Anyone go from 5th wheel back to travel trailer?

[BayouDude]

The wife and I were casually discussing what we will do with our wildcat 5th wheel in the near future. We currently have a 2009 model wildcat 32QBBS and it is getting to the point that we either have to spend some money upgrading our current unit of look for a replacement. We had a 29ft spree travel trailer before moving up to the 5th wheel and while i like the way the wildcat 5er tows i can't help but think of the extra toys/gear we could be bringing with us if we went back to a travel trailer due to having use of the truck bed again. With the back up cameras on today's trucks hitching up to a bumper pull is now just as easy if not easier than the 5th wheel. Also i have been having some wear and tear issues with the wildcat interior. I am even thinking about getting a vintage airstream and gutting it so that it can be built the way i want using higher quality materials than found on your standard rv. Am I crazy or has anyone else done something similar?

[offroad]

That's exactly what we did when we ordered our 8329 in July.

We wanted to be able to put bikes in the bed, and canoe's and kayaks on a ladder rack above. I know there are solution's for 5th wheel's to carry both, but after considering them we decided to switch to a TT.

Our RV history spans the following in order:
Truck Camper: 2x
Pop-Up: 1x
5th Wheel: 3x
And the TT we just bought was our first.

After a few times hooking up the Equal-i-zer hitch, the difference in hitching time is little to none.
I find the difference towing stability to be little to none. It feels a bit different though in dips mainly, because its longer but it's plenty stable.

The outdoor storage is less for sure, but our TT has more inside storage especially in the bedroom than our last 5th wheel. I've also installed 3x 5x5 PVC fence posts (soon to be 4x) underneath, between that and getting rid of things I was carrying but not using I've handled that issue. Also plan a tongue mounted storage box later.
Mostly we just have things in different places but have everything we need.

We both prefer the layout of the TT having everything on one level.
Our last 5th wheel was a single slide 30' model, so the 8329 being longer with 3 slides is much larger inside while being lighter.

Maybe someday if we no longer want to haul bikes and boats we would consider going back to a 5th wheel, but for now we couldn't be happier.

[BayouDude]

Thanks for the reply. We went to the bunk house model 5th wheel when we started having children and now that we are a family of 5 we do like our forward bunks but now that the kids are starting to get a bit older it is getting harder to find room for the bikes etc and i would really like to start bringing some kayaks along. I am in the early stages of planning our next move. I think i could realistically get between $17-20k for our current 5th wheel and if i can get a old trailer for $5k or less that would give me plenty of $$ for a restoration at least in my mind. It is a big leap to downsize but I think it may be for the better and actually simplify some things.

[AVid]

We went from a fiver back to a TT. We had kids growing up and still camping with us, so the extra space in the truck bed was a big plus. But the DW never fell in love with the TT, which means its days were numbered. Once the kids grew up and got their own RV's, we went back to a fiver. I'm happy, she's happy. Funny though, when we started, we had 6 people in a pop-up, now just the two of us in a 38' fiver.

John

[offroad]

Originally Posted by AVid

Funny though, when we started, we had 6 people in a pop-up, now just the two of us in a 38' fiver.

I think many of us have similar stories.
The first truck camper I brought home we never camped in, I just worked on it until someone offered me what I had in it. Man was I glad to see it go.

The pop-up and our first 5th wheel (a 24' 1983 model), my wife cried when they left. She wouldn't want them back now though, LOL.

[wbdavey]

Had two 5th wheel toy haulers, a 40' Titanium and then a 43' KZ Stoneridge. We lived in the KZ for 2 winters in Florida before buying a house down there. Sold the KZ this spring and figured we'd just stay in motels on trips. After one trip to Lake George we went camper shopping and bought a Rockwood 2604 WS. It tows well with my new half ton, but is not as stable as the KZ with a dually. It has all the space we need, it's easy to tow, and it fits in smaller camp sites. This summer we finally went to NY State parks which was not an option before (most NYS parks have a 35' limit).

[RollnStone]

We started in tents. Then, after a week long family camping trip in the rain, I purchased a Rockwood pop-up. After the kids were in college, we bought a used Skyline Nomad FLT245, with a loft bed. We sold that this summer and have purchased our first travel trailer. Flagstaff Micro Lite 25KS. It is different pulling, but not bad. We really enjoy the spaciousness of it, even the the "box" is shorter, everything is larger inside.

[Scootdawg]

We started in a Class C (Sunseeker 2900) and after feeling cramped and closed in we purchased a 2015 Rockwood 8289ws and love the room. Just like a home when we go out now.

[coffeebean43140]

I had owned five TT over a 15 year period before going to a FW. We had the FW for 15 months before we changed back to a TT.
The FW was nice and comfortable, but I never got comfortable with it.
Number 1 on the list was I lost the use of the P/U bed to transport the golf cart. I had a hitch installed on the F/W to tow the cart on another trailer which was fine for local camping but too many state towing restrictions for long distance travel.
Number 2 on the list was high COG, and overhead clearance for tree limbs and etc.
Number 3 on the list was even more steps on the inside . We had a Airstream for 9 years prior to the FW and 2 steps, your were in.
So that was the big 3 for me. We were seeking more living space when we changed from a TT to a FW, so that was the reason for the change.
We purchased a Rockwood 8315BSS in August and we are very comfortable in it, we still have to climb up 3 flimsy steps to get in and out( and yes one of the aluminum rivets broke, YIKES) but is a very easy TT to use.

[whj77372]

I could not even think of going back to a TT after my fiver. The fiver tows much nicer and it is easy to hitch up. I find the TT takes more time and effort to hitch. You do lose much of the truck bead with a fiver but the fiver has more storage room compared to a TT. Good Luck

[littldo]

back to a TT from a 5x just recently. those stairs were getting hard for old bodies.

[BigJohnD]

In this order. 2003 Travel trailer, 2006 popup (same time as tt), 2007 fifth wheel, 2010 travel trailer, 2012 class a mh, 2013 class c mh, 2014 fifth wheel, and now we will be in a travel trailer of some sort when we purchase again. So we've been every which direction. Absolutely no desire to own a motorhome or fifth wheel again. Glad they make plenty of options, as it gives everybody a shot at what they need. I don't want to step up that many steps anymore (class a mh was the worst), and I don't want anything 13 feet plus tall again. After having been in most types, we want shorter, not as tall, simpler, and way less gadgets. I'm not willing to put as many hours in fixing, cleaning and babying as I once was. Pretty much going back to what we started with.

[Ditchdigger]

I started out with tents in Washington state, went to a pop up camper in 1971, then had a TT, for a while (almost killed me and the family) then went to a fifth wheel, had it 36yrs, but the wife could not ride in my 99 1 ton Dodge, for more than 4 hours. So three years ago I bought a MH, but when we went to the coast I had to make a discision weather to tow the car or my toy, could not do both, So after the wild fire,(I lost everything plus the MO and the 5er) I bought a 32' Wolf Pack 5er toy hauler. I like the way the tow over a TT. With my first 5er I could haul 4- Quads ATVs, and with the 99 Dodge one ton I could haul 5 or 6 ATVs, but now I am down to one UTV.
'

[goduc]

2 TT's and now a 5'er. Might go back in a few years when the wife retires and we hit the road for 2-3 month trips. More bang for the buck in a TT. Only issue is a 32' 5'er needs to be 35' in a TT. You do lose the truck be for gear with a 5'er but most 5'ers have plenty of basement storage to haul all the trucks stuff. Only issue is bikes and kayaks/canoes. Bikes can be put on the rear of the 5'er and Thule or Yakima make enough combinations to haul anything on your truck. 5'ers seem to have a more open feeling since the ceiling is higher. Steps don't bother me in the least. TT bedrooms are more cramped and closet space is less. It takes a long TT to get the same room as a 5'er. And then there's the towing. 5'er wins hands down. Only a HA or PP on a TT will come close.
In the end it's all compromise to some degree.

[kkhslh]

All of these comments do my heart good. When we needed a new tow vehicle we fought long and hard about a car vs truck knowing we soon needed to upgrade our TT. We were leaning towards a motor home, but you get sooo much more in trailers, so we bought the biggest truck we could afford so we could have any trailer we wanted. We assumed a fifth wheel. And they are so nice and have so many features we don't...but in the end, we got a V Lite for exactly the reasons you have all said...I couldn't imagine "wasting" all of that truck bed space for our outside toys.

[53jimc]

I guess the truck bed is the biggest reason I didn't want a fiver. My son's FIL has a huge fiver, but that's just not for me. For DW and I, the TT is perfect. I wanted lightweight for my half ton and no more than 30', so we bought a used Surveyor ('07). So far it's been great, like living in a mansion compared to the tent and popup. But, the half ton struggles a bit so I'm working on DW to expect a diesel in the fairly near future. (and so it starts) Looking forward to camping this Halloween weekend, it's going to be cool but hey, I have a furnace now.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Iwannacamp]

Just as a side note... I have been thinking of a bigger trailer some day... I pulled a Alpha Gold GF38... Something for a friend yesterday. I looked at the gross at almost 18k(jump in WP). IT'S WWAAYY TO HEAVY. I don't want one that heavy. My little 10k rig is fine with me. I didn't have any trouble pulling it, but the brakes were weak or something and I was ready to get it parked. Yes. I adjusted the gain three or four times. And yes. I could hear the brakes clacking at a stop. They just didn't have any guts. That thing weighs almost 3x the dry of my lil Dodge. No way!


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[Iwannacamp]

PS: I pulled it cause he doesn't have a hitch in his hemi truck. I told him. Good luck.


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