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

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

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

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

Towing Weights for a 5th Wheeler

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

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

More details on towing a 5th wheeler and an example

Specifications for a Venture Small 5th Wheeler

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

Accessories and Options for a Venture 5th Wheeler

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

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

Photos and details of 5th wheeler accessories

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

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

More details of 5th wheeler hitches and couplings

 

Visit our website at www.venturevan.com.au for more information.