A Women's RV Forum run by Women RVer's!

Hey to all. I'm Frannie and my BFF Susan and I have been planning a major life change for over a year now. We currently live in Tennessee and are ready to put our house on the market. That said, we want to go fulltime for a couple years and we still have not chosen a vehicle. Our best girl and spirit dog Hannah just passed and now our pet population is done to two dogs and a cat. That said, we are now including in our search the possibility of a T Hauler. We love to build small furniture and do other crafts and thought we might hit the show road and attend craft shows across the county. My first question is are there any of you that pull a fifth wheel and if so, just how hard is it. We would love to meet other women who don't shy away from adventure because they don't have a man. I have always believed I could do anything I want to if I want it bad enough. I think a hauler would really give us the space to make a great workshop and work on the road. Any advice from you seasoned gals is more than appreciated. So glad I found this forum.

welcome
many of the girls tow fifthwheel, I have one but I'm "planted" in one spot for awhile so I can't help ya there. But I do
enjoy the extra space it seems to give me and its just a 29 '. Perfect for me and the dog.

Welcome to you both! I have a C - but many women on here have a 5th wheel and go it solo.

Glad to have you with us.

Welcome to the forum. There are several women here that have hauled their 5th wheel down the road. Driving skills are learn-able if it is what is important to you. There are driving schools that can help with that.

There are definitely pluses and minus as you get larger vehicles but reading through some of the past threads you can pick up on some of that. There are definite reasons most of us chose the rigs we do. No right or wrong issues just matters of preferences and what works on how we want to use the rigs. Have fun exploring your options and beginning your adventures.

Melissa, Carolyn, and I all haul 5th wheels, not full time but get around plenty. It takes brains not brawn to RV so women are just as good if not better than men at it. Be sure you have enough truck not only to pull that 5ver but also to stop it.

Hoosier Welcome

Personally I think towing a 5th wheel is easier than towing a TT of the same size. Easier to hook up than dealing with a weight distribution hitch but that's just me. Does require a larger truck to carry the extra weight in the bed. Pro's and con's to each design just have to find the one that meets your needs.

Welcome! Like Colleen and Melissa say, "Make sure you have enough truck". I hear those Toyhaulers are heavy. Have you ever towed anything before? Boat? Etc....

Greetings from California!

I'm part of the towing group, but tow a 26' travel trailer. It is VERY different than hauling a fifth wheel, but as mentioned, doesn't take as much vehicle. I pull my trailer with an Expedition, and it does just fine. In my ideal world I'd like a truck for the longer wheelbase, but I'm fine with not spending the extra $$ right now (it's paid for!).

If you haven't looked at toy haulers yet, I think you're going to find a qualitative difference between them and other towables. They aren't known for their opulence -- think function over form. They're still nice, but if you're going to live in it full-time, you might find it a bit lacking in some of the "comforts" you'll find in other trailers.

You've found a great place to ask questions, though! Glad you've jumped in. Keep us posted on your journey.

Laura

Welcome to the forum Frannie & Susan. Have fun searching for your RV and keep us informed of your progress.

If you look at the toy haulers that have the garage separated from the living quarters by a wall & door you'll find them just as nice or nicer than some regular trailers.

..
I've been in some pretty darn nice toy haulers.
(and some cheesy looking trailers).

I guess a toy hauler would definitely give you woodworking room...

..

Wow,thanks ladies! We are soooo excited. Just so happy to find this forum. Susan has pulled a smaller travel trailer so she has some experience. We originally were looking at As and Cs. So everything is on the table. The TH's are beautiful and have plenty of space. We thought with a length between 30 and 35 feet the 5ver would be easier to handle. Your right of course about the pull vehicle. Is it true that a 5ver is easier to pull ( and stop) than a similar length TT? It will come down of course to actually driving the rig(s). Thank you so much for all your responses. Like we say, "Getting Closer Every Day".

Frannie wrote: Is it true that a 5ver is easier to pull ( and stop) than a similar length TT?

Since the 5th wheels weight is carried over the tow vehicles axle instead of behind it the 5th wheel is the more stable rig. That's why semi's use a 5th wheel setup. Also since the 5er trailer hangs over the tow vehicle, the overall length is shorter provided the TV (tow vehicles) are the same size and the trailers are both the same length.

When shopping remember these basic rules of thumb.

1- Dry weights are useless numbers. It's what the rig weighted when it left the factory. Once you add propane, batteries, food, water, your stuff, extra AC unit, dry weight goes out the window. Full timers carry more stuff, so more weight. We added about 1,500# to ours and it's barely full. My dry weight is 10,500# and we scaled out at 12,000# and I have a GVWR of 14,000#. The GVWR is the more important number even if you don't reach it.

Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) minus what your TV actually weights is how much trailer you can tow. Example: A 20,000 GCWR - 8,000# TV = 12,000# trailer.

2- hitch weights when looking for a tow vehicle.
TT: is about 10-15% of the trailer weight.
5er: is about 20-25% of trailer weight

A 14,000# TH (toy hauler) is common so that's a 2,800# to 3,500# of pin weight the truck will be expected to carry. Which I would recommend a F350/3500 dually model of truck.

3- Each pickup truck is different based on how it was spec'd (engine, transmission, gear ratio). You have to open the driver's door and look at the sticker for the trucks GVWR. Trucks after 2005 have higher ratings. The GVWR - actual truck weight is the cargo capacity. Example (my 2004 F350): a 11,500# GVWR - 8,000# (use, fuel, ready to go) = 3,500# to carry my 5er's pin (hitch) weight. My "pin weight" is around 2,640# or 22%.

Finding the trailer you like and then finding a truck based on the trailer you picked is a great plan.

Just remember that larger pickups are expensive. Even used ones. You can actually find what they call HDT's (used semi truck converted to haul RV's) cheaper than a new F350/3500 or F450/4500 series trucks.

Frannie wrote: Is it true that a 5ver is easier to pull ( and stop) than a similar length TT?

Just about any vehicle can pull anything if it's got a hitch. What it does to the car is another story ...

What people often forget is that you have to have enough vehicle to STOP whatever you're towing. Never having pulled a fifth wheel, but many trailers over the years, I know that a sudden stop can produce jackknifing, which isn't very fun at all. Don't know if that happens as much with a fifth wheel, as the weight is distributed differently. Pulling a trailer in wind can be a little tense, as the proverbial tail can very quickly wag the dog. Again, 5ers might be different.

Please don't let an RV salesperson try to talk you into a unit that's bigger than what you can safely tow. And many people work with the "80% rule" -- whatever your vehicle is rated to pull, only pull 80% of that. It's good to have a little cushion. I have a poster in my classroom that says, "Just because you can doesn't mean you should." Wise words to live by, especially in the world of towing. (Now, if I could just get my sixth graders to heed them as well!)

Laura

Welcome. Have fun hunting for your "perfect" rig. Can't help out in the 5er dept.as I pull a travel trailer too, but others have already much to the discussion.