Fifth Wheel Travel Trailers
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Fifth-Wheel Travel Trailers |
Designed to be affixed and towed by a pickup equipped with special hitch in the truck bed, these two-level units can provide the greatest living of all towable RVs. Fifth-wheel travel trailers come equipped with all the comforts of home, and are perfectly adaptable for weekend getaways, family vacations and fulltiming.
Size: 21 - 40 feet.
Cost (without tow vehicle):
- Average: $23,200 new
- Range: most available from $14,000 to $100,000 new, $1,000 to $45,000 used, depending on wear and tear, age, design, amenities.
Sleeps: Up to eight people (depending on model)
Advantages:
- As with all towables, the fifth-wheel travel trailer can be detached at your destination, freeing up the towing vehicle for short trips and excursions, running errands or other conventional uses.
- The unique bi-level dimension of the fifth-wheel travel trailer raises the unit's spacious "master bedroom" over the truck bed, thereby providing more room for family activities in the "living" section of the unit. Many have large picture windows at the rear for panoramic views.
- Two-thirds of all fifth-wheel travel trailers built today offer at least one slideout. At the touch of a button, the slideout moves a portion of the RVs exterior wall outward as much as 3 1/2 feet to enlarge the living, dining, sleeping or even kitchen area. When extended, the slideout protrudes beyond the normal outside walls of the RV, like an addition on a conventional home.
- A fifth-wheel travel trailer requires a properly equipped and compatible full-size pickup or a custom tow vehicle. It is important to match the weight of the trailer to a tow vehicle which has the necessary towing capacity (consult your dealer for specifications). New lightweight fifth-wheel travel trailers have recently been introduced, designed light enough to be towed by smaller trucks.
Disadvantages:
- You don't have the easy access to the cabin that you get with a motorhome.
- 5th wheels tend to be longer so you need more storage space, if you're not fulltiming.
- It still takes some practice to back a 5th wheel trailer into position.
- A good tow vehicle can cost a fair amount of money to buy and be modified.
Choose this Type RV If:
- You think a trailer is for you and you like the added towing safety of a 5th wheel over a travel trailer;
- You plan to fulltime and often park in a single spot for extended periods of time;
- You have a tow vehicle already set up to haul a 5th wheel or can afford to buy and/or modify a pickup truck capable of towing a 5th wheel;
- You want all of the luxury of a big Class A, but can't afford the price.
