RV Terms

[Neal]

Okay, let's start a thread on English to RV speak. I saw @MapNerd ask in another thread why is it called "5th Wheel" which I have the same question. But let's add another. Why do we call our RV's "coaches"?

 

[Gronk]

I call mine a trailer.......

 

[redbaron]

I like the term land yacht

2019 DSDP 4369 * Active Air * NHSO

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

I think the term "coach" stems from the horse-drawn era where passenger conveyances were "coaches." Stagecoach comes to mind. As the new era of motorized vehicles dawned, the term coach was applied to conveyances like busses, etc. Early motorhomes were converted busses (we had one; a 1950 Flxible) and the name carried over to them as well.

As an aside, our converted bus was Gene Autry's old "band bus." My father-in-law bought it at auction and did the conversion, including replacing the old in-line 6 with a more modern Detroit Diesel 6V53. He was a master woodworker and the interior was reminiscent of a fine old yacht; lots of teak and mahogany. Quite a beautiful piece of work. We sold it years ago, but I think it is still in use.

TJ

 

[MapNerd]

I go back and forth between all of the terms coach, rig, RV, bus, with seemingly no real reason for what term I’m using. On rare occasions, i might even refer to it with an expletive or two depending on the situation, such as when I cut myself today for the third time in as many different locations on yet another very sharp edge.

@Akdare had a really good and interesting answer to the question I posed by the way. It’s worth the one minute read for this curious as I was.

 

[FL-JOE]

Okay, let's start a thread on English to RV speak. I saw @MapNerd ask in another thread why is it called "5th Wheel" which I have the same question. But let's add another. Why do we call our RV's "coaches"?

On a commercial truck-tractor semi-trailer it is called a 5th wheel coupling I think, so RVers probably just shortened it to "5th Wheel, or fiver". Most RV 5th wheel plates are not as large in diameter nor rated as high as what is utilized on large commercial truck-tractors, but very similar.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Some vintage trailers called fifth wheels literally had a wheel and hub mounted to the tow vehicle, a fifth wheel.