Truly towable with 1/2 ton?

It really depends on your 1/2 ton trucks GVWR and RAWR....engine size (hp/torque) and rear axle ratio.
We have 1/2 ton trucks out here with 8600 gvwr and 6000 rawr 6.0 engines 4.10 gears or at the low end is a 6200 gvwr tiny 3200 rawr small hp/torque v6 engines and 3.08 rear axle ratio....so whatcha' got.

Might also ask here, Ford F150 group Real world not guesstimates and Tow police answers.

Unless you have a “Max tow” and/or “Heavy Duty Payload” 1/2 ton I’d forget about a 5th wheel. I do it with my F150 with a Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP) of 2565lbs and RAWR of 4800lbs. I’ve got about 350lbs of cushion on payload and RAWR with both Max Tow and HDPP package on a 157” WB 6.5’ box Screw with just me and DW in the truck. (1800lbs pin weight fully loaded) It’s a considerably rare truck. Some would call it a Unicorn.

With all the trucks and campers listed in your byline, are your really asking this? You for one probably know better then me! I will say this , and dont take it wrong, when i see people ask these questions its usally becuase they have an idea in there mind , that may not be a great one , and want someone else to back them up so they can do it.

Do you have an F150? Or still looking? Plenty of F250s listed on cars.com

dieseldan723 wrote:
We are looking for a lightweight 5th wheel that can truly be towed by a 1/2 ton truck. I would buy a 3/4 ton if I could find one, however they seem to be hard to come by these days, unless you want one that has been well used, or was a Fleet/Rental truck.

A number of the lightweight trailers (we like the Rockwood Ultralight) are pushing the limits of 1/2 ton trucks and require "max trailering" packages, which most trucks don't have.

The trailer will be for two - no pets. I would love some ideas on trailers from this experienced group!

Time is of the essence, as we would like to get one before summer.

TIA

Look for a Casita 5th. wheel. Small and light for your 1/2 truck.

dieseldan723 wrote:
We are looking for a lightweight 5th wheel that can truly be towed by a 1/2 ton truck. I would buy a 3/4 ton if I could find one, however they seem to be hard to come by these days, unless you want one that has been well used, or was a Fleet/Rental truck.

A number of the lightweight trailers (we like the Rockwood Ultralight) are pushing the limits of 1/2 ton trucks and require "max trailering" packages, which most trucks don't have.

The trailer will be for two - no pets. I would love some ideas on trailers from this experienced group!

Time is of the essence, as we would like to get one before summer.

TIA

Here's another small 5th wheel that most likely can be towed safely and easily with a 1/2 ton PU: https://www.scamptrailers.com/showroom/19-deluxe-trailer

Your problem will be staying within your trucks RAWR. After searching for 2 years, the Durango in my sig has the lightest pin weight I could find, 1170#. Durango Specs

Fully loaded my pin weight is 1480# and rear axle weight is 4140#, 140# (<5%) over my 4000# RAWR. These weights are with empty waste tasks. My waste tasks are forward of the trailer axles. With the black and gray tanks full the rear axle weight is WAY OVER RAWR. Keep that in mind when shopping.

Well..... I looked at your coming back thread so you say you don't have a truck now.
The last 10 years or so the only 1/2 ton truck that has enough GVWR/RAWR to pull a 10k lb actual scaled gross weight 5th wheel trailer is Fords properly equipped F150HDPP like the one mooky stinks talks about.

Ford markets several F150 GVWR and RAWR packages all with a "Max tow" options. Don't bit into what many have done and choose the F150 with a 6800 gvwr and small 3800 rawr with the max tow option. This truck is good for around 1300-1500 lb load on that small 3800 rawr. Then they find out they chose the wrong F150....then claim a 1/2 ton trucks can't pull a 5th wheel trailer or only a tiny 5th wheel trailer.

Towing at or near max isn’t fun. Change the truck or buy a TT IMO.