5th wheel vs Bumper Pull!~ help a newbie
Been all over the East Coast pulling a tent trailer with a fs pickup- easy-peasy. The wife and I are now looking towards upgrades and retirement. Started looking at Bumper Pulls and now really le...
Forum Discussion
shay6...welcome to the forum.
This website is bad about members not answering your questions as their to busy nit-picking others replies..... so hang in there and stay tuned.
I've found 5th wheel and GN trailers do track the tow vehicle better however backing one takes getting used to...it reacts slower. The TT ball is out behind the tow vehicle and reacts quicker to steering input than a 5th wheel pin that sits over or just in front of the trucks rear axle. Its not hard but just different.
I find 5th wheel trailers easier to hitch and unhitch than the bumper pull.
You don't need a one ton truck to pull a true 1/2 ton towable 5th wheel trailer.
The newer gen 3/4 ton trucks have 6000-6500 RAWR which will be carrying all the weight in the bed. Gas or diesel trucks rear axles weigh in the 3000 lb range leaving 3000-3400 lbs for a payload in the bed.
These trucks can carry pin weights/hitch and other gear with a 12k-13k gvwr trailers with the right truck options. And of course many 3/4 ton trucks pull about the same weight trailer as a one ton SRW truck.
The hitch weight of the trailer determines what size truck is needed. I've always matched the trailer to the truck I had at that time.....others want a certain size/weight trailer which may be at the break point between loads in the bed for a 3/4 ton vs how much load a one ton SRW can carry. Weight carrying topics have a wide range of replies depending on experience(s) and understanding the trucks actual mechanical ability.
This website is bad about members not answering your questions as their to busy nit-picking others replies..... so hang in there and stay tuned.
I've found 5th wheel and GN trailers do track the tow vehicle better however backing one takes getting used to...it reacts slower. The TT ball is out behind the tow vehicle and reacts quicker to steering input than a 5th wheel pin that sits over or just in front of the trucks rear axle. Its not hard but just different.
I find 5th wheel trailers easier to hitch and unhitch than the bumper pull.
You don't need a one ton truck to pull a true 1/2 ton towable 5th wheel trailer.
The newer gen 3/4 ton trucks have 6000-6500 RAWR which will be carrying all the weight in the bed. Gas or diesel trucks rear axles weigh in the 3000 lb range leaving 3000-3400 lbs for a payload in the bed.
These trucks can carry pin weights/hitch and other gear with a 12k-13k gvwr trailers with the right truck options. And of course many 3/4 ton trucks pull about the same weight trailer as a one ton SRW truck.
The hitch weight of the trailer determines what size truck is needed. I've always matched the trailer to the truck I had at that time.....others want a certain size/weight trailer which may be at the break point between loads in the bed for a 3/4 ton vs how much load a one ton SRW can carry. Weight carrying topics have a wide range of replies depending on experience(s) and understanding the trucks actual mechanical ability.
