Towing with 5.5 Ft Box

2112 wrote:

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
Sure, it can be done to tow a 5er with a grocery hauler. After you add a slider hitch, extra springs or air bags, change the tires to E' s, add trailer brake unit .
After all that you still have a grocery hauler with weak brakes.
For less money, no mods, get the right truck. you wont find it any harder to park and not measurably thirstier on fuel.

My grocery getter has more payload than most 3/4 ton diesels I've seen.
I traded my overweight, overrated superglide for a 90lb Husky fixed. I realized I didn't require a slider. I installed Timbrens to level it out. Why do I need E tires? The brake controller is integrated with the truck. It seems to work great. The brakes have stopped the rig every time so far. Why would I have weak brakes? I get 22 mpg driving my grocery getter to work and 9-12 mpg towing the FW in my sig.

What else you got?

Your sig says it. It works for you, is not economical or advisable for most others.

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
Your sig says it. It works for you, is not economical or advisable for most others.

What does my sig say to make it not economical or advisable for most others?

I'm not trying to sell anything here. I'm saying the right half ton can tow the right FW safely and comfortably. Too many posters here throw out blanket statements that are just not true.

I still want to know what's wrong with my brakes. That one comes up often.

The OP does not say what truck, and a 5.5 bed length would not be a good choice for a FW. While many 1/2 ton trucks, such as the one 2112 has, are capable of towing some FWs. The so called 1/2 ton towable FWs normally have a GVWR of 10K or less and can be towed with the properly equipped 1/2 ton truck. I don't think you can get a properly equipped truck with 5.5 bed.

Yes, the newer model 1/2 T Ford trucks have great brakes.

Jerry

2112 wrote:
Depends on the TV and FW. What truck are you considering?

For those that say you can't tow a FW with a half ton I guess I dreamt towing 500 miles yesterday. Did I just imagine that :h

This is wholly unnecessary. Sure you *CAN* tow. You can tow a tractor trailer with an old Volkswagen Beetle if you want. Doesn't mean you should. Doesn't mean you're guaranteed to like it after dropping $100,000 on truck and trailer.

Imagine spending $50,000 on a fancy new 1/2 ton crew cab with all the bells and whistles, then dropping another $50,000 on a fancy new 5th wheel and a bunch of upgrades for the truck, only to *HATE* how it drives and handles on your first trip.

$100,000 mistake. You got $100,000 to burn? I don't.

2112 wrote:
Depends on the TV and FW. What truck are you considering?

For those that say you can't tow a FW with a half ton I guess I dreamt towing 500 miles yesterday. Did I just imagine that :h

Your truck has more payload than 99.9% of half tons available on the market. While it is possible, OP is not likely to find one. He can order the special packages in only the Ford to get over 2k payload in a crew cab 5.5' bed, but even then I think he would be over GVWR, and likely you as well.

mkirsch wrote:

2112 wrote:
Depends on the TV and FW. What truck are you considering?

For those that say you can't tow a FW with a half ton I guess I dreamt towing 500 miles yesterday. Did I just imagine that :h

This is wholly unnecessary. Sure you *CAN* tow. You can tow a tractor trailer with an old Volkswagen Beetle if you want. Doesn't mean you should. Doesn't mean you're guaranteed to like it after dropping $100,000 on truck and trailer.

Imagine spending $50,000 on a fancy new 1/2 ton crew cab with all the bells and whistles, then dropping another $50,000 on a fancy new 5th wheel and a bunch of upgrades for the truck, only to *HATE* how it drives and handles on your first trip.

$100,000 mistake. You got $100,000 to burn? I don't.

Your example is wholly unrealistic. Of course a $50K 1/2 ton with all the bells and whistles wouldn't have the required payload. My lightly optioned example was $28K out the door. The 2018 5.0 CC has 2140lb payload before options.

I must have missed where the OP stated a $50K fancy new FW. My light weight model was half that.

I *LOVE* how it drives and handles every trip.

Again, my point is the OP asked a general question with no detail and here comes the assumptions and false information.

APT wrote:

2112 wrote:
Depends on the TV and FW. What truck are you considering?

For those that say you can't tow a FW with a half ton I guess I dreamt towing 500 miles yesterday. Did I just imagine that :h

...He can order the special packages in only the Ford to get over 2k payload in a crew cab 5.5' bed, but even then I think he would be over GVWR, and likely you as well.

The OP's second sentence is "if so what should I order on new pickup". This somewhat implies he's ordering something. He never said what.

Why would I be over GVWR? Did someone throw a 400lb weight in my bed without me knowing it? I doubt it.

2112 wrote:

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
Sure, it can be done to tow a 5er with a grocery hauler. After you add a slider hitch, extra springs or air bags, change the tires to E' s, add trailer brake unit .
After all that you still have a grocery hauler with weak brakes.
For less money, no mods, get the right truck. you wont find it any harder to park and not measurably thirstier on fuel.

My grocery getter has more payload than most 3/4 ton diesels I've seen.
I traded my overweight, overrated superglide for a 90lb Husky fixed. I realized I didn't require a slider. I installed Timbrens to level it out. Why do I need E tires? The brake controller is integrated with the truck. It seems to work great. The brakes have stopped the rig every time so far. Why would I have weak brakes? I get 22 mpg driving my grocery getter to work and 9-12 mpg towing the FW in my sig.

What else you got?

While your truck has no where near the real world payload of any newer HD pickup, except on paper, I agre with the rest whole heartedly.
Not saying I wouldn’t rather have a bigger truck, but that doesn’t discount the capability of “lowly half tons”. I’ve dragged 10k or more a lot of miles with many different half tons.
It’s about a hat you’re comfortable with and what the vehicle will reasonably handle.
The remainder of the considerations get lost once the weight cops show up. Lol.

OP. The answer is that you CAN tow some fivers with the right Truck with the 5.5 ft bed. The right truck is usually a F150 with the max tow and HD payload package or a GM truck with the NHT package.

Just like a Half Ton (grocery getter) can tow some travel trailers but not all.

Also, in general, you can tow a bigger Travel Trailer with a half ton than a fiver. A half ton runs out of payload and rear axle rating faster than a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.

Love my grocery getter...I personally and willing to deal with the trade offs for a vehicle that is much easier to deal with on a daily basis. (I work in the city)

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Reading all this and wondering why all the posts about half ton trucks and fifth wheels and short beds?? OP said nothing about truck size beyond asking if a fifth wheel can be towed by a truck with a 5.5 ft bed.

I might be mistaken, but doesn't FCA Ram offer a Mega Cab configuration with a 5.5 ft bed in 2500 or 3500 series? Believe I saw a thread in this forum this year with a photo of such a truck posted by its proud owner. Just sayin'.......