Non 5'er----yet

[Bobandshawn]

I am fairly new to the RV scene. I have a 2008 Keystone pull behind but am looking at getting a newer and larger 5th wheel unit. I have a Ram 2500 Mega Cab 6'4" bed 4X4 with the 6.4 Hemi. It is rated to pull 15,200 lbs. We will be looking for something in the 9K-11K lightweight trailer and try and keep the max weight below 13K or so. It is just me and the wife traveling 95% of the time, but there is the occasional grandkid tagging along at times.

We are totally confused what to get. I think we've actually looked at too many RV's and there are a bunch out there.

I am trying to get some real world evaluations from real people who use RV's quite a bit.

I fully understand the majority of units regardless of who built them use the same components and such. But so far I am of a thought that the actual construction of the trailer plays a much larger role in the reliability of the unit than pretty furniture and size of the fridge.

Any recommendations on units that are reliably build but meet my weight limitations?

Thanks for any offered help. Bob

[Cummins12V98]

Bobandshawn wrote:
Funny thing is, I see a lot of guys pulling those big 3 axle toy haulers to Pismo and such loaded to the gills with toys, kids, dogs, firewood etc with 3/4 ton trucks all the time out here.

I see them coming and going all the time along I-10 every weekend with their AZZ dragging and every so often one will be laying on their side. That area is where the windmills are located near PalmSprings, CA.

But hey "it tows just fine" :B

[Cummins12V98]

Mile High wrote:

SanMarMor wrote:
I think 25% calculation for pin weight is on the high end, unless you're in a bigger trailer. Ours is 36' with a gross weight of 13xxx pounds. When I weighed it lightly loaded, it weighed 111xx pound, and the pin weighed 20% actual weight.

Mark

I think I would agree - Ours is 25% but only when fully loaded with gear and 110 gals of water that sits under the front basement. We are 17,222 total 5er weight and with water and pin is 4,320 lbs. comes out about perfect to 25% but this model is way nose heavy by floorplan. Other floorplans aren't nearly that nose heavy in ours.

"Most" 5th wheels will have at or near 25% pin when full timing since MOST of the weight added will be added in front of the RV axles. If you are pushing the limits of your TV best to figure 25%.

[Cummins12V98]

dapperdan wrote:

Bobandshawn wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
With fifth wheels the critical truck stat is carry capacity not tow weight. Use 25% of the max weight of the fver as a rough estimate of the pin weight of the fver. For example on a 10,000# max weight fver, use 2500# as the pin weight estimate.

Then then subtract from the trucks carry weight: pin weight + 200# hitch weight + weight of the passengers + any thing else carried in the truck. If you come up with a negative number then you have a problem. This is a big problem with most 3/4 ton trucks.

Agree with this as well. I have a 4X4 2500 Mega Cab with the 6.4 gas Hemi and 4.10 gears. The payload on this is 2,903 lbs and towing capacity is 15,250. This is a higher load rating than the heavier Cummins diesel version of the same truck. The diesel model has a payload rating of 1,995 lbs, almost a grand less, and the tow rating is 50 lbs less at 15,200. The Ram 3/4 tons with a diesel are only available with a 3.42 axle gear now. The diesel has less payload due to the added weight of the engine. So even if they had a 3.73 or 4.10 gear ratio on those the payload would remain the same.

So from your calculations I need to stay with a pin weight of about 1500 lbs or so. Now much trailer!!I got such a deal on this truck I may trade up for a CTD Mega Cab dually. LOL

Yeah you might. lol It's too bad you got such a good "deal" on your truck, now you're pretty limited to what you'll be able to pull. Kinda of hard to look into the future when buying a truck sometimes.

We started out with (buying) a one ton dually then looking at trailers so we could avoid the very situation you're facing now. You can't have too much truck IMHO. :B

Dan

SMART man! BIG hips baby.

[Cummins12V98]

Bobandshawn wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
With fifth wheels the critical truck stat is carry capacity not tow weight. Use 25% of the max weight of the fver as a rough estimate of the pin weight of the fver. For example on a 10,000# max weight fver, use 2500# as the pin weight estimate.

Then then subtract from the trucks carry weight: pin weight + 200# hitch weight + weight of the passengers + any thing else carried in the truck. If you come up with a negative number then you have a problem. This is a big problem with most 3/4 ton trucks.

Agree with this as well. I have a 4X4 2500 Mega Cab with the 6.4 gas Hemi and 4.10 gears. The payload on this is 2,903 lbs and towing capacity is 15,250. This is a higher load rating than the heavier Cummins diesel version of the same truck. The diesel model has a payload rating of 1,995 lbs, almost a grand less, and the tow rating is 50 lbs less at 15,200. The Ram 3/4 tons with a diesel are only available with a 3.42 axle gear now. The diesel has less payload due to the added weight of the engine. So even if they had a 3.73 or 4.10 gear ratio on those the payload would remain the same.

So from your calculations I need to stay with a pin weight of about 1500 lbs or so. Now much trailer!!I got such a deal on this truck I may trade up for a CTD Mega Cab dually. LOL

It's pretty simple. With your hitch in the truck all your cargo including humans go to the scales and weigh your REAR axle. Now subtract that number from the MAX carrying capacity of your two rear tires. THAT is what the MAX pin can be. Take the GVWR of the 5er you are looking at and take 25% of that number if it's less than your max pin then you are good to go!

Towing capacity dos not mean JACK in most cases.

The above statement is mostly for SRW trucks.

[Bobandshawn]

Funny thing is, I see a lot of guys pulling those big 3 axle toy haulers to Pismo and such loaded to the gills with toys, kids, dogs, firewood etc with 3/4 ton trucks all the time out here.

[Mile_High]

SanMarMor wrote:
I think 25% calculation for pin weight is on the high end, unless you're in a bigger trailer. Ours is 36' with a gross weight of 13xxx pounds. When I weighed it lightly loaded, it weighed 111xx pound, and the pin weighed 20% actual weight.

Mark

I think I would agree - Ours is 25% but only when fully loaded with gear and 110 gals of water that sits under the front basement. We are 17,222 total 5er weight and with water and pin is 4,320 lbs. comes out about perfect to 25% but this model is way nose heavy by floorplan. Other floorplans aren't nearly that nose heavy in ours.

[SanMarMor]

I think 25% calculation for pin weight is on the high end, unless you're in a bigger trailer. Ours is 36' with a gross weight of 13xxx pounds. When I weighed it lightly loaded, it weighed 111xx pound, and the pin weighed 20% actual weight.

Mark

[Bobandshawn]

dapperdan wrote:


Yeah you might. lol It's too bad you got such a good "deal" on your truck, now you're pretty limited to what you'll be able to pull. Kinda of hard to look into the future when buying a truck sometimes.

We started out with (buying) a one ton dually then looking at trailers so we could avoid the very situation you're facing now. You can't have too much truck IMHO. :B

Dan

I'm not worried about it at all. We started looking at trailers a long time before we bought the truck. I was thinking about a 3500 srw unit but they are the same as the 2500's in that you can only get the 3.42 gear ratio. Towing is at 17,150 and the payload is 4,030 lbs on those configured similar to mine. That would tow a bigger trailer for sure. We aren't looking for a full time monster trailer. We are looking for something for two people for weekends and the occasional week long trip.

BTW, the Hemi 6.4 will suck down fuel a lot heavier than the CTD engine, but between the 6-7K more $$$ and the cost of diesel and DEF I couldn't see getting one in a 2500. If the CTD rig came with as much or more load capacity I may of looked at them closer. Probably if you towed a huge amount of miles the CTD would be a better choice.

And I never thought a $45K truck would look cheap until I saw all the $55-$60K units on the lot. I have a Big Horn Mega and the only options it don't have is the bed liner, Ram Box (which I did not want)and a few other things like 20" wheels. The rear air suspension is really cool. I would of never ordered one with it but now that I have it I really like it.

[dapperdan]

Bobandshawn wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
With fifth wheels the critical truck stat is carry capacity not tow weight. Use 25% of the max weight of the fver as a rough estimate of the pin weight of the fver. For example on a 10,000# max weight fver, use 2500# as the pin weight estimate.

Then then subtract from the trucks carry weight: pin weight + 200# hitch weight + weight of the passengers + any thing else carried in the truck. If you come up with a negative number then you have a problem. This is a big problem with most 3/4 ton trucks.

Agree with this as well. I have a 4X4 2500 Mega Cab with the 6.4 gas Hemi and 4.10 gears. The payload on this is 2,903 lbs and towing capacity is 15,250. This is a higher load rating than the heavier Cummins diesel version of the same truck. The diesel model has a payload rating of 1,995 lbs, almost a grand less, and the tow rating is 50 lbs less at 15,200. The Ram 3/4 tons with a diesel are only available with a 3.42 axle gear now. The diesel has less payload due to the added weight of the engine. So even if they had a 3.73 or 4.10 gear ratio on those the payload would remain the same.

So from your calculations I need to stay with a pin weight of about 1500 lbs or so. Now much trailer!!I got such a deal on this truck I may trade up for a CTD Mega Cab dually. LOL

Yeah you might. lol It's too bad you got such a good "deal" on your truck, now you're pretty limited to what you'll be able to pull. Kinda of hard to look into the future when buying a truck sometimes.

We started out with (buying) a one ton dually then looking at trailers so we could avoid the very situation you're facing now. You can't have too much truck IMHO. :B

Dan

[laknox]

Bobandshawn wrote:

laknox wrote:


I think so, too, but would like to actually =see= one. Even better if I didn't have to make a 2,000 mile round trip just to see the model I'm interested in. 😞

Lyle

Ditto, the closest place for me is about 80 miles away. We have a huge Camping World dealer here. They mainly sell Keystones. I have looked at the Cougar and like them. They also have the Jayco's, but not the models I am looking for. The problem I am having with many of these 10K weight trailers is, most have the bed built on a platform. I am 6'6" and have an issue with the limited headroom in the sleeping chamber.

You're likely going to end up with a full-profile FW and a different truck, or knots on your head. 🙂

Lyle

[Bobandshawn]

laknox wrote:


I think so, too, but would like to actually =see= one. Even better if I didn't have to make a 2,000 mile round trip just to see the model I'm interested in. 😞

Lyle

Ditto, the closest place for me is about 80 miles away. We have a huge Camping World dealer here. They mainly sell Keystones. I have looked at the Cougar and like them. They also have the Jayco's, but not the models I am looking for. The problem I am having with many of these 10K weight trailers is, most have the bed built on a platform. I am 6'6" and have an issue with the limited headroom in the sleeping chamber.

[laknox]

alexleblanc wrote:

Bobandshawn wrote:

laknox wrote:

In looking at new FW's, my top 2 choices are KZ Durango 1500 and Jayco Eagle HT. The Durango 1500s all have a 10,500 GVW and the Eagle HTs are all 9,950 GVW (but also have the capability from the factory to tow a 3k trailer, so combined GCWR is 12,950). Personally, I'm leaning towards a Jayco, mostly because of local dealer support. The KZ has a few features that would fit me a bit better, but not enough to have to deal with the ONE dealer available in the entire state of AZ.

Lyle

LOL!!! Those are two of our top picks as well. I am leaning towards the Durango 1500, but no local dealer support. I am not sure what it takes in California to tow and trailer behind a trailer, but there are a couple campgrounds I'd love to take my 14" aluminum boat along.

I can gladly state and the 1500 series Durango from KZ is a great size of 5er for 250/2500 trucks.

I think so, too, but would like to actually =see= one. Even better if I didn't have to make a 2,000 mile round trip just to see the model I'm interested in. 😞

Lyle

[alexleblanc]

Bobandshawn wrote:

laknox wrote:

In looking at new FW's, my top 2 choices are KZ Durango 1500 and Jayco Eagle HT. The Durango 1500s all have a 10,500 GVW and the Eagle HTs are all 9,950 GVW (but also have the capability from the factory to tow a 3k trailer, so combined GCWR is 12,950). Personally, I'm leaning towards a Jayco, mostly because of local dealer support. The KZ has a few features that would fit me a bit better, but not enough to have to deal with the ONE dealer available in the entire state of AZ.

Lyle

LOL!!! Those are two of our top picks as well. I am leaning towards the Durango 1500, but no local dealer support. I am not sure what it takes in California to tow and trailer behind a trailer, but there are a couple campgrounds I'd love to take my 14" aluminum boat along.

I can gladly state and the 1500 series Durango from KZ is a great size of 5er for 250/2500 trucks.

[korbe]

I would look at the floor plan that would seem to work. That should give you an approximate length. That approximate length can give an approximate weight and whether your truck will work. In general, the shorter the 5er, the less it weighs.

[laknox]

Bobandshawn wrote:

laknox wrote:

In looking at new FW's, my top 2 choices are KZ Durango 1500 and Jayco Eagle HT. The Durango 1500s all have a 10,500 GVW and the Eagle HTs are all 9,950 GVW (but also have the capability from the factory to tow a 3k trailer, so combined GCWR is 12,950). Personally, I'm leaning towards a Jayco, mostly because of local dealer support. The KZ has a few features that would fit me a bit better, but not enough to have to deal with the ONE dealer available in the entire state of AZ.

Lyle

LOL!!! Those are two of our top picks as well. I am leaning towards the Durango 1500, but no local dealer support. I am not sure what it takes in California to tow and trailer behind a trailer, but there are a couple campgrounds I'd love to take my 14" aluminum boat along.

I'm looking at the Durango 1500 D284RLT and the Jayco Eagle HT 27.5RLTS. From anecdotal stories, I give a bit more to KZ on overall quality. It also has a few hundred more lbs cargo capacity and, important to me, has a much larger black tank, since we boondock. Downsides are only 1 dealer in AZ which doesn't even stock the Durango 1500 line, a smaller back window (DW thinks that's important) and that d@mn black nose cap. The Jayco has a larger back window, has the factory hitch, 16" wheel/Maxxis tires available as an option as is built-in solar plugs. There are also no less than 4 dealers in the PHX metro area with a couple more in outlying areas. Main downside is the 32.5 gal black tank (I give up 13 gal over my current FW, which I have nearly filled on a couple occasions), the (perceived) slightly lower build quality and less cargo capacity. Were there another KZ dealer in AZ, I would likely go with the KZ. Either way, I'm not buying =anything= 'thout me sitting my a$$ in one for a couple hours, and that's the main issue with the KZ.

Lyle