The decision to enter into the RV lifestyle is a happy one. One where folks want to enjoy the finer things in life - nature, family, relaxation, and simple pleasures. Some people want to do that in a big way. One way they do this is by first owning a 5th wheel trailer.
Fifth wheel trailers are known for their spaciousness, their bi-level home-like feel, and lots of storage space. With such a large recreational vehicle, it’s only reasonable there will be a lot of responsibility. Fifth wheels can be anywhere from a few thousand pounds to over 20,000 pounds. The average is between 12,000-16,000 pounds. That's a lot of weight to be towing behind a truck.
So here are a few pointers on how to be safe on the road while enjoying that RV lifestyle. The Buzz talked to Chris Roady, of Gateway RV in Collinsville, IL about the essential ins and outs of towing a 5th Wheel. "Most important when looking for a 5th wheel is making sure you never get one that is too much for your truck," Roady says, "Every truck has a tow rating and, personally, I would always want it to be under 75% of that compared to the dry weight of the trailer." Before working in RVs, Roady worked in the auto industry for 14 years and says, "I know how they get those ratings and it isn't using a camper."
What is the issue with towing more than your truck can handle? It might seem like the truck is perfectly capable of towing beyond its allotted rating. A lot of folks think it is fine; according to RV Safety & Education Foundation data, 55% of 5th wheel trailers being towed on the toad are being towed with numbers that exceed weight safety ratings. Don’t do it, though! Under normal driving conditions, it is mainly the wear on the truck - it wears out tires quickly, causes the engine to overheat, and shortens the life of the transmission. The main issue is when driving conditions are less than ideal. For example, if one has to slow down quickly, it is much harder, and sometimes impossible to do when the weight is too much for the truck, which causes damage to the vehicle, possible accidents, and/or injury or possibly death. Just don’t do it!
Before getting on the open road, one must take care to obtain the right tow vehicle to fit their fifth wheel. [Photo/Pat Williams]
So does one choose the truck or the camper first? Roady recommends the camper. "Even when I worked in autos, I recommended a camper," he says. The idea is that you can find the camper that fits your needs and then find the truck to match it. There are a lot of different styles and different amenities in campers, so people are generally more concerned about getting all those matched. Going into that decision, though, one has to consider how much you have to budget for a truck. "You don't want to get a fifth wheel that can only be towed by something that you can’t afford," Roady says.
After deciding on a camper, finding the right truck is crucial. "Many don't consider things like the size of the truck bed," Roady tells The Buzz. "So if you are looking at the 6.5 and 5.5 feet truck beds, you have to be careful because you might end up with a nose cone in your cab." The tow capacities of trucks are easily found either by asking at the dealer or quick research online. An excellent resource for tow capacity, as well as other inquiries on towing, is Fifth Wheel St. They have tow capacities for all current trucks as a base model, as well as information on all sorts of common towing questions. For example, contrary to popular opinion, half-ton trucks CAN tow 5th wheels and some of the towing capacity numbers are impressive (ie. over 10,000 pounds for modern F-150s), however most folks are more comfortable towing with more power, like a ¾ ton or a one ton.
Finding the right hitch is equally as important. "You might see an ad for a 5th wheel hitch on craigslist, but after you buy it you see it is only rated for 8,000 pounds and your trailer is 12,000. This is not going to be safe," Roady explains. Slider hitches are important when taking turns, especially with smaller beds, to keep the trailer out of the cab. “My advice is to spend the money up front to make sure you are good to go,” Roady says. Check and double check that you have the appropriate camper, hitch, and truck.
After all the basics are taken care of and making sure that the truck and hitch can accommodate the weight of the 5th wheel, it is time to get on the road! The popular trailer hitch company Hitchweb has a great write-up on how to hitch a fifth wheel. It starts with preparation work such as making sure the trailer is level and wheels are chocked when trying to hook up, and the locking mechanism and the hitch on the fifth wheel are greased properly (or you can buy a grease plate for the hitch).
Then there is the coupling step. During coupling, first make sure the tailgate is down. It is easy to forget, but if it is forgotten, you will need a new tailgate as well as most likely wreck the sides of the bed, along with possibly damaging the fifth wheel hitch. If the tailgate is down and everything is properly prepared, then backing the truck towards the fifth wheel until the kingpin is seated is next. Once that is inspected and done, making sure to put the safety pin in is most important. There are plenty of stories of not putting the safety pin in, even for a quick check or move, and the fifth wheel coming out of the trailer hitch and smashing the side beds of the truck. Make sure you check it!
There are plenty of demonstration videos that show how to properly do this. A few of the credible ones are:
When you get driving down the road, there are a few pointers that Roady advises while driving with a 5th wheel. For proper handling, it is important to get the trailer as level with the truck as possible, as noted in the videos above. As for driving, there are some perks for having a modern, technologically-equipped RV these days. “Nowadays it’s great because there are cameras that check for cars on your right or left when getting in another lane,” Roady says. He also recommends pulling over if it gets too windy. “It is basically like you have a sailboat back there.” Generally, just follow the guidelines you would with any trailer - make wide turns, pay attention to the road, take your time and enjoy the life on the road. And with a proper rig and setup, you can do that with ease.