you get the hang of it backing is super easy with very little steering input.

I see so many people using way too much steering input when backing up and just making a lot of extra work for themselves.

IMO...

 

[RustyJC]

I'm with Mike 100% on this one. Our 5th wheel is right at 40' long (actual length) and has a 19K GVWR. There's no way I would even look at a bumper pull (even if one were available) that approached this size and weight. This 5th wheel with MorRyde independent suspension and a TrailAir tri-glide pinbox tows very well.

Rusty

 

[Jim W]

Russell;

When we got back into camping and traveling about 7 to 8 years ago with a trailer; my wife wanted a class A or super C motor home. I said let’s get a 5th wheel since we need to pull something behind the class A/super C anyway; I could make use of the pick-up truck to pull with instead of buying a toad to tow. She than ask why a 5th wheel and not a tag along trailer like we had before. I told her that the 5th wheel will track behind the truck better and will not wag the tow vehicle do to side winds or a semi passing us. We have also found that most 5th wheels have improved storage and options over most tag along trailers offer.

We are now on our second truck and 5th wheel and thinking of upgrading again to a larger 5th wheel and a 1 ton tow vehicle. The options we want on the 5th wheel now I do not believe are even offered on a travel trailer. Such as LT tires on the camper, six point leveling system, heat pump and 4 to 5 slides; we may go for the front living room if we can find one under 40’.

Jim W.

 

[mwilson]

We were window shopping this summer and I just plain fell in love with the 6 point leveling system. Stand there with your drink in one hand and run the controls with the other hand. It just doesn't get any better than that..........

Plus I made the assumption that the 5th day of set-up trailer wiggle / settle event could be cured at the touch of a button (while holding said drink)...

The stuff that dreams are made of....

 

[RustyJC]

That "Auto-Level" button is worth the price of admission, I guarantee you. Love it!!! It even remembers the settings when you unhitch from the truck and will automatically return to that elevation when it's time to hitch up and leave.

Rusty