What to Ask When Buying a Fifth Wheel

If you are looking to buy a fifth wheel you might be searching for a roomy, space-conscious RV with similar amenities to a motor coach. Here are three questions to consider when buying a fifth wheel - the second most popular type of RV sold today.

1. Do you have the vehicle to tow a fifth wheel?

If you already own a large truck or dually, you may want to consider a fifth wheel for your next RV. Adding a hitch to the truck bed will run you between $800-$2,000 if you have a professional install it. If you do it yourself, your costs drop to about $500-$700. These numbers include the hitch cost.

The big number to consider when deciding on a fifth wheel and truck combination is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This number combines the weight of the truck and trailer tongue. A good rule of thumb is for your GVWR to exceed your truck weight by 10 percent.

You’ll also want to consider the payload weight of your truck. That’s where the weight of the load sits on your truck’s axles. That’s a different number than towing capacity (which is the weight your truck can safely tow, and the weight is mostly on the trailer axles).

Key Consideration: Be sure you have enough truck to tow the trailer.

2. Do you have the trailer towing experience and confidence to tow a fifth wheel?

A big advantage of fifth wheel trailers is that they are considered easier to back and tow because of weight distribution. Once you understand the dynamics of how to drive and back up with a fifth wheel, it’s considered an easier, more stable haul.

Now, a fifth wheel is heavy. It’s big. It’s intimidating. Consider this when you start exploring your fifth wheel purchase. Can you get over the intimidation?

Key Consideration: Towing is a skill whether it’s a trailer, fifth wheel, or vehicle behind a Class A or C. You’ll have to learn to tow your rig whatever you purchase. So, be sure to get a good training course or experienced driver help you learn how to tow your fifth wheel if you choose this route.

Related Read: Towing a Car with Your RV- What You Need to Know

3. What do you need from a space standpoint?

Now that we’ve covered the weighty issues, let’s think about how you’ll use your fifth wheel. Are you looking for a comfy vacation trailer? A stationary camper? A full-time living situation?

Fifth wheels are known for their excellent use of space – storage, living, and sleeping. Let’s break these down a little further. I’m going to take the position of using your fifth wheel as a weekend home or full-time home.

Side Note: If you’re vacationing a few times a year, the storage may be more than you need, but traveling long distances with a fifth wheel brings many of the comforts of home.

Storage
A fifth wheel has more space for storage than just about any other RV. Some Class As have comparable storage, but you’re getting a workhorse when you purchase a fifth wheel. The undercarriage usually has several pockets for tools, outdoor gear and many include an outdoor kitchen. If you’re looking for flexibility in outdoor storage, consider a fifth wheel.

Interior storage is where fifth wheels really shine. Every inch of vertical space has been planned for keeping your items stowed and organized. Many of the more recent fifth wheels include floor to ceiling pantries, bathroom storage, overhead compartments in the living space, and even under chair storage. A recent trend of kitchen islands gives even more space to make the tiny camper kitchen more like home – and there’s finally a place for the trash can.

The master bedroom in fifth wheels is usually a real bedroom designed to give you maximum walk-around space and a real closet. Some models even include two walls of closet and cabinets.

Living Space & Sleeping Arrangements
One of the reasons fifth wheels are so popular is the ingenious living arrangements for bigger families. You can have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen island, and a living space with the right fifth wheel floorplan. And there’s still typically even more sleeping space in multi-use pieces such as the dinette and sofa.

These two considerations – living space and sleeping arrangements - are often the deciding factor between a Class A and a fifth wheel for many travelers.

While there may be more seats for traveling in a Class A and the ability to move through the coach, a fifth wheel can accommodate travelers with children of multiple ages much better. Fifth wheel bunk houses are so popular that many dealers sell them before they’re delivered.

If you’re interested in a full-time or weekend living arrangement, you may want to consider a bunkhouse fifth wheel option. This floorplan style gives families lots of sleeping options and living space options.

Pro Tip: Don’t be shy about asking to see other family’s fifth wheel layouts. We’ve seen front living that’s dedicated to the kids, bunkhouses, and mid-bunkhouses with a loft space. When you see how families use their space, you can get an idea of how you can match your space needs to your future fifth wheel.

Our kids are super excited about a bunk room that they can make their own. We love hanging out as a family, but as the kids get older, they want more personal hangout space. That’s why we’re considering a bunkhouse option.

Sleeping arrangements are definitely a major consideration. We’ve been living in a rear-living fifth wheel for two years in both a part-time and full-time arrangement. As we’ve moved to full-time living, we’re noticing this arrangement grates on everyone. We have to break down the living room to get ready for bed and put it all back up in the morning. With a bunkhouse or mid-bunk, we could simply make beds and get our day started.

When you add the bunkhouse option to your fifth wheel, it’s important to note that it will cause you to lose some living space. Most floorplans that include a bunk arrangement take away one of the living slides or a loveseat or recliner option. Many families get around this by replacing the dinette with two recliners.

Key Consideration: Really think about how you use your space in your fifth wheel. Do you hang out or explore more? Do you mind making up beds in the morning or are you using your living space for work and school too?

More to Consider
There’s so much more to consider when buying a fifth wheel, but we hope this gives you an introduction to the most affordable RV option with the most amenities. Be sure to check out our Facebook Group – The RV Bunch – our community can help you weigh the pros and cons of your future fifth wheel because they’ve lived the life.