Advice on towing a 5th wheel
We plan to buy a new travel trailer that is 30'2" total length and about 6300 lbs dry. We also plan on upgrading our tow vehicle since we have been towing with an SUV. However, we recently found a 5...
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Keep in mind...a 1/2 ton truck in the upper payload ranges is well within capability for towing a 30ft travel trailer. (1/2 ton payloads vary wildly so you need to be toward the upper end of options).
For a 30ft+ 5th wheel, you really want to be up to at least a 3/4 ton.
The reason is travel trailers ideally have 12-15% of the trailer weight on the hitch. 5th Wheels ideally have 20-25% on the pin...That means lower payload trucks run out of payload quicker with a 5th wheel even if they have enough engine to pull it.
Since you are buying the truck anyway get a 3/4 or 1ton single rear wheel after checking the GVWR of the 5ers you are looking at (take 20-25% of the GVWR as an estimate of pin weight). Even with a travel trailer moving up to a 3/4 ton is a nice option and really doesn't cost much more compared to a 1/2 ton optioned out for max towing capability.
For a 30ft+ 5th wheel, you really want to be up to at least a 3/4 ton.
The reason is travel trailers ideally have 12-15% of the trailer weight on the hitch. 5th Wheels ideally have 20-25% on the pin...That means lower payload trucks run out of payload quicker with a 5th wheel even if they have enough engine to pull it.
Since you are buying the truck anyway get a 3/4 or 1ton single rear wheel after checking the GVWR of the 5ers you are looking at (take 20-25% of the GVWR as an estimate of pin weight). Even with a travel trailer moving up to a 3/4 ton is a nice option and really doesn't cost much more compared to a 1/2 ton optioned out for max towing capability.
