What could be easier?... Back up until you hear the handle snap back, and you're good to go! 

Boy, if that’s how you hook up your fifth wheel trailer, you're going to have some problems (...sooner rather than later).

First, Why 5th Wheel Trailers Are Great

Fifth wheel RVs are the best handling, most secure recreational trailers on the road.  They handle so much better than a standard travel trailer, there just is no comparison.  With a properly set up fifth wheel, you can pull a 15,000-pound trailer all day long in comfort.  You’ll rapidly get to the point where you will almost forget that your monster 3-axle, multi-slideout  luxury condo is riding along behind you.

This easy towing might give one the opportunity for complacency in getting ready to hit the road. 

But the last thing you want to see is your $75,000 trailer skittering down the highway on its own after the hitch popped open, turning it loose from your truck.  Don’t laugh, it does happen, and if it happens to you, it will be expensive!

Here are some things you need to know about mounting and hooking up a fifth wheel hitch...

You're cruising down the freeway with a mild headwind and your motorhome on cruise control 

Unfortunately, the motorhome can’t make up its mind... in top gear it’s struggling in the wind, but when it drops a gear you're screaming at high rev’s.  One thing is certain: the gas gauge is dropping like a rock as it continually hunts up and down for a manageable gear.

Have you ever noticed, semi trucks have transmissions with 10, 13, even as many as 15 different speeds?  The reason for that is to give the driver the ability to pick the gear that allows the truck to roll along within the most economical RPM range.

An engine that’s screaming along is pumping as much fuel through it as possible, while an engine that is trying to pull too much of a load in too high a gear is also washing excess gas through the engine.  Both situations will consume excessive fuel, and cause excessive wear to the engine.

Gas motorhomes generally are equipped with 4-speed automatic transmissions behind a large cubic inch engine.  The weight of the motorhome is carefully calculated by the manufacturer to give you the roomiest (and biggest) RV within the limitations of the drivetrain powering it.  To keep manufacturing costs within reason, drive trains are limited pretty much to this type of offering.  If you want more power, you’ll have to go with a diesel pusher at a considerably higher price.

So what can you do when your 38-foot Class A motorhome -- which usually gets about 10 mpg -- drops to 5-6 mpg because of hilly terrain, or high wind conditions?

If you're an RVer who happens to like camping and fishing, then few things would sound better than a weekend evening around the campfire, followed by a misty morning out on the lake to take in a little fishing. 

For those who camp in a tent, or a pickup camper, that's no problem.  The same is true if you own a motorhome...  The boat follows along behind on its trailer, and you're ready to go after that Walleye before dawn breaks on your secluded quiet little lake.  But the tent routine is something I gave up about 30 years ago, and most pickup campers are a little too confining for my style.  Suffice it to say I don't own a motorhome... yet.  So my wife and I have become accustomed to the comforts of a travel trailer.

Many states allow a boat trailer to be towed behind travel trailers and fifth wheel campers -- a two-up scenario that will accommodate some smaller boats.  You still have to be within specified total length limits and you can absolutely forget about backing up such a combination.  But for some, this is the perfect answer to the “How do I bring the boat?“ question.

However, there are still some states that restrict the "second trailer boat hauling method" to fifth wheel trailers only. And some don‘t allow it at all.  This leaves those with travel trailers out of the water in states like Minnesota, Michigan, and a few others. 

No problem, a rack on the back of your pickup truck will provide the ability to carry a car top boat.  Great, we’ve covered everything.  Now we can go fishing.

A TOAD (or dingy, in RV language) is the extra vehicle you tow behind your motorhome. It's used for sightseeing and other activities once you have parked your RV or set up camp at the campground.

There are a number of ways you can pull your auxiliary wheels behind you.  Serious thought needs to be given before you decide what type of vehicle will suit your needs best, and which is the best way to tow it.

There really is no rule on what the right RV is for fulltime living.

Deciding which RV is right for you may be easier if you think of it as buying a HOME instead of thinking of it as buying an RV. After all, if you're going to be a fulltime RVer, your RV will be a home.

Our article about towing a Jeep Wrangler behind an RV has been so popular, I figured there are lots of other questions that RV owners might have about towing, as well.

So what follows are all the best resources I could find regarding towing with a motorhome.

Ours is a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, and we're planning to tow it behind an RV someday soon.

Here's what we've learned...