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sgtjoe

Motorhome, Pull Trailer or 5th Wheel

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Which RV handles best in windy weather and 18 wheelers passing you and then pulling over in front of you Motorhome, Pull Trailer or 5th Wheel???
 

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I have experienced this situation with all three RV types. It's my considered opinion a well-matched 5th wheel trailer and 1T dually truck handles best in the situations you describe. One type MH not addressed is one with a tag-axle, I have not driven one yet, so that is unknown to me.

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10 hours ago, sgtjoe said:

Which RV handles best in windy weather and 18 wheelers passing you and then pulling over in front of you Motorhome, Pull Trailer or 5th Wheel???
 

Too many variables!

Type B, C, A, A-DP, Tag no tag, chassis manufacture is HUGE, probably the largest variable! Tow behinds; Truck manufacture pulling trailer is also HUGE, tire inflation. 

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11 hours ago, sgtjoe said:

Which RV handles best in windy weather and 18 wheelers passing you and then pulling over in front of you Motorhome, Pull Trailer or 5th Wheel???
 

One category is missing from the list of choices...Class A motorhomes built on a bus chassis (like Prevost conversions, etc.)

Granted, many of the newer high-end class A RVs have greatly improved their on-road behavior, but to me the difference is in what the primary end-goal was in the design phase. A bus chassis' primary design feature is to be on the road all day, every day, and to do so safely so its passengers arrive safely. A motorhome's primary design features generally revolve around comfort and convenience when parked in a campground, often with road behavior taking second seat.

I've driven our bus conversion in windy conditions and near high-speed semis with no problem, but have read about many in traditional RVs having to pull off the road in similar situations. I drive on the slower end of the speed spectrum, so I'm being passed by trucks all the time. Rarely do I feel anything as they zoom by, and no corrective action is necessary to remain in control.

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Takes a lot of wind/vacuum to move my coach around.  However I will agree with both Joe L. & Richard.  My biggest concern  in high wind is blowing dust & sand, I like my paint job & Windows, don't want or need to replace anything...we just get off the Interstate!   

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13 hours ago, sgtjoe said:

Which RV handles best in windy weather and 18 wheelers passing you and then pulling over in front of you Motorhome, Pull Trailer or 5th Wheel???
 

What do you have experience with? There are to many variables to make a direct comparison. Each setup has different characteristics. Most will talk about what they are driving now. In that vein My diesel pusher is fairly resistant to wind and passing trucks. I have had trucks pass and didn't know they were there till they came into view beside me. There was no movement in the coach or steering. 

Now some people think their Rv should drive like their car, well they don't it is a different set of parameters and you must adjust to them. Lots of things you can do to improve some setups but it will never drive like your favorite sports car.

Bill

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I can only compare my travel trailer and motorhome experiences.   My 37 - 40 foot long, single rear axle diesel pusher motorhomes towing a Jeep have been much more stable in strong wind / large trucks passing that when I pulled a 30 foot, ultra-light weight travel trailer with a Chevy Silverado crew-cab truck (even with anti-sway bars attached).     My Ventana LE with it's Comfort Drive system very rarely wanders from a straight ling in any weather condition.

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20 hours ago, sgtjoe said:

Which RV handles best in windy weather and 18 wheelers passing you and then pulling over in front of you Motorhome, Pull Trailer or 5th Wheel???
 

I've driven all three, as well as a Class C MH and a pick up with a 9 1/2' slide in camper.  MH with a tag axle gets my vote as most stable...it's the heaviest with the most wheels on the ground.

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14 hours ago, richard5933 said:
On ‎12‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 7:33 PM, sgtjoe said:

 

One category is missing from the list of choices...Class A motorhomes built on a bus chassis (like Prevost conversions, etc.)

I'm with Richard on this topic, I have driven over many years all the different types mentioned, and have been pleased with several types mentioned, including pull behinds, an Air Stream pulled well and surprisingly not a lot of sway when set up correctly. A fifth wheel behind an appropriately sized dually truck worked well, my last MH was a 35 foot diesel pusher single rear axel was very stable. BUT my MCI 40 foot bus conversion with a single trail axel behind the dual is by far more pleasant to drive than any other that I have driven. So as stated by others there is no way anyone on the forum that can give you a perfect answer, best to test drive any prospects that you may have to get a good feel for you will want to live with. Happy hunting for the perfect rig for you.

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