Towing Questions for a new fifth wheel

All I can say is look at the weight ratings of your truck. That's what they're there for.

Ditto on that look at the sticker on the driver side door post. Just guessing a 2500# hitch weight will put you over the limit. Don't forget that the hitch probably will weigh around 200#. My F350 only has a 3300# carry capacity your F250 will be lower. You need to add everything carried in the truck, fuel passengers and whatever else you are hauling.

You need a bigger truck. Even though I used Ford's tow guide, bought a trailer less than the weight Ford said I could tow, I wound up 500 lbs over the GVWR of the truck and a major ride quality problem. Ford left me holding the bag.

I have a 5th with the approx dry weight of the Cardinal that I pulled a season with a 2009 F-250 diesel. It did an admirable job but by all accounts was overloaded. Moved to a more capable 2012 F-350 diesel. To keep truck and trailer as level as possible, had to readjust the 5th wheel hitch and pin box since truck sits higher and does not squat as much.

walthallm wrote:
Wanting to upgrade to a larger fifth wheel and have some questions. I have a new 2014 f-250 super duty diesel. Looking at a Columbus 320 with a dry weight of 10,604 lbs and a hitch weight of 2015 lbs. Also looking at a Cardinal 3030 with a dry weight of 11,374 lbs and a hitch weight of 2550 lbs. Will I have any towing concerns with either of these units or any other problems with either one of these. Right now we tow a 30 ft Flagstaff at about 8,500 lbs.

What does the trucks rear axle weigh with the hitch and all the stuff you normal have in the bed? What is your rear GAWR for the truck. Subtract the actual weight above from the RGAWR, that is the pin weight the truck can handle. Chris

My Big Horn weighs dry about the same as the Columbus 320 and a bit less than the cardinal. Here is what my Big Horn weighed ready to camp:

When I set it up to be pulled by a 2004 Ford CC SB:

Trailer = 12000 pounds
Pin weight = 2150 pounds

This truck was over just a bit on GVW and RAWR but right at GCVWR and did a nice enough job pulling the trailer

I traded for a 2011 F350 CC SB 6.7 truck. I upped my trailer loading to take into account the much higher truck ratings;

Trailer = 13050 pounds
Pin weight = 2450 pounds

I was under all axle, truck and combined vehicle ratings..but not by much...your F350 will be very close to it's maximum rating if your weights are what you have posted but it will do a very nice job of pulling the trailer regardless...

These are the facts from my experience pulling with the Ford...the extremely low opinion I have of Ford has not changed a bit...that truck was as big a POS as the 6.0 diesel Ford it replaced...

Regards

I believe your current truck is adequate as long as you don't over load the trailer. I have a 2007 F250 diesel, rated to pull 15,500 5th wheel. I tow a 32 foot 5th wheel with a motorcycle trailer behind that and have no problem. You may need to add airbags on the pickup for hitch weight but you are within pulling weights.

Ford Tow rating


http://www.ford.com/trucks/superduty/specifications/towing/

I have seen King Ranch F250 diesels with only a 1972lb CCC. Look at the door sticker as stated above.

Just me personally and I have a 12 Ram CTD with 2176lb CCC. I would have to think hard about towing the 320. I would do the 295rl in a heart beat. I know what I carry and it's about 1500lbs of gear in the currant 5'er. Knowing what you carry will help as you can add that to the 5'ers UVW from the 5'ers factory sticker. Add the typical 20% for pin. JMO but with a 3/4 ton I wouldn't want the pin anymore than 2500lbs. That will keep you under your RAWR usually.

I know for a fact that when walking CG's there are a ton of guys towing the 320's weight with 3/4 tons. Doesn't make it right or wrong. Just shows that not everyone's a stickler for perfect weights.

BillB3857 wrote:
You need a bigger truck. Even though I used Ford's tow guide, bought a trailer less than the weight Ford said I could tow, I wound up 500 lbs over the GVWR of the truck and a major ride quality problem. Ford left me holding the bag.

Why do say Ford left you holding the bag? Sounds like you bought a trailer that pushed you over the GVWR. Perhaps the trailer weights were wrong?

walthallm wrote:
Wanting to upgrade to a larger fifth wheel and have some questions. I have a new 2014 f-250 super duty diesel. Looking at a Columbus 320 with a dry weight of 10,604 lbs and a hitch weight of 2015 lbs. Also looking at a Cardinal 3030 with a dry weight of 11,374 lbs and a hitch weight of 2550 lbs. Will I have any towing concerns with either of these units or any other problems with either one of these. Right now we tow a 30 ft Flagstaff at about 8,500 lbs.

Nine responses and no one has called on You don't Tow Dry!

2012 Palomino Columbus 320RS Specifications
Dry Weight (lbs) 10,604
Payload Capacity (lbs) 3,344
GVWR (lbs) 14,015
Hitch Weight (lbs) 2,015

2014 Forest River Cardinal 3030RS
Dry Weight (lbs) 11,374
Payload Capacity (lbs) 3,176
GVWR (lbs) 14,550
Hitch Weight (lbs) 2,550

Assuming that you load it to 1,500# to 2,000# you are looking at loaded weights of 12,604 to 13,374 and pins of 2,520 to 3,344 (20% of 12,604 and 25% of 13,374), you will be getting close to you Axle or tire ratings.
It is up to you if you are comfortable with towing over GVWR, I do but well within axle and tire, but I am only hauling 11,000#, and 2,000# or so of pin.