Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Towing a 5th wheel versus Travel trailer : Pros and Cons

I'd like to hear from those who have done either. My wife really wants to buy a bigger camper this year and is 80% convinced that it must be a 5th wheel rather than a travel trailer style. I've been told that the 5th wheels are more stable on the road and easier to maneuver when parking them.

As for the travel trailers that just hitch to the tow vehicle's hitch receiver, my wife is concerned primarily about vehicle sway and hence, safety. I'm not too concerned about this and have told her that with weight distributing hitches and loading the vehicle and trailer properly, we'll have no problem.

I'm often talking to her about the wide range of information covered here at the Campfire, and the useful advice usually given to questions posted. So, what's the skinny according to those here who have done it? 5th wheel versus Travel Trailer. What do the Campfire members say?

She's right... I've towed trailers for decades.. My current camper is a 30' 5th wheel.. I hardly know it's back there.. But I've sure seen some awful wrecks when a TT begins to cycle... You MUST have a superior hitch and anti-sway system installed with a TT. Even so, there's no comparison to a good 5th wheel..

The only con re: 5th wheels is the bed of the truck's not as available to carry other items unless they're small enough and/or situated in such a way as to not interfere with the trailer..

The longer distance between the pin and the axles of the 5er makes loading the camper less of a factor than a TT.. Those must be loaded very carefully in order to ensure you have the correct ratio on the tongue.. Many times the only way to find that out is to load it up and head for a weigh station or a farmer's elevator that has a scale..

You can tow from the "bumper", as you say, when properly equipped.
That said, as one that has towed several days per week for near 30 years, I recommend the 5th wheel.

I tow pumps that weigh between 5k and 12k pounds, some of our equipment trailers and portable labs weigh +17k pounds.

For the ultimate in safety, comfort, ease of operation and wear and tear on the tow vehicle go 5th wheel/ gooseneck.

Thanks Redneck. Your experience mirrors what we've been told by others. My BIL, a very thoughtful and deliberate guy, used to tow/deliver campers for a living. His advice is to go 5th wheel, but that a bumper pull TT is OK if loaded properly and the right hitch and anti-sway equipment is used.

I own both currently. The 5th wheel is very easy to pull if you have the proper tow truck. We are talking diesel. Big brakes to stop with, heavy duty, so if the wife wants a 5th wheel, get it, this is your chance for the diesel if you don't already have one.

your both right. hows that for passing the buck?
really though it just depends on the trailer. a bad bumper pull will make you cuss. usually the tow bars will cure it, but i once pulled a small one with my dually for a friend that was dangerous. he sold it.
other suble differances- the bumper pull will track the truck and the 5th will cut you short in a turn in town, but it backs somewhat easier. to back one the front of the truck has to swing a long way to make the turns, not so with a bumper, it needs more room for the back of the trailer to turn.

if the bed is over the truck in the gooseneck, it will allow for a shorter trailer with the same interior facilities. hook up is a little hassle for the bumper type but the bed of the truck is open to use. sometimes the bed is needed to make up for the lack of space in the bumper. in short, it dont matter, they are just differant animals.

with both it is important to get a tow vehicle that is capable. you would not believe the overloaded vehicles that are on the road. dont look at the tag and think that is the weight, weigh it. really weigh it, loaded, and then check your tires to see if they are rated to carry that much wt.

Thanks Terry. Sounds like you have a lot put in a lot of miles pulling trailers. I appreciate the advice.

The wife won't have a diesel truck. Don't ask me why. We are looking at the lighter type 5th wheels that are well within the tow ratings of newer, more powerful 1/2 ton trucks.

One thing I forgot (but another noted) is that you haven't mentioned what your tow vehicle is..

I tow my camper with an '04 F-350 DRW CC PSD 4X4... I've had dualies since '77 and prefer those for towing.. More tires = better load distribution. That also translates into a more stable towing unit. Once you're used to a trailer or camper behind you, making turns in towns or similar gets to be a piece of cake....

If your vehicle is a half-ton, you're going to be limited in camper selection.. A 3/4 is better, but a one-ton (properly equipped with camper package etc.. ) can tow a very large TT or 5er with relative ease..

If you're going to pull a trailer that can gross 12K or larger, you need to research your truck specs and stay within limits.. If it's a diesel, ensure you have an EGT and trans temp gauge - either factory installed options or as added equipment.. Those are the two I watch constantly when towing the 5er..

Best of luck..

I'm not really promoting the idea of a TT instead of a 5th wheel. I just don't want to limit our options. I believe that 5th wheels are a bit safer and more controllable, also I've heard that people going from a TT to a 5th wheel may see and increase in fuel economy, Although when towing, what's the point of worrying about that.

LOL.. That got posted just before my last one..

Why won't she consider diesel? Cost?

Anyway, if you're going to use a half-ton PU, that will limit your camper sizes to something around 20' or less, depending on GVW of the camper and truck.. Check your truck's manuals for towing info.. It should be in there and fairly specific..

With a gasser, expect mpgs towing will be under 10.. If it's a new truck, ensure it has a camper package. If not, using it for a camper can give the manufacturer an excuse to void warrantys..

The smell, of all things!

She will occasionally drive my/our truck to haul our kids when the roads are too bad for her mini-van. Doesn't like the slightly rougher ride of a Super-Duty or the smell and noise of a diesel.

My truck is a 2007 Tundra, tow rating of 10,100 pounds. The 5'er she has her heart set on weighs about 6,400lbs dry, so fully loaded we should still be well within that. The truck has a lot of oomph for a gas engine and those I've talked to who tow comparable loads with comparable trucks are happy with it's power and handling.

Maybe when she decides in a few years that she wants a bigger camper, I can talk her into a 250/350 diesel.

Oh yeah, it has a tow package and tranny gauge and cooler.

Just my two farthings worth -- my summer rig is a tandem-axle 24' Ragen toy box, hitch mount. Loaded with bikes and water it goes around 8K lbs. The stabilizing system works well for something of this weight.

I chose this over a 5th-wheel primarily to preserve the bed space - I have a hard cover on it. Tow rig is a 4wd '03 Duramax with Allison tranny that had plenty of power stock, more so now with the Banks. There might be a bigger 5th-wheel in the future if it comes to pass that I have more time to travel.

Hint -- buy now -- prices are right, especially lightly-used rigs.

5th wheel..
my man cave is a 36'er, and my ghetto is a 28 foot bumper pull.

i also drive big trucks for a living in the oil field, (well usta til last week)
a pin in the bed is wayyy better than a pin in the rear.

better turning, and easier to manuver. it pivots in the bed instead of cratering your rear bumper trying to get into a tight camping spot. you do have to watch the cormers of your cab tho with the 5th wheel.
also get a hitch that pivots side to side as well. makes off road travel to the hunting spot a lot easier.

Get the 5th wheel and you won't have to go through the pre-flight weight and balance checks prior to take off and the ride is far and above more stable. Pull it with what you have now unless you are going to be pulling it 90% of the time.

I pulled a 32' 5th wheel Prowler all over most of the western states with a short wheel base 1/2t Chevy with a 350 cid. You couldn't even get a diesel engine in a light truck back then. The best way to go? Absolutely not, but it's what I had and I put thousands of miles on it with that combo at 12-15 hundred miles at a time. The biggest down side were the matching dents on the cab of the truck due to the short turning radius and distance from tongue to cab. You don't need a diesel to pull a large 5th wheel unless you plan on putting 3-5,000 miles a month on, but they are nice and you will notice the difference from gas.

David

I appreciate the responses from you all. Right now I've got to get outside and get my day rolling. I'll check back later. Thanks again!

We opted for a bumper-pull so we could haul a 4-wheeler, didn't like any of the toy haulers we looked at. Down side is to unload the machine you have to unhook.

The bumper-pull decision was made easier when we were given an antique Airstream!

I see trucks with a small true "fifth-wheel" hitch in the bed, usually about a foot high. Others have a ball in the bed, some low, some high.

Pros and cons?

Thanks,

Bruce

Having the hitch in the bed is not really a problem. We have an RBW Little Rocker 15,000 lb hitch and it comes right out with only 4 pins to pull, my wife and I can lift it out and lay it on the ground with no problem, whole thing takes about 90 seconds.

I've had both. I eventually downsized to a 23' bumper pull just for the fact I can use the bed of the truck to carry a full size freezer on hunting trips while pulling the trailer.

Going down the road you really don't notice the difference if you have sufficient truck for either one. That being the key. I see a lot of very large and very long bumper pulls being pulled by 1/2 ton trucks makes me wonder. There's more to towing than being able to pull it in a straight line on a good road.

You do notice it when it comes time to hook it up and back it up. Depending on how the trailer made a lot of the 5th wheel trailers will be much taller even if they weight the same.

Just some thoughts.

I use a 3/4 ton diesel. The nicest thing about a disel besides it just goes and never bogs down is that if you get 18mpg in the truck on the interstate and you hook up your trailer you'll still get 17mpg with the trailer - at least that's been my experience. I'm sure it would go down if I had a much bigger trailer.