5 Reasons to Avoid 5th Wheel RV Trailers

[Ozarkwoods]

Haha, they forgot one important thing. In a TT I would have no place to store my crap! Put politely.

[richfaa]

4 TT's over the years and two Montana 5th wheels when we started long time travel. The article slanted...who would have thought.

[DaveK]

I think click bait is right. I enjoy watching You-Tube bloggers, but you can spot click bait immediately. I simply delete or comment. I've heard endless videos about how to do stuff, "my reviews are the best", buy my book, etc., etc. I do occasionally pick up a good hint.

[oddjobal]

Originally Posted by Desert Rat

I have heard a 16 foot trailer is a great camper for two people as long as one person is sitting down.

I have had many RVs in the last 40 years from tent trailers, class c, tag along, and 5ers. Some had multiple slides. On thing that was common with them all. They were made for 2 people to be comfortable. Any more is a to many. One must be sitting out of the way.

[rlsunde]

Originally Posted by Slow Hand

Say you plunk down $100,000 on a nice RV. Hopefully you already have the truck but if not that's another $60 to $80 grand. Then you step up to a motorhome. I see them going in excess of $150,00 and I might be a little low on that number. Then you have to buy a tow dolly and a car to tow behind the motorhome. Also I think but could be wrong you need a special license to drive a motorhome like the bus

Own a Montana Hickory 3150RL. Tons of storage. Way more than travel trailer. Bought new in 2011for $46000. Never touch aMH for that. Storage is important to us. As is superior quality

[CaptnJohn]

We started in 1976. Quit for a decade and bought a new 1/2 ton. Wife said let’s get a small camper. Bought a 26’ TT. Wife said we need to go farther and stay longer! That won’t work! Now pull our 3rd Montana with an F350 dually.
1 Article is click bait so they can buy a 5er
2 they are jealous
3 misery loves company
4 mentality challenged
5 all of the ab

[DaveK]

An elderly neighbor gave me his formula for RV occupancy: 6 people for drinks, 4 people for dinner, two for the night. I definitely agree two is enough.

When I read "sleeps 5, 6, or 8", go for it. Maybe occasionally on a weekend, but I'm WAY too old to be stacked like sardines, sleeping on the dinette table stuff.

[DaveK]

By the way, I think we're reaching the saturation point on YouTube RV bloggers. How many more can add anything meaningful?

[Scott&Sue]

Love our 40 foot Montana 5th Wheel, perfect for our needs, that includes going to national parks! Everyone has their opinion and here's mine! 🙂

[Rogerak]

Originally Posted by Camp CA

Just saw this article entitled "5 Reasons to Avoid 5th Wheel RV Trailers" by Founders of Drivin' & Vibin' who live in a 16 foot travel trailer. These are their reasons and my reaction.............what are yours?

1. Expensive - We had the truck so the cost was more than travel trailer BUT way less than a motorhome AND lots more space at 41 feet.
2. Too Big for State & National Park Campgrounds - good point!!........but we did get our 38 ft fifth wheel into the Grand Canyon National Park 1/2 mile from the rim.
3. Gas Mileage Is a Sad Story - OK they got me.........albeit 12 mpg for my dually towing a 16,600 lb trailer seems way higher than a gas or diesel motorhome.
4. Your Daily Driver is Huge - our dually truck has never been inconvenient to drive around town and park with a little planning.
5. Limited Access on Travel Days - OK, they almost got us.........but with the slides in we can access the refrigerator, pantry, washer/dryer, bathroom and bedroom and no big deal to pop the slides out when parked to access the living room and kitchen.

https://drivinvibin.com/2020/07/05/5...l-rv-trailers/

This is coming from someone that’s never owned a fifth wheel. Most of that is a pro not a con. Just a point of view.
So unless they have owned one their opinion doesn’t matter at all

[DQDick]

We started in tents, went to a popup, then a TT and then 5th wheels. While I know folks do it, full timing in our other rigs isn't for us.

[Charlie 3931fb]

Originally Posted by Skw774

opinions and rear ends.(everybody has one)

And they both STINK......

[Byron B]

And most of them stink....

[StageCoachDriver]

Not sure truck and 5er are more expensive than a motorhome. My truck was $50K new and the Monty was $76K new. I get to use the truck 12 months a year as my personal ride. $126K might buy a fairly nice class C, but I still need a toad for sightseeing and trips to the grocery store when camping. Example, MSRP for a Jayco Greyhawk 32.5' (smaller than any Monty) is $134K and I would still need a toad.

[packnrat]

i have read a bit here. but if for no other reason than a fiver tows correctly. a bumper pull wags like a dogs tail if not loaded exactly right.
sure any fool can crash anything. but there are no videos of a fiver wagging the truck, plenty of bumper pulls flipping a truck. then many use a well under rated car to pull a bumper pull trailer.
mostly a fiver gives you more usable space for the money than a bumper pull or a motor home.

[paulinbaja]

I think the post was just to get us worked up. 16' 5ver is superior to a 16' bumper pull.

[vipermanden]

HAHAHA, well now you could say I saw an article from some people that pull one of those RPODS, you know those tear drop trailers, and they could say 5 reasons why you should not own a 16 foot TT! :-) Actually one time we saw one of those RPODS, probably their midsize version, and we saw husband and wife get out, and then two teenage kids, and then 3 lab sized dogs! My wife and I looked at each other with our 42-1/2' 5th wheel, and just laughed out loud!

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by Rogerak

This is coming from someone that’s never owned a fifth wheel. Most of that is a pro not a con. Just a point of view.
So unless they have owned one their opinion doesn’t matter at all

AMEN!
If you haven't owned one you have NO business giving advice!!! And if you haven't owned BOTH kinds of something you have NO business comparing the two!!

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by mtlakejim

AMEN!
If you haven't owned one you have NO business giving advice!!! And if you haven't owned BOTH kinds of something you have NO business comparing the two!!

I'm kind of 2 minds on that thought. First the article is pure junk. But beyond that I'm thinking one can compare a 5th wheel and a TT. This one is my first 5th wheel and it is everything I thought it would be; good and bad. DW informed me she wanted a washer and dryer so here we are.

I've compared TTs and 5ths for years. My observations were as valid as anyone else's whether I had owned one or not. There are stairs; I've had 7 knee surgeries, knees taken out and replaced twice along with doing without one for 4 months. Stairs are an issue. Weight; I didn't want a 1 ton nor need one but a 5th wheel requires one IMO. I had a 2500 but was not going to strap a 5th wheel to it. Height; they are tall and can sometimes make negotiating a site very difficult and require more diligence in rural areas.

Not to argue but a few things that come to mind where one can compare a 5th to a TT without dropping it on a hitch. Beyond those kinds of things I agree but there are in fact reasons and facets where one that doesn't own a 5th wheel can actually compare them in a conversation.

[DaveK]

For some who can't do a 5er, Keystone has some travel trailers that have similar floor plans to a 5th. They're probably longer overall to tow.

A 20 ft TT is REALLY minimal. We had a 27' Bullet TT, and it served us well for long trips. We used bunks for storage. Our 37' 5er tows better, although I have to watch the height.