I currenlty own a small travel trailer (Sportsmen 2300)I'd like to upgrade to a small 5th wheel. My understanding is they tow better. I'm towing with a 2010 Ford F-250 (gas). I find that I get 8-9MPG towing the small TT, Can I hold out any hopes for better MPG's with a 5th wheel or am I dreaming?
Are they really easier to manuver in tight areas?
What should I look out for when purchasing?
How would I attach my wifes kayake and a couple of bikes?
The higher 5th will may lower your mileage, being taller! However there are a couple other things that play into that.
If your bumper pull has squared off corners and the new 5th wheel has round corners on the front cap and maybe a rear cap without square corners, your mileage might improve slightly.
I noticed this effect going from my first 5th wheel to the second one which was heavier.
Somewhere in a Fifth Wheel - Where it does not Snow
Storage is huge.. Handling is better IMO due to aerodynamics and length (wind goes over truck and faced with nose of fifth wheel right away instead of 20' back with a tt). Consider a 30' fifth wheel tows the same length as probably a 24' TT (TT has a wasted 3- 4' of hitch/tounge and a fifth wheel hangs in the bed a couple feet.)
IMHO with bikes and kayaks you would be better off sticking with a TT. A properly setup hitch will makes a world of difference in your towing experience. You might for a lot less money check out hitches like Hensley Arrow.
Donn,Lorri,Max (The Rescued Lab)
Resident Know It All
Often discussed subject here on the forum with pros and cons to either choice. As for MPG, any increase or decrease will be nominal. Get whatever class of RV that suits your personal situation best, be it a pop-up camper, a million dollar class A, or anything in between. As they say, different strokes for different folks. Happy Camping!!!
Your mileage will not improve. Advantages- hookup and unhook is easier because you can see the pin and hitch through your back window, you don't need to line up perfectly, and no hitch bars or chains to mess with. They tow like the trailer and truck is all 1 piece. A 5th wheel is not easier to back but possibly you can put 1 into a tighter spot.
I don't think anyone buys a 5th wheel vs a TT for any perceived or actual fuel savings. If there are any savings, they would be extremely slight. Certainly not worth the depreciation hit you'd take trading in your Sportsmen!
A great hitch shop in your town, one that has been there for years with lots of experience can set up your trailer's "towability" by dialing it in. They may even suggest a better or different hitch setup.
They might also suggest you take the rig loaded as if you were going camping to a public scale first and weigh the entire rig on the scale, then the trailer only, the truck only, the left and right axles of the trailer seperately, rear axles of the truck, etc. Have it printed out by the weigh master and show it to the hitch shop.
It may be unbalanced and the weight needs to be distributed better for a nicer tow.
My posts shouldn't be taken for factual data. They are purely fictional, for entertainment purposes and should not be constituted as actually related to scientific, technical, engineering, legal, spiritual or practical advice. Amen.
FLHTCI wrote: I currenlty own a small travel trailer (Sportsmen 2300)I'd like to upgrade to a small 5th wheel. My understanding is they tow better. I'm towing with a 2010 Ford F-250 (gas). I find that I get 8-9MPG towing the small TT, Can I hold out any hopes for better MPG's with a 5th wheel or am I dreaming?
Are they really easier to manuver in tight areas?
What should I look out for when purchasing?
How would I attach my wifes kayake and a couple of bikes?
Thank you in advance.
Biggest advantage to a FW is handling; 2nd biggest is probably ease of hitching/unhitching. Internal storage and more living space per foot are also big advantages. Biggest downside is probably loss of your TV bed to carry stuff. Mileage can go either way; it all depends on the FW's profile, but it's likely to be a very small change.
With bikes, you can buy racks that will clamp to the roof ladder. Many people also put a light receiver hitch on the back and use a bike rack that slips into that. (Do NOT mount this to the bumper. You'd likely want a completely new bumper installed or a separate sub-frame made, even for a bike rack. Both will likely void the warranty on a new FW on most brands, though some will actually come with a rear hitch as an option.) Most people with canoes/kayaks that I've seen are using an over-cab rack on the truck, though I've seen a few FW's with roof racks. I've also seen some rear racks on a FW that carry smaller canoes/kayaks vertically, but again, you're faced with a mod that might void the warranty on a new FW.
Lyle
2002 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Duramax Crew Cab 4x4
Banks Bullet Tuner and Monster Exhaust
B&W Turnover Ball with 5th Wheel Companion
2004 Komfort 25FSG Fifth Wheel
1936 John Deere Model A
International Flying Farmers 55 Year Member
We've had both. The only 5er advantages that I've found are more storage space and they're easier to hook up. I disagree that they tow better than a TT. They seem the same to me. Space for space they cost more than a TT. I couldn't back up our 5ers to save my life but I do ok with our TTs. The short Egg Camper (17 ft) is easier for me than our Kodiak (31 ft). I think that's because the Egg C. reacts faster so that I get a better idea sooner of where it's going. I'd say " if you want a 5er, get one." If you want to stay with a TT, do it. What ever you do, make up your OWN mind. All of us out here have our biases.
RRUGG
2009 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ 1500 4x4 5.3L
2011 Kodiak 281RLGS travel trailer
2011 Egg Camper
2010 Chrysler Town & Country
Good Sam life members
Bob & Grace professional retirees
We just made the jump from a TT to a 5th wheel. We went from a 6,000 lb loaded TT to a 12,000 lb loaded 5er. You didn't say about any length or carrying capacity change, so that would figure into your decision also.
My thoughts: The 5er tows easier, rides better. I'm getting the same mileage with both units ... so that means to me that (in my case) the 5th wheel units get better mileage than the TT units of the same weight.
The 5th wheel is a lot harder to back with. I always thought I was a whiz at backing the TT, so I'm a bit surprised that I'm having a little trouble backing the 5er.
As for your other concerns, only you can figure out what will work best for you.
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