Frequently asked questions re Ultima Fifth (5th) Wheelers.

1. How does the 27RK fifth wheel compare in size?
2. How does the 24MK 5th wheel compare in size?
3. How much do 5th wheelers cost to buy, maintain, register, and insure?
4. What vehicles can I use to tow the Ultima 27RK fifth wheeler?
5. What is the fuel economy when towing?
6. What about spare parts availability?
7. Why do they handle well?
8. What are the main features and benefits of the Ultima 5th wheel caravans?
9. Will I have trouble fitting into a caravan park?
10. The videos on your website refer to "Ever-Lite Trailers". What are they?

1. Total length of Ultima 27RK towed by a Mazda BT50 dual cab is 42 feet 9 inches (length from pin to front of BT50 is 12’ 9” – length from pin to rear of Ultima 30 feet.)  in metric combination is 13,030 mm or just over 13 metres long – the Ultima 27RK with Mazda BT50 combined length is over a foot shorter than a leading brand caravan "23" with either a Prado 5 door or a Pajero 5 door. Length of 23 caravan (21’6” interior) = 8,421mm (27’6”) plus length of Prado 5 door = 4,930 (16’2”) equals total combined length of  13,351 mm (43’9”) plus tow bar tongue or Pajero 5 door = 490 cm (16’1”) equals total combined length of 13,321 mm (43’8”) plus tow bar tongue. The width of an Ultima 27 RK is slightly narrower, at 7 foot 4 inches or 2235 mm (outside wall to outside wall) than most Australian caravans. It is about a foot (300 mm) taller. When the slide-out room is extended however the Ultima 27RK has almost double the floor space of most 21 foot caravans.
2. Total length of Ultima 24MK towed by a Mazda BT50 dual cab is 39 feet 9 inches (length from pin to front of BT50 is 12’ 9” – length from pin to rear of Ultima 27 feet.)  in metric combination is 12,120 mm or just over 12 metres long – the Ultima 24MK with Mazda BT50 combined length is over four foot shorter than a leading brand 23 with either a Prado 5 door or a Pajero 5 door. Length of 23 caravan (21’6” interior) = 8,421mm (27’6”) plus length of Prado 5 door = 4,930 (16’2”) equals total combined length of  13,351 mm (43’9”) plus tow bar tongue or Pajero 5 door = 490 cm (16’1”) equals total combined length of 13,321 mm (43’8”) plus tow bar tongue. The width of an Ultima 24MK is slightly narrower, at 7 foot 4 inches or 2235 mm (outside wall to outside wall) than most Australian caravans. It is about a foot (300 mm) taller. When the slide-out room is extended however the Ultima 24MK has approximatedly 60% more floor space than most 21 foot caravans.
3. The Ultima 27RK & 24MK are purpose built units for Australia, NZ & UK and have almost all available options standard. Please contact your nearest dealer for a price. A typical new 23 foot caravan & 4WD SUV package will cost about $150,000 on the road.  The BT50/Ultima 27RK or 24MK above will cost you about the same. Cost to register similar to a comparable caravan. Stamp duty, just as with caravans, is applicable in some States. Spare parts are generally similar in price to Australian caravans. Similar maintenance costs of comparable Australian caravans. Insurance quotes - please see our dealers for a quote.
4. There are a number of factors that must be considered when choosing a tow vehicle, ute, pickup or cab chassis for an Ultima fifth wheel. Sufficient torque – a petrol or diesel engine with a recommended minimum 350 nm of torque, 3000 kg or more GTM towing capacity. Payload (the difference between the GVM of the tow vehicle and its tare) capacity must be minimum 800kg but recommended 1000kg or higher. The Gross Combine Mass (GCM), i.e. the combined weight of the fully ladened tow vehicle and the fully laden Ultima, set by the tow vehicles manufacturer, must not be exceeded.   Contact your tow vehicle dealer if unsure. Examples of vehicles that may be suitable (depending on year and configuration e.g. auto/manual, 8 or 6 or 4 cylinder, 1 tonne etc) –  Nissan Navara, Ford Ranger, Mazda BT50, Holden Colorado, Landcruiser, Nissan Patrol. Please note: It is essential that you fully research your tow vehicle for its suitability. Specifications vary and can change at short notice. We do not supply tow vehicles.
5. Extensive reports from consumers when towing other fifth wheels or caravans at around 100 kph, indicate between 50 – 60% more fuel usage when towing. In other words if your vehicle normally uses say 12 litres per 100 km then towing you will use about 18 – 19 litres. During our initial testing however the Ultima 27RK can get much better fuel economy. Due to its bullet shaped nose cap and pivoting king pin the Ultima can be positioned just 500 mm behind the tow vehicle's cab. Combined with other aerodynamic aspects the Ultima 27RK and 24MK have recorded under 14 L/100 KM behind a Mazda BT50 diesel manual. We believe properly set up an Ultima 27RK or 24MK should only increase your fuel consumption by 30 - 40 % when towing.
6. The Ultima models are built in the US specifically for Australia, UK and NZ. Aussie Ultimas use Australian model appliances and running gear. The fridge, stove, hot water service, air conditioners, axles, hubs etc are the same as you will find in many Australia made caravans and motorhomes. Parts and service for these are readily available in Australia and NZ directly from the importer or manufacturer. We supply you with the relevant Australian warranty registration forms.
7. Fifth wheels handle better, sway far less and are much safer at speeds than most conventional caravans. Fifth wheels, like semi trailers, attach above or slightly in front of their towing vehicle rear axle and not a metre or more behind, like most caravans. The lateral movement and tow ball weight of a caravan is amplified to the tow vehicle due to the distance their coupling is from the rear axle (i.e. a ball near the rear bumper). The caravan's ball coupling’s distance from the tow vehicle’s rear axle tends to act as a lever arm that allows the caravan to transfer movement more easily to the rear of the tow vehicle. This in turn can increase the incidence of sway. It also tends to force the tow vehicle’s rear suspension down significantly thus lifting some of the weight off the front wheels. This can make the steering light and imprecise. Semi trailers have similar couplings to fifth wheels. How many times have you seen semi trailers swaying? Most fifth wheels will easily out handle most caravans. The Ultima 27RK and 24MK will even out-handle most other fifth wheels. Why? A combination of less weight, lower centre of gravity, cutting edge suspension, less wind resistance and better air flow, provide safer and easier towing. Everyone that has towed one says the same thing, "you hardly know you have it on the back".
8. More interior space with a shorter combined length (towing unit plus fifth wheel). Fifth wheels do not have drawbars like a caravan and some of the fifth wheel overlaps the length of the tow vehicle. The Ultima 27RK and 24MK also have a sliding wall that extends the living area. An Ultima 27RK has the towing length of many 20 feet caravans with the equivalent interior space of a 36 foot caravan when the sliding wall is extended. An Ultima 24MK has the towing length of many 17 feet caravans with the equivalent interior space of a 33 foot caravan when the sliding wall is extended. Easy to hook up. One person can in most cases easily hook up a fifth wheel. By simply looking out the back window of your pickup you can see the hitch and the pin. It also has far less sway and better handling than most caravans. And most importantly it can be towed by many small Japanese dual cab 4X4 pickups.
9. The Ultima 27RK is about the same overall length as many caravans that do the round Australia trip. The Ultima 24MK is almost a metre shorter than many caravans that do the big trip. The 27RK has an overall length of approximately 30 feet or a bit over 9 metres. The 24MK has an overall length of approximately 27 feet or approximately 8 metres. Most caravan parks cater for 23 foot caravans, which because of their drawbars are also usually about 30 foot long. The short answer is that you should have very little trouble at most caravan parks.
10. The videos on this website refer to "Ever-Lite^TM Trailers". "Ever-Lite^TM" trailers (caravans) and 5th wheels are the American models designed for American conditions and compliance. While the appliances and designs are different the construction, care, quality and value are not. The videos explains these aspects of the EverGreen^TM range of caravans and 5th wheels.