Half ton towing

First thing is to forget the dry weights. Use the trailer GVWR from the tag on the left front of the trailer. This is the maximum weight of the loaded trailer. To estimate your loaded pin weight take 20 to 22% of the trailer GVWR.

Now look on the drivers door jamb for a yellow sticker that provides the payload capacity of the truck. Take your estimated pin weight plus a hitch plus passengers plus any cargo in the truck bed. All of that added up needs to be less then the payload capacity of the truck.

A 1/2 ton truck will reach its payload capacity long before you reach the trucks maximum towing capacity.

Good luck.

Ken

JIMNLIN wrote:
jeeper....Straight answer would be if your F150 has enough rawr. A 7k dry weight which grows to 8500 lbs, maybe more, = 1600-1800 lb pin weight. Add 200 lbs for hitch/rails/etc......the truck has maybe 2000 lb siting on the rear axle. Now load the cab with all the people and other gear.

This.

Add in 400-800 for people and gear in the truck and I'm betting you are overloaded by the time you head out.

I would want to stay under 7k FULLY LOADED if you are insistent on using a 1/2 ton truck.

Assuming the setup is within weight ratings and properly set up, I wouldn't expect a significant safety difference between 5th wheel and bumper pull. A properly set up bumper pull is not dangerous.

Bottom line you need side wall stability on any tow rig!

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Bottom line you need side wall stability on any tow rig!

I followed a F150 towing what I would guess to be a 30' 5th wheel. I forgot to get the name of the 5er. The truck was definitely squatting, and best way to describe it, wallowing.

I know when I went to 10 ply tires on my F150, towing my TT was much improved.

My neighbor has a Ford F150 with the ecoboost engine and pulls a Cougar 29' fifth wheel with it. The truck has the heavy duty payload package along with LT tires in lieu of the P-metric tires. He said it also has heavy duty brakes compared to the standard truck. Pulls and stops the trailer very well, according to him. I have seen him on some hills when we camped together and he has no problem keeping up with traffic. Seems to have good stopping power also. I wouldn't want to do it but he has no issues, as of yet.
Curly

Thanks for all the thoughts and opinions, after more consideration I will stick
To my TT and f 150. The ride when not towing is hard to give up as well as the
Cargo room without the hitch in the bed. Happy camping everyone.

jeeperman your 150 has 52 pounds less payload capacity than ours. We tow a 29' 5'er and put pertnear 15,000 miles on that puppy in the past 7 years with the majority of miles in the southern Rookies of southwestern Colorado. Only suspension addition has been a set of SumoSprings (at 56,000 miles). Truck just turned 58,000 miles and got a set of Bilstein's to replace the crappy OEM's. Oh... the main different is ...you got a 5.0 V8 & we got that little 3.5 v6 (ecobeast). So!

Milo

Yes, been doing this for 15 years. No issues. Braking is no trouble. Yes on the steeper grades you will be hanging out with the loaded semis big deal. Been over the Rockies, through Death Valley, Yellowstone, west coast, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, would not hesitate to go about anywhere. Very stable in all conditions. Has never felt unsafe. Truck has just over 200,000 miles and still does great. No maintenance issues. Original transmission. New 400hp vs my tired 260hp would make pulling a breeze.

Can't say it is for everyone but I am very happy.