fifth wheel for 1/2 ton pickups

goducks10 wrote:
You'll find that the "1/2 ton" jargon will mostly refer to the weight of the 5'er. Most are in the 6500-8000lb dry brochure weight, which falls within most 1/2 ton truck tow ratings. What they don't tell you is that, the 6500-8000lbs will be 7500-9000lbs+ when loaded. That makes the pin @20% around 1500-1800lbs. Then add 200+lbs for the 5th hitch as most need a slider and your at 1700-2000lbs on the rear axle. Over all but the highest rated 1/2 tons. They aren't really lying but just stretching the truth a bit since some 1/2 tons can tow them.

Maybe if you are use to hauling those big monsters down the road. Most of the X-Lite, Half-ton towables, are 13-15% of total pin weight, there are many out there, (mine was 1190 empty, 1375 loaded) and the hitches are much lighter than 200#. Mine was 130# total, brackets, bolts and all. I changed out the standard pin with a 5th Airborne Sidewinder that added to the total weight of just 60 more pounds.

They are do able, you just have to do your homework and read many forums, threads and search for good equipment and prices.

laknox wrote:

htowners wrote:
I bought into the 1/2 ton towable, and while my 1500 Ram did ok locally, as soon as I went into the Smokies, I decided to upgrade to a 2500 mostly for the brakes as I warped a new set of high end front rotors, even down shifting and gradually pumping the brakes to keep my speed in check.
I camped next to a guy that had a 29' Cougar with bunks and a Tundra and was happy to see him leave before me.
If your just camping near by, and no steep grades to have to slow down for you might be ok short term.

You didn't have enough trailer brakes dialed in. The trailer should stop itself and the truck should stop =itself=. If you feel the trailer starting to push your truck, then you need to pull over and let everything cool down.

Lyle

+1
My rotors are original with 185,000 miles.

One thing to consider ... if your Tundra is in good shape you should be able to get a good price for it and I don't mean by trading it in. My son is shopping for used Tacomas and I can't believe what those trucks are bringing! You should be able to get a really nice, albeit used, 3/4 ton truck especially if you don't mind a gasser! I bet you could find a gasser 3/4 truck with the proper payload for less than you can sell that Toyota. Just a thought.

Oh, BTW, I tried the 1/2 ton / 5th wheel route and ended up switching out after the first trip with a climb through the mountains and more than 50 miles from home :)

htowners wrote:
I bought into the 1/2 ton towable, and while my 1500 Ram did ok locally, as soon as I went into the Smokies, I decided to upgrade to a 2500 mostly for the brakes as I warped a new set of high end front rotors, even down shifting and gradually pumping the brakes to keep my speed in check.
I camped next to a guy that had a 29' Cougar with bunks and a Tundra and was happy to see him leave before me.
If your just camping near by, and no steep grades to have to slow down for you might be ok short term.

You didn't have enough trailer brakes dialed in. The trailer should stop itself and the truck should stop =itself=. If you feel the trailer starting to push your truck, then you need to pull over and let everything cool down.

Lyle

For what it is worth, I camped a month or so ago next to a fellow from Ontario, Canada. He had a brand new Tundra and Airstream Eddie Bauer 27FB TT. The silver color of the Tundra looked really nice with Airstream. This was in Texas, mind you, so I asked him how he was enjoying his trip since he was a long way from home. He told me he loved the trailer, but the truck was a huge mistake. He said he struggled on upgrades and was actually debating cutting short his trip as he was not sure he would be able to handle the Rockies.

As I said, for what it is worth, but that TT only has a GVWR of 7800#.

To pull most half ton rated you will need a 8200 GVWR F150 or equivalent 2500+ payload rating.
For your truck you will need a dry pin under 900 pounds and even that is pushing it hard.
Good luck.

Bamaman1 wrote:
Check out the new Grand Design Reflections. They just came out with two models specifically designed for heavy 1/2 ton tow vehicles.

I just picked up a Reflection 323BHS model last week, and it's a 2K/12K dry weight model designed where a 3/4 ton can handle it. My 2003 F250 diesel crew cab with rear air bags handled it like a champ.

I ordered my quad slider bunkhouse model with a 12' SuperSofa--dual recliner loveseat flanked by two wall hugger recliners. It's simply the most comfortable seating I've ever sat/laid in.

Grand Design is a new company selling just fifth wheels, and they're well over 2000 units in their first 18 months in business. They're customer driven, and are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the retail market.

Those "1/2 ton rated" 5th wheels from Grand Design certainly fall into the 1/2 ton tow ratings, but with dry pins if 1500lbs+/- they will be closer to 1800+lbs when loaded and will tax all but a few 1/2 tons. Average 1/2 ton payload is around 1500lbs. My 2010 F150 with Max Tow had an 1857lb payload rating. No way could I tow that with two people in the truck, a few camping things thrown in and not be over the trucks RAWR and GVW.

Even though I have a F350...my Flagstaff 8528IKWS is dry rated at 7900 lbs. and fully loaded sits at around 9500 lbs...which might fit within your Toyota's ratings--you'll have to check your GVWR rate to be sure.

As for the short bed, the Flagstaff has the Reese Revolution pin box--I can easily back it at 90 degrees and cut cookies in a parking lot...
so no expensive slider needed with the Revolution.

Larry

We have a Cougar High Country 246RLS that we pulled with a Dodge 1500 for two years all over the country. We did put airbags on the pickup. You could definitely tell it was back there but we had no problems on the western passes.We now have a Dodge 2500 diesel and can hardly tell it is back there.

It is difficult to find a lite fifth wheel that can be towed by a 1/2 ton pickup. And it is probably more difficult now than years ago. There are some units that your Tundra can handle, but only you can decide if you will be happy with them. Many of the so called 1/2 ton towables will only work with the highest capacity 1/2 ton truck, not the typical 1/2 ton truck. Biggest issue is finding a pin weight that when loaded won't exceed your truck's rear GAWR.

But for all the nay-sayers, it certain can be done safely and reliably. My 1st tow vehicle was an '89 1/2 ton Chevy SB that I used to pull several lite fifth wheels over a period of 11 years. I towed all over the west, from the Rockies to Olympia NP and most places in-between. Sold the truck to a neighbor in 2000 and today it is still on the road and in great shape. Now it is almost an antique vehicle and probably worth more than I sold it for 14 yrs ago.