Hello rv.net Experts. I was hoping that you could share your expertise with me on a possible set up.I have a 2014 Toyota tundra crew Max with a 5.7L V8 engine. My girlfriend has a 2010 cougar 5th wheel that is about 28' in length. I'd like to go pick it up so we can start using it. I sold my bumper pull.Here are the specs.https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2010-keystone-cougar-fifth-wheel-floorplan-276rls-tr9510 We travel very light And do not load our trailers down With a bunch of stuff.We don't go over crazy mountain ranges like in Colorado. Pretty much travel within Arizona maybe over to San Diego.If I put a 5th wheel hitch in the back of my truck Will it be fine towing this 5th wheel?

276rls Hitch Weight (lbs/kgs) 1380 / 626You gonna need more truck. time you load the trailer, and the truck. you are over

Can you elaborate on that a bit please?When we go camping we dont load much into the trailer or truck (clothes and 2 bikes) and all trailer tanks are empty.We do short trips that are close proximity. Farthest travel point is less than 400 miles.

So, since you've been on the forums since 2004, I will assume, for the sake of argument, that you understand payload calculations.Since I don't know the specific specs of your truck, I'll assume for sake of argument, that you have one with max payload available, which appears to be 1520 lbs.The trailer in the web address you provided has dry weight of 7212. We all know dry weight means nothing. But, lets go with your statement you pack light. So, lets assume 800 lbs of 'stuff". Puts you at 8000lbs. 5ers typically have 20% pin weight. So, 8000 lbs x .20 (20%) is 1600 lbs. So, right there, you are over payload by 80 lbs.Now, the payload figure does NOT include passengers, so you and your girlfriend, lets call her 100lbs, and lets call you 210. Now you are 390 lbs over payload.Lets add 100lbs for the 5th wheel in the bed, now you are at about 440 lbs over payload. THat's being conservative.But, lets break it down further. Some of us (myself included) subscribe to the thought that as long as you do not exceed your Rear GAWR, then you will be okay. In order to use that figure, you need to know the Rear Axle weight of your Tundra, basically empty. Subtract that number from your GAWR, which can be found on the door jamb. If you go with the assumption I made which is 8000 lb loaded (which trust me, will be a challenge meeting), which translates to 1600 lb pin weight, plus 100 lbs for hitch, you need a minimum of 1700 lbs of reserve capacity left on your rear axle. And still, even then, you will likely exceed your payload by a min of 450-500 lbs, probably more when your done.It matters not if you drive 5 miles, or 5000 miles, when you exceed the specs, you are doing so at your risk. You are the only one who can decide how much above the specs you're willing to go.Make your decision based on facts, starting with trucks payload and rear axle capacities. Hope it helps.Mike

Your Crewmax is way, way to light in payload. 1440lb at the absolute max. That includes passengers and the weight of your hitch, then you have to have enough to handle pin weight.

jmbstudios wrote:Can you elaborate on that a bit please?When we go camping we dont load much into the trailer or truck (clothes and 2 bikes) and all trailer tanks are empty.We do short trips that are close proximity. Farthest travel point is less than 400 miles.Kind of sounds like you are trying to talk yourself into this and trying to find others that will validate that it will be ok....The above posters like Walaby have laid it out very clearly and very correctly...anyway, good luck with it.

Advice on thi set up, please. | Good Sam Community

RandACampin
Explorer II
May 24, 2018
See it all the time. Go for it, it's your truck and if you are comfortable then do it.
MitchF150
Explorer III
May 24, 2018
I always love the "we travel light" and we won't ever "fill the tanks" and on and on... :)

So, I buy this nice big RV and it has all kinds of storage space and I'm not going to use it?? ha, ha!

In the end, I know everyone camps the way they do and no one camps the same or takes the same stuff..

Even when I tent camped, I took way too much stuff... Didn't even use half of it most of the time! But, it's just knowing I have it if I need it that keeps me happy.. In the end, that's all that matters to me. :)

Take and do whatever you need to do to make it a "happy" trip.. In the end, that's all you are going to remember and not "dang, I wish I had brought that"

Good luck!

Mitch
mkirsch
Nomad II
May 23, 2018
Ham == pork, pork == extra fat, extra fat == extra weight

You may have coined a new slang term there.
Terryallan
Explorer II
May 23, 2018
jmbstudios wrote:
Thanks. I needed the numbers crunched in a different way then I was looking at them.
My brain was locked in dry weight.

Bigger truck it is..

Good choice. a F250, or GM, or Ram, 2500 should do well.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
May 23, 2018
parker.rowe wrote:
Sprink-Fitter wrote:
dodge guy wrote:
jmbstudios wrote:
Hello rv.net Experts.

I was hoping that you could share your expertise with me on a possible set

We travel very light And do not load our trailers down With a bunch of stuff.

I can promise you you will have more ham what you think! We see this here all the time “we travel light!” You will weigh at least 1k lbs more than the dry weight.

More ham?

Yea, doesn't everyone bring at least 500lbs of ham camping? I love ham. Then once you add the beer, you're overweight! :)

Ok guys let me fix that! While I like ham, that’s a bit much!!! I think I meant “than” dam spell check!
parker_rowe
Explorer
May 23, 2018
Sprink-Fitter wrote:
dodge guy wrote:
jmbstudios wrote:
Hello rv.net Experts.

I was hoping that you could share your expertise with me on a possible set

We travel very light And do not load our trailers down With a bunch of stuff.

I can promise you you will have more ham what you think! We see this here all the time “we travel light!” You will weigh at least 1k lbs more than the dry weight.

More ham?

Yea, doesn't everyone bring at least 500lbs of ham camping? I love ham. Then once you add the beer, you're overweight! :)
Sprink-Fitter
Explorer
May 22, 2018
dodge guy wrote:
jmbstudios wrote:
Hello rv.net Experts.

I was hoping that you could share your expertise with me on a possible set

We travel very light And do not load our trailers down With a bunch of stuff.

I can promise you you will have more ham what you think! We see this here all the time “we travel light!” You will weigh at least 1k lbs more than the dry weight.

More ham?
jmbstudios
Explorer
May 22, 2018
Thanks. I needed the numbers crunched in a different way then I was looking at them.
My brain was locked in dry weight.

Bigger truck it is..
dodge_guy
Explorer II
May 22, 2018
jmbstudios wrote:
Hello rv.net Experts.

I was hoping that you could share your expertise with me on a possible set

We travel very light And do not load our trailers down With a bunch of stuff.

I can promise you you will have more than what you think! We see this here all the time “we travel light!” You will weigh at least 1k lbs more than the dry weight.
evanrem
Explorer II
May 22, 2018
Walaby wrote:
So, since you've been on the forums since 2004, I will assume, for the sake of argument, that you understand payload calculations.

Since I don't know the specific specs of your truck, I'll assume for sake of argument, that you have one with max payload available, which appears to be 1520 lbs.

The trailer in the web address you provided has dry weight of 7212. We all know dry weight means nothing. But, lets go with your statement you pack light. So, lets assume 800 lbs of 'stuff". Puts you at 8000lbs.

5ers typically have 20% pin weight. So, 8000 lbs x .20 (20%) is 1600 lbs. So, right there, you are over payload by 80 lbs.

Now, the payload figure does NOT include passengers, so you and your girlfriend, lets call her 100lbs, and lets call you 210. Now you are 390 lbs over payload.

Lets add 100lbs for the 5th wheel in the bed, now you are at about 440 lbs over payload. THat's being conservative.

But, lets break it down further. Some of us (myself included) subscribe to the thought that as long as you do not exceed your Rear GAWR, then you will be okay. In order to use that figure, you need to know the Rear Axle weight of your Tundra, basically empty. Subtract that number from your GAWR, which can be found on the door jamb. If you go with the assumption I made which is 8000 lb loaded (which trust me, will be a challenge meeting), which translates to 1600 lb pin weight, plus 100 lbs for hitch, you need a minimum of 1700 lbs of reserve capacity left on your rear axle. And still, even then, you will likely exceed your payload by a min of 450-500 lbs, probably more when your done.

It matters not if you drive 5 miles, or 5000 miles, when you exceed the specs, you are doing so at your risk. You are the only one who can decide how much above the specs you're willing to go.

Make your decision based on facts, starting with trucks payload and rear axle capacities.

Hope it helps.

Mike

Spot on. crunch the numbers and they will give you the answer. The closer to the max the worst the towing experience will be.

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