Elross Fifth Wheel Cruiser 2005 Review

Specialist caravan builder Ean Hill is confident fifth wheelers will soon be accepted as a viable alternative to vans and motorhomes and has ‘changed direction’ to meet the challenge.

Trading as Elross Caravans (in partnership with his wife Carolyn and son David), Ean has forged a reputation for producing top-quality, long-lasting mobile accommodation units in their factory in the Perth suburb of Beckenham.

However, with the power and strength offered by the typical Australian ute, such as a Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore, Ean believes the fifth wheeler is the way of the future. While they will continue to take orders for custom-made family vans and rugged industrial units, the new style will be enthusiastically promoted.

Wheeled out

The Hills showed off their first offering, the Cruiser Fifth Wheel Caravan by Elross, at this year’s Perth Caravan and Camping Show and a Saturday morning inspection and test tow highlighted its features.

“A 24ft (7.3m) fifth wheeler such as the Cruiser equates to towing an 18ft (5.5m) van because the bedroom section sits over the ute’s tray,” Ean said. “This leads to very stable towing because a significant portion of the unit sits over the ute’s rear axle – the ideal weight-carrying position.

 “Because of the extra size of the hitch and the turntable in the tray, the fifth wheeler has to shift about 1.5 tonnes of ute for it to sway which, of course, it can’t, so you get ultra-smooth towing.

“Also, because it is not ‘hanging’ off a towbar, the turning circle is tighter.”

Ean demonstrated that the Cruiser can be hitched as quickly as a caravan with weight-distribution bars by dropping the tailgate on David’s Ford V8 Pursuit ute, backing up until the unit and turntable meshed and winding up the front stabiliser legs. This enabled the fifth wheeler to ‘stand alone’, an advantage the Cruiser has over the typical motorhome.

“Being able to separate the car from the unit gives you flexibility, especially when you want to take in tourist attractions or pick up supplies in town and have to park at a supermarket,” Ean said.

“Many motorhome owners pull a small car or four-wheel-drive behind them because once set up, they don’t want to move their unit anywhere – it’s simply too big to manoeuvre through the streets and lacks the ground clearance for bush travel.”

Road test

A run through Perth’s southern suburbs and down Roe Highway proved how stable the Elross product was, seemingly locked in position behind the powerful Falcon ute as we accelerated up to 100km/h and pulled out to pass slower traffic.

With a Tare weight of 1700kg, you obviously know a 24ft unit is following behind but, with 320kg on the turntable in the middle of the ute tray, everything seems solid and under control.

Apart from the ease of towing, the Cruiser has all the features of a full-sized caravan.

It sits on twin axles with a load-sharing, leaf-sprung suspension; there is a big locker

up front; two 9kg gas bottles; a 12V deep-cycle battery; two 85 litre water tanks; and a hot water system. An awning is standard and two legs at the rear corners wind down and combine with the front pair to stabilise the van.

Options include a roof-mounted air-conditioner, a wind-up TV aerial, extra water tanks, solar power, a 240V/gas hot water system and even a convenient concertina-style clothesline for your laundry.

The interior

Stepping inside, the unit is light and airy with tasteful cream and beige decor which contrasts nicely with charcoal benchtops. Opposite the entry is a big ensuite; to the left is a raised double bed while hard right is the kitchen with full mod-cons, including a microwave and rangehood. 

A full-width lounge sits across the back forming a dinette with another two-person seat. The dinette converts into a convenient double bed to form an extra sleeping zone for those with extra passengers.

A three-way fridge, deep storage cupboard and a television cabinet take up the rest of the space. The thoughtful placement of a cupboard above the standard 150 litre fridge simplifies its upgrading to a bigger fridge/freezer model.

The same applies below the gas stove and grill, with the ready removal of a cupboard allowing room for an oven.

Speaking of cupboards, there is also a pantry drawer with wire crates, ideal for storing fruit and vegetables, and more storage space under the steps that lead up to the large bedroom area.

A deep cupboard or wardrobe and a television cabinet take up the rest of the space here.

The carpeted sleeping area has two bedside tables either side of the queen-sized innerspring mattress, a Four Seasons hatch above, two reading lights and a privacy curtain.

The big ensuite has a separate shower cubicle and a hand basin with vanity below and a cabinet with mirror doors above. A cassette-type toilet sits between the shower and the basin.

There is also a 240V powerpoint for hair dryers and shavers, a roof hatch with fan, towel rails and a one-piece vinyl floor to prevent water leakage.

It can be ordered with single beds and a TV/DVD player as an option.

The bottom line

The fifth wheeler design allows for a roomy layout and the Cruiser is no exception.

It offers as much space as a full-sized caravan with the flexibility of using the towing vehicle for shopping or excursions to tourist attractions or fishing spots on your travels. Its height and weight make it a very smooth towing van.

The inclusion of an ensuite, hot water system and several water tanks, plus optional solar panels and even a washing machine, make it ideal for freecamping or settling in at your favourite holiday destination for a long stay.

By Doug McIvor