5th Wheel Trailer / Caravan - Pros and Cons ?
Discussion
Hi guys,
4 kids and loving the countryside I've done camping and TBH with a 2 and 4 yr old its fair bit of hassle for a weekend away.
I'm not a caravan fan but have recently come across these 5th wheel versions which seem to mean you can get a 28ft caravan in the space of a 21ft caravan (no hitch and 4ft over the back of the pick up) plus I'm told they are a LOT more stable and easier to tow and manouvere and obviously less likely to get stolen as you need a 5th wheel equipped pick up.
So what are the pit falls ?
Some are 7ft which would be fine but I've seen some at 8'4" are these legal on UK roads as they seem a bit cheaper ?
I wouldn't consider spending £20k so I'd be looking at an older one but these still have AC and push out lounges / bedrooms so I really quite fancy one.
Cheers
4 kids and loving the countryside I've done camping and TBH with a 2 and 4 yr old its fair bit of hassle for a weekend away.
I'm not a caravan fan but have recently come across these 5th wheel versions which seem to mean you can get a 28ft caravan in the space of a 21ft caravan (no hitch and 4ft over the back of the pick up) plus I'm told they are a LOT more stable and easier to tow and manouvere and obviously less likely to get stolen as you need a 5th wheel equipped pick up.
So what are the pit falls ?
Some are 7ft which would be fine but I've seen some at 8'4" are these legal on UK roads as they seem a bit cheaper ?
I wouldn't consider spending £20k so I'd be looking at an older one but these still have AC and push out lounges / bedrooms so I really quite fancy one.
Cheers
They pull miles better than a bumper drawbar.
The downsides being that you have no room in the bed for anything and you have to have a pickup.
You can have them on a fifth wheel or a normal ball hitch in the bed. You can get detachable fifth wheels and ball hitchs that unscrew, so when you arn't towing the bed is free of clutter.
The downsides being that you have no room in the bed for anything and you have to have a pickup.
You can have them on a fifth wheel or a normal ball hitch in the bed. You can get detachable fifth wheels and ball hitchs that unscrew, so when you arn't towing the bed is free of clutter.
Biggest downside is the cost of them and the truck to pull them. Another thing to watch for is on many sites they are too big to fit as they are geared towards normal sizes. They are well equipped and some now even come with slide outs, I believe there is acompany in Wales who builds them other wise import from the states
Too big.. I think (but feel free to correct me) that the length should be ok.
18+ft isn't unsual for a std caravan (which I presume excludes the hitch) and a Vovlo estate isn't much smaller than a crew cab really.
How wide is a std caravan 7' ?
Is an extra 16 inches in width a problem on caravan sites ?
Serious question as I've only ever camped.
18+ft isn't unsual for a std caravan (which I presume excludes the hitch) and a Vovlo estate isn't much smaller than a crew cab really.
How wide is a std caravan 7' ?
Is an extra 16 inches in width a problem on caravan sites ?
Serious question as I've only ever camped.
Motorhome owner here:-
I can't see the point myself, the obvious disadvantage being you are always tied to having a large pick-up if ever you change your car, which does not apply with a "normal" caravan.
Plus, they are very expensive, and selling on might be a problem...
The way they extend outwards sideways is very useful though to give extra space inside...
Pros and cons......
I can't see the point myself, the obvious disadvantage being you are always tied to having a large pick-up if ever you change your car, which does not apply with a "normal" caravan.
Plus, they are very expensive, and selling on might be a problem...
The way they extend outwards sideways is very useful though to give extra space inside...
Pros and cons......
My neighbour is on his second 5th wheel, and I've been really impressed with the two he's had. He did the usual research, as originally he wanted a caravan, then tended towards a motorhome. Being an ex HGV driver, he always had an eye for a 5th wheeler, once he became aware of them, as he didn't want the total length of a big caravan/car combo, nor the inflexibility of the large motorhome, i.e. have to use it to get around once camped, or drag along another vehicle. The combination of large living space of the 5th wheel, kept compact, as the bed area is located above the overhang, and the rig uses electricaly operated push outs for extra living space, and the fact that the towing vehicle can then be used for driving around once on site, makes for a very logical choice.
The two models he's had were American, 23ft and 27ft, I think, with dining room, and sitting area push outs. Both had the advantage, being America models, of having full sized cookers/fridges/furniture/double bed......permanently made up, over the pick-up bed. Fitted with full central heating boiler unit, and seperate air conditioning. Far easier to reverse, being pivoted around the hitch on the pick-up bed, very tall, 10ft head room, same width as the Navara pick-up used for towing.
Main selling point, is that they cost about £18k, plus the towing vehicle, which if you can use as your daily vehicle, comes to a similar price to a caravan/car combo, and a hell of alot less than a similarly specced motorhome.
Have a good look at the 5th wheel option.
The two models he's had were American, 23ft and 27ft, I think, with dining room, and sitting area push outs. Both had the advantage, being America models, of having full sized cookers/fridges/furniture/double bed......permanently made up, over the pick-up bed. Fitted with full central heating boiler unit, and seperate air conditioning. Far easier to reverse, being pivoted around the hitch on the pick-up bed, very tall, 10ft head room, same width as the Navara pick-up used for towing.
Main selling point, is that they cost about £18k, plus the towing vehicle, which if you can use as your daily vehicle, comes to a similar price to a caravan/car combo, and a hell of alot less than a similarly specced motorhome.
Have a good look at the 5th wheel option.
iguana said:
7ft6 is uk legal width for smallers tow vehicles Cars 4x4 vans etc. Maybe some big yank Pick ups are over 3.5t gvw? Then its ok but. No euro\jap regular onés are that i know of.
So its Gross Vehicle Weight that relates to width not Train Weight ?I had an F150 Supercrew and IIRC that weighed 2 tons but legally could only carry 3/4 ton in the back BUT mine had been re - plated which was just a technical exercise as the previous owner towed boats. Looks like I should have kept it.
The one I've seen is 8'4" and seems surprisingly cheap so I'm wondering if the catch is that it isn't actually legal to tow over here - albeit it has been used over here for many years.
Greg_D said:
As i understand it, a lot of camp sites have a blanket ban on commercial vehicles (to discourage the piepeople) wouldn't the pickup fall foul of this?
I'm not expert but I looked into this when I went camping last year in my T4.Only a few mention it and most describe it as a ban on VANS as many people use Navaras etc as cars these days - my Bank Manager drives one !
And they tend to describe vans as ones having no windows in the back so my pimped T4 wasn't an issue. I have heard this isn't the case on Caravan Club sites though.
happy to be proven wrong, just chucking something into the pot.
you may very well be right though, the chap who told me had a signwritten astravan (welding, so not obviously pieperson) and simply COULD NOT get into ANY camp site
I don't suppose it is worth the risk to the site owner of having them descend en masse though.
can any caravanners confirm that pickups are welcome?
you may very well be right though, the chap who told me had a signwritten astravan (welding, so not obviously pieperson) and simply COULD NOT get into ANY camp site
I don't suppose it is worth the risk to the site owner of having them descend en masse though.
can any caravanners confirm that pickups are welcome?
Greg_D said:
happy to be proven wrong, just chucking something into the pot.
you may very well be right though, the chap who told me had a signwritten astravan (welding, so not obviously pieperson) and simply COULD NOT get into ANY camp site
I don't suppose it is worth the risk to the site owner of having them descend en masse though.
can any caravanners confirm that pickups are welcome?
A signwritten work van is precisely what many won't accept.you may very well be right though, the chap who told me had a signwritten astravan (welding, so not obviously pieperson) and simply COULD NOT get into ANY camp site
I don't suppose it is worth the risk to the site owner of having them descend en masse though.
can any caravanners confirm that pickups are welcome?
BUT I went to a campsite with a lake near Twekesbury and they allowed vans on.
Have to say there were no problems.
Most van drivers are like most car drivers.
Gassing Station | Tents, Caravans & Motorhomes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff