5th Wheel or Bumper tow?

[videoarizona]

For years, I used to rent Class A motorhomes. 32 to 38 feet for short vacations to West Coast. Loved them.

Then I got back into sailing. Tow a 23 foot sailboat, 4200 pounds, with a GMC Yukon XL with towing package. 12 to 14 mpg's at 65mph. Been towing it since 2004. Truck now has over 150K miles and still gets great mileage for a large truck. So I have experience towing, backing up large vehicles.

 

That said...lady and I have decided when she retires (hopefully December), we want to travel more. Since I've already been to all 50 states and a good chunk of the world...maybe this time we get a motorhome and cruise the backroads of the USA. I like the room you get with slides but not the upkeep and lack of weatherproofing. I think I'll find a nice used one around 34' and tow the boat or the bikes. Can do both. I figure the lack of mpg's will be made up with no restaurants or hotels for much of the trip so that should be a break even. The big decision will be diesel or gas. With diesel I can get an overdrive...and that would help on long interstates.

 

Since many of you like the pull outs..maybe I'll revisit that idea.

 

Food for though....Interesting discussion.

 

david

 

Edited July 24, 2015 by videoarizona

[Sailor]

Just got back from Alberta. Lots of 5th wheels and some bumper tow there. Mostly 40 ft and up. Nearly all being towed by Dodges. Noticed 5th wheels had lots more maneuverability. Big sign at BC/AB border, illegal in BC to tow a trailer behind a bumper tow. We just got a 20 ft Chinook. It is fiberglass. I wanted the fiberglass because the aluminum outfits seem to have real trouble with leaks. Especially here on the wet coast.

[Great White]

For years, I used to rent Class A motorhomes. 32 to 38 feet for short vacations to West Coast. Loved them.

Then I got back into sailing. Tow a 23 foot sailboat, 4200 pounds, with a GMC Yukon XL with towing package. 12 to 14 mpg's at 65mph. Been towing it since 2004. Truck now has over 150K miles and still gets great mileage for a large truck. So I have experience towing, backing up large vehicles.

 

That said...lady and I have decided when she retires (hopefully December), we want to travel more. Since I've already been to all 50 states and a good chunk of the world...maybe this time we get a motorhome and cruise the backroads of the USA. I like the room you get with slides but not the upkeep and lack of weatherproofing. I think I'll find a nice used one around 34' and tow the boat or the bikes. Can do both. I figure the lack of mpg's will be made up with no restaurants or hotels for much of the trip so that should be a break even. The big decision will be diesel or gas. With diesel I can get an overdrive...and that would help on long interstates.

 

Since many of you like the pull outs..maybe I'll revisit that idea.

 

Food for though....Interesting discussion.

 

david

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]100728[/ATTACH]

 

Diesel pusher is the only way to go on a bigger motorhome IMHO.

 

Heat and noise is behind you, diesel torque for on-ramps and mountainous roads and better MPG than a gasser. Makes it easier to tow something as well.

 

Some say it's harder to find fuel, but I've never had an issue.

[bj66]

I have a 36ft bumper pull trailer with 3 slides. As others have said, slides are a must have feature. I use an Equalizer brand hitch and have no noticeable sway while pulling between 60 and 65 mph. Prior to this I had a 28 ft trailer that did have some sway when passing trucks. It also had a weight distributing hitch but I don't think it was as effective on sway control. We chose a bumper pull because I didn't have a need for a pickup truck and I already had the Tahoe. One major advantage to a 5th wheel besides the towing is the additional basement storage space for carrying chairs, grills, toys, etc. If I used my trailer to travel as most do it would not have enough outside storage. Your truck may be a consideration too. Seems most 5th wheels need a 3/4 ton truck due to the high pin weights.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]100724[/ATTACH]

 

Nice setup ya got there!

[Great White]

here's our rig:

 

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r618/justonepict/TTS%20Trial%20return%20final%20failure%20again/1237d529-1.jpg

 

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r618/justonepict/TTS%20Trial%20return%20final%20failure%20again/1755ee92-1.jpg

 

That's 9000 lbs on a 98 GMC K2500 with a WD hitch. I use a Husky Centerline Hitch. The trailer sits level and the truck has a 1" squat as per the instructions for setting up the hitch.

 

It' not over the trucks rating, but it is snugged right up to it!

 

[bj66]

Same here. We had a pop up years ago. Was not bad for what we used it for then. but no bathroom in it and we ain't going there again. Not all toy haulers have a rear entry. I ran across a couple and really are nice.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]100725[/ATTACH]http://assets.interactrv.netdna-cdn.com/img.ashx?src=generalrv/unit_photo/286054_1.jpg&width=400&height=300&wm=/generalrv/images/watermark.png&modified=0820201403221130

 

My buddy with the class A started out with a side load 5th wheel in the rear. He traded it after one year. Single door means narrow ramp. Plus steep angle makes terrible combo. He almost tipped off the side bottoming bike out. After that 3 of us helped him. He would get front wheel inside trailer, then we would lift the door to lessen angle. Same thing coming out, just reverse the process. I wouldn't wish a side load on my worst enemy. With a rear load, doors are wider, you can always get a foot down facing center of trailer if you have to. Floors in the back few feet are usually angled to help keep you from bottoming the bike out. And you park bike over the tandem axles. Other than that one side load, I've never been around them, and I won't ever buy one.

[djh3]

I agree on the narrowness being an issue. I have not measured it but its probably a tight squeeze getting a full dress bike in that opening also. I agree on the angle of attack being steep. Really need the door/ramp needs ro be a double ramp deal. If say 1;2 way up ramp there was a section tbat long it would cut the incline by about a third. The plus of the rear raml type is you can add stability cables and e en a screen room deal and make it more area.

[Midrsv]

Nice setup ya got there!

 

Here it is set up on our lot in Florida. We're not weekend campers. We only use the trailer as a winter home. Pull it twice a year. About 150 miles to put it on the lot in the fall and return it to storage in the spring. I really don't have enough tow vehicle because I am towing a bit over my limits. But we go slow and it is fairly flat in Florida. The Tahoe handles it fine as long as you don't look at the numbers. The short wheelbase of the truck helps when trying to back it between two trees on the lot. It's a fairly narrow street.

 

[djh3]

Midsrv, have seen an outback with similar floorplan. The rear bedroom is a slide out for a queen bed and its a srep up to the bed. But it does give you floor space.

[Marcarl]

Something else to keep in mind. If you decide to 'bumper' tow, put a hitch on the front as well. Takes only a few minutes to shuck the trailer, turn around and hook to the front of the truck,,, now you can put that trailer in a baby crib. When we had our MH it had a front hitch, and although I never had a need for it, the former owner used it lots foe his boat and it worked beautifully.

[BlueSky]

I used a Coleman popup when my kids were small. It was a lot of fun. We usually went to the beach to camp over long weekends or vacation. We towed it to Kissimmee, FL back about 1980 and camped in a KOA while going to Disney World. I paid $23 per night at the KOA. Every morning going to Disney World, we passed a motel with a sign out front advertising a room for family of 4 for $28 per night!

 

After the big divorce, I sold the popup and tent camped with my kids. Later I bought the 25' Layton travel trailer. I liked the trailer. When it was really hot during the middle of the day at the beach we would come to the trailer and take a nap or go to a movie.

 

But now, I want a small class C motorhome to travel for extended periods and see the off the beaten trail things that Puc sees on his motorcycle. Stop and camp wherever and whenever. Pull over at a rest stop and sleep if needed. My wife is not a motorcycle rider so I can't camp like Puc even if I could stand to do it. I'm 71.

 

I see some discussion about weight distributing hitches that make me believe some don't know that the sway control is a separate device from the weight distributing hitch. The Reese dual cam sway control works with the Reese weight distributing hitch but has to be bought separately. Some use friction type sway control.

 

Diesels are great for torque but the cost of diesel fuel is so much higher than gasoline, I doubt there will be any fuel savings.

[Midrsv]

Bluesky, the Equal-i-zer brand hitch that I use integrates sway control into distribution bars. So no additional components are needed.

[Great White]

 

I see some discussion about weight distributing hitches that make me believe some don't know that the sway control is a separate device from the weight distributing hitch. The Reese dual cam sway control works with the Reese weight distributing hitch but has to be bought separately. Some use friction type sway control..

 

Not necessarily. It depends on the hitch. My husky centerline (http://www.huskytow.com/product/husky-center-line-towing-system/) is a weight distributing hitch with sway control built in to it. The Equ-i-lizer brand hitch (http://www.equalizerhitch.com) is a wd hitch and also has sway control built into its design. Hensley arrow hitch (http://hensleymfg.com) does it with geometry. There's another one (name escapes me) that mounts a larger pivoting plate under the truck and effectively simulates a 5th wheel setup by loading the rear axles and offering increased turning radius.

 

There's lots more of those types on the market, but they tend to just be copies or reharshes of the same designs above.

 

These all tend to cost a fair bit more than the Reese though and people starting off in trailer towing often tend to go...errr, "cheap".

 

Sometimes they just don't know any better. It's just a hitch right? It's only got to attach the trailer to the vehicle right? Nope....ya gotta do your homework. Even more so if you're not experienced.

 

Usually, after buying a $30,000-50,000 trailer, most people want to not spend any more money than they have to and (unfortunately) go cheap on the rest of the kit.

 

This is a mistake. Big one. White knuckles on steering wheel Big.

 

Much like motorcycling where you still have another 41000-2000 to spend on helmets and gear after buying a bike, the hitch is definitely not the place to economize. People should plan on $1500-2000 for a good hitch. My Husky came out right around $1500, a Hensley can run $2500-3000. But Hensley is purported to be the last word in WD and sway control hitches and without the noise friction control hitches can have. Meh, dunno. Never had a Hensley...

 

Reese is kinda the bottom of the market segment. The low cost also means almost every retailer and hardware store out there carries them so people see them everywhere. If its everywhere, it must be good...yes? Not necessarily...

 

Reese hitches have sway control as a separate add on and that's how they get more money out of you. Their sway bar is effective to a point, but not as good as one that has it as part of the design.

 

Like everything you buy, You just have to do your research and know what you're buying.

 

I will say this: after towing with my Husky Centerline, I will never tow without one again. It's just that good. Semis or sidewinds, it just never moves. The hitch head is one heavy mother though and if you're going to be making sharp turns while backing its best to remove the weight bars to prevent binding. You also need to have the trailer and truck straight inline to remove the bars, so they have to come off if you're backing into a tight spot. All friction bar designs are like this though.

 

Diesels are great for torque but the cost of diesel fuel is so much higher than gasoline, I doubt there will be any fuel savings.

 

My truck gets an easy 4-5 MPG better than my friends gassers when towing on flat. Head into the mountains and the difference is even greater as I get around 12-13 MPG and they drop to 5-6 MPG (if they're running the big engines like 454's, anything smaller just falls behind in the hills). I also walk away from them on grades. More power in my diesel is a simple "more boost and more fuel" tweak on the maps. Only Gasser that comes close is one of my friends with a f-150 ecoboost with max tow package. That thing is a beast for a Gasser!

 

Diesel is cheaper than regular here also.....even when its is more, is only a few cents per liter. Right now its 5 cents per litre cheaper.

 

Diesel isn't without its drawbacks, but I'll never tow with another Gasser ever again (if its my choice that is).

 

Edited July 26, 2015 by Great White

[Great White]

To the OP: the discussion on hitches has cue'd me to suggest something else you should look for in your trailer - power tongue jack and power stabilizing feet. Nothing sucks more than cranking those damned things up and down when you could be just pushing a switch.....

[djh3]

One way to get around so to speak on the electric jacks is just get a electric battery powered impact and run them down to touching with that. Then fine tune the level with whatever is required from there. Not as fancy, but hey if that what the unit has.

[Great White]

One way to get around so to speak on the electric jacks is just get a electric battery powered impact and run them down to touching with that. Then fine tune the level with whatever is required from there. Not as fancy, but hey if that what the unit has.

 

Yep, I've seen guys do that also.

 

Every one of them wished they had my power jacks.....

[BlueSky]

Great White,

Thanks for the information. I sold my TT in 92 and haven't kept up. The Reese WD hitch came with 500, 750, or 1,000lb bars. My hitch had 1,000 lb bars which was what the hitch had with it at the Farmer's supply house where I bought it at a discount. I had been told that the 1,000 lb bars would give a stiff ride with my 25' TT but they were fine. The Reese dual cam sway control worked great with my 25' TT and the 1,000 lb bars. The stiffer the bars, the better the dual cam sway control works.

[djh3]

I understand the jacks are "nice to have" but if I was looking at a used unit I do,t think it would be a deal breaker if priced rite.

[Midrsv]

I just keep a cordless drill in the trailer for the jacks. Works great for me. I'm on a level lot and use the tongue jack to level front to rear and then just run the jacks down for stabilizing.

[Flyinfool]

Interesting stuff on sway control.

After looking at the links, the only WD hitch I have ever used is an Equalizer. Only because it came with the new to me camper. If it weren't for the reduced rear visibility I could forget that there was a 6000 lb trailer back there.

But then I also never had WD or sway control on a "real" trailer and never had any issue towing that either.

 

The only trailer I did have issues with was a homemade trailer that had some serious geometry issues. a 4000 lb trailer with about 20 lbs tongue weight, and a very short tongue at that. I could lift it on and off the ball with one hand no problem. Yes it had BIG issues towing.

[Great White]

Interesting stuff on sway control.

After looking at the links, the only WD hitch I have ever used is an Equalizer. Only because it came with the new to me camper. If it weren't for the reduced rear visibility I could forget that there was a 6000 lb trailer back there.

But then I also never had WD or sway control on a "real" trailer and never had any issue towing that either.

 

The only trailer I did have issues with was a homemade trailer that had some serious geometry issues. a 4000 lb trailer with about 20 lbs tongue weight, and a very short tongue at that. I could lift it on and off the ball with one hand no problem. Yes it had BIG issues towing.

 

 

4000 lbs and 20 lbs tongue?

 

Yipes! Recipe for disaster!

[Flyinfool]

That was before I knew better. AND that is why I said it had BIG issues towing........Once in a while I did manage to stay in my lane for a few yards........

[Great White]

That was before I knew better. AND that is why I said it had BIG issues towing........Once in a while I did manage to stay in my lane for a few yards........

 

 

Would have been a white knuckle drive for sure....