fifth wheel for 1/2 ton pickups

[late_bloomer]

I know that purchasing a fifth wheel usually requires a heavy duty TV. Currently I have a 08 Tundra 5.7. I really like this truck (and it's paid for so that's a bonus), and I have been noticing that some 5th wheels are being targeted as 1/2 ton compatible. Has anyone purchased one of these? I would like some opinions.

[Buck50HD]

Water-Bug wrote:
Nobody has mentioned it but 20" wheels, that are the current rage on 1/2 pickups, knock the heck out of most truck's towing capabilities. Just a warning to would be 1/2 ton PU 5er towers.

EDIT. When you are approaching the limits of a TVs capabilities, the little things can put you over the edge.

EDIT2 If Those 20" wheels are an after market or a dealer add-in, the door jamb sticker may be lieing to you.

My 20" tires have a combined rating of 7500 lb just for the 2 on the rear axle. Wheels are certified to 3500 each.

[Dandy_Dan]

Late Bloomer, check out the Open Range lights. Our 337RLS is not a light but has a GVW or 10,700 and almost 34' long. Good Luck in the search and Happy Camping.

[SailingOn]

The temptation is to buy a "half ton towable" FW with a GVWR about 9500#, dry weight about 7500 and say you'll load it lightly and manage to stay within your truck's ratings. There are some nice ones out there.
You can do this, but the pin weight will turn out to be more than you hoped.
My truck/FW combination has been 30k miles now, has pulled up an 11% grade (Austin's 2222 hill), has been over the Rockies 4 times, never with any handling issues.
But the scaled weight of my trailer loaded for a 3 week trip is under 7800#. There aren't many that light, and there are good reasons for not choosing a trailer this lightly built.

[jus2shy]

Water-Bug wrote:
Nobody has mentioned it but 20" wheels, that are the current rage on 1/2 pickups, knock the heck out of most truck's towing capabilities. Just a warning to would be 1/2 ton PU 5er towers.

EDIT. When you are approaching the limits of a TVs capabilities, the little things can put you over the edge.

The wheels don't hurt much of anything. With my F-150, my OEM "P" rated tires on my OEM 20" rims had the same amount of capacity as the OEM 18" wheel/tire combo that was a load range "D" tire. Wheels really don't do much of anything, what matters is what is spec'd out for the overall tire/wheel combo. Just to drive home the point, for Ford's strongest SRW F-350 towing/hauling package, you are going to have 275/65R20 tires that sport about 3,800 lbs of load capacity per tire. Yes, that is a 20" wheel.

[Water-Bug]

Nobody has mentioned it but 20" wheels, that are the current rage on 1/2 pickups, knock the heck out of most truck's towing capabilities. Just a warning to would be 1/2 ton PU 5er towers.

EDIT. When you are approaching the limits of a TVs capabilities, the little things can put you over the edge.

EDIT2 If Those 20" wheels are an after market or a dealer add-in, the door jamb sticker may be lieing to you.

[RobertRyan]

agesilaus wrote:

late bloomer wrote:
I know that purchasing a fifth wheel usually requires a heavy duty TV. Currently I have a 08 Tundra 5.7. I really like this truck (and it's paid for so that's a bonus), and I have been noticing that some 5th wheels are being targeted as 1/2 ton compatible. Has anyone purchased one of these? I would like some opinions.

If you had one of the three American (actually one of those is Italian) 1/2 ton pickups then there might be a few new 5th wheels (Evergreen makes that claim) that you could tow. Plus there are lighter very old fivers. .

Evergreen does make 30ft 5vers that are towable by small diesel Asian Pickups outside North America. So they should have something for US 1/2 tons
Easy economical cruising at 60mph, less at 70mph

[Steakman]

All I can add is that you do your due diligence.
My wife and I spent 3 moths looking at all kinds of 5th wheels and to stay within the ratings of my 2500HD Duramax was no easy task believe me.!

We saw a gorgeous 2009 Travelaire that construction wise was equal to an Arctic Fox or Citation with a Rear kitchen. GVWR on that unit was some 14435lbs...their sales guys said "oh yea, you can pull that easily' sure, and pigs can fly too.!! Not a chance for my truck. to pull that one would need a dually simply because my suspension is not rated for that kind of pin weight (2400 lbs). I have no doubt i could "pull"it...but I would have been seriously overweight...and that my friends spells danger.

So we looked at Ultra lights in the 27-30' range - Rockwoods/Palomino's and finally settled on the trailer in my sig with a GVWR of 10,150 lbs - Dry at 8050 with a Dry Pin weight of 1430. I added a Roadmaster Active suspension set up and it pulls/rides very well. But I an say this honestly, I am likely over my Vehicle GVWR as I have a Titan Tank 52 gal along with a slip tank under the tool box...(when they are both full).

If I were looking at 1/2ton towables..I personally would stay under ~8000lbs GVWR regardless of what some sales guy will tell ya.

Cheers,

Stk

[2112]

Here's mine


You have to realize the half tons posted have a payload over 2000 lbs. TV payload is key when pairing a FW to it.

[gregrc75]

What about the Livin Lite 5th wheels? Their website has been showing pin weight as TBD since they introduced them. I wonder what they will weigh out at.

[Shadow_Grey]

milo wrote:
2013' F-150, XLT, Ecoboost, HD, Screw 4X4 pullin a 2014 Cougar Xlite 26sab...
nuff said

NICE, REAL NICE!!!!!!

[milo]

2013' F-150, XLT, Ecoboost, HD, Screw 4X4 pullin a 2014 Cougar Xlite 26sab...
nuff said

[FastEagle]

Look Here!

FastEagle

[TXiceman]

patnchris wrote:
You will never be able to convince some on this board that anything less than a 350/3500 can tow anything but a pop up camper.

I have never said it takes and F350 dually for anything over a pop up. A 1/2 ton truck, properly equipped can tow a travel trailer or a small 5er.

I explain the weight ratings and tell them to get the truck weighed and see were the number fall. many of these self-proclaimed experts ahve never weighed their truck and trailer and feel that there is great safety in numbers. The more people that do something wrong will justify their own mis-guided actions.

Ken

[sele]

jerem0621 wrote:

Shadow_Grey wrote:

bpounds wrote:
Keystone Cougar has several models that they rate as half ton towable. They call them the Half Ton series on the west coast, and X-Lite on the east coast. The smallest have GVWR of about 10k, and empty pin weights of 1,100 to 1,400. Definitely can work with a properly equipped half ton truck. A prudent owner would watch his cargo weight and keep it as low as possible. A 3/4 ton truck swings those around with ease.

I will attest to that...over 10K miles towing this.

Nice rig!!

real nice we will go with something similar the next f'ver but the current one is good been pulling it for 10 years with a 1/2 ton current f150 ecoboost with max tow haul does just fine