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Paul39's avatar
Paul39
Explorer
Sep 27, 2023

Truck / 5th Wheel Combo - Do the numbers add up?

Looking for input on my potential truck/5th wheel combo. A little background first. I have had trailers, but this would be my first 5th wheel. As I am opening this up to the weight police, I am looking for honest opinions and I don’t want to make a costly mistake. With that said, my opinion (as an automotive engineer) is that I’m a rule follower (regarding GVWR, etc) but I have no problem being close to the limit as I know there is a significant safety factor already built into those numbers. With that said – here is what I am looking at:

Tow vehicle
2023/4 Ford F250 4x4 7.3l gas short bed well optioned (maybe King Ranch)
From what I have found on the internet
Rear GAWR 6,340
Front GAWR 5,600
Tow Capacity 16,500
Payload 3,923
GVWR 10,500
Curb Weight 6,480 – 6550 (I see different amounts depending on what site I go to)

So – my math says 10,500 GVWR – 7100 Truck (added 550lbs for people/etc) – 200lbs for hitch (may need a slider) leaves 3,200 for pin weight. Assuming a 22% pin weight puts me at 14,500lb max 5th wheel.

I’m looking at a Cougar 290RLS
Dry Wt 10,124 lbs
Hitch 1,805
GVWR 12,200
Length 33’8”

I know many will say just get the F350, but the truck will be used 95% as a daily driver and 5% towing. Seems like I have a reasonable margin. ~4,000 lbs on tow capacity, ~500 lbs cargo capacity/GVWR assuming trailer is loaded to GVWR.

Does anyone see flaws in my logic before a spend a small fortune on these toys? Is the Curb weight of 6,550 for a short wb 4x4 7.3l crew seem right? I looked up all the specs for this particular truck and it seems consistent in that range, but comments on other posts look like the truck weight could be more. Also – any comments on the Cougar 290RLS?
  • StirCrazy's avatar
    StirCrazy
    Moderator
    Sep 28, 2023
    Paul39 wrote:
    Looking for input on my potential truck/5th wheel combo. A little background first. I have had trailers, but this would be my first 5th wheel. As I am opening this up to the weight police, I am looking for honest opinions and I don’t want to make a costly mistake. With that said, my opinion (as an automotive engineer) is that I’m a rule follower (regarding GVWR, etc) but I have no problem being close to the limit as I know there is a significant safety factor already built into those numbers. With that said – here is what I am looking at:

    Tow vehicle
    2023/4 Ford F250 4x4 7.3l gas short bed well optioned (maybe King Ranch)
    From what I have found on the internet
    Rear GAWR 6,340
    Front GAWR 5,600
    Tow Capacity 16,500
    Payload 3,923
    GVWR 10,500
    Curb Weight 6,480 – 6550 (I see different amounts depending on what site I go to)

    So – my math says 10,500 GVWR – 7100 Truck (added 550lbs for people/etc) – 200lbs for hitch (may need a slider) leaves 3,200 for pin weight. Assuming a 22% pin weight puts me at 14,500lb max 5th wheel.

    I’m looking at a Cougar 290RLS
    Dry Wt 10,124 lbs
    Hitch 1,805
    GVWR 12,200
    Length 33’8”

    I know many will say just get the F350, but the truck will be used 95% as a daily driver and 5% towing. Seems like I have a reasonable margin. ~4,000 lbs on tow capacity, ~500 lbs cargo capacity/GVWR assuming trailer is loaded to GVWR.

    Does anyone see flaws in my logic before a spend a small fortune on these toys? Is the Curb weight of 6,550 for a short wb 4x4 7.3l crew seem right? I looked up all the specs for this particular truck and it seems consistent in that range, but comments on other posts look like the truck weight could be more. Also – any comments on the Cougar 290RLS?


    ya you're going to need a bit more payload. As for being a daily driver, there is going to be no difference between an f250 gasser and a f350 gasser what's so ever aside from the badge. I can tell you right now add at least 500lbs to that pin weight. my cougar was advertised at 2350lbs, and it came in slightly over 3000lbs. Don't forget that pin weight is done with no options on the rv and everything empty or missing (like batteries and propane bottles which are right at the front. so, once you start adding propane and tanks, batteries, any options, water, "stuff" in the bedroom and more "stuff" in the storage below, that weight goes up drastically. I thought I would be safe with my 99 F250 diesel but I was over on the rear axle, so I had to get a newer f350
  • ReneeG's avatar
    ReneeG
    Explorer
    Sep 28, 2023
    Without talking about all the numbers, ratios, GVW, etc. We towed our heavy FW (in sig) which is close to 14k fully loaded first with an F250, SRW, short bed. Big mistake. We added air bags to the pickup and they kept failing. We traded it in for an F350, long bed, dually and what a difference in towing. No sway, no wobble, just a solid ride! I would highly recommend a long bed for any heavy FW towing.
  • wowens79's avatar
    wowens79
    Explorer III
    Sep 28, 2023
    I bought a 2022 F-350 7.3 4.30 Lariat last year, with plans to pull a similar 5th wheel in the future. Honestly it rides better than my 02 1500 did. The rear springs I think are the same until you get to the overload leaf.
    My truck has 4204lbs of payload, and rated to tow 20k. I figured a little extra capacity is a good thing, I hate to have to push it to the limits.
    It was less than a $1000 to go to the 350, and I have no regrets. My wife loves taking it on road trips even though it gets less than half the fuel milage of her Honda.
    I don't think you will notice the ride difference not towing, get the 350.
  • Paul39's avatar
    Paul39
    Explorer
    Sep 28, 2023
    "ya you're going to need a bit more payload. As for being a daily driver, there is going to be no difference between an f250 gasser and a f350 gasser what's so ever aside from the badge. I can tell you right now add at least 500lbs to that pin weight. my cougar was advertised at 2350lbs, and it came in slightly over 3000lbs. Don't forget that pin weight is done with no options on the rv and everything empty or missing (like batteries and propane bottles which are right at the front. so, once you start adding propane and tanks, batteries, any options, water, "stuff" in the bedroom and more "stuff" in the storage below, that weight goes up drastically. I thought I would be safe with my 99 F250 diesel but I was over on the rear axle, so I had to get a newer f350"

    Trucks are getting bigger and more capable. An F250 from 2010 had a 2,850 lb payload, in 2016 had a 3,100 lb payload, 2022 a 3,470 lb payload, and now in 2024 has a 3,923 lb payload (I tried to match gas 4x4 6.75' crew cabs with high trim packages). So basically the standard 2024 F250 has about the same payload and towing capacity as the standard F350 of 10 years ago. But all good points and I will take a look at the F350s as well. Thank you
  • laknox's avatar
    laknox
    Nomad
    Sep 28, 2023
    You're exactly right, Paul. My '02 2500 D'max 4x4 CC, 6.5' bed had less payload than 150/1500s from about 2015, and onward. I towed my old FW, 11,360 GVW, and was about 1,000 over on my combined GW and 600 over on my rear axle, but with 265 tires instead of the OEM 245s, I was =under= by about 800 lbs on the 265 tire rating.

    Yeah, a gasser F250 would handle a 12k GVW FW OK, but a 350 would handle it great, not just OK. They're the same truck, with a bigger spring package and, maybe, brakes (can't remember). Biggest cost might be in the registration difference, depending on your state. :-)

    I'm like you, in that I don't want to go much bigger than what I currently have, but I also have a 30' GN trailer and had to think about that, as well. Any future FW upgrade likely won't be more than 13k GVW, from what I'm looking at now, so I =could= have stuck with a 2500, but the price differential just didn't make sense to go with the 2500.

    Lyle

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