5th wheel & Half-ton TV Thoughts
Hello all, I have a friend who has a F150 who is currently towing a 30ft bumper pull trailer who is looking to move up to a 5th wheel. I am concerned that while the dealership says he'll be fine th...
Forum Discussion
1) What does the payload sticker on the door say and what is the actual CAT weights for the truck loaded with passengers and gear ready for travel?
2) Is 1400lb pin weight based on an empty trailer or 20-25% of the GVWR?
- If it's 25% of the GVWR, he may be fine if he has a high payload 1/2 ton truck but that's a tiny 5er (like 5-6,000lb).
- If 1400lb is the empty weight, expect to be up around 2000lb or more once loaded.
2000lb pin weight is getting iffy for a 1/2 ton truck. Add in a couple hundred for the hitch and 3-400 for passengers and even the beefiest 2500lb payload 1/2 ton trucks are maxed out without putting anything else in the truck.
Yeah, he will have to be very careful with a 5.5ft bed. Doable but don't be surprised when he buys a new rear window for the truck.
What exactly is he hoping to gain by going to a 5er? While 5ers tow nicely, a properly set up bumper pull should not be a white knuckle ride by any stretch. The advantage is hitch weights for bumper pulls should be in the 12-15% range rather than 20-25%, so they tax the trucks payload less.
If you want a 5er, it makes far more sense to upgrade to a 3/4 or even better a 1 ton truck (3/4 can even be marginal by the time you get north of 8-10k lbs).
2) Is 1400lb pin weight based on an empty trailer or 20-25% of the GVWR?
- If it's 25% of the GVWR, he may be fine if he has a high payload 1/2 ton truck but that's a tiny 5er (like 5-6,000lb).
- If 1400lb is the empty weight, expect to be up around 2000lb or more once loaded.
2000lb pin weight is getting iffy for a 1/2 ton truck. Add in a couple hundred for the hitch and 3-400 for passengers and even the beefiest 2500lb payload 1/2 ton trucks are maxed out without putting anything else in the truck.
Yeah, he will have to be very careful with a 5.5ft bed. Doable but don't be surprised when he buys a new rear window for the truck.
What exactly is he hoping to gain by going to a 5er? While 5ers tow nicely, a properly set up bumper pull should not be a white knuckle ride by any stretch. The advantage is hitch weights for bumper pulls should be in the 12-15% range rather than 20-25%, so they tax the trucks payload less.
If you want a 5er, it makes far more sense to upgrade to a 3/4 or even better a 1 ton truck (3/4 can even be marginal by the time you get north of 8-10k lbs).
