Travel Trailer VS. Fifth Wheel

A lot of first time RVers come in with the question of "Which is better? A travel trailer or a fifth wheel?" As with most questions in this industry, it is a personal preference based on each individual customers wants and needs, more than it is a standard in the industry. Let's start with the difference between the two:

Travel Trailers
Most people remember these trailers as the rv's the older generation grew up with. Travel trailers are designed to be towed by a frame mounted reciever, that is the metal piece that goes under the tow vehicle and sticks out just under the rear bumper. Some of the larger tow vehicles like pickup trucks and some vans also have ball mounts on their rear bumpers, however these are generally not strong enough to tow even most small travel trailers.

Travel trailers can be anywhere from 13' to almost 40' long and can weigh from under 1000 lbs to over 10,000 lbs and come with no slides or multiple slide outs. When considering the length of a travel trailer keep in mind that there is usually 3 and 1/2 to 4 feet worth of A-frame at the front of the trailer that most manufactures don't take into account when they label the RV. The A-frame is the part that sticks out of the front of the trailer, that comes to a point where the coupler is located (the part that goes on the ball of the hitch). If you have a spot to park the trailer that is only 28 feet long make sure the trailer you are looking at will fit by overall length, not just the model number (ie a 28 RK travel trailer is probably 31 feet overall.)

The other big difference with a travel trailer is that the interior of the trailer is usually all on one level. From the front to the rear of the trailer there will not be any steps, and the ceiling height and exterior height of the trailer will be consistent along the entire length of the trailer. What this means is that you will be able to stand up in the bedroom whether it is a 18' or 35' trailer, whether it has a front or rear bedroom, and whether it has 3 slide-outs or no slide-outs.

5th Wheels
When people think of luxury recreational vehicles they usually think of big class a diesel motorhomes, or huge 5th wheels. A fifth wheel is a trailer designed to be towed by a pickup truck. The hitch for the 5th wheel is mounted in the truck box.

Fifth wheels also come as small no slide rvs to large mutliple slide units. They can be light weight units under 3000 lbs with single or tandem axles, or they can be 40+ feet that weigh over 18,000 lbs and have triple axles or dually axles (8 wheels on two axles) and you need a small Freightliner to haul.

Most 5th wheels have a bedroom in the front over the hitch area, although there have been a number of "Penthouse" models made that have the main bedroom in the rear and a living room above the hitch. There are always steps up to the bedroom in a fith wheel because of the way the frame is manufactured. The main living area is on one level and then there is a step up in the frame to accomodate the clearence needed for the truck to fit under the hitch and still be able to turn. Because of this, fifth wheels tend to be taller than most travel trailers and often the lower level or living area has a taller sloped ceiling leading up to the bedroom. Some 5ths are called low profile units because they don't have as high of a ceiling as the normal 5th wheel. The difficulty with the low profile unit is that the only way to move around the bedroom is on your hands and knees.

Most new larger 5th wheels also have large storage areas under the bedroom with what is referred to as pass through storage that goes from one side of the rv to the other with doors on both sides. I like to refer to this area as the in-law suite.

Once you know the difference between the two different types of trailers the next thing you need to know is what kind of a vehicle you are going to use to tow the trailer.

If you have a van, mini van, SUV or car you will be towing a travel trailer. There is no normal way to hook up a 5th wheel hitch to any of these types of vehicles, although I have seen some one off custom cars, some safe, some not, that have been set up to tow a fifth wheel. I'm sure there is someone out there right now reading this and thinking there is a way to make it work. For the rest of us, deal with the fact that you will be towing a travel trailer and get on with your life.

If you have a pickup, or are thinking of buying a pickup, you can tow either a travel trailer or a 5th wheel. When towing a travel trailer, some people like the idea of having the truck box available to take things like a Quad in the truck box, and other people like to have a canopy on the truck so they can store extra items in the truck box.

No matter whether you are towing a travel trailer or fifth wheel, keep in mind to remain safe you must not exceed the capabilities of your tow vehicle by towing a trailer that is too big to be safe. All vehicles have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) that is the maximum they are allowed to weigh. When you are looking at getting a trailer, remember that the tongue or hitch weight must be added on to the actual weight of the tow vehicle when you are looking at what size trailer you can tow.
A quick estimate for hitch weights on towables is approx:
10% of the the travel trailer overall weight for hitch weight
15% of the 5th wheel overall weight for hitch weight
(Check with your dealer or manufacturer to get the actual hitch weight for the towable you are considering).

When you are figuring how much weight you can tow behind your tow vehicle don't forget to factor in the occupants and items you stuffed into your car as well. That is considered part of your tow capacity.

Also check with your vehicle manufacturer to find out how much your tow vehicle is rated to pull. Often there is a section in your owners manual that covers towing a trailer. This number is established by the manufacturer and is based on engine size, transmission, and drive axle ratio.

Most 4 cylinder front wheel drive vehicles are just not set up for towing. Some of them have a hard enough time moving themselves around, let alone towing a trailer as well. Some 6 cylinder front wheel drive vehicles will tow up to 3000 or 3500 lbs. Most 6 cylinder rear or all wheel drive vehicles can tow up to 5000 - 6000 lbs. 8 cylinder vehicles can usually tow over 6000 lbs but it all depends on the manufacturer and whether the vehicle is set up to tow or to get good fuel economy. Check with the manufacturer.

There are some differences in towing travel trailers as opposed to fifth wheels. A fifth wheel is designed to have a hitch in the box of the truck. The hitch is installed directly over the rear axle of the truck which is exactly where the truck likes to have the weight. This tends to make the trip with a 5th wheel a little more comfortable as the truck doesn't tend to bounce around quite as much as with a travel trailer. Also, because the hitch is in the truck your overall length for a 5th wheel is less, as 4 to 6 feet of the trailer is over the truck box instead of it all being behind the truck. Fifth wheels are also a little more manuverable than travel trailers, again because of the hitch being farther forward on the truck. You can even jack-knife a fifth wheel so it is pivoting on its axles and you can turn it on the spot.

Travel trailers are pulled behind the tow vehicle which gives you more options for what kind of vehicle you can use for towing. The down side is that all of the hitch weight is hanging off the back of the tow vehicle. I'm sure you have seen a truck pulling a trailer when the back of the truck and the front of the trailer both look like they are going to hit the ground. It doesn't have to be that way. It is recommended when you are towing a travel trailer that you use an equalizer or weight distribution hitch which will spread the tongue weight over the frame of the trailer and the frame of the tow vehicle. This keeps both units driving level and really smooths out the bumps on an uneven road. Equalizer hitches come in several sizes and weight catagories so make sure that the hitch matches the weight of the trailer you will be pulling.

Those are the main differences between travel trailers and 5th wheels. Again it all depends on you and how and where you want to use your new RV as to which type will be the best for you.

Happy camping and we will talk to you soon,
Rob Atkinson
Hub City RV