5th Wheels and F150's

[Palinduff]

I have a 2011 ecoboost with the 7700 GVWR with payload of 1825lbs and a rear axle rating of 4050lbs. Max tow package with 3:73 ratio. I'm looking at a 2015 Puma 253 FBS 5th wheel that is 27 feet long and has a dry pin weight of 1026 lbs. The dry weight is about 6950lbs and the GVWR is around 11,000lbs (which I'm sure I will never get to). My truck with a full tank of gas and myself and my dad (sitting in for my wife) weighed 6415lbs in total and the front axle weighed 3638lbs and the rear axle weighed 2778 lbs. That leaves me 1285lbs for the hitch and trailer. I did replace the P tires with E load tires. Any thoughts or advice, I'm a little nervous about being over weight. I looked at a 8200 model today, but that's another 22K, and I don't really want a 3/4 ton. We really like this 5th wheel, but are still looking at TT's.

[noteven]

Let's see weigh the trailer, remove the helium balloons, add optional equipment ( propane tanks, fridge , glass windows, wheels, brakes, interior walls, a stove etc) cipher in the TV ad capability of the truck times the carry forward rv.net tabulated exponent factor.... Let's see....

Nope! You need a dually.

[kellertx5er]

I was responding to Grandpere who wrote:

"A half ton truck is simply not strong enough to pull a 5th wheel with any kind of safety ..."

He did not say which half ton and he implied this goes for ANY fifth wheel. I know full well that properly equipped 1/2 ton trucks can 'safely' pull 5th wheel trailers that are within the truck ratings
(and they DO exist).

[APT]

Any half ton cannot pull 8000 pound TT. An 8k TT will exceed many half tons payload and receiver ratings. So will a 6k loaded 5th wheel.

Here's your official documentation from Ford. Note: Trailer tongue (trailer king pin for 5th-wheel towing) load weight should be 10-15% (15-25% for 5th-wheel towing) of total loaded trailer weight. Make sure vehicle payload (reduce by option weight) will accommodate trailer tongue (trailer king pin for 5th-wheel towing) load weight and weight of passengers and cargo added to towing vehicle. Addition of trailer tongue (trailer king pin for 5th-wheel towing) load weight and weight of passengers and cargo cannot cause vehicle weights to exceed rear GAWR or GVWR. These ratings can be found on the vehicle Safety Compliance Certification Label.

All the manufacturers say you can tow a 5th wheel or gooseneck trailer with their half tons. It's just that in practice it doesn't work out favorably for RVing.

[kellertx5er]

So let me get this straight- a 1/2 ton can safely pull an 8000 lb. travel trailer with WD hitch, but cannot safely pull ANY 5th wheel? Is that what GM, Ford and Ram say? Would be interested in seeing that documentation.

If the loaded trailer does not exceed the towing, payload, axle or GCWR ratings of the vehicle it makes no difference if it is a 5th wheel or TT.

[Gunship_Guy]

Livin Lite 5th wheel

[APT]

1285 pounds of payload left, minus at least 200 pounds for the receiver leaves 59 pounds of extra pin weight from the dry rating. That's one propane tank, one battery, etc. Anything in front of the trailer wheels increases tongue/pin weight. That combo will be at least 500 pounds over GVWR of the truck.

Stick with TTs under about 7k dry.

[2112]

Compare your #'s to what I tow in my sig. Google my KZ for the #'s. I do not have the BR slide so the pin weight is less.
I am within all numbers and it tows, handles and stops great. A FW works so much better than a long TT.

I have a little more pin weight than what you are looking at but my payload is a little more.

Save some payload by going with a manual slide, if needed or a non-slide if you can. My Superglide weighs 200 lbs whereas a manual slide will be close to 100 lbs. After I bought mine I realized I didn't need a sliding hitch. The pin box and front cap of my FW are designed to not require a sliding hitch.

Where I have my issue is with the waste tanks. When working the numbers I didn't account for the black and gray tanks being forward of the trailer axles. I am over both payload and RAWR while towing with the waste tanks full. I take it low and slow when heading to the dump station when not camping at full hookup campgrounds.
Look where the tanks are on the one you are considering and take that into account.

Can a F150 tow a FW? YES. Can it tow ANY FW? NO. I walked away from a Cougar we liked because the #'s didn't work.

[time2roll]

Axle? The E rated tires he put on s/b fine.
I recommend a different trailer such as link provided.

[Old-Biscuit]

smkettner wrote:
The pin and hitch will put you over a bit but not huge.
GVWR is just 9,163. Doable but you won't get any recommendations.

There are others to look at such as these Cougar Half-Ton series with dry pin weights under 630.

http://www.keystonerv.com/cougar-half-ton/#/specs

Yeah....OP stated trailer had a GVWR of 11,000#
When in fact the GVWR is the 9163# you stated.

BUT OP only has roughly 1000# of available payload after hitch install and camp ready. Dry pin is 1027# so yes OPs truck will be overloaded.
Probably around 800# when trailer is outfitted camp ready

Question is will the tires be overloaded/how much?

[time2roll]

The pin and hitch will put you over a bit but not huge.
GVWR is just 9,163. Doable but you won't get any recommendations.

There are others to look at such as these Cougar Half-Ton series with dry pin weights under 630.

http://www.keystonerv.com/cougar-half-ton/#/specs

[CincyGus]

I think you know you will be over weight once you install the hitch and hook up. So it comes down to does that matter and can you still travel safely. I think you know the answer to that question also.

Good for you taking time to figure all the numbers and ask. Many come here with a trailer too big wanting to know how to make their truck big enough/strong enough or fix a problem that can't be fixed without a new truck. Either make the jump to a 3/4 ton, look for an even lighter 5th wheel or stick with the TT's. Speaking from a TT owner that would love to have a 5th wheel (and will in retirement) but isn't ready to make that investment for the truck and trailer yet.

[M_GO_BLUE1]

kellertx5er wrote:

Grandpere wrote:
A half ton truck is simply not strong enough to pull a 5th wheel with any kind of safety ...

Be careful making such a blanket statement. A number of 5th wheels are safely towable by a 1/2 ton truck. I owned a 25' Sportsmen, 7200 lb. GVWR, which was completely within the towing, payload, and axle ratings of my F150.

I would have to agree with he above statement of safely towing any kind of fifth wheel with a 1/2 ton truck...

Can a 1/2 ton truck tow a fifth wheel? YES
Can a 1/2 ton truck tow a fifth wheel SAFELY? NO

Just because others tow with a 1/2 ton truck doesn't make it right...been there done that

[ford_truck_guy]

It's not that the truck can't pull it- IT WILL ..it's not that the truck won't stop it-IT WILL .. It's the weight of the STUFF in the bed and in the front of the axles of the trailer that will be the deciding factor..you stated that when it was all said and done , at the scale you had 1,285# left for the hitch and the trailer... The world will not end if you do decide to tow it... You will not cause the next apocalypse , like some would lead you to believe..that's why manufacturers give ratings , so we have a point of reason... In my opinion , after driving many 1/2 ton trucks (even having a 2013f-150 now) is that I would feel safe doing that...I do think it's was a great learning point for some , seeing you do all the proper homework BEFORE making a decision... Good Luck with that decision...

[kellertx5er]

Grandpere wrote:
A half ton truck is simply not strong enough to pull a 5th wheel with any kind of safety ...

Be careful making such a blanket statement. A number of 5th wheels are safely towable by a 1/2 ton truck. I owned a 25' Sportsmen, 7200 lb. GVWR, which was completely within the towing, payload, and axle ratings of my F150.

[Campfire_Time]

BarneyS wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
Dont listen to the nay sayers. Your f150 is every bit as capable to haul that trailer as any of the 3500 trucks on the road. Go for it.


Just dont come back here in six months comp!aining that you have to get a bigger truck!

Pretty irresponsible post in my opinion - especially on the Beginners forum. :R
Barney

I don't think he was being serious. What bothers me is that someone comes in to ask BEFORE they make a mistake and gets railed for it instead of commended.