Hauling a Fifth Wheels Vrs a Tow Behind

[zuley]

Second post. As I said previous I have been lurking for months but am ready to make the jump from a 25 tow behind to a 28.5 RSTS. Presently I tow a 25 foot (sorry folks) Keystone Passport behind a 13 Ram 1500. New truck will be a 2500 with the Cummings. I am completely comfortable with the present package and have no issues getting it into whatever campsites we end up in. I am very apprehensive of towing a fifth wheel. For those who have made the jump from a tow behind to a 5er please give me the low down. Easier, harder???

[ROC-REQS]

First off, welcome to the forum, glad you joined us.

I made the jump from a TT to a FW. We had TTs for about 17 years before going to a FW.

A FW tows nicer, but IMO it's not easier or harder then a TT. There are just some things you need to be aware of that maybe you didn't with a TT.

1. A FW tracks more inside on turns then a TT does, so take turns wider.

2. The height of a FW is higher then a TT so you have to be more aware of the road you travel and low hanging branches in campgrounds.

3. Hooking up and unhooking, obviously is different but after a few times you'll get the hang of it. Took the wife and I about 3 - 6 times to get the hooking and unhooking process down pat. Now it's a piece of cake.

4. The biggest challenge for me was backing up. I found backing up the FW was completely different then the TT.
I'm still backing up challenged , but I'm getting better at it.
Go to an empty parking lot and practice backing up. The more you do it the better you'll get at it.

Hope this is of some help to you.
I'm sure others will contribute.
Gook luck

[Ruth]

We went from a 34 ft Palomino Puma to a 27.5 RKDS which is 3 feet shorter. The differences are the pivot point on turns moves from the back of the truck to the middle of the bed. Turns are taken a little wider, backing is different in that you don’t have to turn the wheel as far to get the rear of the trailer where you want it. It sometimes takes us a couple of shots to get the trailer where we want it, but we have only been out a couple of times since we purchased the trailer. I would suggest going to a large empty parking lot and practicing turns and backing to get more familiar with the new TV and fiver.

[hboy]

Originally Posted by zuley

For those who have made the jump from a tow behind to a 5er please give me the low down. Easier, harder???

In my opinion, the towing is MUCH more comfortable with the FW connection -v- bumper pull travel trailer. Much more stable with less waging than the bumper pull travel trailer.

Like already mentioned, the pivot point is moved forward from the ball hitch to the FW hitch in the truck bed. Swing wider.

You didn't mention what bed length you are going with. Mine is a short bed so the turn radius is more limited than the 8' bed. I've never come close to banging the 5th wheel front cap against the pick up cab but I have seen it happen. I've also see a bumper pull travel trailer jack knife into the tow vehicle rear tail light so just pay attention to your clearance and you will be fine.

Also, if your new truck has the ram box bed style, you will want to do some research on making that work.

[2nOZ]

We went from a 27DSRL bumper pull to a 28.5 RSTS FW. Everything that everyone has stated so far is true and we have experienced all of the above. We do plan our routes more carefully due to the increase in height. I have backed many a trailer in my life and find backing the FW is a bit harder that our previous TT due to the shorter distance between the pivot point on the truck and the wheels on the FW. However, is tows far better than our previous TT to the point we don't worry as much about winds. It is truelly easier to tow.

[DavidJay]

The dynamics are such that out on the highway you literally can’t feel the FW behind you. Obviously you still have acceleration and braking, but just going down the road you have to check your inside mirror from time to time to make sure the FW is still there.

Think about the events that move your trailer around - crosswinds, being passed by a semi in a quartering tailwind (that always sucked me towards the semi with my 27’ TT). These events are just GONE.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Originally Posted by DavidJay

Think about the events that move your trailer around - crosswinds, being passed by a semi in a quartering tailwind (that always sucked me towards the semi with my 27’ TT). These events are just GONE.

I have the exact same towing experience using the ProPride hitch on my last 2 bumper pulls! I love having the truck bed available to haul and store bikes, RC's and firewood. Dry and lockable. At retirement, we may go to a 5th though for more room and semi-full timing.

[SkyBound]

I have had 2 bumper pull trailers so far. Fifth wheels do interest me for a few reasons, but I haven't gone that route yet and not sure if I would be ready to. Fifth wheel trailers generally need a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck to deal with the pin weight. Especially for taller people such as myself, a full profile 5th is required to be able to stand up in the front, and these trailers are typically way out of range of a half ton, which I currently have.

I also love lifted trucks with big tires. Due to bed height, lifted trucks aren't a good match for fifth wheels which generally struggle to tow level even behind stock ride height trucks these days.

I NEED the bed of my truck! I couldn't be without it especially with all the gear needed when camping with my little kids. Thule Chariot, wagon, sometimes bring my mini-bike if we are boondocking, etc.

The only way I could go to a fifth wheel is if I could afford a dedicated tow vehicle. Until then, a bumper pull works best behind my daily driver.

Oh, to the original poster zuley - shout out to Guelph!

[RedHorse1]

We traded the 24’ HTT for a 39’ 5th.
Roc-req sums up what I’ve experienced very well. I will say however that I feel the 5th tows much smoother and adds less “tow drama” to the experience.
As he points out, backing is somewhat different. I’ll report back when I’ve got it all sorted out.��

[ShawnR]

I've previously owned 2 5th wheels and now have a conventional. I prefer the 5rs for the towing experience. There are some minor adjustments you'll have to learn (see posts above). I only switched to conventional because the RV we bought checked more boxes than any of the 5rs we looked at. You will not be disappointed.

[zuley]

Thank you to all who responded. I'm sure before pulluing the trigger I will over analyze this to death. Going to do the pull behind for this summer and upgrade this fall or next spring.

[B5 GTX]

We bought our first fifth wheel last year. I've towed boats, enclosed car trailers and the fifth wheel is definitely superior on the highway. The backing is totally different than the others. I feel I can back the fifth wheel into any spot that a comparable trailer would go, but it just takes additional time.

[CampNow]

A 5th wheel does have the advantage of having all the pin weight placed over the rear axle of the tow vehicle. A bumper-pull has the disadvantage of having the tongue/pin weight positioned a few feet behind the rear axle. Can't defy physics . . . however, IF one takes the time to setup a bumper-pull properly (in conjunction with a suitable tow vehicle) a bumper-pull can potentially offer an excellent tow experience---with very little stability or sway issues---even in high crosswinds.

We recently "upgraded" (in our opinion, of course) from a 33 ft., 11k (loaded), 5th wheel, to a 35 ft. (tongue to bumper), 10k (loaded), bumper-pull travel trailer. Our tow vehicle is a '16, 1-ton, diesel SRW truck. With the exception of a single push-pull sensation when a semi truck passes too close, our bumper-pull tows just as stable as the 5th wheel.

For us the 5th wheel offered the following advantages:
1. Slightly more stable when semi's pass too close.
2. Larger basement storage area.

For us, the bumper-pull offers the following advantages:
1. 2 ft. lower height; easier, safer access at fuel stops and campgrounds.
2. Easier, more intuitive to backup.
3. Entire bed of truck is available for storage---especially for bulky, taller items.
4. Not necessary to lift heavy, 200 lb. 5th wheel hitches in/out of the bed of the truck.
5. Bumper pull has less interior volume because of a lower ceiling/roof---faster, more efficient heating and cooling.
6. No interior steps to walk up and down (or slip on) from the main area to the bathroom/bedroom
7. Easy to purchase/replace a standard bumper-pull tongue jack while on the road; 5th wheel landing gear problems can potentially strand you for days.

[Dan]

I went from a 30' TT to a 40' FW. I do not believe "easier or harder" is the correct terminology...it is just different. For me it was mainly the tighter tracking of the FW on turns, the height difference (I scrubbed some trees in a state CG) and the backing, although I like how the FW backs..As long as your camper to truck ratio stays in the same ballpark, which it will once you switch to the 3/4 ton diesel, I don't believe you will notice much difference if any while actually towing.

[Higgy]

My last trailer was a 34' 6" FW but i have a 38ft+ bumper pull now. I found the FW felt better to tow. It didnt feel like it got knocked around as much by wind and passing trucks. That being said, the tow behind is set up properly and feels really good too. Like others have said too, the reversing i found, is the biggest difference due to the pivot points but when you are used to that, its easier to get a bigger comparable living space FW reversed into a tight spot than a tow behind because of the extra length required for the hitch etc. I went back to the tow behind because i wanted to take my atv or motorcycle in the truck box otherwise i would still have the FW. Driving a FW or a longer tow behind makes you do wide turns no matter what. Your always looking at that inside wheel

One other thing to add with the fifth wheel. You have to be more aware of twist between the trailer and truck. There isnt a whole lot of clearance between the bed sides and the underside of the FW. I was turning down a steep hill on a tight corner and managed to touch the truck bed. Wasnt my finest moment but didnt happen again, thats for sure. There was more than a few expletives and then a lot of Rye and Pepsi to wash away the sick feeling

[davisenvy]

First off I've gotta say it, there's no "G" in Cummins.

I've had 3 TT's from 26-36ft. I now have a 34ft Jayco Eagle HT and love it. I had to pull my dads Airstream back from FL with my truck and I can honestly say my Jayco Fiver pulls better than his Airstream or any of my TT's.

Backing is a non issue if you can back your current trailer. Same principles apply. I find it a tad easier on the fifthwheel because of being able to go 90 degrees. You do have to start your turn a bit sooner, but you'll get used to it. Good luck with your decision.