Trailer vs. Fifth wheel

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Scuba55

If you have the goose neck built into the bed of the truck (excludes the need for bed rails and leaves the bed flat when not in use) you can use a Andersen aluminum goose neck 5th wheel hitch that only weighs 30 lbs, but expensive, $600.00 on Amazon...

True, but since the original post was asking about ease of use for someone with back issues, I'll note that for people in most places switching to the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel Connection means having to deal with safety chains (not required for a normal fifth-wheel hitch), which can be hard to reach in the truck bed.

The Andersen alternative for fifth-wheels has been discussed quite a bit in other threads in EscapeForum, if anyone is interested.

[Scuba55]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

True, but since the original post was asking about ease of use for someone with back issues, I'll note that for people in most places switching to the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel Connection means having to deal with safety chains (not required for a normal fifth-wheel hitch), which can be hard to reach in the truck bed.

The Andersen alternative for fifth-wheels has been discussed quite a bit in other threads in EscapeForum, if anyone is interested.

Not if you have a little fold up step that I use, its very easy. The main reason for me commenting about the hitch was the ease of removing and installing, no other reason.

[DickanOllie]

And then of course there is the classic 5.0 with only one axle a foot shorter and 9 inches lower than the 5.0TA . My wife and I find it comfortably roomy for two 80 year old's. We still get in and out of bed without difficulty. Use much less gas and hardly realize we are pulling a trailer with our 2012 Nissan 6cylinder Frontier. Plus the resale value has been good to excellent with it fetching $29,500 US: at least in Texas.
Mine is for sale for 19,000 US$ 25K Cdn$ and is in excellent shape. We are in Ontario close to the border and the price is negotiable within limits. Take a look at my posting with pics in this forum under Escapes for sale .
Dick an Ollie Kirkley or LRNAV

[emers382]

Originally Posted by DickanOllie

And then of course there is the classic 5.0 with only one axle a foot shorter and 9 inches lower than the 5.0TA . My wife and I find it comfortably roomy for two 80 year old's. We still get in and out of bed without difficulty. Use much less gas and hardly realize we are pulling a trailer with our 2012 Nissan 6cylinder Frontier. Plus the resale value has been good to excellent with it fetching $29,500 US: at least in Texas.
Mine is for sale for 19,000 US$ 25K Cdn$ and is in excellent shape. We are in Ontario close to the border and the price is negotiable within limits. Take a look at my posting with pics in this forum under Escapes for sale .
Dick an Ollie Kirkley or LRNAV

I second what Dick/Ollie says in regards to the older single axle 5.0. We have a 2007, have had it for two years, really like having the north-south full queen bed, we are mid sixties, my wife had a bad knee, then new knee and before and after had no problem with steps climbing in and out of bed, and as others have said, close to the bathroom for those middle of the night trips

Dick/Ollie didn't mention the classic 5.0 is also narrower, which is an advantage in not needing tow mirrors, but does make things tight inside, but we have found unique solutions such as sitting to watch TV from the dinette, one sits on the bench and the other beside the counter in a lawn chair.

As far as towing, I only previously had a small 13 ft. sticky many years ago so cannot compare to towing a 19 or 21 for example, but do find the towing easy, we have traveled to TX, NM, AZ last two winters. We have the B&W Patriot hitch, easy to hook up with long handle to drop the pin to ensure jaws stay locked, again no worry about safety chains, overall much easier than hooking up especially with a weight distributing hitch. I do carry a small aluminum ladder.

One disadvantage of fifth wheel though is always carrying around the weight of an additional hitch (unless you remove it between trips but that's not a good idea with bad back) since most pickups come with a standard hitch already. We decided to buy a new truck this year and now spending lots to get it ready to tow, today just had new universal rails installed for the hitch.

Adrian

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Scuba55

The main reason for me commenting about the hitch was the ease of removing and installing, no other reason.

I agree - that's a big reason to consider the Andersen Ultimate.

Originally Posted by emers382

One disadvantage of fifth wheel though is always carrying around the weight of an additional hitch (unless you remove it between trips but that's not a good idea with bad back)...

There are ways to handle hefty fifth-wheel hitch components without lifting them...
I haven't tried this myself, but (if you have the space to store it) a wheeled engine crane could easily lift the hitch parts out of the truck bed, although of course you still need to get into the truck box to pull pins. Another alternative: I have a place to hang a chain hoist from the ceiling of my garage which I have used to pull engines; if I had a pickup that could go in the garage (some are too tall), I would use it to lift the hitch, then drive the truck out from under it. Installation is the reverse of removal, as the old automotive repair manuals used to say.