Why is it some people fifth wheel rvs so much more over regular travel trailers?

After all, isn’t a trailer a trailer?

For the most part, no – there are big differences between the two that are important to consider if you’re looking at both.

- Trailer Sway

Fifth wheel RVs are known to give very little trailer sway.

If you’ve ever been driving on the highway, and been blown to the side just by a truck passing, you’ve felt the effect of changes of air pressure at high speeds.

When you’re pulling a trailer, the same thing happens, however, when the truck passes you, the air pressure is moving the trailer or the tow vehicle – not both – this results in one part of the combined vehicle moving while the other stays in the same place.

The resulting effect is that the trailer starts vigorously swaying – on water, ice, or snow this is very dangerous, but even in dry terrain it can be dangerous.

Fifth wheel RVs are known to have much less sway – even none.

Known to be the smoothest types of trailer to drive, over a long haul you won’t even notice that you have the trailer on the back of the vehicle – the trailer and the tow vehicle work together

- More footprint with less length

As the top of the trailer goes over the truck, you’re able to get much more footprint out of the length you’re towing.

This means that you can tow a longer trailer, giving you even more living space, or have the same amount of living space without having to pull as much.

It can also turn into savings for you in the long run.

- More Economical

The profile of fifth wheel rvs makes it so that there is less drag while traveling – reducing the overall level of fuel and your cost of travelling

The majority of fifth wheel camper grounds
have wifi access. Sometimes via their local ISP (internet service
provider), sometimes through a satellite or microwave connection.

Lately,
however, the advent of cell phone internet sticks (plugging into a USB
port on a computer) are becoming more popular – and for the casual
RVers, so is the idea of “thethering” a blackberry or iphone to a
computer.

Here’s the benefits of using your own cell connection as opposed to the local park’s facilities

- Use it when you want

Tired of having the camper ground internet so slow at peak times that you can’t even open a webmail program?

Because of so many people surfing the web at the same time, this can really bog down resources.

Hooking
up over a cell phone connection is great at times like these, as you’re
not waiting for everyone else to download as well

- You can still do the “heavy lifting” elsewhere

Need to download the 2 hour home movie your cousin sent you?

Or there’s a major software update or program you purchased?

You
can still use nearby “free” resources for the large downloads if it
makes financial and time sense – just get a downloading program that
will allow you to queue your downloads and have them run together (for
example, do a bulk download once a week overnight on the camper
ground’s systems)

- Save money in the long run

This entirely depends on the cost structure of where you are, however most fifth wheel camper ground
internet pricing plans are of the “$25 a month” variety where I’ve
traveled to. This is great if you’re going to be in one place for a
while, however if you’re constantly moving these charges can add up.

Getting
the majority of your internet over a cell connection is a great way to
cut down on these costs – it will also save you precious time not
having to set up a new connection at every location.

- Access Anywhere!

Taking fifth wheel campers far into the wild, with no designated campground? This is a great way to still be able to access the right information!

As long as you have a cell connection where you’re traveling to, you should be able to stay connected!

RV Water Damage can be potentially fatal to your camper.

Often
creeping in undetected, through small holes in the sealant or other
areas of the RV, without any major visible damage inside, water can
completely rot the inside of your camper with little notice.

Here’s how to inspect:

- Is there visible delamination?

Fully inspect 5th wheel campers for delamination.

This is often a sign that water may be loosening the glue holding the laminate on.

As well, it provides a place for water to enter the RV.

If you find delamination occurring, quickly have the area behind it inspected and the lamination repaired

-
THOROUGHLY check every inch that is “cut out” of the body – this
includes vents, windows, doors, any system attached to the roof -
anything that is cut from the main body.

One of the main causes of rv water damage is water coming in through these seals.

Over time, all seals wear and crack. It’s important to inspect them regularly and re-seal at the fist sign of aging on 5th wheel campers.

- Inspect all nooks and crannies

Inside 5th wheel campers, it’s important to inspect every nook and cranny.

Focus on looking for soft spots, discoloration, or wrinkling in the interior.

Look
and feel around any areas that are attached to something that is
mounted on the exterior or cut away from the camper – this can include
windows, doors, air conditioning systems, antennas, showers, and more -
these are the likely places for water to show if it starts into your
motorhome.

Inspect the tops of cupboards and closets, and
storage closets – these are areas that aren’t constantly visible, and
will help you ensure that they’re being checked for signs of rv water damage.

Overall,
keeping your trailer free from water damage greatly extends the life of
your investment – it will help the resale value, as well ensure that
you get twice as much life out of your unit.

Green is quickly becoming not only a way to help save the environment, but a way to save money.

Here are 3 quick tips to ensure that make traveling with 5th Wheel Campers as green as possible

- Bring Something to Attach a Clothesline To

Reducing the amount of drying can greatly reduce your electrical bill.

Sun drying has also been shown to increase the lifetime of your clothes, putting them through much less wear and tear.

Bringing
stakes to run a clothesline to will allow you to easily dry your
clothes, and ensure that you’re not ruining any trees in your
campground.

- Keep Engines Off When Not Using Them

Idling creates excessive emissions, and also burns through tons of gasoline

Making
a rule to turn off engines that are idling for more than 30 seconds is
a great way to reduce the level of emissions, and keep you gas bill
down.

If you have a number of tasks that involve the engines, it is often better to do them at once or in a row.

This
will mean that you’re not constantly turning the engine on and off. As
well, it will help you manage the chores on your vacation. Batching
things to be done together will get them done quicker, and leave more
time for everything else you’d like to be doing while on vacation!

- Park Where You’ll Use Less Energy

Look
for areas where you’ll have natural shade in the summer, and are
protected from the wind. In most North American regions, the wind
normally blows from the west, occasionally from the north.

Limiting the exposure to the wind will keep you 5th wheel campers warmer, and make it more enjoyable to have windows open if you choose.

Keeping
out of the sun in the summer will also provide you with less of a bill
for cooling – it will allow you to keep cool without any major hassle

There is almost a point of contention between RV owners: Which is the better type to have – Fifth Wheel Campers, or Full Motorhomes?

Here are three reasons why it is preferable to have a Fifth Wheel Camper.

– Vehicle / Home Separation

There is something to be said about having a driver’s seat in your house – while this allows for extra square footage (and another place to sit) it also takes away from the overall construction.

Fifth Wheel Campers allow for the tow vehicle to be completely separate. This adds a number of benefits.

You can park your camper, and take your tow vehicle and explore around an area. This is great for travel in parks, where carrying a full motorhome every day can be cumbersome.

Simply separate the camper, and you’re free to travel independently. Even if you’re looking to go further for a few days, you can turn your camper into “home base” and camp out of a tent.

Going for groceries, navigating through towns and tourist areas, all become much easier with a truck, but with the convenience of being able to come back to a fully stocked home when you’re done in a specific region.

– The engine is separate from the motorhome

Motorhomes and tow vehicles live very different lives – campers are somewhat seasonal assets, while a tow vehicle can be used all year long.

As well, there are many different things to maintain on the two items – a tow vehicle requires engine and transmission maintenance and inspection, while the camper requires ensuring that the internal cosmetics stay intact, that the water and waste water systems are in working order, and that there is no water damage to the unit.

With separate engines and motorhomes, each can have its own life-cycle and can be upgraded at different times – upgrade your trailer or tow vehicle – they don’t have to both be done at the same time.

Going with Fifth Wheel Campers also gives you the advantage of having an extra vehicle that you can use in the regular course of the year.

– Less to focus on a inspection time

When you inspect your motorhome, or are going to sell it, there are less variables to be concerned with.

Too many times, I’ve seen complete motorhomes that have great engines and a lousy interior, or the engines are close to going but the interior looks fantastic!

With your camper being only a “motorhome” there’s much less here to be concerned about – you only need focus on the “motorhome” part of the package.

When traveling on the roads and highways, it’s always important to ensure that you’re looking after safety first and foremost.

Here’s how to ensure that 5th wheel trailers are safely connected to your truck.

As no combination of trailer, hitch, and truck are the same, ensure that you carefully study the documentation of all manufacturers to make sure that you’re properly towing your camper.

– Step 1

With the tailboard down and the hitch unlocked, back the tow vehicle up to the hitch so that your camper is almost to the king pin.

Ensure that the hitch is just before the king pin, and that the kind pin is slightly lower than the plate of your hitch (to ensure that the hitch goes up properly).

– Step 2

Back your tow vehicle up so that the king pin slides into the hitch.

Ensure that your hitch is properly attached with a flush connection, and lock the king pin into place.

If there is a locking pin on your system, slide it into place.

Re-check all connections to ensure that everything is safely connected.

Close your truck’s tailgate, and connect all electrical connections.

– Step 3

Preform the “two tug” test

Raise the support stilts about 3 inches above the ground, and start your tow vehicle.

Hold the 5th wheel trailers’s brakes in, and shift the brake into drive.

This will pull the camper forward.

If you haven’t connected the camper forward, it will slide off the trailer at this point.

Fully repeat the test a second time, then attach any safety chains and proceed!