5th Wheel vs. Travel Trailer Having had both a 5th wheel and a travel trailer, the Two Tired Teachers decided to look at both and see which one has the most advantages. This was information the Two Tired Teachers tried to find before they bought the 5th wheel. This video won't supply an exhaustive list, but it will let you know some of the pros and cons of both a 5th wheel and a travel trailer. A couple of the things we wanted to know when we first got an RV : which is safest and which is easiest. Whatever tow vehicle, hitch, and trailer you have figure into the equation. Know that before you start this video. Hitching When Sharon bought the hitch at Discount Hitch in Arlington, TX, the man who sold her the hitch told her he didn't understand why people would spend lots of money on an RV and lots of money on a tow vehicle only to skimp on the hitch -- the one piece of equipment that holds them together. With the 5th wheel, we used the Pull Right Superglide Hitch. With the Micro Minnie, we are using a Blue Ox Hitch. The big difference between the Blue Ox and other hitches is that the Blue Ox prevents sway rather than stopping sway once it happens. Hitching was easier with the 5th wheel. It took less than two minutes to hitch. With the travel trailer, there are many more steps. in hitching. They aren't hard; there are simply more things to remember. Sharon can hitch the travel trailer in under five minutes. With hitching because of its ease and the time it takes to do it, the advantage goes to the 5th wheel. Towing Sharon was told that towing a fifth wheel was easier because the weight of the 5th wheel is over the rear axle of the truck as you tow because it spreads the weight out. With the Blue Ox Hitch, it has an equalization which also spreads out the weight of the trailer. With the towing, neither has an advantage. That may be because of the hitches we bought. Starting and Stopping The advantage has to go to the Micro Minnie because it is so much lighter than the 29' Wildcat we had. Cornering The length of the trailer makes a huge difference in how an RV corners. The advantage goes to the Micro Minnie just because it is 7 feet shorter than the 5th wheel. Backing Again, the length of the trailer makes a difference when you are backing. Because of the shorter length, again the travel trailer has a slight advantage. Unhitching and Setting Up Again, there are more steps to unhitching the travel trailer, so the advantage goes to the fifth wheel. Setting up camp is pretty much a draw. Propane Tanks If you are a buff or ripped young man, this won't make a difference, but it does to women. The fifth wheel had two 40 lb propane tanks. When they were full, each weighed 50 pounds.Those tanks had to fit in a very small door. Two people couldn't lift them in because there wasn't room. The 20 lb tanks on the travel trailer are much easier to manage. First they weight only 25 lbs each. Second, they are mounted on the front of the trailer. If we need two people to lift them, that shouldn't be a problem. The advantage with the propane tanks easily goes to the travel trailer. Maneuvering Inside Because of fewer steps and the size of the bathroom in the travel trailer it has the advantage over the 5th wheel. Storage With outside storage, it's more or less a draw. You give up the bed of the truck with the hitch if you have a fifth wheel, but you have a generous basement and sometimes storage underneath at the front of the fifth wheel. Although the storage in the travel trailer by itself is less, you gain the bed of the truck. Because of ease of access, the advantage goes to the 5th wheel. Inside Storage Because Sharon does much more of the outside work than the inside work, she didn't see a lot of difference in inside storage of the 5th wheel and the travel trailer. Simply length alone would give more inside storage. I give the advantage to the fifth wheel.
Tags: RV 101 , RV how to , two tired teachers , rv help , begin rv , is a travel trailer or 5th wheel safer , is a fifth wheel or travel trailer easier to use , travel trailers vs 5th wheels , hitching is quicker and easier with a 5th wheel , towing is a draw with travel trailers and 5th wheels , size matters with starting and stopping , cornering depends on the length of the RV , backking depends on length of rv , unhitching is easier with a 5th wheel , setting up camp is a draw , propane tanks
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