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Old 10-08-2015, 11:02 PM   #1
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Excessive Pin Weight for 1/2 Ton ??

What are the specs on your truck and trailer? I just purchased a 2011 F150 which is stickered with a payload of some 1600 or so lbs., but my trailer is 7500 dry and 8145 wet. I cannot get my pin wt low enough to allow any reasonable payload and still be legal.
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Old 10-09-2015, 10:52 AM   #2
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1st of all, welcome to the forum !!

Most 1/2 ton trucks do not have the payload capacity for a 5th wheel pin weight. Advertising a 5th wheel as being "1/2 ton towable" should be illegal, unless the pin weight is under 1000 lbs or so.

Adding springs or air bags does not increase the payload, but may level the truck out some. The limiting factor is going to be the axle rating, and tire ratings if they are passenger tires.

Most 1/2 ton trucks have a "semi-floating" rear axle (like a car), vs. a "full-floating" rear axle on 3/4 ton (and up) trucks. That means that the axle is carrying the weight on 1/2 ton trucks, and on heavier trucks the hub is carrying the weight. That is where you get the additional axle rating with "full-floating" axles on heavy duty trucks.

I currently pull a travel trailer with a 700 lb. tongue weight, and I am near my GVWR when loaded up with the camper, canoe, bikes.....uh, what am I forgetting.......oh yeah, the missus and dog.
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Old 10-09-2015, 11:03 AM   #3
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Here we go, again. Popcorn anyone?
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Old 10-09-2015, 11:31 AM   #4
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Don't think you will get it low enough. Tow with it overweight or buy another truck. Really the best option. Is your Truck a Towing equipped unit? Has transmission cooler and stuff like that?
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Old 10-09-2015, 12:10 PM   #5
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Hit the search and you will get hundreds of situations such as yours. Unless you have a HD tow and an light weight 5th wheel you are going to be at or over the max.

I have a 28 foot TT thats hitting about a 1300# TW, I run a 2500 diesel. A lot of people said I would be fine with a 1/2 ton because it was a bumper pull but I knew I would have a high TW due to dual 30lb tanks and dual batteries up front. I also load my truck bed up with bikes, toys, and generators. Also I tow mountains all the time so I wanted the power and torque the diesel offered.

Out of curiosity what trailer do you have? If it is 7500 dry and 8100 wet that's only 600# of additions. Have you weighed to know the true numbers?

What made you buy it if it is only stickered to 1600#, did you get the truck first then trailer?
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Old 10-09-2015, 03:25 PM   #6
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I feel sorry for those newbies that get suckered into the "1/2 ton towable" jargon. I was recently watching a YouTube video about an Open Range Lite 5th wheel. The sales guy stated that it was 1/2 ton towable because most 1/2 tons have tow ratings around 9000lbs+. The OR had a dry weight around 8000lbs. He said that you could load in about 1000lbs to the 5th wheel and still be good. Never mentioned that that 9000lb loaded 5th wheel needs an 1800lb pin weight to tow well. Very few 1/2 ton trucks have 1800lbs left for pin weight after everyone and everything is packed in the truck.
To the OP, how close are you? If you're still under the RAWR when hitched up I'd go for it. If you're 4-500lbs over the RAWR then maybe it's time to get a 3/4 ton gasser.
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Old 10-09-2015, 03:48 PM   #7
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Here we go, again. Popcorn anyone?
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Old 10-09-2015, 03:53 PM   #8
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Just keep in mind that there is no slack in the lawyer stickers, if you go 1# over the weight limit, the whole rear end will collapse and the engine will explode.
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Old 10-09-2015, 04:47 PM   #9
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I feel sorry for those newbies that get suckered into the "1/2 ton towable" jargon. I was recently watching a YouTube video about an Open Range Lite 5th wheel. The sales guy stated that it was 1/2 ton towable because most 1/2 tons have tow ratings around 9000lbs+. The OR had a dry weight around 8000lbs. He said that you could load in about 1000lbs to the 5th wheel and still be good. Never mentioned that that 9000lb loaded 5th wheel needs an 1800lb pin weight to tow well. Very few 1/2 ton trucks have 1800lbs left for pin weight after everyone and everything is packed in the truck.
To the OP, how close are you? If you're still under the RAWR when hitched up I'd go for it. If you're 4-500lbs over the RAWR then maybe it's time to get a 3/4 ton gasser.
I misspoke on my first post, the empty is 7000, not 7500. We purchased the trailer originally with no intention whatsoever of towing it, but the deal we got on the truck was too good to resist. So what is boils down to is a lighter trailer- which is no real hardship. We really don't need a 28.5 ft 5th wheel to travel when we retire in a year. Right now it's on a seasonal site, which suits us well.
I agree with the comments about claims that a half ton truck can tow large loads, particularly 5th wheels. I have been in aviation for almost 50 years, and adherence to weight and balance requirements is regarded with religious fervour in that world.
Some years ago, I had a 19ft single axle Rockwood 5th wheel (approx 3200 lb loaded) which I towed with a 2003 Chev S10, 4.9l V6. All the weights were legal, checked on certified scales. The only thing I didn't like was that I could not fit a tire with a high enough (for my liking) load range in the wheel wells. I had no trouble on major highways, keeping up with traffic, and the fuel economy was surprisingly good.
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Old 10-09-2015, 04:53 PM   #10
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Hit the search and you will get hundreds of situations such as yours. Unless you have a HD tow and an light weight 5th wheel you are going to be at or over the max.

I have a 28 foot TT thats hitting about a 1300# TW, I run a 2500 diesel. A lot of people said I would be fine with a 1/2 ton because it was a bumper pull but I knew I would have a high TW due to dual 30lb tanks and dual batteries up front. I also load my truck bed up with bikes, toys, and generators. Also I tow mountains all the time so I wanted the power and torque the diesel offered.

Out of curiosity what trailer do you have? If it is 7500 dry and 8100 wet that's only 600# of additions. Have you weighed to know the true numbers?

What made you buy it if it is only stickered to 1600#, did you get the truck first then trailer?
It's a 2003 Cougar 5th wheel. A great unit, we are very pleased with it.
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Old 10-09-2015, 05:52 PM   #11
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Hit the search and you will get hundreds of situations such as yours. Unless you have a HD tow and an light weight 5th wheel you are going to be at or over the max.

I have a 28 foot TT thats hitting about a 1300# TW, I run a 2500 diesel. A lot of people said I would be fine with a 1/2 ton because it was a bumper pull but I knew I would have a high TW due to dual 30lb tanks and dual batteries up front. I also load my truck bed up with bikes, toys, and generators. Also I tow mountains all the time so I wanted the power and torque the diesel ?


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Old 10-09-2015, 06:39 PM   #12
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12 pack with my popcorn, PLEASE.
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Old 10-09-2015, 06:42 PM   #13
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Dollars to donuts, you are over too....



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Old 10-09-2015, 06:45 PM   #14
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My Flagstaff Super Lite 8528RKWS has a pin weight of 1100 and dry weight of 7700. With that I can keep my F150 in good shape.


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Old 10-09-2015, 06:45 PM   #15
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Here we go, again. Popcorn anyone?
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Old 10-09-2015, 06:58 PM   #16
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Old 10-09-2015, 07:00 PM   #17
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Old 10-10-2015, 09:23 AM   #18
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For those just watching, no need to hijack the thread with concession items.

Back to the topic.
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Old 10-11-2015, 05:10 PM   #19
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We owned a "1/2 ton towable" fifth wheel when we purchased our 2012 Ford F150 with the eco-boost engine. We were looking to upgrade it and found that the cargo capacity of our pickup was not enough for the pin weight. We traded it in on a smaller travel trailer.
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Old 10-13-2015, 11:23 AM   #20
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I'm in the same boat as I am also a newbie. I have a 2007 Tundra with 5.7L V8 with full factory tow package that is rated to two 10,600 lbs. I purchased a RW Premier Ultralight 5th Wheel that has a gvwr of 9206lb. If I use the suggested 15 and 25% of gvwr as my range for pin weight that is 1381# min pin wt. and 2301 max pin wt. I read this and got to checking and my payload (CCC) for my truck is 1475. After taking out 340# for my wife and me and 250 for hitch in bed that leaves 885 for pin wt. I am way over wt. as I see it. Any disagreement? As a newbie to 5th wheels I naively listened to the salesman convince me that my truck could more than handle the weight and pull the RV with out problems. Do I need a new and bigger truck?
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