Newbie Looking for a New 5ver

Looking real hard at the Laredo 302 BH fifth wheel. Think she'll tow it ok? Anybody have opinions regarding Laredo or similar models I need to look at? Thanks for your help.

I really appreciate all the comments. Some very different approaches to the situation at hand. Just a FYI my drive axle weight was 3360# and my steer axle was 4920#. My RAWR is 6,100#'s and the tires are rated for 3750#'s @ 80psi (E rated). From what I'm gathering, it seems I shouldn't be too concerned about being over the 10,0000 GVWR (within reason). If I went with something not over 2200# loaded hitch weight, that would put my drive axle at about 5760#'s (with hitch), gives me about a 300# cushion back there. Of course my GVWR would then be at 10,680#'s. If I'm thinking correct this would be about a 11,000# loaded 5'ver. Please let me know if my thinking is wrong here, like I said I'm a newbie at 5'vers. Currently I'm towing a Jayco Jayflight 33RLDS TT, hitch weight around 1300#'s.

The truck is rated for 10,000 lbs and if the truck is 8,280 lbs ready to go, he has 1,720 lbs for pin weight. If you have pin weight of 2,000 lbs you are over weight for the truck.
My 2011 F250, CC, longbed, diesel, RWD, loaded and ready to go is just under 7,500 lbs. I tow a fiver that has a weight rating 9,950 lbs and if I use 20% as pin weight, 1,990 lbs plus truck ready to go of 7,500 lbs, I am 510 lbs under rating for the truck, axle weight is under and the GCWR is not even factor at 23,500 lbs. What I find some what missleading is the 16,300 lbs of fiver that the Ford ratings say that I could pull.

I see no one has really answered your questions specifically.

1. I have never seen or heard of anyone being pulled over or punished by law enforcement for being over the GVWR of the tow vehicle. Has anyone here?

2. This is the weight that is constantly up for debate. Some people go by the GVWR of the tow vehicle and recommend not to go over that. Some people go by the RAWR (Rear Axle Weight Rating) of the tow vehicle which in most all pickups is limited by the Max Load Capacity of the rear tires. Because most original SRW truck tires have a load rating of around 3000lbs each. The pickup's RAWR is usually between 6000 and 6100 lbs. Normally the actual weight sitting on the rear axle of an unloaded pickup is around 3000lbs, depending on what you've loaded it up with, including the 5th wheel hitch. Again, using very loose numbers, this, in turn would leave approximately 3000 lbs for hitch weight to be carried safely by the rear axle using standard tires and using the RAWR for weight capacity. Safely installing tires with higher load ratings (Load Range E for example), you can arguably raise your RAWR since the axle itself is rated for much higher weights.

3. This is up to you depending on how you go with question #2. I think if you stay within a 12K - 13K lbs loaded trailer, with not an especially heavy pin, you would be fine. That will keep your pin at around 2000lbs +/- 200 lbs, which would still be within your RAWR, that is if you choose to use the RAWR for your load capacity on the truck.

You can also use the RAWR. Some do some don't. My Ram comes with a tire limited 6000lb GRAWR. A 2176lb CCC rating. With the 17-1800lb pin in the bed my RAW is 4900lbs and that's with 50+gals of combined black/grey tanks in front of the 5'er axles. Still 1100lbs under the GRAWR. My GVW is only 9600lbs. FAW is 4900lbs also for a combined 9800lbs. 200lbs over the trucks GVW. Not concerned in the least. Ram 2500 is the same as a 3500 for 2012. Only diff is rear springs. Problem with 3/4 tons is once you option them out you really drop the GVW. Unfortunately you are limited to the size of the 5'er using the GVW. But from observing what's being pulled in CG's the last few years, not many 3/4 ton owners are overly concerned as I see lots of them with far bigger 5'ers than we own.

The GVWR is truck + payload. What you are really interested in is the GCVWR which is truck + payload/towable. With that truck the GCVR is 23500 according to the website. So, 23500 - 8280 = 15220 as the weight of your trailer. However, don't forget the weight of passengers etc. Still, you can find some pretty respectable trailers in that weight range. Also keep in mind that you are unlikely to max out the weight of your trailer under normal camping conditions, but you should check that out too. :)

joe

Forget the Dry/Brochure weights. Take the Gross (dry plus cargo) and take 20% of that for a ball park figure on pin weights. Not exact, but a better starting point than Dry weight numbers. Yes you'll see many rigs on the road that should have never left the Dealers lot, that's a big problem with 3/4 and 1 ton SRW TVs, they don't have the cargo cap to carry the pin weight of bigger 5er.. Also remember, Air Bags will not increase you're cargo cap, only bring the back up level after the squat from the pin weight.

I had a 2008 F250 and now have a 2011 F350 SRW. I needed firestone air springs on the 250, but also ended up with them on the 350. The 350 needs them to smooth out the ride and the 250 needed them for levelling. Both trucks pulled the same 5th wheel which weighs about 12k loaded. I have no idea what the actual hitch weight is. My point is that I would put air bags on your truck and be reasonable with the 5th wheel you choose. I would not stress over a few hundred pounds.

hawkman541 wrote:
I think you have your GVWR wrong for the F250. Its more like 15k or more for towing a fifth wheel. Most lightweight 5th Wheels weigh more than 10 or 11k. You have each wheel weights, the truck bed max gross weight, the rear wheel weight, and a towing weight.

Look in the Good Sam's towing book that comes out every year. Its online. Look up your model and make your own determination. Good
Luck

No, he's saying his tow vehicle has a GVWR of 10,000 pounds. Nothing stating what he can tow as far as fifth wheels go.

No advice to give on my part, but you are certainly starting correctly. Knowing what your vehicle weighs and what range of hitch pin weights you can handle is a step in the right direction.

Also be aware most of the folks you see towing don't have the first clue as to how to match a truck with a fifth wheel. They just do it because they are lucky and don't know any better. Besides, the RV salesman said my truck could pull this one! LOL, the worlds biggest lie.

Stay on the right path, keep the hitch weight in mind. Remember that 8,280 pounds is partially carried by two rear tires that have a max weight limit too. With a 60/40 split on weight, that means there is already 3,312 pounds on those two tires. What their max weight rating, something else you should know.

I guess there is one bit of advice I could offer. Find a fifth wheel with tires as close to the size you run on the truck as possible. In other words, don't go with 15 inch tires on a fifth wheel. Find 16 inch if possible at the least for fifth wheel tire size. It'll be much more level when you do hook up.

I think you have your GVWR wrong for the F250. Its more like 15k or more for towing a fifth wheel. Most lightweight 5th Wheels weigh more than 10 or 11k. You have each wheel weights, the truck bed max gross weight, the rear wheel weight, and a towing weight.

Look in the Good Sam's towing book that comes out every year. Its online. Look up your model and make your own determination. Good Luck