Only once could we feel the wind and that was in North Dakota when a storm came out of nowhere - we got off the road as soon as possible and let it pass - continued on the next day - better to be safe than sorry
IMO, a 1-ton dually should be the minimum TV for any 5th wheel over 10K. SRW TVs are not as stable a tow platform as your DRW TVs. Our fiver weights right at 18K, with a pin-weight of 3,600 lbs and heavy cross winds have affected our towing. I've seen loaded semi-trailers that have also had problems.
I think more than the wind, the lighter 5th wheel will be more affected by the weight of your Harley in the back. If you are already starting with a light hitch weight, it will be less stabil when you add weight in the back.
Years ago I pulled a 30' TT with an F-250, it wagged like a dogs tail. Now I pull a 37' 5er at close to 20K lbs loaded with a F-450. It is as steady as a freight train!
I think that some 5th wheels have a lower center of gravity than others due to their frame designs and other factors such as front cap aerodynamics. This helps with stability when towing in high straight line winds.
Duane & Amanda, a teenager, A golden retriever named Jazz, a crazy pet rabbit named Stew, and now Optimus Prime the hamster.
2008 Cedar Creek Silverback 30LSA
2008 Ford F250 Lariat SC 4x4 PSD 6.4, Timbren SES, Husky 16k Slider
5th wheels tow better than TT's having towed both. The effect of a big truck passing you in a 5th wheel is minimal,,but not eliminated.Cross winds can be dangerous and severe. Our truck and camper weighs @22K and we have been blown nearly off the road.Do not be over confident cross winds can cause loss of control..These thing have a large flat surface and a high wind blowing against them is always trying to blow you off the road. Cardinal rule..when you see a 10 wheeler pull off the road because of high cross winds....do the same.
some of these post seem to be down playing the effect of cross winds...Cross winds are dangerous.
CactusJohn wrote: I have a relatively small 5er, and I’ve driven in some fairly strong winds without any problem. 5ers are remarkably stable.
Ditto!
Had TTs for many years, with stabilizer bars & without.
Different length TTs (my first was new in '75).
Never had a Hensley or one of the "super" TT hitches.
Difference between the TTs I had & a 5er is night and day.
No cross wind problems, no semis passing problems - easy to
forget it's back there (10K lbs and 31 ft).
JC
richfaa wrote: 5th wheels tow better than TT's having towed both. The effect of a big truck passing you in a 5th wheel is minimal,,but not eliminated.Cross winds can be dangerous and severe. Our truck and camper weighs @22K and we have been blown nearly off the road.Do not be over confident cross winds can cause loss of control..These thing have a large flat surface and a high wind blowing against them is always trying to blow you off the road. Cardinal rule..when you see a 10 wheeler pull off the road because of high cross winds....do the same.
some of these post seem to be down playing the effect of cross winds...Cross winds are dangerous.
Yes, cross OR quartering winds can be dangerous. But the idea that a fifth wheel is more stable is ludicrous. That's only evidence of a TT/TV rig that was improperly set up, Hensley hitch or not. An aerodynamic trailer, low center of gravity, is the key, and no fifth wheel can meet that criterion. I have continued towing in high winds, as have the owners of other trailers similar and better than mine (mine is conventionally-suspended).
Fifth wheels are only "more stable" to those who can't be bothered to set up a travel trailer properly (the "ignorance is bliss" school graduates), AND they are more likely to ignore the winds that cause the fifth to start tipping over because their TV has no feel for what the trailer is trying to tell them (as well as disregarding what their mirrors could tell them).
ALL RV's are less capable on the road than a solo vehicle, but some are far better than others. Fifth wheels are NOT among them with their high center of gravity, HUGE sail area and gross weight imbalances. They're just okay to haul from one place to another when the conditions are favorable, just. The margin for error is too low.
This would be the same thinking that, magically, all towed vehicles can run the speed limit w/o concern; not ONE of them could out-maneuver my less-than-ideal rig at any given speed; they'd roll over before I was even finished accelerating.
So long as one wants one these throw-away constructed rigs then at least have the humility to consider seriously their shortcomings, as they are significant. It is NOT just a matter of "weight".
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