A small fifth wheeler built in Australia by Venture fifth wheelers is suitable for towing by standard Australian utes. Venture fifth wheelers have huge benefits over both motorhomes and caravans for traveling Australia
- A small fifth wheeler is more stable to tow than a caravan, due to the hitching position being over the rear axle.
- A small fifth wheeler and ute combination is up to 3 metres shorter than the equivalent caravan and vehicle combination, due to the bedroom area being located over the tray of the ute.
- A small fifth wheeler is more manoeuvrable than a caravan, as the ute can turn at up to 90 degrees to the fifth wheeler.
- A small fifth wheeler gives you more freedom than a motorhome as you have a separate vehicle once set up at camp.
- A small fifth wheeler is simple to hitch and unhitch. A one-person job with no heavy weights involved.
- A small fifth wheeler can be towed by a standard utes, light truck, extra cab or even a dual cab - allowing up to 5 people to travel together.
More advantages of a small Venture Fifth Wheeler
Many fifth wheelers available are very large - over 30'. These are mostly American or Canadian imports and, not only require many modifications to be fully legal in Australia, but need a small truck to tow them. A smaller fifth wheeler however, made by Venture, are specifically designed for Australian utes (like the Falcon, Holden, Navara, Hilux, LandCruiser, Patrol, Triton etc) and are designed for Australian conditions. Our smaller fifth wheelers give better fuel economy than a caravan because there is no large gap between the tow vehicle and the van.
Fifth Wheeler towing vehicle specifications for Falcon, Holden, Navara, Hilux and more
Towing Weights for a Fifth Wheeler
There are a couple of criteria that you should evaluate when establishing whether a vehicle is suitable for towing a fifth wheeler in Australia.
- The overall weight of the fifth wheeler and the towing vehicle is limited to the GCM (gross combined mass) of the tow vehicle. If the GCM is 4.5 tonnes and the tow vehicle weights 2.0 tonnes, then the maximum weight of the fully laden fifth wheeler must not exceed 2.5 tonnes. From experience a Venture Fifth Wheeler weights around 2.2 tonnes on the road.
- Towing capacity
- The weight of the fully laden fifth wheeler should not exceed the towing capacity of the vehicle
OR
- The weight of the fully laden fifth wheeler, MINUS the hitch weight (weight resting on the vehicle), should not exceed the towing capacity of the vehicle
More details on towing a fifth wheeler and an example
Specifications for a Venture Small Fifth Wheeler
Venture make a fifth wheeler to suit you! Built here in Australia we make a small fifth wheeler at 19' 8" (6.0 metres) long, and a larger fifth wheeler at 22' 7" (6.9 metres) long. Each Venture fifth wheeler is luxuriously fitted out with a queen size bed, large bathroom, spacious living area, and heaps of kitchen bench space.
View floorplans and specifications of a fifth wheeler
Accessories and Options for a Venture Fifth Wheeler
We offer a range of options and accessories for your fifth wheeler.
- Air Conditioning
- TV Antenna - Winegard, Satellite, Omni-directional
- Security door
- Single beds
- TV and DVD players
- External mini awnings over bedroom windows
- fifth wheeler king pin lock
- Portable boats and boat accessories e.g. Porta-Bote
Photos and details of fifth wheeler accessories
Fifth Wheeler Hitches, Goosenecks, King Pins and Turntables - ADR 62/01
Every Venture Fifth Wheeler is supplied with a fully compliant Hijacker turntable style hitch. Our fifth wheeler hitches comply with ADR 62/01 (Australian Design Rules - Mechanical Connections between Vehicles). We even organise the fitment of the hitch and electric brakes to your tow vehicle. The king pin of the fifth wheeler is a standard 2 inch king pin, the same that is used for Australian semi-trailers.
More details of fifth wheeler hitches and couplings