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Experience with 5th wheel?

Old 07-24-2003, 08:25 PM
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Default Experience with 5th wheel?

Do you tow with a 5th wheel?

Just curious. I have never towed a 5th wheel before. If you do, what would you say the advantages are? Any picks of towing your boat with a 5th is a bonus!

Would especially like to here from someone who switched to a 5th with the same load who can really say what kind of difference it made.

Thanks
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Old 07-24-2003, 08:34 PM
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Turning in tight places is a big plus.
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Old 07-25-2003, 08:31 AM
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buddy of mine bought a conversion kit to make a regular trailer into a 5th wheel hookup......it was a very cool setup...though it was flimsy...i have towed his boat both ways...regular and 5th wheel. Pulling whise its the same.....the weight is more distributed on the truck with the 5th wheel. You get alot less bouce with the 5th wheel then you do regular or with a distibution hitch. turning on the 5th wheel is awesome! Jack-knifing is almost gone...except if u turn hard enough to dent the cab of the truck!!! makeing turns is a little bit different though on the 5th wheel...i found they are a little closer but you have to judge the turn differently cause the pivot pint on the 5th wheel is different.....you will get the swing of it in about 15min of driving though and then its second nature like before.
The kit my friend bought actually flexed taking a turn down to FL one time and it tweaked itself crooked! He couldnt get it straight anymore so he ditched the setup on the side of the road and went on his way towing it the regular way. He said his next trailer will be a 5th wheel setup and will be made that way from the start!
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Old 07-25-2003, 08:57 AM
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5th wheel is the way to go. Just two problems.

1. You loose space in the bed and can't have a full cap on the pickup.

2. If you drop the boat off for service, you may need to leave the truck too so the shop can move it around.
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Old 07-25-2003, 11:07 AM
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There are 2 different ones people get confused with .

A 5th wheel is like a tractor trailer has . Big U shaped hitch taking up the bed space . I have seen them come unhooked and go through the tail gate . I am not a big fan of them ...

Then there is a "goose neck" hitch. You just have a ball in the bed and that can fold down out of the way . IT is a lot safer way to tow . No chance of it coming off . The goose neck is the way to go if you want a good, stable ride . Contrary (sp) to popular beleif, A tag along or bump hitch is easier to get around with . The 5th wheel or goose neck is not . With these witches your turning point is in front of the rear axle . With a bumper hitch is is way behind it which pushes the trailer out away from the object you are trying to get around . There is a big difference .

If you want a great ride with a big load , use a 5th wheel or goose neck . If you have to get in real tight places I would stick with the bumper hitch and a vehicle that can handle it safely ! JOE
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Old 07-25-2003, 11:10 AM
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backing up with a 5th wheel takes a little getting used to. Your steering adjustments take a long time to make it to the trailer (the front of the trailer wont move left or right untill the truck's rear tires do)

also, with a 5thwheel, tongue weight is not as important so boat positioning is not too critical. For the most part, a boat's position is fixed once the trailer is set up. My dad has a stock trailer and has much less control over his ability to keep a 1500 lb cow in her designated place in the trailer.

Last edited by WRedmann; 07-25-2003 at 11:14 AM.
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Old 07-25-2003, 12:35 PM
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not much expereince towing it myself, but here's a pic of my trailer on Falcon's rig...

It's a Myco built as a gooseneck, not altered. She's all steel and pretty rigid...nonoe of the flexing noted above.
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