It is possible to move a 5th wheel travel trailer camper with a car or SUV by adding an adapter hitch. This type of setup can be unsafe due to many reasons such as lack of vehicle towing capacity.
You can convert a 5th wheel to a bumper pull with a safety hitch, but not the other way.
You need a heavy duty vehicle rated to handle the towing weight.
The hitch adds 5 feet to length, and will make towing more difficult because load will no longer be centered over the truck.
Driving will be less stable, and more difficult to turn, or even drive.
Warning, this kind of conversion is not done very often. This setup is may not be legal in some states.
If you only have a car or suv, then you can use a bumper hitch.
It is not advisable to do so unless you have a large suv and small trailer.
The GVWR must be considered, as well as tonque weight.
How far you are traveling and speed is also an issue. It is much different to go from RV storage to lake campground 1 mile away at 20 mph, vs 500 mile highway trip at 70 mph.
If you have to stop fast can you do it?
Turn radius is better with fifth wheel, they can be rotated 90 degrees, compared to limited turning with bumper pull.
5th wheel stats and specs
They have a special hitch in the bed of truck connected with bolts and brackets directly to the frame, not just the cargo bed. A coupling pin connects to a round horizontal plate.
They are easier to tow because load is placed over the vehicle rather than behind it. The tailgate is lowered or removed for access.
They are 20 – 40 feet long, usually about 35 ft and 8.5 feet wide.
You need a full size 1 ton truck to tow them safely as they weigh more than 7k lbs, some up to 12k lbs. They are described with 3500 or f350 in model, like Chevrolet Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 3500, the Dodge Ram 3500, and Ford F-350.
Fifth wheel towing camper photos:
