Pulling a 12,000 lb 5th wheel with F150

[rdhetrick]

Here's a situation that's sure to get mixed responses:

I'm in a situation where I will likely be living in my trailer for several years. I currently have a 30ish foot travel trailer and a F150. Something I'm considering is getting a 5th wheel for the extra room and layout benefits.

I'll be parking this trailer more or less permanently.

So here's my question, will the F150 be able to get a 12000 lb 5th wheel a few hundred miles from the place I buy it to my site? I don't want to buy a new truck for a one time event.

I know it's overweight, and I know it will probably be a miserable hundred miles, but will the tires pop or axle break?

I know I could hire someone to move it, and that's a possibility, but I'm just trying to figure out what is possible and what is not.

By the way, I just moved a 1500 lb safe in the truck and it took it without problem.

What say you: will it move the 5th wheel or pancake my truck?

[goducks10]

I'd buy a dually.

[time2roll]

+1 for having it delivered. It will be the low cost option vs installing a hitch.

Then start looking around for a used F350 as time and money permit.

[Les_Balty]

There are quite a few 5'ers that are 1/2-tonable. Perhaps consider one of those and then you'd be good to go any time you want to use it. These trailers max out around 9,000 - 11,000 lbs. GVWR If this keeps you within the factory rating of your truck - good-to-go.

[Dog_Folks]

Sorry to offend all you "My F150 can tow anything" group.

Not denying it: The F-150 is a great truck, it has been a best seller for many years because of that. Owned a few myself.

But as with all trucks, it does have it's limits, and a 12,500 pound 5th is just too much.

[TomG2]

Dog Folks wrote:

TomG2 wrote:
Four pages and people are still giving advice without knowing the payload capacity of the tow vehicle. Maybe I missed it.

Don't need to actually walk out in front of a bus to know it is not a good idea.

According to Ford, the latest (2014) and best towing capacity for any F-150 is just over 11,000. Most recommendations are under 9,000.

Payload capacity or not, the vehicle is way over towing capability.

As other posts have mentioned, it is not if the truck can pull it but if the truck stop it. Just because it can, doesn't mean it should.

In other words, no facts are needed? "If" the OP has one of the F-150's with over 3,000 pound payload, then I think it would work.

[blt2ski]

Dog Folks wrote:

TomG2 wrote:
Four pages and people are still giving advice without knowing the payload capacity of the tow vehicle. Maybe I missed it.

Don't need to actually walk out in front of a bus to know it is not a good idea.

According to Ford, the latest (2014) and best towing capacity for any F-150 is just over 11,000. Most recommendations are under 9,000.

Payload capacity or not, the vehicle is way over towing capability.

As other posts have mentioned, it is not if the truck can pull it but if the truck stop it. Just because it can, doesn't mean it should.

Last I checked, the truck brakes stop the truck, the trailer brakes stop the trailer. Does not matter the size of truck, be it a 15 or a 25 or a 35.

Many of you have not seen on of the last posts by the OP, it appears as if he will be hiring someone to move the trailer.

Marty

[Dog_Folks]

TomG2 wrote:
Four pages and people are still giving advice without knowing the payload capacity of the tow vehicle. Maybe I missed it.

Don't need to actually walk out in front of a bus to know it is not a good idea.

According to Ford, the latest (2014) and best towing capacity for any F-150 is just over 11,000. Most recommendations are under 9,000.

Payload capacity or not, the vehicle is way over towing capability.

As other posts have mentioned, it is not if the truck can pull it but if the truck stop it. Just because it can, doesn't mean it should.

[TomG2]

Four pages and people are still giving advice without knowing the payload capacity of the tow vehicle. Maybe I missed it.

[deltabravo]

The dealer should be able to find a delivery person for you, or they might even be able to get their staff to deliver it. Most dealers have rigs capable of moving fifth wheels, because they tow them to RV shows.

[Water-Bug]

Let us know if and when you decide to do it, so we can all be sure to stear clear and be nowhere in the vicinity.

[bovellois]

Travel on a weekday. It seems to me those 150s are built strong nowadays.

[Passin_Thru]

Go to USHIP.com and find a llegal hauler, then when he wrecks something he will be insured.

[Wes_Tausend]

...

First off, anybody talking about a new truck always buys one shortly anyway.

rdhetrick wrote:
Here's a situation that's sure to get mixed responses:

Usually the "weight police" show up at these discussions. But today we have the weight clowns. A man can't help but smile at the imaginative descriptions. :B

I'm in a situation where I will likely be living in my trailer for several years. I currently have a 30ish foot travel trailer and a F150. Something I'm considering is getting a 5th wheel for the extra room and layout benefits.

I'll be parking this trailer more or less permanently.

So here's my question, will the F150 be able to get a 12000 lb 5th wheel a few hundred miles from the place I buy it to my site? I don't want to buy a new truck for a one time event.

I know it's overweight, and I know it will probably be a miserable hundred miles, but will the tires pop or axle break?

In reality, a F-150 could do it but the years of 150 specs vary widely. Whatcha got?

Tires are the main concern and they may not take an overload above that printed on their side, especially in hot weather. Wanna buy heavy duty tires right before selling it? Better look first.

If you have a mid '90's truck, it may have the 8.8" differential. These axles are Ford's equivalent of the GM 12-bolt and the wimpy bearings ride right on the axles. That long of trip with near double the weight of the safe might wear pretty fast. The axles probably won't bend unless you hit a big bump. If the truck has the newer 9+ inch rear gears with semi-floating axles and bigger bearings, I believe the axle would bear it no problem.

With an extra 1000#, the rig will probably look like the one pappcam described with headlights skyward. Overload springs are kind of a big investment for a truck you are about to sell. But it may not matter... you don't need overloads if the truck pappcam saw had traveled over a 1000 miles without them, you can do it for a few hundred, especially if you drive in daylight as to not blind oncoming traffic.

Finally the price of the hitch doesn't matter since it will go on your new truck. But you will have to install it twice.

No way would I install one twice. I'd beg, borrow or steal a bigger truck with a hitch already in it first.

I know I could hire someone to move it, and that's a possibility, but I'm just trying to figure out what is possible and what is not.

By the way, I just moved a 1500 lb safe in the truck and it took it without problem.

What say you: will it move the 5th wheel or pancake my truck?

Nah, it won't pancake the truck unless you hit a big bump. The truck is designed to safely hit bumps with less weight, easily the inertial equivalent to the static weight of the 5vr hitch. But it won't stand over, say, 2 G's with a ton and a half pin weight bouncing in it. Drive careful.

I think just about all of us overloaded a truck sometime in the past. But, just like you, we now have larger trucks to save worry, the sort of worry that prompted you to write this post in the first place.

One of the most common overload conditions is when somebody decides to haul some dirt or gravel for their yard etc. Looks are deceiving. I have a couple of 55 gallon totes that fit on a tiny 3'x4' flatbed trailer (8 inch tires) that is rated for 1200#. It just so happens that the pair weighs almost exactly 1200# fully loaded with damp sand from a pit and the leaf springs don't even hit bottom.

As a passenger, I think I've seen the volume equivalent of about(?) 6 of those totes loaded in the 8' bed of a half ton, box level plus a hump. The springs sat solid on the bumpstops, the tires bulged and the truck pulled it just fine for 5 miles or so with a jittery ride. My buddy had signaled the loader more and was embarassed to consider removing some. That figures out about 3600#. Just glad it wasn't my truck because it seemed so wrong.

Good luck and enjoy your new super-size camper/truck rig.

Wes
...

[stetwood]

Unless you are set on a 5th wheel, why not go with a bigger trailer. Then you could tow it where you want to with that 150. Trailer weights are less than 5ver weights on the TV.