Fifth Wheeler's

yettogo · Member

Fifth Wheeler's

villatranquilla · Guru

we considered them but did not like the idea of going up steps to the bed - could imagine having a fall if going down to the loo in the middle of the night when half asleep

Cupie · Guru

We have only experience in a caravan , but ..

We think that 5th wheelers are a great compromise ...

Often more space & better fit out than caravans. A bit like Motor homes in that respect.

Don't have the major issue of motorhomes in that you are tied to the motorhome unless you tow a small vehicle behind.

Although we haven't looked to closely into it , perhaps they are not as weight critical as a caravan. I suppose though, you will still need to be careful in matching the tug to the 5th wheeler.

I don't know how the relative cost comparisons work out. Nor have I investigated off road suitability, but then we don't do dirt.

I don't drink very much these days so any step up to the bed is not an issue.

-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 12th of September 2018 03:47:46 PM

Desert Dweller · Guru

We camped next to a couple that had owned a 5th wheeler for about a year, they regretted buying it & had it up for sale, any reasonable offer considered.

It was too big & cumbersome to fit anywhere, restricted where they could go & was expensive on fuel to drag around.

They said that there were lots of them for sale on the internet that had been up for sale for ages & hadn't sold.

Basically they were totally disillusioned with the whole 5th wheeler idea & were trying to salvage some cash back from their mistake.

KJB · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
We camped next to a couple that had owned a 5th wheeler for about a year, they regretted buying it & had it up for sale, any reasonable offer considered.

It was too big & cumbersome to fit anywhere, restricted where they could go & was expensive on fuel to drag around.

They said that there were lots of them for sale on the internet that had been up for sale for ages & hadn't sold.

Basically they were totally disillusioned with the whole 5th wheeler idea & were trying to salvage some cash back from their mistake.

Not all Fifth Wheelers are big. It was size that was the disadvantage for them not the fact that it was Fifth Wheeler.

TheHeaths · Guru

Michael,

a couple of months ago you were looking for info into what vehicle to get to tow a van you have.

Have you got rid of the van now, or just trying to decide whether to keep it or get a 5th wheeler?

I ask, as the vehicle you have may impact the type and size of 5th wheeler you can tow if you go that way, unless you intend to change your tow vehicle as well.

Chris61 · Senior Member

As a 5th wheeler owner for over seven years, I can only say positive things about owning a 5th wheeler. They are inherently more stable than a caravan. I cannot see any advantage with a motorhome that tows a car behind it.

It all depends on how big do you want to go. An Aussie 4x4 ute is OK for up to a 25ft van. A yank truck or an Iveco are good for a 4.5 tonne 5th wheeler that doesn't need air brakes and probably limit you to 30ft. Go for a big 5th wheeler over 4.5t you will need air brakes, a light truck licence and a pretty good bank balance.

I started off with a Holden Colorado towing a 27ft 5th wheeler. I had to watch my weight very closely. I was legal but very limited to what I could take with me. I have upgraded to an Iveco dual cab, derated to 4490kg that can be driven on a car licence (although I have a b-double licence). Any modifications on a vehicle over 4.5t need a modification plate, under 4.5t all you need is good engineering practices, except the tow hitch needs an engineer to sign off on.

I am a big believer of using a flat tray instead of a tub, so I can set it up to suit me. I have a toolbox across the back that holds a fold up bike, along with all the heavy stuff and when hooked up, I am still 700kg under legal weight, until I add an extra water tank under the tray for transfer to the 5th wheeler.

The best bit is I carry a beer barrel, that is mounted high to stop burning the grass, along with a small chainsaw and a heap of firewood for a great fire. Our last trip away, sitting around the firepot with a drink in hand made the trip. Check out the firepot in first blog link

chrisanddiannesultimaadventure.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/gunnedah/

Its all about setting up the tow vehicle to suit your needs

chrisanddiannesultimaadventure.wordpress.com/my-rig/2014-iveco-50c21/

diggerop · Senior Member

24 5th wheeler behind a dmax, well within all weights. Theres a few misunderstandings about 5th wheelers here. Theyre not all big and theres no steps up to our bed, flat floor on both sides and across the end and full height ceiling. More than enough storage and below weight limits fully loaded and both water tanks full. I wouldnt have it any other way.

-- Edited by diggerop on Wednesday 12th of September 2018 09:08:36 PM

iana · Guru

Originally we were going to get a 5th wheeler, settling on either a Southern Cross or a Trulux van, both pivot off a ball mounted on the tray of the prime mover, the advantage being very little height difference with the hitch, i.e. no stairs. But they were expensive to but new, and the makers were unable to meet our needs, so we brought a caravan with the same specs for half the price.
Fifth wheelers have a very low resale value, and a poor resale situation.

Be aware that in order for the smaller utes to tow the 5 wheeler, manufacturers were cheating, if you take note of the 5 wheeler trailers that the semis use, the wheels are mounted right at the back, hence very stable. In order to reduce the weight over the rear axle of the utes, 5 wheeler manufacturers were moving the rear wheels forward, but that also reduces stability.

Be a buyers market at the moment though.

Woody n Sue · Guru

Everything Chris61 said
and not all 5th wheelers are huge and high .
And they are indisputably the safest way to tow .
Woody

montie · Guru

The Australian market has never warmed to 5th wheelers but there are still a couple of local manufacturers building smaller and more manageable units.
Can be towed with smaller dual cabs and obviously much safer to tow.
The downside is they are considerably more expensive than an equivalent caravan and a bit more difficult to dispose of on the used market but unlike the US imports they are still saleable.

A locally built 5th wheeler is well worth a look IMO.

PeterD · Guru

TheHeaths wrote:
I ask, as the vehicle you have may impact the type and size of 5th wheeler you can tow if you go that way, unless you intend to change your tow vehicle as well.

The vehicle you have may impact the type and size of any caravan you can tow. You may be looking at a van or 5th wheeler that is too big for any existing vehicle.,

PeterD · Guru

On the stability side, I think you should be considering a 5th wheeler for any van over 6 metres body length.

KJB · Guru

diggerop wrote:
24 5th wheeler behind a dmax, well within all weights. Theres a few misunderstandings about 5th wheelers here. Theyre not all big and theres no steps up to our bed, flat floor on both sides and across the end and full height ceiling. More than enough storage and below weight limits fully loaded and both water tanks full. I wouldnt have it any other way.

-- Edited by diggerop on Wednesday 12th of September 2018 09:08:36 PM

With all the discussion of "overweight vans and tugs " of recent times , our L/C and Fifth Wheeler (21 ft.) combo. when fully loaded and ready to travel still comes in at 500 kgs. under its legal allowable weight (spread over 3 axles.) The upside of this is that tyres ,wheels ,suspension and chassis's are not having work near or on their maximum capacity which in turn creates less wear and tear (cost) and also increases the "on road" safety factor.

The fact that a Fifth Wheeler is safer and much nicer to tow is an even greater bonus.

Being able to carry "heavy " items such as gen.set,extra fridge, spare wheels ,extra fuel , tool box and other assorted items on the tug distributes the overall weight efficiently compared to hanging all these items on the front and rear of a conventional van .

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Basically a semi . We are pushing the boundaries with weight . A lot depending ends on your driving experience . Some THINK being an office worker or middle management . Driving is easy . Ok . The sights I have seen on road, parking etc !! This is the decision . What you should or can drive . Those who are not confident tend to bag out those who can . Some of the 5 wheelers we looked at seemed expensive when we had to purchase a $80k + tow vehicle. Or second hand truck . Your restricted on car license .

PeterD · Guru

yettogo wrote:
As experienced travelers I would really like to hear your opinions on Fifth wheelers.

Just as a guide to what you are looking for, are you looking at one of the huge Yankee ones or one more like the one in JKB's avatar?

yettogo · Member

thanks Ian,

was just about ready to buy a van and changed our minds with the negative feedback on caravans. We still have not bought anything.

MB

yettogo · Member

Thanks Peter,

We are looking at the smaller Australian made, not the big yankee ones, they are enormous.

yettogo · Member

Thanks Peter,

My thoughts exactly. At the end of the day its going to be our house for the next 8 years hopefully.

TheHeaths · Guru

Good luck with the search then.

I know that the 5th wheelers certainly look an attractive and somewhat better towing option from what I have read.

yettogo · Member

Thanks Chris,

25ft would pull us up, still want to be able to tow with either the XLT Ranger or the Holden Colorado. We too love the idea of being able tarry that Little bit extra. ( home Brew)

yettogo · Member

Thanks Ian,

our budget will limit us to something second hand, we are fine with that because as you say its an absolute buyers market at the moment so we will save plenty.

MB

yettogo · Member

Thanks Montie.

montie · Guru

yettogo wrote:
Thanks Peter,

We are looking at the smaller Australian made, not the big yankee ones, they are enormous.

And almost unsaleable.....steer clear.

Chris61 · Senior Member

yettogo wrote:
25ft would pull us up, still want to be able to tow with either the XLT Ranger or the Holden Colorado. We too love the idea of being able tarry that Little bit extra. ( home Brew)

You have settled on 25ft 5th wheeler, this is a good choice for most Aussie 4wd, except the Triton and Hilux. Next question is a single cab, extra cab or a dual cab. All have some great advantages and some disadvantages as well.

Single cab gives best towing and load carrying abilities. Dual cabs are best if you use your ute for your every day drive and need to carry passengers. Extra cabs are a compromise for both the other two.

You need to consider a flat tray or a tub. A flat tray keeps things low and it is easy to add toolboxes above and below the tray. A tub looks very nice and tidy, but be careful as the latest models are all getting very high to the top of the tub, at least 2 or 3 inches higher than a couple of years ago.

I personally prefer a flat tray and like my hitch mounted to get a full 90° articulation, (hitch mounted about 1250mm away from rear of cab or toolbox).

Lots of people will tell you that you need to mount your hitch in front of rear axle, others will tell you that you then need a HC licence, neither is true. You mount the hitch where it works for you.

Thats enough for today

montie · Guru

Chris61 wrote:
yettogo wrote:
25ft would pull us up, still want to be able to tow with either the XLT Ranger or the Holden Colorado. We too love the idea of being able tarry that Little bit extra. ( home Brew)
You have settled on 25ft 5th wheeler, this is a good choice for most Aussie 4wd, except the Triton and Hilux. Next question is a single cab, extra cab or a dual cab. All have some great advantages and some disadvantages as well.
Single cab gives best towing and load carrying abilities. Dual cabs are best if you use your ute for your every day drive and need to carry passengers. Extra cabs are a compromise for both the other two.
You need to consider a flat tray or a tub. A flat tray keeps things low and it is easy to add toolboxes above and below the tray. A tub looks very nice and tidy, but be careful as the latest models are all getting very high to the top of the tub, at least 2 or 3 inches higher than a couple of years ago.
I personally prefer a flat tray and like my hitch mounted to get a full 90° articulation, (hitch mounted about 1250mm away from rear of cab or toolbox).
Lots of people will tell you that you need to mount your hitch in front of rear axle, others will tell you that you then need a HC licence, neither is true. You mount the hitch where it works for you.
Thats enough for today

Chris,

D1F1=D2F2.

You mount your hitch within that formula to distribute weight correctly on your tug axles.

Moose2 · Senior Member

yettogo wrote:
thanks Ian,

was just about ready to buy a van and changed our minds with the negative feedback on caravans. We still have not bought anything.

MB

Gotta say that if you're hoping to find something that everyone agrees on as being perfect then unfortunately you will never find it.

yettogo · Member

Thanks Chris,

I really appreciate your advice.

MB

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Dead right there Moose ., What ever you get . Theres always compromises .. Or over the top in some things . Then you change things a little to suit your independent needs . Annex is a prime example . We went all out . On our 8 month trip around the island we didnt use it . Only the awning . It gets used when family come with us ..

Cupie · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Dead right there Moose ., What ever you get . There's always compromises .. Or over the top in some things . Then you change things a little to suit your independent needs . Annex is a prime example . We went all out . On our 8 month trip around the island we didn't use it . Only the awning . It gets used when family come with us ..

I don't want to go off topic, but ..

We only use the annex when we are at a spot for 1 week or more. I have a set of privacy screens, all round including the fridge side, that I may use on shorter stop overs. Much lighter too.