1/2 Ton Towable 5th Wheel

[rollindownthero]

Hello:

Does anyone have a 5th wheel that they say can be towed by a 1/2 ton truck? Are you actually towing it with a 1/2 ton truck and what kind of truck do you have?

I had originally thought that when I retire I would get a motorhome with a toad. However, I wasn't planning on "traveling" all the time. Was going to find a location and be there for a month, then move to the next spot and stay a month or two. The more I thought about it the more a 5th wheel or TT made more sense to me. Wouldn't have to worry about another engine to maintain, additional tires to replace, and gas for two vehicles. I had a Jeep that could be towed 4 down, but would need to get a truck for a 5th or TT.

I looked at trucks and my budget (or what I was willing to pay) was for 1/2 ton. Found a 2019 F150, XLT, 3.6L ecoboost, 4x4, 145" wheelbase, 20" tires, 6.5 foot bed, 3.55 rear axle ratio, pay load of 2,030 lbs. I did look at RAM, Chevy and GMC but the Ford had the highest tow rating.

After researching and scrolling though numerous websites and Ford's website I can conventional tow 12,700 lbs. with this truck. Ford says 13,200 with the Max Towing package, which I don't have. The only thing I don't have in the towing package is the transmission cooler. From what I found so far for a 5th wheel it says 10,000 lbs.

Wondering what kind of experience you have towing the 5th wheel with a 1/2 ton truck. I know the majority are going to tell me to get a bigger truck, but again the budget dictates a 1/2 ton. I know a TT would work well for me, but just investigating the possibility of a 5th wheel.

[rollindownthero]

troubledwaters wrote:
(Except I would invest in a more capable transmission cooler).

I called a Ford Dealership, a different one from the one I am looking at this truck at, they told me that any after market equipment added to the vehicle would void the warranty. It would also not increase towing capacity.

If I wanted to look at a travel trailer what is the max size I should look at? Weight wise dry weight or Gross Weight? RV dealer websites are also confusing when they list weights of RVs. You never know if it is the dry weight or gross weight.

[TXiceman]

While you can order a 1/2 ton with the payload capacity to carry a 5ers pin weight, you still have 1/2 ton brakes, axle and suspension. You are much better off going on up to a 3/4 ton truck to begin with.

Ken

[ppine]

What works in Florida and Iowa does not work in the Rocky Mountains.
Get a real truck if you want to tow heavy things.
That means a 3/4 or 1 ton and a diesel is best.

[troubledwaters]

Don't be so discouraged. Go to an RV show and check out the Travel Trailers. You will see a lot of nice TT's well within your trucks tow ratings. (Except I would invest in a more capable transmission cooler).

[BillyBob_Jim]

rollindowntheroad wrote:
In fact, going to forget towing anything.

I guess some RV dealer somewhere lost a sale.

Another satisfied customer of the RVnet weight enforcement division.

[rollindownthero]

In fact, going to forget towing anything.

[rollindownthero]

Thank you for all your replies! I am going to forget about towing a 5th wheel.

[ppine]

Good luck and buen suerte.

[twodownzero]

Fresno Tundra Driver wrote:
Our 5er is almost 28 feet long. Hitch weight is 1100 pounds. Cargo capacity is 1924 pounds leaving me around 824 pounds for cargo and people. My tow limit is only 7200 pounds with my 4.7L Tundra. The dry weight of the camper is 5800 pounds. Fully loaded up ready to go the camper is around 6900-7100. I never tow with water but on an 18 day trip our camper topped out at 7400 pounds. We’ve successfully towed thus far without any trouble whatsoever for 17 years. I did add Sumo springs to the rear end about four years ago. That leveled out a bit of rear sag I had and really made for a smoother ride with less bounce. I also have the tow package that comes with the radiator cooler and Bilstein shocks. My only complaint is the 6-7 mpg while towing. Because of the shorter overall package and carrying some of the trailer as opposed to having it all towed behind the truck, the driving characteristics are superior with the fifth wheel.

How much does your 5th wheel hitch weigh? Mine is 180 pounds alone. 20% of your 7000 pounds + trailer hitch sure doesn't leave you much weight for passengers. Of course this assumes that you can load to full GVWR without busting the rear GAWR, which may not be possible, you'll have to weigh it to be sure; rear GAWR is likely limited by the tires although the semi floating rear axle has its limits as well. If your weights are as you say, you may be fine, but that's awfully close.

I agree that a 5er pulls better because the truck carries so much weight, but that is also why the truck itself is a big consideration.

Personally I would not pull any gooseneck or fifth wheel trailer with any 1/2 ton truck, but there may be a combination that works.

FWIW, it isn't just 5ers that are like this--my "1/2 ton" capable Lance 815 also overloaded my 1 ton SRW. Don't believe anyone's marketing!

[valhalla360]

Do people do it..yes.

If you just want proof that it's done...you've got it already.

Do you want a truck suitable to the job, move up to at least a 3/4 ton. Cost difference is little to nothing and will do a much better job.

[eurojet]

I tow a 2018 Primetime Crusader Lite 30bh Cat scaled at 9500# loaded for camping, towed with a 2018 F150 3.5eco with 6.5' bed using the Pullrite superlight hitch. All i added was new shorter shocks to compensate taking out the blocks in the rear and Airbags to level it out. I have absolutely no issues pulling it with my "1/2 ton" trailer has its own brakes and I am under the maximum weight for a 5th wheel. Truck stops fine and It does stop well in an emergency braking situation.

Moderator edit to re-size picture to forum recommended limit of 640px maximum width.

[troubledwaters]

twodownzero wrote:

rollindowntheroad wrote:
To: Twodownzero:

I don't have the wrong truck! I don't have an RV yet. I am investigating and learning, that is why I ask questions. These are the kind of responses that tick me off.

I hate to say it, but the trailer or camper should really be selected before you choose the truck to avoid precisely the problem you have here. A 1/2 ton truck is NOT designed to be any kind of regular towing or hauling platform. I struggle to find a useful analogy, but the easiest way to say it is that a 1/2 ton truck is designed to be used like a station wagon of yesterday, for hauling bulky but not heavy items, for occasionally pulling a small cargo trailer, and generally being a replacement for a RWD car like vehicle that used to be common, but nowadays are becoming rare as unibody, front wheel drive, and maximum fuel efficiency are the order of the day. I guess it's kinda like a circular saw--capable of doing the role of a lot of other types of saws (miter, radial arm, table, etc.), but not as specialized as these tools, and not up to the task of replacing those saws for regular use.

A 3/4 or 1 ton truck is an entirely different animal even if it looks pretty much the same. It will have the suspension and drivetrain necessary to be loaded on a regular or even constant basis. It will have real truck tires, a full floating rear axle, suspension made to handle its rated load, much larger and more powerful brakes, etc.

Someone mentioned the 375 horsepower and if you ask me, that is the scariest figure on the new trucks. I'd rather be in a 30 year old truck with half the power which was equipped with suspension, tires, brakes, axles, transmission, coolers, and a bunch of other features that actually matter rather than being able to accelerate an unsafe amount of weight to a terrifying speed without the means to suspend, stop, steer, and control the load.

I have said before on here that what I find especially scary about 1/2 ton trucks is that the entire weight of the vehicle is supported by one fairly small axle shaft on each side with a single bearing. In contrast, a heavy duty light truck will have a 3 1/2" or 4", .500" thick tube carrying the weight, with two bearings per side and the axle shaft only applying torque to the hub. This is just one example of why anyone who is seeking to tow a travel trailer or fifth wheel should seriously consider a heavier duty truck than that person might otherwise think necessary for the task.

I'm not saying that your F150 is useless, junk, or not suitable for any use. All I'm saying is that a screwdriver is not a pry bar, a circular saw is not a table saw, and that while using these things as not intended is not necessarily going to harm anyone or anything, the potential consequences of doing so are potentially catastrophic and the means to avoid this situation entirely are clearly not out of reach to you if you're driving a 2019-anything. Look around this forum at the people who go and weigh their rigs only to learn that they're in too deep and way beyond their tow vehicle's capability before they even get to use it to its potential. Recreational vehicles are supposed to be fun; this kind of risk ruins the fun for me. Tradeoffs are part of life so I get it. But most people do not fully understand how hard towing is on parts, especially as the amenities our trailers have continue to grow, perhaps at a rate that our pickups haven't kept up.

Nice load of PoppyCock!

A half ton truck is tested per SAE standard J2807 to tow just fine right up to it tow ratings. You don't need a 10 lbs sledge hammer to drive a nail; a 20 oz framing hammer works just fine for its intended use.

[WTP-GC]

I own a "half-ton towable" unit. Funny thing is that it weighs (in all regards) about the same as my previous rig which is not marketed as "half-ton towable". So is this mostly a marketing gimmick...IMHO, yes.

I would not wish to tow my 5er with a half-ton truck, plain and simple. We can talk all day about weights and payload and tail wagging and everything in between, but in the reality, some rigs just work better than others. Folks can add up the weights and go across scales and get scientific about things...or you can just overdo it, load up what you want, and go have fun. In all of my extensive towing life, I've never put more than a few seconds of thought into the combined weights of anything. When you know that you know that you're covered, it's a lot easier to enjoy life.

[2112]

rollindowntheroad wrote:
Sticker says weight of passengers and cargo should never exceed 1,772 lbs.

That is not enough payload.

This One is similar to mine in length and weights. Wet, packed ready to go, my pin weight is 1400lbs and rear axle weight is 4000lbs with waste tanks empty. I grossly exceed my RAWR of 4200lbs with both waste tanks full, in a bad way. Because of this, I pick a spot close to the dump station when not at full hookups.

My truck tows this FW like a dream, much better than the 34' TT we previously had.

Before the WP jump in, this FW came with it's own set of brakes.

On Edit: Here Is One like mine for sale in Florida. What sold us on this one was the low pin weight, large shower and counter space. It took me over a year to find what worked for us.

My signature states I'm using a Superglide but I changed that to a Reese manual slide a few years ago. The Superglide is a heavy, finicky beast. A sliding hitch is not necessary with this front cap.

Regardless, this may still be too much pin weight for the truck you stated. Get the most payload you can find, or a 3/4 ton. The advantage of a 3/4 ton is the heavier rear axle. If you do stay with the F150, get the 3.5EB, it's an impressive towing engine. The 5.0 screams too much on the hills and doesn't have the turbo advantage at high altitudes.

[BillyBob_Jim]

12thgenusa wrote:
These fear mongering posts disgust me.

They're actually quite entertaining.