Towing weight

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by prof_fate

I hit teh scales on last week on the way to camping...
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...tml#post380258 for details

Bottom line - We' almost certainly over GVWR on the sliverado with ONLY PASSENGERS and tongue weight on a 6300lb TT.

Truck GVWR is 7000. Real weight of truck with only 2 kids bikes in the back is 5620 (no driver). Leaving 1380.

Tongue wt should be 10-15% of TT wt...785 lbs on our 6300lb TT.

That leaves 595 lbs for people, pets, cargo....I"m 240, kids are 9 and 12 and add to 125 and the dog is 55lbs. Add in DW and we're over 600lbs...and over the GVWR of the truck.

So I'd say NO - NO 1500/150 truck can take ANY 5th wheel TT.

payload factor is most certainly the down fall of any 1/2 ton and a 5th wheel as well as some 30+ foot tt's !

[FandRChambers]

I have a question for you guys, what is the recommended height between the 5th wheel and bed of the truck? I have plenty of space, but I have read about people having to raise their hitch to give more room.

[JeffMc]

I was told by my dealer the recommended height was 6 inches. Seems to be reasonable for most situations to keep from hitting the trailer with the bed.

[FandRChambers]

Ok thanks JeffMc...just curious....I thought it was 8 inches and up..

[JeffMc]

The six inches I got from the dealer....sometimes you can get alot of different answers from different dealers, so don't take my answer as the gospel. Maybe somebody here will come along with a firm answer I would imagine it could be different for different vehicles or 5ers also. For instance, a six foot bed vs an eight foot bed would change your clearance distances should you go over a place that is not very level front to back.

[Buddy231]

Thanks for all the replies. Lot's of good advice for someone who has not owned a 5th wheel unit. My F150 also thanks you! You all have made me see the "Lite" (in lite weight 5th wheel RV). So, going from a 35 foot Palamino, dry weight @ 9800 lbs, to a Flagstaff Classic 8528RKWS!

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by Buddy231

Thanks for all the replies. Lot's of good advice for someone who has not owned a 5th wheel unit. My F150 also thanks you! You all have made me see the "Lite" (in lite weight 5th wheel RV). So, going from a 35 foot Palamino, dry weight @ 9800 lbs, to a Flagstaff Classic 8528RKWS!

Uh, isn't that Flagstaff a 5th wheel, also ??

[prof_fate]

Looks like it...
New 2014 Forest River RV Flagstaff Classic Super Lite 8528RKWS Fifth Wheels at Big Daddy RVs London Kentucky Big Daddy RVs

with a 'hitch weight' of 1134..I assume that's pin weight and empty. On a 150 that's gonna be too much.

[fonzie]

Still too much fifth wheel for your half ton. Payload will probably be over 600-700 lbs above your GVWR once your ready to camp. Not a good, legal and safe fit.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by fonzie

Still too much fifth wheel for your half ton. Payload will probably be over 600-700 lbs above your GVWR once your ready to camp. Not a good, legal and safe fit.

May not be good, but show us actual data where it is illegal or data showing it to be unsafe. Like the old "Dragnet" show, "just the facts".

[fonzie]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

May not be good, but show us actual data where it is illegal or data showing it to be unsafe. Like the old "Dragnet" show, "just the facts".

I won't argue with you, you win.....

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

May not be good, but show us actual data where it is illegal or data showing it to be unsafe. Like the old "Dragnet" show, "just the facts".

My Dodge Ram owners manual says to not exceed GVWR.

[FandRChambers]

Interesting topic because Trailer life just put out an article titled half ton fun. It talks about light 5th wheels weights ranging from 5900 lbs dry. These units are supposed to be built tow with half ton trucks. I haven't seen any of these units but I guess the numbers speak for themselves. Still not sure I would want to tow one with a half ton truck.

Half-Ton Fun

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by ependydad

My Dodge Ram owners manual says to not exceed GVWR.

Understand that, but that is to protect Dodge, doesn't make it illegal or unsafe.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by prof_fate

Looks like it...
New 2014 Forest River RV Flagstaff Classic Super Lite 8528RKWS Fifth Wheels at Big Daddy RVs London Kentucky Big Daddy RVs

with a 'hitch weight' of 1134..I assume that's pin weight and empty. On a 150 that's gonna be too much.

It is just right to max out my 2500HD. My last weigh had 1500 payload remaining (truck is a diesel). My 8526RLWS 5th Wheel has an UVW (dry) of 7219 pounds and is maxed out at 9200 pounds.

My last weigh had my camper weight at 8800 pounds and a pin load of 1400 pounds (16%).

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by FandRChambers

Interesting topic because Trailer life just put out an article titled half ton fun. It talks about light 5th wheels weights ranging from 5900 lbs dry. These units are supposed to be built tow with half ton trucks. I haven't seen any of these units but I guess the numbers speak for themselves. Still not sure I would want to tow one with a half ton truck.

Half-Ton Fun

Honestly, I think that article is as misleading the advertising by the camper manufacturers.

I think half-ton towable is a lofty goal but if you're an owner who chooses to stay within all of the published ratings of your truck, you're going to have to be very particular of which 1/2 ton truck and fifth wheel that you end up with. Other than the Livin' Lite and Escape trailers, the dry weights ranged from 6,000-10,000 pounds at first glance in that article. If you apply the standard norm of 20%-25% of camper weight as pin weight, you get 1,200-2,500 pounds of pin weight for a dry camper. Never mind you'll normally add 1,000-2,000 pounds in stuff.

So now, lets to with a family of 4 at 150 pounds a piece (I'll admit- my family itself weighs a bit more than). Never mind the weight of your hitch (estimating 250 pounds) and anything you add to the truck (100 pounds for that nice rolltop cover) and maybe 100 pounds for random crap in the cab and truck bed.

You're going to need a truck that has payload available of 2,000-2,250 pounds or so. Yes, some 1/2-ton trucks sport that. But realistically, most don't.

Yes, there are 1/2 ton combos. But you have to sacrifice size of the fifth wheel usually.

Again- that's all if you believe and adhere to published ratings from the manufacturer. Otherwise, you're free to adhere to those that you choose or just hitch up and go.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Understand that, but that is to protect Dodge, doesn't make it illegal or unsafe.

The "fact" is that it's a published rating. I don't know enough about trucks to decide if it is unsafe to exceed their published ratings. But, this has been hashed to death here and otherwise.

[BarryD0706]

I suspect anyone owning one of these 1/2-ton towable 5ers is going to be complaining mightly about the poor construction materials/techniques. You can't have it both ways!

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

I suspect anyone owning one of these 1/2-ton towable 5ers is going to be complaining mightly about the poor construction materials/techniques. You can't have it both ways!

Ain't that the truth...

[FandRChambers]

I agree with you ependydad. Like I said I wouldn't tow a 5er with a half ton. I wouldn't feel safe, and would worry about my truck being able to handle it over a time. To each it's own!