Hi folks. We have a 2004 Ford F-350 6 liter diesel pickup. It's not a dually, unfortunately. Everything is stock other than headers and a cold air intake. We recently bought a 2016 Oakmont 5th wheel which I have no experience pulling. It's very heavy. Loaded at the scale it showed it at a little over 16000 pounds. We need to take it from Oregon to Montana and there are a couple of mountain passes. Considering our lack of experience with a fifth wheel and the weight of the RV, I'm a little concerned about those passes. I was wondering if someone more experienced than myself with this heavy of a trailer could advise whether it would be safe to pull this rv with this truck on a steep grade. We've driven a large class A motorhome towing a jeep all over the country but are new to 5th wheels.

A 20 year old truck doesn't have the high gvwr/rawrs (wheels/tires/rear suspension) as the new gen F350srw trucks. For a single one run as you mention and assuming brakes on the truck/trailer work as they should it would be ok in my books....and no overloaded rawr (rear axle/rear tire/rear suspension). Other consideration is what kind of shape is the 20 year old tranny (auto?)

You will be significantly over the truck tow rating. That year with diesel was rated up to around 13,500 lbs max depending on overall configuration, reduced for larger cabs and 4x4 drive train. And very likely well over your payload rating as shown on your door sticker. Did you determine the pin weight when you weighed it?

My 2002 E-350 did not have a payload sticker. Not sure when Ford started putting them on.

I have a 2002 Ford F-350 crewcab Dually w/ V-10 & 4:30 rear end and my book shows max tow is 13,500 lb. I think you will be way over weight.

How could anybody declare this would be "safe" for somebody on the net? If I had owned the truck for years, worked with it, I would have no issue moving the load once. I'm not saying I'm a better driver than OP, but I know I can't count the number of trips I have made well over the GVWR, and GCVWR of many, many vehicles. The fact the OP is on asking advice from strangers tells me he does not have the experience, but might be he is hoping to be told NO! so will come up with another plan.

Need advice if safe for my pickup to pull a heavy 5th wheel

JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Jul 24, 2023
A 20 year old truck doesn't have the high gvwr/rawrs (wheels/tires/rear suspension) as the new gen F350srw trucks.
For a single one run as you mention and assuming brakes on the truck/trailer work as they should it would be ok in my books....and no overloaded rawr (rear axle/rear tire/rear suspension).
Other consideration is what kind of shape is the 20 year old tranny (auto?)
BB_TX
Nomad
Jul 24, 2023
You will be significantly over the truck tow rating. That year with diesel was rated up to around 13,500 lbs max depending on overall configuration, reduced for larger cabs and 4x4 drive train. And very likely well over your payload rating as shown on your door sticker. Did you determine the pin weight when you weighed it?
Mike134
Explorer
Jul 24, 2023
My 2002 E-350 did not have a payload sticker. Not sure when Ford started putting them on.
jjj
Explorer
Jul 24, 2023
I have a 2002 Ford F-350 crewcab Dually w/ V-10 & 4:30 rear end and my book shows max tow is 13,500 lb. I think you will be way over weight.
JRscooby
Explorer II
Jul 24, 2023
How could anybody declare this would be "safe" for somebody on the net?
If I had owned the truck for years, worked with it, I would have no issue moving the load once. I'm not saying I'm a better driver than OP, but I know I can't count the number of trips I have made well over the GVWR, and GCVWR of many, many vehicles.
The fact the OP is on asking advice from strangers tells me he does not have the experience, but might be he is hoping to be told NO! so will come up with another plan.
sayoung
Explorer
Jul 25, 2023
Smart money is hire a rv transport company since this is a one way one time trip. Why risk it ?
Walaby
Explorer II
Jul 25, 2023
I think you're flirtin with disaster.

1. Likely well over your weight ratings.
2. That old of a truck likely doesn't have added measures such as exhaust brake, tow haul mode.
3. Steep mountain passes.

I have a 2017 Ram 3500 (non Dually). My 5th wheel is teetering around 15,000 lbs. I would not be comfortable towing 16,000 with it, especially steep mountain passes.

You should be more than just a little concerned.

Mike
TexasNate
Explorer
Jul 25, 2023
Thanks for the input from everyone, it's much appreciated. We
The consensus seems to be that our truck is just not suitable for this heavy of a trailer so I think we're going to try to hire someone to transport it and then look into getting a more capable pickup for the future. Does anyone have a recommendation along the lines of what a baseline is for pickups for something this heavy? Should it be a 1
ton dually and less than 10 years old (or newer)? The last thing I want to do is put ourselves and other people on the road at risk but we travel a lot for work so I need to be able to pull this myself in the future.
BB_TX
Nomad
Jul 25, 2023
Good thinking. A one ton dually diesel would work well for that 16,000 lbs. Any of the big 3 will work. All are equally capable. Just a matter of which one fits your butt better. And suits your wife of course.
deltabravo
Nomad
Jul 25, 2023
TexasNate wrote:
Does anyone have a recommendation along the lines of what a baseline is for pickups for something this heavy?

1 ton dually minimum.

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Need advice if safe for my pickup to pull a heavy 5th wheel

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