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Towing 5th wheel

wademartin
Explorer
Explorer
Camper is a Gulfstream Innsbruck M-26FRBW 28โ€™ 5th Wheel, dry weight 7297 lbs. Truck is a 2008 Ford F-250 XLT Super Duty 6.4L Diesel Crew Cab short bed with trailer towing package and Reese 15K hitch. I have towed with the hitch in tow and maneuver positions and cannot notice any difference in handling. Comments or opinions welcome.
2008 Ford F-250 XLT 6.4 Diesel
2004 Gulfstream Innsbruck 29' 5th wheel
19 REPLIES 19

Slownsy
Explorer
Explorer
sory dobel post
Frank
2012 F250 XLT
4x4 Super Cab
8' Tray 6.2lt, 3.7 Diff.

Slownsy
Explorer
Explorer
Lary it doesn't replace all and I have newer used one and not sugested till over 500 lbs, wher are ouer matematitians 500 lbs at 4' or hove much at 8" to remove equal eight from front.
Frank.
Frank
2012 F250 XLT
4x4 Super Cab
8' Tray 6.2lt, 3.7 Diff.

Allworth
Explorer II
Explorer II
To everyone other than the OP:

Why is there always someone who thinks they are smarter than the engineers who designed the equipment???

To the OP:

Just use the way it was intended!
Formerly posting as "littleblackdog"
Martha, Allen, & Blackjack
2006 Chevy 3500 D/A LB SRW, RVND 7710
Previously: 2008 Titanium 30E35SA. Currently no trailer due to age & mobility problems. Very sad!
"Real Jeeps have round headlights"

jtobbe
Explorer
Explorer
I have seen 2 front rails get bent by towing in the manuvering position. It puts a lot of upwards force on the front rail that it can't handle.
2020 F350 dually. Ruby Red, loaded. B&W oem 5th wheel hitch
2017 Sierra 381 RBOK 5th wheel Camper
2011 Glastron 205gt Runabout

Dayle1
Explorer II
Explorer II
Slownsy wrote:
I think 500-1000 lbs on rear hitch takes mutch more weight of front axle than 2000 lbs 8" rear of axle.
Frank.


But that rear hitch (aka bumper hitch) also has the option of WD that puts weight back on the front axle.
Larry Day
Texas Baptist Men-Retiree Builders since '01
'13 Silverado 3500HD LT 2wd CCSB SRW, custom RKI bed
'19 Starcraft Telluride 292RLS
Rig Photos

kaydeejay
Explorer
Explorer
Cool Canuck wrote:
........... Might sound like it, but it's not gonna tear the rails out of your truck.
That depends on how hard you were stopping. Routine stop, I agree with you, panic stop, not so much.
Keith J.
Sold the fiver and looking for a DP, but not in any hurry right now.

Slownsy
Explorer
Explorer
I think 500-1000 lbs on rear hitch takes mutch more weight of front axle than 2000 lbs 8" rear of axle.
Frank.
Frank
2012 F250 XLT
4x4 Super Cab
8' Tray 6.2lt, 3.7 Diff.

Cool_Canuck
Explorer
Explorer
My 2,500 lb hitch weight puts a whole 10 lbs on the front axle with the hitch in the tow position. Never weighed it with the hitch moved the 9 inches back. With that diesel engine up front, I doubt it will get too light. I just went some 500 miles with it in the maneuver position. Never notice it until I got to destination and Opps. Guess I forgot to move it forward. So no big deal for me.

I've also had the hitch slide while towing. I had the rail pins in backwards and the hair pins prevented the hitch from fully locking. Gets you attention, but no damage. Might sound like it, but it's not gonna tear the rails out of your truck.
'05 Day Dreamer by Cedar Creek
2011 F250 PSD CC

You can lead a horse to water.
You cannot make it drink.

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Explorer III
IF you have the owners manual for your model of hitch you will find the following

WARNING:
Never tow trailers in highway or high speed conditions with PRO Slider in the Maneuvering Position (rearward of the rear axle)!
Towing with the trailer king pin rearward of rear truck axle can affect weight distribution and may interfere with the towing vehicleโ€™s handling and response characteristics.
Poor handling and response characteristics could result in death or serious injury.


IF you do not have the owners manual....look it up on-line and print out copy.
That way you will have the proper instructions and not have to figure out differences between 'Maneuver' and 'Tow'
Is it time for your medication or mine?


2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
US NAVY------USS Decatur DDG31

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
BAD IDEA!!!

Go to a scales and weigh the front TV axle with hitch full forward and then back. Notice you just removed weight from the front axle????
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

phillyg
Explorer II
Explorer II
There's a reason the hitch decal clearly shows the "tow" and "maneuver" positions, so no, you should never tow in the maneuver position.
--2005 Ford F350 Lariat Crewcab 6.0, 4x4, 3.73 rear
--2016 Montana 3711FL, 40'
--2014 Wildcat 327CK, 38' SOLD

N-Trouble
Explorer
Explorer
The reason you don't feel a difference is due to how light that 5er is. With a heavier 5er it would likely be noticeable.
2015 Attitude 28SAG w/slide
2012 GMC 2500HD SLT Duramax
B&W Turnover w/Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch

schlep1967
Nomad
Nomad
Oh and then there is the funny answer. Obviously you are over trucked. You should trade your F-250 in on an F-150. Then when you move the hitch back it will be obvious to you why you should not tow in that position.
2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ 3500 Diesel
2022 Montana Legacy 3931FB
Pull-Rite Super Glide 4500

schlep1967
Nomad
Nomad
I think the answer is clearly explained in your original post. You towed with the hitch in the "TOW" position and with the hitch in the "MANEUVER" position. There is a reason why they are not called "front tow" and "rear tow".
2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ 3500 Diesel
2022 Montana Legacy 3931FB
Pull-Rite Super Glide 4500