A small 5th wheel built in Australia by Venture 5th wheels is suitable for towing by standard Australian utes. Venture 5th wheels have huge benefits over both motorhomes and caravans for traveling Australia

• A small 5th wheel is more stable to tow than a caravan, due to the hitching position being over the rear axle.
• A small 5th wheel 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 5th wheel is more manoeuvrable than a caravan, as the ute can turn at up to 90 degrees to the 5th wheel.
• A small 5th wheel gives you more freedom than a motorhome as you have a separate vehicle once set up at camp.
• A small 5th wheel is simple to hitch and unhitch. A one-person job with no heavy weights involved.
• A small 5th wheel 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 5th Wheel

Many 5th wheels 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 5th wheel 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 5th wheels give better fuel economy than a caravan because there is no large gap between the tow vehicle and the van.

5th Wheel towing vehicle specifications for Falcon, Holden, Navara, Hilux and more

Towing Weights for a 5th Wheel

There are a couple of criteria that you should evaluate when establishing whether a vehicle is suitable for towing a 5th wheel in Australia.

1. The overall weight of the 5th wheel 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 5th wheel must not exceed 2.5 tonnes. From experience a Venture 5th Wheel weights around 2.2 tonnes on the road.
2. Towing capacity
   1. The weight of the fully laden 5th wheel should not exceed the towing capacity of the vehicle
      OR
   2. The weight of the fully laden 5th wheel, MINUS the hitch weight (weight resting on the vehicle), should not exceed the towing capacity of the vehicle

More details on towing a 5th wheel and an example

Specifications for a Venture Small 5th Wheel

Venture make a 5th wheel to suit you! Built here in Australia we make a small 5th wheel at 19' 8" (6.0 metres) long, and a larger 5th wheel at 22' 7" (6.9 metres) long. Each Venture 5th wheel 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 5th wheel

Accessories and Options for a Venture 5th Wheel

We offer a range of options and accessories for your 5th wheel.

• Air Conditioning
• TV Antenna - Winegard, Satellite, Omni-directional
• Security door
• Single beds
• TV and DVD players
• External mini awnings over bedroom windows
• 5th wheel king pin lock
• Portable boats and boat accessories e.g. Porta-Bote

Photos and details of 5th wheel accessories

5th Wheel Hitches, Goosenecks, King Pins and Turntables - ADR 62/01

Every Venture 5th Wheel is supplied with a fully compliant Hijacker turntable style hitch. Our 5th wheel 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 5th wheel is a standard 2 inch king pin, the same that is used for Australian semi-trailers.

More details of 5th wheel hitches and couplings