opinions (i know this is dangerous :))

cruz-in wrote:
We have a 2WD Crew Cab F250 with a payload rating of only around 2300 pounds. We had very few 5th wheel to chose from, that is if we wanted to stay within the trucks payload rating. I decided we need a dry in weight of 1300 pounds or less, and pack light, if we wanted to stay within trucks payload rating.

Ended up with a 28 foot 5th wheel. When we decided to go bigger, if we wanted to stay within trucks specs, our only options were TTs. We currently have a 37 foot TT.

Having said that, we are at an RV psrk in Tucson for the winter. It just amazes me what people tow with 250/2500 trucks. Some of the biggest 5th wheels in the park are towed with 250/2500 trucks.

I tow a 34' with a pin weight loaded of 1650 lbs. The rated payload is 1848. I am 500-600 lbs over, and sticker aside, used SuperSprings and Bilstein HD shocks to help out. In over 12,000 miles of towing, I never felt overloaded and with the HD payload package that became available the following model year, I would have been within specs. My dry pin weight was 1410 lbs. Some just like more reserve than others. That said, I have an F350 on order because I know the next fiver will be heavier.
The OP needs to know his payload and add about 300 lbs to the dry pin weight to help choose his fiver. I am going from an F150 to the F350 because the payload of the F250 is about the same as the F150 HD Payload