The History of 5th Wheel Campers
There are two main kinds of campers and recreational vehicles: towable and motorized. A 5th wheel camper is one of the most popular towable campers. The distinguishing feature of 5th wheel campers is the hitch that connects them to their towing vehicles. The hitch on a 5th wheel camper is similar to the type of hitches used on tractor trailers, and is known as a gooseneck hitch.
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How A 5th Wheel Camper Hitch Works
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The hitch on a 5th wheel camper is made up of two flat horizontal metal plates. The lower half is mounted to the bed of a pickup truck. The lower part of the hitch is attached to the pickup truck over the rear axle. The upper half of the hitch is attached to the camper. A kingpin on the upper half of the hitch slides into a slot on the lower half of the hitch and is locked into place by the hitch jaws. This coupling allows vertical and rotational movement, much like a turntable. The circular shape of the hitch plates, and the use of the axle-like kingpin led to the use of the term "fifth wheel" to describe the mechanism.
Origins Of The 5th Wheel Hitch
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The concept behind the 5th wheel can be traced to the Celts as far back as 1000 B.C., when they used a kingpin and turntable steering mechanism in horse-drawn carts. The concept was modified through the centuries for use on motorized tractors, and patented in 1919 as its use expanded to tractor trailers. The 5th wheel hitch was first used on campers in the 1960s.
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Advantages Of 5th Wheel Campers
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The biggest advantage of a 5th wheel camper over other towable campers is stability, since the rear axle of the towing vehicle supports up to 20 percent of the weight of the camper. This makes a fifth wheel camper easier to control during towing, providing improved traction and preventing weight from coming off the front axle of the tow vehicle. Bumper-hitch campers are normally subject to pitching and swaying, but this effect is eliminated with 5th wheel campers.
Because a portion of the 5th wheel camper is directly over the bed of the tow vehicle, the combined length of the camper and towing vehicle is reduced without sacrificing space inside the camper. This allows 5th wheel campers to be larger and heavier than is possible with a bumper hitch.
The 5th wheel hitch is simpler to disconnect than the ball-and-socket bumper hitch used for tow-behind campers.
A 5th wheel camper can be easily unhitched from the towing vehicle at a campsite, freeing up the tow vehicle and eliminating the need to tow a second vehicle behind a motorized camper or RV. The cost of a 5th wheel camper is usually much less than a motorized RV.
Disadvantages Of 5th Wheel Campers
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Compared to other towable campers, 5th wheel campers are generally more expensive. They also usually require a heavier duty towing vehicle, because so much of the weight of the camper must be supported by the rear axle of the towing vehicle. Since the hitch is mounted in the bed of the pickup truck, that space cannot be used for cargo.
Most 5th wheel campers have a bi-level design that includes interior steps to reach the area that rides over the bed of the towing vehicle. Some people dislike this feature of 5th wheel campers.
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