Do real 1/2 ton 5th wheels exist?

[Brendon44]

Are there any actual 5th wheels that are realistically 1/2 ton towable? Seems all the smallest ones I can find still have a pin weight of 1200-1500 lbs. Sure this is doable if its one passenger and a poodle traveling but that's not my scenario. My truck's payload is 1946 lbs. Was hoping there are some options out there with 7-800 pin weight.

[B and B]

Here is one! Made in Chilliwack BC no less!!

[BandJCarm]

Scamp.

[B and B]

Nope.

Escape...

The Escape 5.0 TA

$34,500 Canadian probably $20,000 US funds

[BandJCarm]

No, I meant Scamp is a half-ton towable fifth wheel.

[bikendan]

Well, I just found a 30' Open Road 5th wheel with a dry pin weight of 1100lbs. and a GVWR of 9990lbs.
My F150 has a payload of 1828lbs and a towing capacity of over 11,000lbs, so I might be able to pull it.

[B and B]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

No, I meant Scamp is a half-ton towable fifth wheel.

Ok sorry...

The OTA 5 is only 600 lbs tongue weight...

[Dr ROK]

I have a 2014 F-150 Super cab with a heavy duty tow package and I pull my 2011 Palomino Sabre 5th wheel with no problems, but most of my towing is on relatively flat land. Also, I don't fill the water tanks until I get to my destination as I'm within about 1000 lbs of my max weight limit with the tanks dry. I live in Nebraska, so I'm not pulling over mountains, but I did take it up through South Dakota to Billings, Montana with no problems. Tranny temp was not an issue during the entire trip. I also had to spend about a grand on a sliding hitch due to the short box of the truck. Only took one softball sized dent on my cab to convince me this was a definite need.

[clarkbre]

The real question should be: Do 1/2 tons exist to pull a 5th wheel?

Seems that a lot of the "1/2 ton towable" 5th wheels have a pin weight usually on the lighter side for a 5th a wheel, yet still too much for a 1/2 ton truck sold these days.

If you look at the evolution of the 1/2 ton truck, it's changed significantly in the last 20 years or so. In the 1990's, you could find 1/2 ton trucks that were really just downgraded 3/4 and 1 tons. Ford, Chevy and Dodge 1/2 tons all shared the bodies of their bigger trucks but were made for lighter duty. In the late 90's, Ford spun off and made the F150 and then a separate Super Duty. All 3 manufacturers (5 with Toyota and Nissan) added crew cab configurations and today, that's about all you find on the car lots. While the crewcabs are awesome family vehicles, they lack payload capacity.

In order to properly tow a "1/2 ton towable" 5th wheel, you'd likely need a standard or extended cab with minimal options and a 2wd. That will allow you encough payload to set a 5th wheel trailer over that back axle.

[rp53]

Originally Posted by B and B

Here is one! Made in Chilliwack BC no less!!

Attachment 188770

i love that 5er and would buy one in a heartbeat if it weren't for the wet bath. towing a 5er is so much safer and easier to back than a bumper pull

[sfsgm]

Originally Posted by B and B

Nope.

Escape...

The Escape 5.0 TA

$34,500 Canadian probably $20,000 US funds

More like $26k. The exchange rate is hovering around .76 or so right now.

[Palinduff]

Yes. You just have to find a real fifth wheel half ton.

[Mewcasa]

Grand Design... but you need a real 1/2 ton truck and not a pretty “want to be!”

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Mewcasa

Grand Design... but you need a real 1/2 ton truck and not a pretty “want to be!”

That statement is just funny,.... On so many levels

[CaptnJohn]

It is hard to own what the 5er builders call a "properly equipped 1/2 ton. Most must think all 1/2 tons are F150 with both trailer tow package and payload package. But then ~~ I'm getting close on an F350 diesel.

[amblt]

Originally Posted by Brendon44

Are there any actual 5th wheels that are realistically 1/2 ton towable? Seems all the smallest ones I can find still have a pin weight of 1200-1500 lbs. Sure this is doable if its one passenger and a poodle traveling but that's not my scenario. My truck's payload is 1946 lbs. Was hoping there are some options out there with 7-800 pin weight.

Yes - we've had 2. One was a single axle 19' Rockwood (see my avatar), and the other was a 1998 Jayco Qwest 25' dbl axle. The latter had a GVWR of about 7000 if I remember correctly.

[spock123]

I wouldn’t do it but I saw a man pulling a Blue Ridge fifth wheel bunkhouse with a F150. He said the truck pulled the camper great, he said most people committed on the twenty inch tires. I was going in to eat at a Cracker Barrel in Lincoln Nebraska. A Ford is a pulling machine

[Ejs4029]

Ok so if you looking at a 5th wheel that has a dry hitch of 1,600, 9,500 UVW and GVWR 12,000 lbs how much payload is needed ?

Assuming a 200lb driver and 130lb passenger and 30lbs of dogs

[Ejs4029]

Originally Posted by spock123

I wouldn’t do it but I saw a man pulling a Blue Ridge fifth wheel bunkhouse with a F150. He said the truck pulled the camper great, he said most people committed on the twenty inch tires. I was going in to eat at a Cracker Barrel in Lincoln Nebraska. A Ford is a pulling machine

I was just down in Florida and saw a handful of F250's, Ram 2500's and Chevy 2500's towing 35-40ft Cardinals and other higher end heavy 5th wheels that I am guessing have at least have a dry hitch of over 2500 lbs so I'm sure they are overloaded.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by Ejs4029

Ok so if you looking at a 5th wheel that has a dry hitch of 1,600, 9,500 UVW and GVWR 12,000 lbs how much payload is needed ?

Assuming a 200lb driver and 130lb passenger and 30lbs of dogs

1600+200+130+30=1960

Assume say, 200lbs of hitch (give or take).

Assume, say, 400 lbs of extra hitch weight for 'stuff' (really depends on what you bring, load placement, etc...)

1960+200+400 = 2560 lbs

Add a few hundred pounds for cushion:

2560 + 300 = 2860 lbs

And at that point, might was well just round up to say 'around 3k'