Researching 5th wheelers

rickkry · Member

Researching 5th wheelers

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I rickkry, not sure if I have seen you here before? So if I havn't welcomed you yet, WELCOME, enjoy here and out there.

I had a look at the "Travelhome" when in Echuca mid last year, they are made in Sydney and you can arrange a visit to the factory. I was very impressed but decided that a 5th wheeler was just too big for one person to handle on their own. My late wife and I were starting to look around when I lost her to cancer.

I ended up getting my Avan Camper instead. There is only about 3 mts in difference biggrin but I am happy with it. Being solo now it's all I need.

Boroma577 · Guru

We have a 20ft caravan and find it quite comfortable. If we are staying in any one place for any length of time we put up the annex as well which gives up additional space.

We like to free/bush camp a lot and get off the beaten track a bit and the bigger the rig the more restricted you are in where you go.

Turning circle and clearance are two very important factors as is height of the rig....surprising the number of low branches and fixed awnings you encounter in your travels.....not to mention bridges.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

My brother had an American-made 5th wheeler and had a lot of problems with it. They had planned to live in it for at least 2 years but didnt even last 1 year before they lost confidence in it and bought a house. Then when selling the 5th wheeler they had to accept a large financial loss. It was very nice and comfortable, and towing wasnt a problem for an ex-truckie, their problems were all with the quality of the 5th wheeler itself.
Have a look at Australian-made ones, Rickkry, and happy travels.

Yuglamron · Guru

Hi Rick,

I drive an 'A' Class RV myself but my mate drives one of the Gympie Cruisers.The version with two slide outs. 30 something feet long.

Big and plenty of room and he tows with an F350 Dual cab 7.3 litre diesel 4x4.

He converted the rear of the F350 to airbag suspension and the fifth wheel coupling to an airbag version too.

Both changed after towing from Qld to WA and back to Goolgowi in NSW.

He says it was the best option and has made a big difference in the handling of the rig.

He has had no problems in five years with the 5th wheeler except when he has tried to convert the lights to LED.

He went the cheap option and tried the stick on LED's instead of changing the fittings too. Now he has changed the fittings to full LED's he has no problems.Not sure if the new version is already LED fitted.

The electrics were something he was worried about when he bought the rig being an import but he has had no problems at all.

He has just had to replace a house battery and that's after five years so no big deal.

His rig works well and is set up so all he does is release a few catches(Travelling mode) and press a button and it self levels and all done in under five mins.Plug into the mains and presto all set up.

He swears by it and is about to move to Emerald to work for a while living fulltime in it.

I am sure there will be those who like them and those who don't but my mate is very happy with his 'Cruiser' from Gympie.

PS.

He also reckons because his Tug has so much torque low down his fuel consumtion is very good as it's not working hard all the time.

robkim · Veteran Member

If we had the money we would have a 5th w but not from gympie

Yuglamron · Guru

Why not from Gympie:------ Bad reports?

glorgeo · Member

We have an 8mt[ made in Toowoomba QLD fifth wheeler] attached to a landcruiser ute. This unit is under 3met high including air conditioner. This unit has walk around bed with heaps of storage in nose cone. With toilet,shower & vanity unit it has ample room for the two of us. This unit is only 2120kg dry weight and puts 400kg on back of ute. We just spent six weeks travelling south thru Tasmania and return and did not have any trouble at all.

robkim · Veteran Member

I just think you can do beter

Edco · Veteran Member

Hi Rickkry,

We have been looking at 5th wheelers for over 5 years. Finally settled on Australian made and are
at the moment getting one made by Southern Cross Caravans at Meadowbrook in Logan Brisbane.

Ours is 7725cm long (25ft 4in), used one of their basic floor plans and changed and added a few things.
We have a Isuzu D-max twin cab auto to tow with. Design is a bit different to other 5th wheelers as
lounge is over hitch instead of bed.

These are made from ground up, have airbag suspension, and are a bit higher, made for Aussie conditions. Definately worth a look.

We get ours middle of July and are then heading north for rest of winter.

Have a look at them here..... www.southerncrosscaravans.com.au

Boroma577 · Guru

rickkry wrote:
Hi, I am wondering if anyone has experience with large 5th wheelers. Since being to the Brisbane show I find that my wife and I are talking a lot about this option.
Rick

Rick, a friend of mine is selling his due to ill health.....have a look here. http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/eagleby/caravan-campervan/2008-trailblazer-240sle-5th-wheeler-2007-nissan-navara-stx-d40/1000383655

Patto44 · Senior Member

We have a Cruiser which we purchased second hand. It originally came from Gympie where I first looked at them.

Most of my research was done at www.rvpoint.com.au and we looked at a lot before actually purchasing.

The Cruiser has proved to be worth every dollar as it is very spacious (3 slides) and tows like a dream.

You do have to be aware of the height in parks and look for low tree braches. Has not caused a problem, nor has the length. Some park sites are a bit of a squeeze to get into but they are easy to reverse so once again, no problems.

They tow a lot better than a van as they are very stable.

If you want more info or phone no. check my profile and email me.

Cheers,

Patto

Pet-els · Veteran Member

Hi Rick,
I am currently have a "Travelhome" 5er built at Boolaroo [Newcastle], They were at the Brisbane Show and will be at the Coffs show on the 16/17 June. I opted for a 29' [8m], I lost my wife earlier this year after nursing her with Alziemers.
I am selling the house and going full time on the road. After much research I picked the Travelhome, because it can be towed with a ordinary ute [Ford Ranger for me] has NO slide outs has single beds, a desk, annex, 800w solar power, 4x 6v AGM batteries, washing machine and shower/toilet etc.

PeterH

rickkry · Member

Dougwe wrote:
I rickkry, not sure if I have seen you here before? So if I havn't welcomed you yet, WELCOME, enjoy here and out there.

I had a look at the "Travelhome" when in Echuca mid last year, they are made in Sydney and you can arrange a visit to the factory. I was very impressed but decided that a 5th wheeler was just too big for one person to handle on their own. My late wife and I were starting to look around when I lost her to cancer.

I ended up getting my Avan Camper instead. There is only about 3 mts in difference but I am happy with it. Being solo now it's all I need.

Hi Doug,

Thank you for the welcome, yes you have welcomed me before and now I feel special, LOL.

I am sorry for your loss, this cancer thing has a lot to answer for.

I have just looked at the Travelhome and yes they do look good, I will do my research on them as well. thank you for your input.

Rick

rickkry · Member

Boroma577 wrote:
We have a 20ft caravan and find it quite comfortable. If we are staying in any one place for any length of time we put up the annex as well which gives up additional space.
We like to free/bush camp a lot and get off the beaten track a bit and the bigger the rig the more restricted you are in where you go.
Turning circle and clearance are two very important factors as is height of the rig....surprising the number of low branches and fixed awnings you encounter in your travels.....not to mention bridges.

HI Boroma577,

Thank you for the advice and I have taken it on board, and thank you for the link to your friends 5th wheeler.

Rick

rickkry · Member

Gerty Dancer wrote:
My brother had an American-made 5th wheeler and had a lot of problems with it. They had planned to live in it for at least 2 years but didnt even last 1 year before they lost confidence in it and bought a house. Then when selling the 5th wheeler they had to accept a large financial loss. It was very nice and comfortable, and towing wasnt a problem for an ex-truckie, their problems were all with the quality of the 5th wheeler itself.
Have a look at Australian-made ones, Rickkry, and happy travels.

Hi Gerty, thank you for your advise and will look into the aussie made vans as well.

Rick

rickkry · Member

Yuglamron wrote:
Hi Rick,
I drive an 'A' Class RV myself but my mate drives one of the Gympie Cruisers.The version with two slide outs. 30 something feet long.
Big and plenty of room and he tows with an F350 Dual cab 7.3 litre diesel 4x4.
He converted the rear of the F350 to airbag suspension and the fifth wheel coupling to an airbag version too.
Both changed after towing from Qld to WA and back to Goolgowi in NSW.
He says it was the best option and has made a big difference in the handling of the rig.
He has had no problems in five years with the 5th wheeler except when he has tried to convert the lights to LED.
He went the cheap option and tried the stick on LED's instead of changing the fittings too. Now he has changed the fittings to full LED's he has no problems.Not sure if the new version is already LED fitted.
The electrics were something he was worried about when he bought the rig being an import but he has had no problems at all.
He has just had to replace a house battery and that's after five years so no big deal.
His rig works well and is set up so all he does is release a few catches(Travelling mode) and press a button and it self levels and all done in under five mins.Plug into the mains and presto all set up.
He swears by it and is about to move to Emerald to work for a while living fulltime in it.
I am sure there will be those who like them and those who don't but my mate is very happy with his 'Cruiser' from Gympie.
PS.
He also reckons because his Tug has so much torque low down his fuel consumtion is very good as it's not working hard all the time.

Hi Trevor, Thank you for the detailed reply, I did ask at the show about the electrics and the cruiser is made to aussie specs, not converted. the new cruiser is alsofitted with LED

The air bag suspension is something I never thought about and will keeps this in mind too.

Thanks again

Rick

rickkry · Member

glorgeo wrote:
We have an 8mt[ made in Toowoomba QLD fifth wheeler] attached to a landcruiser ute. This unit is under 3met high including air conditioner. This unit has walk around bed with heaps of storage in nose cone. With toilet,shower & vanity unit it has ample room for the two of us. This unit is only 2120kg dry weight and puts 400kg on back of ute. We just spent six weeks travelling south thru Tasmania and return and did not have any trouble at all.

Hi George, I will check them out, Nice, 6 weeks through Tassie, I hear it is worth the trip. thank you for your reply.

Rick

rickkry · Member

Edco wrote:
Hi Rickkry,

We have been looking at 5th wheelers for over 5 years. Finally settled on Australian made and are
at the moment getting one made by Southern Cross Caravans at Meadowbrook in Logan Brisbane.

Ours is 7725cm long (25ft 4in), used one of their basic floor plans and changed and added a few things.
We have a Isuzu D-max twin cab auto to tow with. Design is a bit different to other 5th wheelers as
lounge is over hitch instead of bed.

These are made from ground up, have airbag suspension, and are a bit higher, made for Aussie conditions. Definately worth a look.

We get ours middle of July and are then heading north for rest of winter.

Have a look at them here..... www.southerncrosscaravans.com.au

Hi Eddie, Meadowbrook is just down the road from me, i will check them out. Good luck with the van and enjoy out on the road.

Thank you for the tip

Rick

rickkry · Member

Patto44 wrote:
We have a Cruiser which we purchased second hand. It originally came from Gympie where I first looked at them.
Most of my research was done at www.rvpoint.com.au and we looked at a lot before actually purchasing.
The Cruiser has proved to be worth every dollar as it is very spacious (3 slides) and tows like a dream.
You do have to be aware of the height in parks and look for low tree braches. Has not caused a problem, nor has the length. Some park sites are a bit of a squeeze to get into but they are easy to reverse so once again, no problems.
They tow a lot better than a van as they are very stable.
If you want more info or phone no. check my profile and email me.
Cheers,
Patto

Thank you Patto, I am glad you are happy with the cruiser and I will be intouch. Thank you for the link and I am going through that site today

Cheers

Rick

Andrea · Senior Member

Hi Rick - and welcome!

Like Edco, we did a lot of research and chose a Southern Cross 7700 m 5th wheeler; it's our home and we've been on the road full time since December 2008 - would not swap it for anything else. It's roomy, largely because of the design, and we need no slide-outs (extra weight, something else to go wrong, but they suit some people). The suspension is their own design (they've been making trailers and horse floats for many years under the name JR-EasyTraveller Trailers) - 4-wheel independent suspension on rolling-sleeve airbags.

Souther Cross is a family company, and their support has been fantastic; we can't recommend them highly enough. (No, we've no financial interest!)

Best of luck in making your choice, Rick - and I'm sure you'll be as happy with yours as we are with ours, Edco!

Andrea

-- Edited by Andrea on Monday 11th of June 2012 05:44:58 PM

Keith19837 · Senior Member

I don't know if you've heard of him, but Collyn RIVERS (the engineer turned author), has written an article of fifth wheelers that is very interesting. He just gives some general advice about them and of particular interest (I thought so anyway), was about the hitches that are available. He makes an interesting point about how hitches in America (sold here) are designed for the American roads that don't generally have our camber (for drainage etc) and that these hitches can be a problem for our conditions. You can read him on Google etc under Collyn RIVERS articles. He also writes on heaps of other 'technical' odds and sods and is quite informative. For what it's worth.

Cruising Granny · Guru

Firstly, welcome to all the newbies who have popped up here today. Glad you could join us. I hope you enjoy your stay.
I've heard good reports about the manageability of the 5th wheelers. I've not heard such good reports about wind-outs. Most of them leak, and some have had roll-out awnings fitted to keep water and leaf litter off the wind-out.
I wish you all the best with your search, research and decisions. It's an exciting yet stressful time.

Andrea · Senior Member

Keith19837 wrote:
I don't know if you've heard of him, but Collyn RIVERS (the engineer turned author), has written an article of fifth wheelers that is very interesting. He just gives some general advice about them and of particular interest (I thought so anyway), was about the hitches that are available. He makes an interesting point about how hitches in America (sold here) are designed for the American roads that don't generally have our camber (for drainage etc) and that these hitches can be a problem for our conditions. You can read him on Google etc under Collyn RIVERS articles. He also writes on heaps of other 'technical' odds and sods and is quite informative. For what it's worth.

Yes, Rick; we discovered Collyn Rivers early in our research. He knows just about anything possible about solar setups, too.

I think the American hitches may have been modified somewhat (to allow for sideways movement), and their suspensions may now be built 'for Australian conditions', but I'd be much more confident about a van built here. And, as CG said above, there've been many anecdotes about the problems with slide-outs.

Good luck!

Andrea

rickkry · Member

Thank you Keith and Andrea, I have just purchased his book, thanks for the tip.

Rick

rickkry · Member

Cruising Granny wrote:
Firstly, welcome to all the newbies who have popped up here today. Glad you could join us. I hope you enjoy your stay.
I've heard good reports about the manageability of the 5th wheelers. I've not heard such good reports about wind-outs. Most of them leak, and some have had roll-out awnings fitted to keep water and leaf litter off the wind-out.
I wish you all the best with your search, research and decisions. It's an exciting yet stressful time.

Thank you Cruising Granny for the welcome and the advise, I too have heard of some problems with the slide outs, will do a lot of research on this.

Cheers

Rick

glassies · Guru

Welcome to a great site rickkry ,

Enjoy your reading wonderful people lots of input and so helpful too

Safe travels hubby and i are sitting in the wings waiting for our home
And business to sell so we can take off ive bern on a long journey of
Secondary melanoma so its time for us to pack up and enjy life see you out
There one day

rickkry · Member

glassies wrote:
Welcome to a great site rickkry ,

Enjoy your reading wonderful people lots of input and so helpful too

Safe travels hubby and i are sitting in the wings waiting for our home
And business to sell so we can take off ive bern on a long journey of
Secondary melanoma so its time for us to pack up and enjy life see you out
There one day

Hello Glassies, thank you for the welcome, Yes the people on this site are so helpful and friendly.

I wish you all the best with your battle and good luck with selling the business and house.

Sandra and I are too looking forward to getting on the road

Rick