New Guy Needs Help!

Good info to have, thanks everyone for your input! Just shows how much I have to learn!

Or go with an older model 5th, that is considerably lighter than newer units. Take a look at the many 1/2 ton threads here and you'll see. Mine is an extreme example of lightweight, but my gross 5th is 3300 lbs, pin is about 430.

There are many older model 5th wheels in the 20-25' range that'll work with most 1/2 tons if you watch your specs, with especially to payload.

The pullrite superglide, 2 different models actually, will work with 5.5 ft bed.

smkettner wrote:
You can get a Pullrite slider for the 5.5' bed.

Pullrite comes with too much of a weight penalty. If going with the 5th wheel, get a conventional hitch and the Reese Sidewinder.

As mentioned in other posts, the pin weight of the 5er is the weak link for 1/2 ton trucks (and can be for 3/4 ton trucks too!). When I was researching this two years ago, I found the Springdale 247FWRLLS to have the lightest pin weight. Good for the weight game, not so good for staying well behaved on bad roads. I keep heavy items in front of the trailer axles and still just have 17% of my trailer weight on the pin.

I'm at 90% of my GCVW and find my weak link is interstate into headwinds. The engine struggles. I also won't got to Colorado with this setup (due to lack of reserve in engine and brakes), but have more options than time to get to.

Good luck!

camp-n-family wrote:

Anything in the truck besides the 150# driver and a tank of fuel deducts from your available payload.

This should read "deducts from your TOW RATING".

The tow rating accounts 150lbs for a driver, the payload does not. Any weight added to the truck needs to be deducted from the payload, driver included.

Well both are true, it comes off both Payload and Tow rating.

Anything in the truck besides the 150# driver and a tank of fuel deducts from your available payload.

This should read "deducts from your TOW RATING".

The tow rating accounts 150lbs for a driver, the payload does not. Any weight added to the truck needs to be deducted from the payload, driver included.

I don't think I'd want to pull 8500lbs with a 1/2 ton 5.4L truck unless I lived in flat lands. The OP lives in California which has numerous long steep mountain grades depending on where they travel. I just wouldn't be comfortable pulling that much thru mountains with such a truck. My old Dodge truck was rated to 9,000lbs with a 5.7L Hemi. I pulled 6,000lbs and while it did ok was slow up the grades and too much flex in frame and suspension for my comfort. My 3/4 ton solved the problem.

op asks wrote:
I have a 2007 F-150 5.4 Triton engine with 5 1/2 ft bed. My owner's manual says I can tow maximum trailer weight of 8,500 lbs. My understanding is that with a 5th wheel I can tow more because a lot of the weight is on the truck's rear axle. First question is, is this true?

Not true.
The pin weight from a 8500 lb 5th wheel can be 1700 lbs or 20 percent of that 8500 lbs. Too much for a 3800-3900 RAWR. A TT may have 10 percent or 850 lbs of hitch weight

Third, Can I get a 5th wheel hitch put in a 5 1/2 ft bed, some people say there is a "slider" hitch and others have said that I still would require a 6 1/2 ft bed to do this and a 5 1/2 ft bed I'm limited to a pull trailer. A little help from you pros would sure be appreciated!

Best bet for advise on current availability of a sliding hitch for your particular truck is contact some of the hitch makers.

One last thing my 5.4 Triton motor has also had after market modification by Roush, any idea how much more I can safely pull?

Trucks carry weigh determined by its axle/tire load ratings. Size of the engine doesn't help in this department.
Your biggest issue is those small 3800-3900 lb RAWR/P tires and wheels/spring packs on a std duty F150. They limit the truck to around 900-1100 lb wet pin weight which means your looking at around a 6000 lb wet weight small 5th wheel.
Now if your F150 has the 8200 HD package with those bigger 4800 RAWR/LT tires and wheels then the 8500 lb trailer will work fine.

Tow ratings are for all trailer types and not just RVs so there are some types of 8500 lb trailers your truck can handle its hitch load. Stock trailers come to mind as the trailer can be loaded with the big stuff over the trailers axles and small stuff closer to the hitch

Yup,no need to repeat all the above correct info.Stick with a travel trailer or get a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck.

If you read these threads, you will notice either in the user signature or the conversation itself that MOST will have a 3/4 ton with a "Heavy-Up" suspension package or a 1-ton truck. These people on tis site have millions of towing miles and tons of experience. You've already done the best thing you could by considering ALL the facts for your truck. Happy Camping

No, No, No, nothing