Thinking of buying a Jayco 26.5RLS with 6,845 lbs UVW and 1,285 lbs pin weight. I'd like to get a properly equipped 1/2 ton to move it up down the east coast because of the ride and the cost. I'm interested in opinions from anyone who actually uses a 1/2 ton for their 5'er. I understand a one ton pulls a lawn mower well; but I will use this vehicle 360 days a year as a 2nd car, thus comfort and cost come into the equation. Thanks for advice from those who use a 1/2 ton. Camp on.

I'm not towing with a 1/2 ton now, but I did tow a 2000 Montana 2955 (GVW around 11,000) with a Chevy 350 short bed and later a Chevy 5.4L short bed. Towed to Alaska and lots of other places - no problems. Unloaded weight was around 9000.

Go with a 3/4 ton Diesel long bed truck for your immediate and future towing needs. You may move up to a larger trailer in the future and the 3/4 will handle it. The long bed will allow you to add an larger auxillary fuel tank to replace the original tank. A 60 gal. fuel tank gives you a range of 600 to 800 miles driving range, allowing you to pick and choose where you buy fuel and get the best price.

We have an '06 F150 XLT Super Cab with 5.4 L / .373 Rear / 2 wheel drive / towing package. We stuck with a 1/2 ton truck and light 5er as truck was also used as second car (I'm retired now, so truck is pretty much used to tow 5er). Truck is rated at 1680 lbs carrying capacity. We have a TC524DS TrailCruiser with unloaded weight of 4980 lbs(by literature), fully loaded its almost 7000(by scale) (you're looking at a little more weight than us). We've pulled the 5er up and down the east coast, and back and forth to the west coast, through the Appalachian, the Rockies, and up into the Canadian Rockies. Truck and 5er work fine together. If you need to run at 70 up an 8 deg grade, not gonna do it; if you can take it nice and easy, this could work for you. Regards,Doug

Get an F150 with 8200 GVWR option. That pin weight will grow. My dry pin is just 880.

I didn't know a 3/4 ton couldn't be used 360 days a year. By the way that trailer is a perfect setup for a 3/4 ton gasser

For Experienced 1/2 Ton 5'ers | Good Sam Community

27 Replies

sele
Explorer
Jun 25, 2013
Buckeye Chuck wrote:
It never fails to amaze me how easy it is to get a thread hijacked or off topic.

-BC-
x2 lol
Buckeye_Chuck
Explorer
Jun 25, 2013
It never fails to amaze me how easy it is to get a thread hijacked or off topic.

-BC-
goducks10
Explorer
Jun 25, 2013
Water-Bug wrote:
Jim and Barb wrote:
A 3/4 ton will do the job and more if you upgrade the fiver in the future. I use my 3/4 every day 365. I get 21.5 mpg. daily and 16 mpg. towing 11,000 lbs. dry. My truck is a 06 Dodge long bed with 5.9 Cummins. You should move up you will be very happy you did.

BS !!! 2012 version of the same truck with simular 5er gets 12 mpg towing at 60 mph and a steady 17 mpg empty.

Different motor. You do know the 12 has the 6.7. 2 weeks ago out camping we were on a hike and when we got back to the parking lot, 2 couples were looking at the B&W Patriot I had installed prior to the trip. One of the men asked about my 12 Ram and we got to talking about mpg's. He also had the 5.9 as WaterBug has and got 22mpg on the hwy empty but I don't remember the towing mpg. 5.9's get better than the smog chocked 12's.
Buckeye_Chuck
Explorer
Jun 25, 2013
X2 On what Flapper said.

F-150 Heavy-Duty Payload
Package (Option Code 627)
Increases GVWR to 8,200 pounds.
– LT245/75R17E BSW A/T tires (5)
– High-capacity 17" 7-lug steel wheels (XL)
– High-capacity 17" 7-lug aluminum wheels
(XLT/Lariat)
– Heavy-duty shock absorbers
– Upgraded springs, radiator and auxiliary
transmission oil cooler
– 9.75" gear set with 3.73 limited slip axle
Available on XL and XLT Regular Cab and
SuperCab models with 8' box and XL,
XLT and Lariat SuperCrew with 6.5' box.
Requires 5.0L V8 or 3.5L V6 EcoBoost® gas
engine and Trailer Tow Package. Max Trailer
Tow Package also required with 3.5L V6
EcoBoost® engine.

In some configurations the Max. Payload is 3100 lbs. Not bad for a 1/2 Ton. I feel this package is a must if you want to tow a 5er of any size bigger than the smallest. When you go to the dealer be prepared because like Flapper said most salesmen don't know this information.

NOW THAT'S WHAT THEY MEAN WHEN THEY SAY "BUILT FORD TOUGH'
Water-Bug
Explorer II
Jun 25, 2013
Jim and Barb wrote:
A 3/4 ton will do the job and more if you upgrade the fiver in the future. I use my 3/4 every day 365. I get 21.5 mpg. daily and 16 mpg. towing 11,000 lbs. dry. My truck is a 06 Dodge long bed with 5.9 Cummins. You should move up you will be very happy you did.

BS !!! 2012 version of the same truck with simular 5er gets 12 mpg towing at 60 mph and a steady 17 mpg empty.
Bruceh36
Explorer
Jun 25, 2013
I have a 2009 F150 towing a 08 Forrest River wildcat (28ft), I camp within a few hours from home but I have no issues with my 1/2 ton. The only things I've done to the trunk was 10 ply tires and 5k airbags in the rear. as I said no issues.

Bruce
Buck50HD
Explorer
Jun 25, 2013
IMO, even with the 8200 GVWR F150HD like ours, if you have more than 3 people (light ones at that), you will be hard pressed to stay within the specs. That's why I really have a hard time believing anyone can follow manufacturer specs with a base 1/2 ton and 90% of even the "1/2 ton towable" 5ths. As far as HD/SD's, I doubt many can stay within the specs on the 3/4 ton diesels with heavier trailers either but, obviously, the rear axle has more margin built in. The axle is meant for those contractors you see with a dually and headlights pointing at the tree tops. I don't even want to know how much load that takes.

If you stay within the specs of any truck, the odds are on your side. The manufacturers have a lot of liability riding on those specs.

If/when I buy a bigger truck, I'm getting a heavier trailer. I won't have any more margin than I have now.
transamz9
Explorer
Jun 24, 2013
Jim and Barb wrote:
A 3/4 ton will do the job and more if you upgrade the fiver in the future. I use my 3/4 every day 365. I get 21.5 mpg. daily and 16 mpg. towing 11,000 lbs. dry. My truck is a 06 Dodge long bed with 5.9 Cummins. You should move up you will be very happy you did.

:RNow where's that rolling on the floor laughing smiley.
Jim_and_Barb
Explorer
Jun 24, 2013
A 3/4 ton will do the job and more if you upgrade the fiver in the future. I use my 3/4 every day 365. I get 21.5 mpg. daily and 16 mpg. towing 11,000 lbs. dry. My truck is a 06 Dodge long bed with 5.9 Cummins. You should move up you will be very happy you did.
boubou64
Explorer
Jun 24, 2013
We tow the Jayco Eagle H 23.5 with the Ram 1500 Hemi 4X4 Quad Cab
The 5th wheel dry weight is 5900 lbs, yellow sticker 6500 and loaded at scales 6800
Turns out pin weight is 1360 and not 1150 as advertised dry.
Having said that.... The truck does great and if we were to do it again, we'd go bigger with same truck, not by much but I wouldn't let a few pounds turn me away from the HT RLS like the one you are looking at.
We added Timbrens instead of airbags and they perform great, no airing up or down to do.
We've been down to Nova Scotia and PEI from Ontario as well as to the Outerbanks of North Carolina in the windy ( at the time) PA hills