TRAVELHOME  FIFTH  WHEELERS

Please note that the information referred to below is as accurate as possible at the time of publication. 

The Dealer does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of this information and it should be treated as a guide only.

What are the Advantages of a Travelhome ?

When compared with towing a conventional caravan, the main benefits of a Travelhome are:

• Easier to hitch and unhitch. 

The owner only has to raise the Travelhome to the correct height, by electric switch contollers and then reverse the tow vehicle under the nose of the Travelhome.

• Safer to tow than conventional caravans. 

Having the location of the hitch positioned above the rear axle results in the load being shared correctly between the front and rear axles of the towing vehicle.

• Easier to tow.

 The location of the hitch also allows for sharper turns of up to 90 degrees.  This

 means easier reversing and manoeuvring, particularly in space restricted areas such

 as caravan parks.  And because the nose of the Travelhome is over the tray of the

 towing vehicle, the combination length of both vehicles is shorter than an equivalent

 caravan hitched to its tow vehicle.

When compared to a motor home the main benefits are:

• You have a separate drive vehicle. 

Having arrived at a holiday destination you can quickly unhitch your Travelhome and

utilise the towing vehicle as a means of every day transport for those short trips into

town or long trips away from the camp site.  Furthermore, your Travelhome tow

vehicle can also act as the every day drive vehicle back at home when not away on

holidays.

• All Travelhomes will only require the owner to hold a standard car drivers licence. 

Provided the towing vehicle has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of less than 4500kg and

the trailer (or Travelhome in this case) has a gross trailer mass (GTM) of less than

9000kg, it is legal to tow this way anywhere in Australia holding a standard car drivers

licence (provided an approved hitch is used and ofcourse the towing capacity,

payload and GCM of the towing vehicle is not exceeded).  These licence regulations

are unified so they do apply in all states of Australia.  Many motor homes on the other

hand require heavier licences.

• Less Expensive.

In most cases you can purchase a new Travelhome and new tow vehicle package for less than an equivalent sized new motor home eg:  a new Travelhome 25ft and new Nissan Navara Dual Cab is around the same price as a new 23ft motor home.

Potential Tow Vehicles for a Travelhome include:

Nissan Navara and Patrol                       Holden Colorado, Rodeo and Commodore One Tonner

Falcon One Tonner and RTV Ute            Toyota Hilux and Landcruiser

Mitsubishi Triton                                    Ford Ranger and Transit

Iveco Daily                                            Mercedes Benz Sprinter

Fiat Ducato                                           Ford F-150

It is the manufacturer who specifies the capacities of their vehicles.  You should always check with your local dealer or vehicle supplier to ensure that the tow vehicle you are using is “legal” and has the capacity to tow your fully loaded Travelhome.

What Tow Vehicle to Choose ?

Considerations when selecting a tow vehicle include:

• does it have sufficient power to pull the weight of the Travelhome?

• does it have sufficient capacity to legally tow the weight of the Travelhome?

• does the total combined weight of the towing vehicle, occupants, tray, luggage and fully loaded Travelhome exceed the manufacturers GCM (gross combination mass) for the towing vehicle?

• does the combined load of occupants, tray and hitch exceed the manufacturers stated payload for the towing vehicle?

• If the tow vehicle manufacturer does not state a GCM, then you must not exceed the stated Payload and Towing Capacities of the tow vehicle, or where there is no stated GCM then add the GVM (gross vehicle mass) and the Towing Capacity to give the GCM.

Please note that there is no “ball weight limit” imposed on a Travelhome as per a conventional caravan because the load on the hitch is supported by the tray / chassis of the tow vehicle and not just the tow vehicle towbar as is the case when fitted to a sedan, wagon or 4x4.  The actual “ball weight limit” in this case is the payload of the towing vehicle.

Where should the Hitch be Positioned ?

A Travelhome hitch ideally should be positioned so that at least part of the turntable or towball is as near to the centre of the rear axle as practicable.  In this position, some of the Travelhome weight will be transferred to the front wheels of the towing vehicle which is technically correct.   

What Tray Types can be fitted to the Tow Vehicle ?

The Travelhome has also been designed to maximise the height and space in the bedroom area but with a view to keeping the overall height still relatively low, which means some of the larger (higher) tow vehicles must be fitted with a table top tray and not a style side ute back or tub.  All other tow vehicles can have either a style side tub or tray.

We trust that this provides you with a better understanding of Travelhome Fifth Wheelers and in particular to the obvious advantages they have over other RV products available in Australia.  More and more buyers are now choosing a Travelhome instead of a motor home or traditional caravan and it is clear that this segment of the RV market will rapidly expand over the coming years ahead. 

To receive your complementary Travelhome information pack including a DVD that will be sent to you very soon !    CLICK HERE.