Truck Requirements for Hauling a Fifth Wheel RV
Fifth wheels are spacious and comfortable recreational vehicles, and they are often the first choice of adventure-seekers looking for a luxurious and reliable rig for their vacation. However, getting the latest and the most expensive model alone won’t guarantee a stress-free camping experience. You will need to consider various other things when creating a robust towing set up for your family—one of them being your pickup truck.
Check out this guide, where we have discussed the minimum requirements you will need your truck to have for a safer hauling experience. For more information, swing by Chesapeake RV Solutions for a friendly chat with our team.
The Ideal Size
A one-ton pickup truck can safely handle a fifth wheel RV. We often recommend that our customers get this size for their camper, and if that’s not possible, they should try for at least a 3/4-ton truck. A bigger truck will provide you with a larger truck bed, which can go a long way in ensuring a safer and more convenient hauling experience.
The Perfect GVWR
The gross vehicle weight rating or GVWR is essentially the maximum operating weight of a vehicle. In your case, it will refer to your truck's operating weight determined by the manufacturer. Remember to keep this in mind when selecting a fifth wheel camper for your family.
Typically, you will want your truck’s GVWR to be 10% - 15% more than the weight of your vehicle and the trailer tongue together. This will provide stability to your towing setup and make your time on the road safer and less stressful. If you want more information on the GVWR of your pickup truck or the ideal size of the camper you should aim to get, connect with our experts at Chesapeake RV Solutions.
The Truck Bed
If you ask experienced RV owners and people who have driven fifth wheels for their opinion, the odds are that they will recommend you get an eight-foot truck bed for hauling your rig. The bigger your truck bed, the more space your trailer will have for safe maneuvering.
However, if getting a perfect size is not feasible, you can work around it and get a slider hitch instead. This will let you move the connection point for your fifth wheel and hitch to a safer and more convenient position on your truck's bed.
Gas or Diesel
Although gasoline is less expensive than diesel, you will want to get a diesel-powered towing vehicle for your fifth wheel due to the fantastic perks it brings to the table.
Firstly, diesel engines help create more torque, which will let you tow heavier cargo in your fifth wheel without affecting the performance of your towing vehicle. Secondly, diesel engines have better fuel economy, and they can easily outperform gasoline models. Thirdly, diesel-powered trucks are more durable and last longer than gas models. This means you will have to deal with fewer maintenance issues and make fewer trips to the service department.
We hope this guide helps you select the perfect towing vehicle for your camper. If you have more questions or are still in the market for a fifth wheel, visit Chesapeake RV Solutions. We have an impressive collection of fifth wheel RVs for sale, and we can help you pick a perfect model for your family. To peruse our latest inventory, visit our dealership in Chesapeake, VA. We proudly serve Virginia Beach and Suffolk, so stop by today.