5th wheel & Half-ton TV Thoughts

[usmcshepherd]

Hello all,

I have a friend who has a F150 who is currently towing a 30ft bumper pull trailer who is looking to move up to a 5th wheel. I am concerned that while the dealership says he'll be fine that he'll have clearance issues with his small 5'5" bed (his F150 is a crew cab). He has already upgraded his tires and suspension so handling the pin weight (he's looking at the lighter halfton 5th wheels with pin weights around 1400lbs). If anyone has any thoughts or experience when it comes to clearance issues and hitches it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Cummins12V98]

Lantley wrote:
Prior to pandemic pricing. The difference in pricing between chasis styles was negligible. My dually was not much more than a 2500. The difference was even less between dually and 3500 SRW.
Price was not the reason to buy the wrong truck it was a simple matter of knowledge and not knowing any better thsat led to people buying the wrong truck.
Unfortunately now that trucks and vehicles are in short supply.
Supply and demand has taken over and they are all overpriced.

When ordering my truck the DRW option was $1,200. Dirt cheap.

[JIMNLIN]

usmcshepherd wrote:
Thanks for everyone’s response…between my recommendations and what he found here he decided to go with a TT for now…but is already looking at a 3/4 ton upgrade to his truck for pulling the new TT as well as preparing for the 5er down there road.

Remind him that all 3/4 ton trucks aren't the same. And gas or diesel ...new or used trucks.

A 2500 GM model with the 11550 gvwr and 6600 rawr gets him around 3400-3500 lb in the bed payload for carrying a 5th wheel hitch and the trailers hitch weight.

Fords F250 10800 gvwr...and 6340 rawr with the camper package or heavy service pack give has the same suspension as the std duty F350 srw. These truck can easily handle 3200 -3300 lb payload

Ram 2500 come with a 10000 gvwr and depending on year models can have a 6000-6200-6500 rawr. The 6500 rawr came in the mid teens will give the best payload.

If he is looking at 13k-14k lb 5th wheel trailer then a one ton srw would be a better choice.
Which brings up another issues as some one ton srw trucks have the same gvwr/rawr packages as the higher rated 3/4 ton trucks.

[rhagfo]

usmcshepherd wrote:
Thanks for everyone’s response…between my recommendations and what he found here he decided to go with a TT for now…but is already looking at a 3/4 ton upgrade to his truck for pulling the new TT as well as preparing for the 5er down there road.

Might tell your friend that skip the 3/4 ton and get a one ton SRW, especially if he is still thinking about 5er.

[Lantley]

Prior to pandemic pricing. The difference in pricing between chasis styles was negligible. My dually was not much more than a 2500. The difference was even less between dually and 3500 SRW.
Price was not the reason to buy the wrong truck it was a simple matter of knowledge and not knowing any better thsat led to people buying the wrong truck.
Unfortunately now that trucks and vehicles are in short supply.
Supply and demand has taken over and they are all overpriced.

[Pbutler97]

nickthehunter wrote:
Yeah - but you can’t get the 3.5 ecoboost and the 10 speed transmission with the F250; which is exactly what you want for a “sometimes” towing a small fifth wheel and “mostly” a daily driver.
And I can tell you first hand, when I bought my F150 the price difference for an F250 was not negligible, it was appreciable. Just my experience, yours may vary.

That depends on if $8,000 or @ 21% more coin falls within your definition of negligible. F-150 starts out at $31K and change, F-250 starts at $39K and change. That's for a basic truck with plastic seats.

[GIB2]

Some things are best left unanswered. It's what he has to do.

[nickthehunter]

Yeah - but you can’t get the 3.5 ecoboost and the 10 speed transmission with the F250; which is exactly what you want for a “sometimes” towing a small fifth wheel and “mostly” a daily driver.
And I can tell you first hand, when I bought my F150 the price difference for an F250 was not negligible, it was appreciable. Just my experience, yours may vary.

[valhalla360]

TXiceman wrote:
Thermoguy, the average half ton truck you find on the dealer's lot is not suitable to tow a 5th wheel. What the dealers order are generally good as mulch and grocery haulers. You can order a half ton truck that will be much better suited to tow a small 5th wheel.

Even with a special ordered half ton, you are severely limited with the payload capacity and never order one with the short bed.

Ken

Yeah, but if you are special ordering anyway, just go up to a 3/4 or 1 ton. The cost difference will be negligible and you have a much more suitable truck.

Only reason I can see for trying to do this is you have a 1/2 ton and grandpa dies and leaves you his old 24ft 5er...then I might investigate if the numbers can be made to work.

[GIB2]

No thought wouldn't consider. It is a recipe to loose your truck , trailer and lives including others on the road.

[usmcshepherd]

Thanks for everyone’s response…between my recommendations and what he found here he decided to go with a TT for now…but is already looking at a 3/4 ton upgrade to his truck for pulling the new TT as well as preparing for the 5er down there road.

[JIMNLIN]

usmcshepherd wrote:
Hello all,

I have a friend who has a F150 who is currently towing a 30ft bumper pull trailer who is looking to move up to a 5th wheel. I am concerned that while the dealership says he'll be fine that he'll have clearance issues with his small 5'5" bed (his F150 is a crew cab). He has already upgraded his tires and suspension so handling the pin weight (he's looking at the lighter halfton 5th wheels with pin weights around 1400lbs). If anyone has any thoughts or experience when it comes to clearance issues and hitches it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

LOL...anytime a 1/2 ton truck is mentioned for pulling a "light weight" 5th wheel trailer with 1400 lb pin weight the no it can do it crowd shows up with the infamous "no 1/2 ton can tow a 5th wheel trailer nonsense"

Has your question about your clearance concerns for a buddies F150 5' 5" short bed been addressed ??

There are hitch solution=s out here just for that combo.

[Cummins12V98]

Some just don't get they may need more than a 150/1500.

[TXiceman]

Thermoguy, the average half ton truck you find on the dealer's lot is not suitable to tow a 5th wheel. What the dealers order are generally good as mulch and grocery haulers. You can order a half ton truck that will be much better suited to tow a small 5th wheel.

Even with a special ordered half ton, you are severely limited with the payload capacity and never order one with the short bed.

Ken

[Thermoguy]

Anyone that says a 1/2 ton can not pull a 5th wheel is incorrect. People are doing it as has been stated on this site many times.

The only issue is that the 5th wheel must be within the payload limitations of the truck. That is the issue. They make 5th wheel hitches for 1/2 ton trucks, I looked them up. I was and still am considering a 1/2 ton truck down the road - for a trailer with a 1200 lb pin weight fully loaded. I have looked at various 1/2 ton trucks a couple years back, some were OK for that payload, some were not. If its within the payload - not at the max, then it would be OK. They do make small 5th wheel trailers.

We can discuss things like the short wheel base on the 5.5 bed, that would be an issue I would stay away from. We can discuss the thin materials that make a 5th wheel light enough to be 1/2 ton towable, that I would agree with. But if it's within the ratings, its not the end of the world. It does limit the owner to not being able to upgrade, probably has small tanks, etc. But, it can be done.