dewatkins
Dallas Texas
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Joined: 11/22/2011
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Well I towed a TT for years and decided to try a FW. So I bought one and found out it was too heavy for my 3/4 ton truck and went out and bought a 1 ton dually to tow it with. After a couple of years I decided a FW was not for me and I am now back to a TT.
TT leaves the bed for what ever you want, it also gets better gas mileage the FW does make a great sail sticking up above the truck and I prefer not driving a dually. Now the FW does have more storage but that just adds to the pin weight because it is in the front of the rigs wheels.
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RVdood
Manitoba
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Joined: 03/26/2012
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5th wheel is the way to go, all around easier to handle, so long as you have at least a 250 or 2500.
Terry D
2008 F350 DRW
2012 Pinnacle 5th Wheel
Super Glide Hitch
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ExRocketScientist
Laurel, MD
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Joined: 11/11/2010
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I have been going back and forth between my fiver and my TT the last week. With the TT, you can always feel it back there. With the fiver, I feel it when I hit a really big bump or hit a hill.
At my house, my driveway hooks a 50 degree turn around the corner of my neighbor's fenced back yard. While backing around that corner, I have to get within 6 inches of the corner of her fence, and get the perfect angle at the same time without hitting one of the posts of my fence with the truck on the opposite side. Lately, I have backed both trailers around it twice. With the fiver, I either had to use the wireless camera on a tripod, or get my wife to help me. I ended up pulling forward five or six times. On Friday, the second time with the TT, she realized I was backing it around the corner and came out . . . too late to help me as I had it around the corner and into its new parking space (the one the fiver formerly occupied). Never had to pull forward. It was one smooth unstopping motion.
One caveat . . . with all of this backing and turning around of trailers in the neighborhood over the last couple of weeks, I have gotten a little refresher . . . so I am a little better at backing than I normally am.
ERS
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campn4walleye
Central WI
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Joined: 08/14/2004
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We loved our 5er over our TT as it was easier to maneuver and allowed us to tandem tow our boat. We felt like we had so much more space. We felt safer towing the 5er. Never had any fishtailing.
2011 Adventurer 910FBS,Torklift tie downs,Fastguns & Wobbl-stopprs
2012 Dodge 3500 DRW 6.7L CTD, 4x4, LB,CC,6 speed auto,3.73 axle, General 17" on/off road
2008 Lund 1825 Explorer Sport,115 Merc,9.9 kicker,Torklift Super Hitch,42" Supertruss
USAF ret E-9&E-7
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Eurocamper
Salt Lake City, Utah
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Joined: 03/04/2008
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I spent a summer work-camping in Grand Teton National Park out of a 30-foot bumper pull trailer. I had a shell on the back of my truck so I could store things I didn't want cluttering up my trailer. More importantly, I could head out for some weekend exploration and fishing in my truck and sleep inside the shell. I just couldn't give up the use of my truck bed with a fifth-wheeler.
2008 Fleetwood Evolution E1
2011 Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4x4 Hemi
2007 Nissan Xterra 4x4
Ex 1997 Volkswagen Eurovan Camper
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Sandy & Shirley
North East, MD
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Joined: 01/02/2004
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The biggest disadvantage to a 5er is that they weigh a bit more so you will need a heftier truck. They are also taller so you need more clearance and there are more steps to climb to even get onto the first floor level much less the upper level.
They have more storage and they are far more stable on the road because your connection is over the wheels, not behind the bumper. The extra high ceiling in the back area makes them feel roomier. Your overall length will be shorter because the 5er starts somewhere over the bed of the truck while the TT starts a few feet behind the rear bumper.
'02 F350 7.3PSD CC LB DRW, Reese 20K Hitch, Brake Smart, AirLift, C-betr mirrors,
'04 Everest 343L, TrailAir, RotoChoks, Wayne's stabilizer
Toys: Fold-Away Pet Carrier, Thermos Grill 2 GO
For more info, visit Our RV web site.
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dlkc
Crosby,Tx
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Joined: 03/24/2012
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Since starting this thread I purchased a 32 1/2' fifth wheel 2 1/2 hours from home and towed it home.
This last weekend I towed my 26' travel trailer home from its winter storage 7 hours away.
What I found is my trucks mileage was within 1 mpg of each tow favoring the travel trailer- until I refueled wih Exxon diesel , then the milelage dropped to match each at 10- 11 mpg depending on speed.
What I didn't care for when towing the travel trailer was being passed by 18 wheelers- I've read about them sucking the trailer& truck towards them and now understand what people were talking about.. Nothing I couldn't deal with, but spooky when the passing speeds were excessive compared to my speed.
2011 Ford F-250 4x4 Crew 6.7l w. Bags & B&W Companion Hitch
2012 Satrcraft 278 BHS
2009 Polaris Ranger
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APT
SE Michigan
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Joined: 06/09/2010
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Congrats on the new RV!
FWIW, my Reese WDH is picky. I have have rock solid towing at 75mph, thunderstorms, no other vehicle can impact how it tows when it is set up well. When it's not adjusted correctly, calm winds no other vehicles is scary at 60mph.
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009
2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS
2012 VW Passat TDI
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