Pulling a fifth wheel with a tundra v8 5.7 388hp

[Bose04]

We are looking at a rockwood ultra lite 2440ws. Any experience towing with tundra or tips. Max towing is 10500. Gvwr on rv is around 8100. Rv comes with a Reese revolution hitch

[OntarioFireFighter]

Originally Posted by Bose04

We are looking at a rockwood ultra lite 2440ws. Any experience towing with tundra or tips. Max towing is 10500. Gvwr on rv is around 8100. Rv comes with a Reese revolution hitch

You're likely going to find payload as your concern... Topic has been beat to death, and then beat some more; but a Tundra has a max payload of 2040lbs according to Toyota's website, but your truck may be less. Look at the yellow sticker on your door or doorjam.

Now subtract your hitch weight (150#), your passenger weight (say 300#), and the "stuff" in the truck (250#) - that you have left is what you can legally have as pin-weight on your 5ver...

Assuming you have an middle of the road double cab 4x4 - your payload will be around 1400# - minus the stuff above, leaves you about 700# of payload available... Your 8100# trailer will have a pin weight of about 1780# (22% of the trailer weight) - so you're about 1100 pounds overloaded.

[bikendan]

Yep, biggest mistake made shopping for a 5th wheel, is only looking at towing capacity.

#1 spec for towing 5th wheels, is its pin weight vs the truck's payload capacity, ESPECIALLY for 1/2 ton trucks.
Tow vehicles run out of payload capacity way before coming close to towing capacity.

Payload capacity is where most 1/2 tons fall short when it comes to towing 5th wheels.

[donniedu]

Towing capacity has very little to do with hauling fifth wheels.
Tundras simply do not have the load carrying capacity to handle a fifth wheel worth hailing.

[asquared]

Depending on features and bed length it looks like your double cab (from profile) tundra has a payload of 1485-1595. That is way low for a fiver. On the low end you are looking at a pin weight of 1600 lbs. That is over before adding hitch (approximately 150 lbs), pets, passengers etc.

The other weak link and perhaps even more important than the much argued payload is your rear axle GAWR. I'm willing to bet the pin weight will push you over here.

A trip to the catscale will show you your current axle weights. Subtract that weight from RGAWR to get how much pin weight your rear axle can accommodate.

[Oakman]

My opinion in one photo.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by Oakman

My opinion in one photo.

Attachment 139611

Bob and Joyce
2013 CC Silverback 29RL
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab 6.4 liter diesel
ATU Local 788

You might want to explain your opinion in words.

I can look at the photo and say "it can be done." (Especially if I WANT to think that!)

Or I can look at your signature and say, "Hmm. Wonder why he now has a 3/4 ton?"

I'm hoping your opinion is the latter and not the former.

[Oakman]

Sorry rockfordroo, I'm not one of the weight police. Just because the numbers don't jive doesn't mean it can't be done safely. No, that's not my rig. The reason I have a 3/4 ton is because I wanted the power of diesel for travel up mountain grades in the Rockies. Oh by the way, I'm over on my numbers too.

[onetonford]

I'm with you Oakman I towed my old fiver with a 1977 Ford F150 for over 20 plus years and never once did I have a problem. The trailer had a pin weight of 1970 lbs. My brother just bought a keystone copper canyon fiver he is towing with a 2017 Toyota Tundra and the trailer has a pin weight of 1250 lbs. So far he has pulled it to several places and said it does real well. And he was a truck driver for over 25 years. The truck he uses does have air bags on it and he is having to raise the trailer because of the tailgate hitting the trailer his clearance was too close as the new trucks have the taller boxes. Other than that he said it does just fine with it.

[timfromma]

There is a big difference between what can be done and what should be done.

Your asking for tips so here's one. Don't do it. I had a 2015 Tundra SR5 double cab 4x4. Its maximum payload was 1700lbs. After passengers and stuff, I had about 1000lbs left over for the weight of a trailer. If I wanted to tow a 5th wheel, I would also need to subtract about 200lbs for the weight of the hitch leaving only 800 lbs for the trailer pin weight.

If you insist on using your Tundra to pull a 5ht wheel, find one that weight less than 4000lbs when fully loaded.

The trailer you are looking at weighs 8100lbs which is the close to the heaviest 5th wheel I'd pull with my 3/4 ton diesel.

[OntarioFireFighter]

Originally Posted by Oakman

Sorry rockfordroo, I'm not one of the weight police. Just because the numbers don't jive doesn't mean it can't be done safely. No, that's not my rig. The reason I have a 3/4 ton is because I wanted the power of diesel for travel up mountain grades in the Rockies. Oh by the way, I'm over on my numbers too.

Not for nothing; but being a couple pounds over on one rating or another is one thing...

Being somewhere around 1000 pounds over on payload, as well as over on R-GAWR (Tundra's from that era should have a 4150# rear axle, according to some Google-fu) - is setting the OP up for either torn up equipment, wore out equipment, or legal headaches (some places are starting to scale RV's, and there's a growing business in injury lawyers that specialize in RV accidents, should something happen...)

It's a free country, and the OP is free to do as he sees fit... but the combination he's asking about isn't legal, isn't recommended by the truck manufacturer, and isn't, IMO, a good idea.

I'm also not a big fan of the "I did it for 20 years, and everything was fine" argument. Everything is always fine, right up until the moment it isn't...

[D_B Travelers]

"I'm also not a big fan of the "I did it for 20 years, and everything was fine" argument. Everything is always fine, right up until the moment it isn't..."

X2
And yes, we all want to move to a larger RV sometime...BUT...you also have to move to a larger (read: more capacity) TV. Be smart, be safe, and do your homework. Your family is in the TV and mine is out there in front of it somewhere!

[Mightycamper]

Your Tundra will tow a fifth wheel trailer with no issues other than getting 6 miles to the gallon, I have pulled mine since May 2014 with no mechanical issues.

[donniedu]

Let this thread die. No one is ever going to change a mind. Best you can hope for is people will realize the danger they are putting their family and other travelers in.

[onetonford]

Originally Posted by onetonford

I'm with you Oakman I towed my old fiver with a 1977 Ford F150 for over 20 plus years and never once did I have a problem. The trailer had a pin weight of 1970 lbs. My brother just bought a keystone copper canyon fiver he is towing with a 2017 Toyota Tundra and the trailer has a pin weight of 1250 lbs. So far he has pulled it to several places and said it does real well. And he was a truck driver for over 25 years. The truck he uses does have air bags on it and he is having to raise the trailer because of the tailgate hitting the trailer his clearance was too close as the new trucks have the taller boxes. Other than that he said it does just fine with it.

Sorry I resind my answer as it has nothing to do with what is said on this post. If you look at my tow and trailer you will find I tow a 1/2 ton rated trailer with a one ton dually.

[BandJCarm]

Actually, no one has answered the question he asked yet.

Many of you/us would make terrible witnesses in court. You/we seem to want to answer the question that we WISH had been asked, rather than the question that was actually asked.

He asked if anyone had any experience towing a fifth wheel with a Toyota Tundra. Oakman came closest to answering. The rest is unsolicited advice. (I share most of it, FWIW, but it's still unsolicited).

[Mightycamper]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Actually, no one has answered the question he asked yet.

Many of you/us would make terrible witnesses in court. You/we seem to want to answer the question that we WISH had been asked, rather than the question that was actually asked.

He asked if anyone had any experience towing a fifth wheel with a Toyota Tundra. Oakman came closest to answering. The rest is unsolicited advice. (I share most of it, FWIW, but it's still unsolicited).

Actually I answered the question and others got upset, I tow a 2014 286RLT fifth wheel with a 2014 Tundra 4x4 TSS 5.7 ltr. equipped with air bag suspension, 16K slide hitch and it is awesome.

[timfromma]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Actually, no one has answered the question he asked yet.

Many of you/us would make terrible witnesses in court. You/we seem to want to answer the question that we WISH had been asked, rather than the question that was actually asked.

He asked if anyone had any experience towing a fifth wheel with a Toyota Tundra. Oakman came closest to answering. The rest is unsolicited advice. (I share most of it, FWIW, but it's still unsolicited).

My apologies. Let me correct my answer.

Even though I've owned a Tundra and towed my TT with it, I have not owed a 5th wheel since I could not find one that my Tundra could safely tow.

[PhoneDude 8289]

I had a 2008 Tundra 5.7 Limited 2WD bought new. Towed a 2008 Cougar 291RLS for close to 6 years, pin weight was around 1800#. The Cougar had a GVWR of about 10.3K#. Weighed it ready for a trip the most ever was 9.2K#. I put airbags and 10ply tires on the tundra. The hitch was about 150#, DW, myself and two dogs. Towed that rig to the Rockies several times and to the Cascades twice. It did struggle on some of the steeper climbs but was able to maintain no less than 40 mph. Fuel milage really sucked or should I say it really sucked fuel. While towing 10 mpg down hill but averaged 8 mpg on the flats and anywhere between 4 - 6 mpg in the mountains. Never towing faster than 60 MPH. All the maintenance was done way before time or miles. Brake job on the Tundra at 115K and on the trailer after close to four years. The rear axel on the Tundra was made by Hino. Hino rated it at 5200# but Toyota derated it to 4100# if I remember correctly. Sold the Tundra with 182K on the clock and is still going strong.

Fast forward to now. I tow a 2014 Rockwood 8289WS with a 2014 Ram 2500 Cummins turbo diesel. Towing about the same weight I am much happier with the tow and fuel milage. Another plus is it never struggles in the mountains. I'm happy with the Ram but I do miss my Tundra.

Know your weights and limits, the choice is yours

[asquared]

The site team has had to delete several off topic, argumentative and inappropriate posts in this thread. This thread has gone the way of most truck/what can I tow threads. Due to the inability of a few to control themselves/behave politely, this thread has been closed by the site team.