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Gfincher · 04-09-2025, 07:48 AM

This question is just concerning going down the road towards your next destination and ease of parking once you get there.
Which do you prefer and why?

sbleiweiss · 04-09-2025, 07:54 AM

Don't want a big truck as my daily driver, and don't otherwise have a use for one. So motorhome for us.

**hamm2018** · 04-09-2025, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gfincher

This question is just concerning going down the road towards your next destination and ease of parking once you get there.
Which do you prefer and why?

Parking isn't an issue for us. For us it is a dually, 5th wheel toy hauler and Spyder motorcycle.

**Lt Dan** · 04-09-2025, 08:08 AM

That was a question I wrestled with fourteen years ago when we bought our first motorhome. Did I want a fifth wheel which would then require a big truck to tow it, then have that truck as a daily driver or a motorhome. It depends on your travel plans and how long you stay in one location. A fifth wheel actually gives you more usable space for the same size as a motorhome but is more work setting up at each location. So if you tend to stay weeks or months in one location a fifth wheel might be for you.

If you like to travel from place to place with shorter stays, a motorhome is much more convenient. If it's just an overnight stay I can pull into a pull through space, level the coach, hook up utilities and deploy the slides without ever disconnecting the toad. If we want to sightsee or shop, disconnecting the Jeep takes five minutes tops and reconnecting the same.

RickNC · 04-09-2025, 08:21 AM

In consideration of parking ease and riding comfort only. IMO, A 30 foot fifth wheel is more maneuverable in a tight space than a 30’ class c motorhome. A pickup towing a fifth wheel gives a better ride that a Class C on a Ford or Chevy chassis.

All of that said we chose a 30’ class c. Over all cost was lower than buying a truck and fifth wheel. Plus my wife especially likes the convenience of having the bathroom and kitchen easily accessible. Another consideration on my part was the inherent tire and wheel problems that seem to plague a lot of 5th wheels.

AlanTerry · 04-09-2025, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbleiweiss

Don't want a big truck as my daily driver, and don't otherwise have a use for one. So motorhome for us.

DITTO!

Still have two engines and transmission to service.

dvspl · 04-09-2025, 08:36 AM

We chose a Class C based purely on a desire to have the bathroom and kitchen easily accessible while we're traveling. I think parking/setup is similar for either combo.

Captain8 · 04-09-2025, 09:05 AM

Motorhome is by far better when going down the road. Dogs get to sleep on the couch, daughter and friends can sit on the couches and watch movies. Can even make food and get drinks or do anything else.

I've never travelled with a toad but I can pull up camp in under 10 minutes so we'd just pull in the slides and take the MH anywhere we want to go. Most 5th wheels take hours to setup/teardown

3pedal · 04-09-2025, 09:07 AM

It's hard to beat the livability of some 5th wheel floor plans. I already had the truck, so my time with a 5th wheel made sense.

It depends on how you are going to use it. 5th wheel is easier to get into the back country off the beaten road. That was one of the other reasons I did a 5th wheel for a whiile. I am a bit more limited with the motorhome.

Class A with a leveling system, you can just pull in, put down the jacks to level, optionally deploy slides and go to sleep. If you don't need utilities, you don't even need to get out of the rig. 5th wheel is more work, though I think easier than a travel trailer. Some 5th wheels have 4 or 6 point leveling jacks, so that helps.

I went back to a motorhome for a couple reasons. One, new trucks are more expensive than some used DP motorhomes. I mostly travel solo, but still like the convenience of being in the RV while driving. They are generally more useable when the slides are in, though might have less room when the slides are out than a 5th wheel. I use my RV not only for camping, but to support activities. Being able to tow a SxS or car is great.

wildtoad · 04-09-2025, 10:41 AM

If I wanted or already had a truck to pull a fifth wheel, if I had more confidence in backing up a trailer/fiver that's the way I'd go. But since I don't want the truck, my backing is terrible, and I don't want a big truck to sight see in, I opted for a motorhome and toad.

Setup at the sight between the two seems to be easier with the mh/toad than the truck/fiver, and seems especially true in inclement weather.

harryjr · 04-09-2025, 03:44 PM

Probably a minor consideration: But when we were updating our umbrella insurance policy, the agent asked if we had a swimming pool, trampoline, jet ski, motorhome? "Uh, we have a 5th wheel." Her reply was that if it didn't have a motor or transmission, the underwriters didn't care.

YMMV

Old-Biscuit · 04-09-2025, 04:23 PM

Had trucks all my life so it was trailers or 5th wheels

When we went FT...........
New quad cab long bed truck and new 34' 5th wheel
Could park that trailer in any spot necessary
Besides I liked the tall ceiling of 5th wheel and only one engine/tranny/drive train to maintain

RVers29325 · 04-09-2025, 05:22 PM

+1 for MH but I'm a newbie. And first time towing anything.

TLDR? Skip to the big paragraph for your amusement...

Crap I learned last summer...

It's a little painful strapping it down, but I've gotten pretty quick at it. Keeping handy a BIG piece of card board and a kneeling pad makes all the difference.

AND DON'T PULL IN WHERE YOU CAN'T TURN AROUND!
It happened twice, you'll find out how fast you can get the car off the dolly when your blocking the exit to a Dollar Tree.

Check the straps EVERY stop, you can always get one more click on the ratchet straps if not more when you first pull out.

When unloading/loading always make sure both vehicles are in a straight line. If not, you will learn why.

And, put a hitch on your toad to pull the dolly. We needed it several times to pull the dolly to a separate parking area.

I'm sure there's other things, but let me leave y'all with this campfire story...

And make SURE your ball is tight on the hitch, that was almost a disaster! Had a 1/2" ball stud in a 3/4" hole hitch. It came off at 60mph! THANK GOD FOR SECURITY CHAINS! You talk about putting a suction on a driver's seat when I saw the tow dolly getting up under the MH undercarriage in the rear view camera. I slowed down slowly and pulled over and couldn't believe what I was looking at. The front bumper of the toad was inches from the MH bumper! The tongue of the dolly ALL THE WAY under the MH. After I pulled the seat cushion out of my butt, I put the towdolly on the toad and the wife drove behind me to a Home Depot (closest big parking lot) bought the right ball and found a Harbor Frieght and bought the two biggest adj wrenches I've ever used. Bought a second nut and used it to jam the first on there. It's NEVER coming off again, but will get checked EVERY stop.

I'm puckering right now thinking about that memorable moment!

Even with all that, I still prefer a MH over a pull behind for all the conveniences.

smck9800 · 04-09-2025, 06:17 PM

We debated a 4x4 Super C and flat-tow our Rubicon or Box Trailer for our Polaris RZR. The Super C was going to be much more expensive, hard to get repairs, much higher insurance and a full drive train to maintain for sole purpose use.

So we opted for a solution for everything! Truck, ATC Toy Hauler that can handle the 5K lbs of 4 door lifted Rubicon (or the Polaris) + 200gal water & 72gal fuel station. The F350 can be repaired at any ford dealer and I can use it as a Home Depot runner when needed (the Jeep is the daily driver).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HxfeGj7twFUZpZDb9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KjWMA9fXNgPSvCsu6