why???

[reeser]

i see it all the time and i can't figure it out. why do people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for a big diesel pusher style rv and then hook up their car w/ a tow bar. the added 2k for a car trailer seems like a no brainer to me... no added miles on the vehicle, easier to manuever, better manners towing, less wear and tear, safer. i can't figure it out. i see it all the time. it is black and white to me to put the towed vehicle on a trailer not a tow bar. :shaking: :shaking: :shaking:

[Kennedy]

Some of the bigger RV parks don't allow trailers. Or there just isn't any room on or at the campsite for another 20' of trailer. Thats the only logic I can come up with.

[Difficult Trail]

Most people can't back up a trailer, easy to just drop the tow-bar.
See this a few times where they had to backup. Unplug and filp up the towbar, woman moves car, man backs up the rv, pulls forward and hooks up and they are on their way.
Hard to see a 16' - 18' trailer behind a large pusher.
I seen it all when people have no idea how to drive a rv much less a rv with a trailer.

M

[Dusty]

Its easier for an old dude to hook up a tow bar than hitch up a trailer, load the car and chain it down. Same reason RV's are the only type of trailer that fifth wheels are more popular than goosenecks--they're easier for old folks to hook up despite being inferior in most other aspects.

[Jeffh555]

also by flat towing you dont have to deal with storing a trailer

[RustoleumWhite]

also by flat towing you dont have to deal with storing a trailer
I agree to this.


Plus, behind a 20,000+ lbs pusher, 3000-4000 lbs of towed Saturn or Ford Ranger is NOTHING. I suspect most of them don't even know the car's there.



Plus as was mentioned before, with some of the modern tow-bar setups is WAY simple and no-brainer to hook up the car, use whatever driveling disconnect and get on the way than to mess with a trailer and strapping the car down and backing up and.....

[XJJack]

Its easier for an old dude to hook up a tow bar than hitch up a trailer, load the car and chain it down. Same reason RV's are the only type of trailer that fifth wheels are more popular than goosenecks--they're easier for old folks to hook up despite being inferior in most other aspects.


I must be stupid, What is the difference between a gooseneck and a fifth wheel. Don't they both mount (roughly) over the axle of the tow rig, just one is a ball and one is a plate, or is there somthing else.

[RajinCajunBronco]

They don't know a vehicle is back there. I saw pictures of a new Ford Sport Track with the rear wheel worn down to the hub..it actually caught fire and burnt the paint pretty bad on the back. They forgot to take the tranny out of gear...

[ChiXJeff]

I must be stupid, What is the difference between a gooseneck and a fifth wheel. Don't they both mount (roughly) over the axle of the tow rig, just one is a ball and one is a plate, or is there somthing else.

You're about 90% of the way there. Both of them mount over the rear axle.

A gooseneck uses a ball.

A fifth wheel is a small version of a semi-trailer hitch.

The BIG difference is that articulation is limited on the fifth wheel hitch to one plane of motion. A gooseneck can move in any direction. A gooseneck is better on rough terrain, while a fifth wheel is much more stable on the highway. One other point is that pulling doubles is apparently not legal with a gooseneck, but is in some states with a fifth wheel hitch on the leading trailer.

[reeser]

another good point has been brought up... most of those old farts shouldn't be allowed to drive 80,000+ gvw w/o passing tests. its bs i think. i have to have a cdl to drive my dump truck that is 32,000, why don't they? they're way more hazardous imho.

i still think that you only have to hook up a trailer 1 time on your trip and leave it hooked up if you got the skills then drive on and drive off when need be.

[mondtster]

The BIG difference is that articulation is limited on the fifth wheel hitch to one plane of motion. A gooseneck can move in any direction. A gooseneck is better on rough terrain, while a fifth wheel is much more stable on the highway. One other point is that pulling doubles is apparently not legal with a gooseneck, but is in some states with a fifth wheel hitch on the leading trailer.

Some 5th wheel hitches have more movement than just one plane of motion similar to what you would find with a gooseneck hitch. I still would rather have a gooseneck hitch, but thought I would point this fact out.

As far as the tow bar question goes, have you ever been to an RV campground? Many times there is hardly enough room to park a car (in addition to the RV) much less park a car and a trailer. The campground owners love to charge people a crazy amount of money to park a camper for a night and they pack as many people in as possible.