I really like my TT but after a couple of years I want to jump in to a Fifth-Wheel. My F-150 pulls Great, and I have found several campers that may work. I am looking for suggestions of what to get with a bunk house beings I have 3 kids. After our trip to Wisconsin, we feel a fifth-wheel will just handle better. My F-150 is set-up with air-bags and a few engine mods to produce more torque as well as LT rated tires. Again looking for suggestions and input..Thank You!!

Airbags will help you level the load, won't help you any more with pay load, which is going to factor in on cargo carrying capacity of your truck.I would look for a light 5er...but first, I'd load my truck up like I was heading out to camp...go weigh your truck, add 200# for a 5er hitch...when you weigh your truck and add the 200#, look at what your trucks GVWR (sticker on the drivers side door jamb and subtract what you weighed from the trucks GVWR, (ex....weight of your truck is 5,000#, add 200 more for 5er hitch...equals 5200#...if GVWR is 6800#, it means you have 1600# of payload left you can put in the bed of your truck.do yourself a favor EARLY in this research. DO NOT use "empty or dry" weights, they're a joke, no one tows the 5er "empty" or "dry"...Take the 5er's GVW and take 20% of that and it'll give you a "ballpark" of how much pinweight you'll put in the bed of your truck...(ex. If 5er has a GVW of 9,000#, the pin weight could go as high as 1800#.. THIS IS key.I've towed a 27' 5er with no slides, thinking my 5.3 chevy with Tow package could do it...it was terrible...that's my experience with a 1999 Chevy 1500...towing in the mountains was miserable and I went to a 3/4 ton truck.I would look really hard for a light enough weight 5er to where it doesn't abuse or wear out your truck prematurely due to weight of the 5er.hope this helped some.ON EDIT: I have no idea what the GVWR rating is on your truck some Ford owners will be able to help more, but believe the Eco boost is supposed to be a pretty good truck, but again, I watched the weight and go by what those familiar with this truck will recommend you do.Be nice to know what the GVW of the 5er you're looking at is....very important tidbit of information to be sure.

Hi Toby, and welcome to the forum. Your biggest constraint will probably be your payload capacity. By the time you add the weight of the FW hitch, pin weight, the family and anything else you want to put in the truck, you'll be very limited. What is the the weight capacity of your truck (look at the tire placard)?

Your advice is much appreciated.. Research I will be doing. It took me 8 months before I purchased my TT, I am sure this will take me awhile as well.. especially due to the expense it will cost...Thank You

I will have to look at the tire placard. All that I know as of now is what it states that I can tow, that is Max at 9500lbs. As of now my TT weighs when towing at least when I checked at the scales was 7650lbs and my tongue weight registers at 750lbs which pulls hills well enough that I only down gear to 4th a few times.

Any chance the F150 is 8200 GVWR?

fifth-wheel towing | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

mountainsam
Explorer
Dec 28, 2013
Great upgrade. You will enjoy pulling with the new truck.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Dec 24, 2013
Missouri Man wrote:
Hello all, I recently posted info. on a 1/2 ton 5th wheels. After careful consideration and all the advice I have been given and research I have done. I have come to a decision to upgrade our truck to a 2014 F-250 Power-stroke that is capable of towing 15,900lbs as far as a 5w is concerned.. Now with that I am looking for a quality 5w but have been back and forth on which floor plan to get. We looked at the Front living and Rear living and are torn between the two, the next question is we are toying with, is between the names, of Columbus, Alpine, and Cardinal.. Any advice and or recommendations will be much appreciated.

Looks like the OP doesn't have a F150 but now has a F250. IMO good move.

I'm not into the brand thing. Were on our 3rd 5th wheel trailer since '84 and always choose the unit with the floorplan we like and within the budget.
valhalla360
Navigator
Dec 24, 2013
3 Primary Considerations:
- Pulling power: The 1/2 tons with the bigger engine options can often report some pretty close towing numbers but this is rarely the limiting factor for 5th wheels.
- Payload: With 5th wheels, this is usually the killer for 1/2 ton and why people are suggesting a 350 Single Rear Wheel a cheap upgrade that will pay dividends. With a travel trailer, the hitch wieght is typically 7-10% of the trailer weight. With a 5th wheel it is typically 15-25% of the trailer weight.
- Brakes: In theory, the trailer brakes stop the trailer but when something goes wrong having big truck brakes that come with a 3/4 or 1 ton are a good thing.
Missouri_Man
Explorer
Dec 23, 2013
?
laknox
Nomad
Dec 03, 2013
pando2 wrote:
Another thing to keep in mind, it is not just the pulling you have to think about, but the stopping as well. It is my understanding that the half ton trucks often have as much towing capacity, i.e. HP as the bigger trucks but the brakes are not so good.
Just a thought and something to check to be on the safe side.

Only in an emergency. The trailer brakes are =supposed= to be capable of fully stopping the trailer by themselves. In a perfect world, you'd never feel the trailer push you when slowing down. Now, if the trailer brakes go out, you're a helluva lot better off with a heavier truck than a lighter one, for sure!

Lyle
whsk
Explorer
Dec 03, 2013
get the 3500 (your choice of make)-I went dually for piece of mind-good luck!-whsk
happycamper1942
Explorer
Dec 02, 2013
Another thing to keep in mind, it is not just the pulling you have to think about, but the stopping as well. It is my understanding that the half ton trucks often have as much towing capacity, i.e. HP as the bigger trucks but the brakes are not so good.
Just a thought and something to check to be on the safe side.
laknox
Nomad
Dec 02, 2013
Missouri Man wrote:
Hello all, I recently posted info. on a 1/2 ton 5th wheels. After careful consideration and all the advice I have been given and research I have done. I have come to a decision to upgrade our truck to a 2014 F-250 Power-stroke that is capable of towing 15,900lbs as far as a 5w is concerned.. Now with that I am looking for a quality 5w but have been back and forth on which floor plan to get. We looked at the Front living and Rear living and are torn between the two, the next question is we are toying with, is between the names, of Columbus, Alpine, and Cardinal.. Any advice and or recommendations will be much appreciated.

MoMan, never forget that, with a FW (or gooseneck), it's not what you can =tow=, it's what you can =carry= that's important. That pin weight can rise up and bite you, if you're not careful. I agree with the others, if you're looking at +/- 15k GVW fifth wheels, go with a SRW 350/3500, at least.

Lyle
rhagfo
Explorer III
Dec 02, 2013
desiphil wrote:
rhagfo wrote:
sidney wrote:
Let me be the 1st to say it... get a 350.

X2

Yes SRW will have far more payload than a F250, and will ride about the same.

I assume you meant DRW? Not much difference in 250 vs 350 SRW except for rear axle block height and overload spring.

To the OP, sorry I misunderstood. Congrats on the new truck. It is a very capable tow vehicle. You may want to consider some Air Bags with compressor and in cab controls. This will allow you to stiffen or soften ride on the fly while loaded. Also, an Air bag type hitch pin (like Trailair) will make your ride a bit more comfortable as well.

Missouri Man, not sure if you have got the F250 yet, but you would be better off with a SRW F350, for a 5er up to about 14,000# GVWR, and a DRW over that.
The issues with 250/2500 diesels is that you will have enough power, but the rated payload is low. Pay for the payload you need.

This is my predicament with my Ram 2500, (Camper Package) one ton springs and running gear and only a 8,800# GVWR, I am over my GVWR, but well under axle and tire ratings, and have no need for bags or Timbers!
desiphil
Explorer
Dec 02, 2013
rhagfo wrote:
sidney wrote:
Let me be the 1st to say it... get a 350.

X2

Yes SRW will have far more payload than a F250, and will ride about the same.

I assume you meant DRW? Not much difference in 250 vs 350 SRW except for rear axle block height and overload spring.

To the OP, sorry I misunderstood. Congrats on the new truck. It is a very capable tow vehicle. You may want to consider some Air Bags with compressor and in cab controls. This will allow you to stiffen or soften ride on the fly while loaded. Also, an Air bag type hitch pin (like Trailair) will make your ride a bit more comfortable as well.