Advantages of Fifth Wheel RVs

Advantages of Fifth Wheel RVs.

Related Article - Most Popular Fifth Wheel Floor Plans
One of the benefits of a 5th wheel trailer over a Motorhome is that once your trailer has been unhitched, the tow vehicle is free to be used for other purposes. Unlike a motorhome which requires another vehicle to be towed behind in order to have a vehicle to use while the motorhome is parked, your fifth wheel is completely self contained once the tow vehicle is unhitched. Large Class A Motorhomes or diesel pushers essentially have their own large and expensive engines and transmissions which require regular maintenance. Maintaining these large vehicles can be very expensive. The price of a large Class A can definately be a major factor when choosing between a 5th wheel and a motorhome. There are many smaller motorhomes on the market and the only factor to take into consideration is that a motorhome is the primary vehicle unless you travel with a second vehicle being towed or driven. That means if you want to go to a store or visit surrounding areas you will need to pack up camp each time and make sure you mark your site so no one takes it while you are away. With a 5th wheel you always have a vehicle for day travel and you only setup camp once. A compact motorhome can be easier to travel with if you do a lot of traveling. They are easier to maneuver into gas stations and easier to backup into RV sites but you do lose some of the space that a 5th wheel offers. Motorhomes are basically get in and go, whereas 5th wheels require hitching which might be a factor depending on your age.

Another factor to consider when choosing between a Motorhome or a 5th wheel is that if a mechanical failure occurs on a Motorhome you essentially have no place to stay except a hotel while the Morohome is being repaired. With a 5th wheel, the tow vehicle is normally the vehicle that needs any type of repairs and when it is in the shop, you still have the 5th wheel to live in. This can be a major factor if you are choosing an RV for full time RV living and are traveling with pets. A week long stay in a hotel can really put a dent in your budget and you would need a hotel that will accept pets if you travel with your animals. Motorhomes tend to require more specialized mechanics so if you are in a remote area like Alaska, getting a Motorhome repaired can take considerably longer than in a Metro area.

If your main concern is space, then a 5th wheel offers the the most amount of space for the price, combined with much easier towing than a Travel Trailer and the ability to pull a much heavier RV than with a Travel Trailer. Because the 5th wheel hitches over the axle of the truck, a much heavier weight can be pulled with no trailer sway. Backing up a Fifth Wheel is easier than a Travel Trailer also because of where the hitch is mounted on the truck.
Because a 5th wheel can be heavier than a Travel Trailer, the manufacturers are not limited in the products they can install in the Fifth Wheel as opposed to a Travel Trailer which needs to be lighter. If you look at that the difference in construction and features between a 5th wheel and a Travel Trailer you will see that the 5th wheel offers more value.
Here is a link that gives information on whether you should buy a new or used Fifth Wheel Buying a Fifth Wheel New vs Used