What Tow Vehicle are you using to tow your 293REX ?

[luna336]

We are getting ready to move up from our Jayco 23B Hybrid to a lightweight fifth wheel. Our tow vehicle is a 2011 Ford F250 CC w/6.2 L gasser, 3.73 rear end. I will be installing rear air bags to prevent sag.

We are looking at the 293REX 1/2 ton fifth wheel (got to be a joke) Our truck is rated to pull a max load of 12000 lb for fifth wheel towing. Any obvious issues other then crappy gas mileage?

[Rrickim63]

Payload?

[lbrjet]

Let your truck rev (like 4500 RPM) on the steep hills and you should be fine. You won't hurt the truck. If this bothers you then get a lighter fifth wheel.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equal-i-zer 4pt 12K

[luna336]

My maximum payload rating is 3250 lbs due to 4x4. The 6.2 Boss loves to high rev which I have got use to pulling over both the Sierra's and Rockies.

[Rrickim63]

Sounds like you have it covered...

[j free]

I use to use a Chevy 2500hd. To increase towing I installed a cold air intake, dule exaust and a supper chip. When I placed it in tow program the chip incresed my truck to 500hp and I was towing a 40 ft. 5th wheel at 15,000 lbs. weight. How ever I found being close to the truck weight was hard on the brakes. mainly going down hill or in heavy traffic.

[luna336]

J free, I'm going to try to keep our total weight to about 11,000 lbs. The new six speed transmissions in the SuperDuty tow mode helps save the brakes. I was impressed this past summer coming off the Rockies.

[jkrise]

I just bought a 295RSX and I pull it with a 2015 F-250 with a 6.7. No issues so far, but I do plan on air bags just for a more level and stable ride.

[bpdlk33]

jkrise I have the 295RSX also and have had no problems with it. Hope you enjoy yours as we have ours. I pull it with 2004 3/4 ton GMC with 6.0 gas

[Gtrom48]

I tow my new 2015 293REX with a 2007 Chevy 2500 HD Diesel, this new rig pulls better than the smaller 5th wheel I had. you should have no problems.

[GypsiesAtHeart2016]

We'll be picking up our 2014 293 REX in 2 weeks and towing it with a 2012 GMC 3500 HD CC SRW diesel long box. Can't wait!

[jkrise]

bpdlk33 - no issues with it yet, just the normal stuff when you buy new from a dealer and they have never went through it. The sink was not even connected, found that out when I turned to pump on to dewinterize it. water everywhere in the kitchen and living areas. Hoses were not even under the sink. Dealer tried to say it was that way from the factory, but after looking at what they fixed, I am saying they scavenged the parts for another trailer. All other issues were minor fixes that I could do on the spot. I have found that the travel tool box I built comes in handy.

[GypsiesAtHeart2016]

Picked up the 293 this past weekend (4/9) and towed it about 200 miles. Nice easy tow & only a few minor issues with the cat.

[Johnv]

I have the same 6.2 and 3.73 setup in my 2011 F150 4x4 with the HD towing package and have no problem towing our 8,900 pound Wildcat fifth wheel. So far we have towed over 32,000 miles and the truck has 170,000 miles on it with no signs of mechanical problems. With the wind we get over 9 mpg. Against the wind we get around 7 mpg. It's just physics. It takes so much energy to move the rig down the road and you pay at the pump. We also drive highway speeds and don't avoid mountain passes. By the way, the new F150's don't offer the big 6.2 so the next truck will probably have to be a F 250. I have owned a
F 350 and F 250 in the past. This F150 does the job fine when well equipped.


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[Hyseas]

Instead of installing air bags on our 2013 F-250, we added a helper spring (extra spring leaf) to the rear leaf spring set. Adds about 1 1/2 inches of support under load, which is perfect for our Wildcat 295RX. The cost was about 25-30% of adding air bags, and the ride is very good (not stiff, which can be hard on the 5th's frame).

[jkrise]

Hyseas - what brand and model helper springs did you use? Just trying to figure out what my options are. Air bags are a little pricey. By the way I have the off-road package, so not sure if that affects the springs. New to some of this with a 5th wheel.

[Hyseas]

Originally Posted by jkrise

Hyseas - what brand and model helper springs did you use? Just trying to figure out what my options are. Air bags are a little pricey. By the way I have the off-road package, so not sure if that affects the springs. New to some of this with a 5th wheel.

I like the helper spring approach because they require no maintenance, allow full motion of the suspension, and take effect only when loaded (weight bearing).

Skyjacker makes helper springs that raise the vehicle 1 1/2" or compensates for 1,500 lbs. The 295RSX is about 1,600 lbs. hitch weight as I recall - so these worked well for our application:

Amazon.com: Skyjacker R3815 Softride Rear Add-A-Leaf Helper Spring - Pair: Automotive

There are other helper springs available from various manufacturers. Also, you might want to check with your Ford dealer. Ford offers a camper package that includes "rear auxiliary springs", which is otherwise known as a helper spring. Although the camper package is a factory option, your dealer may be able to add the rear auxiliary spring as an aftermarket option.

Hope this helps. Safe travels.

[5er_tom]

Hyseas,
Did you install them yourself? If so, how big a job was it? If not, where did you take it to have it done?


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[Hyseas]

5er_tom,
I did install them myself - but I would not recommend it. The instructions said to remove the leaf spring pack, which was not realistic on my F-250. Instead, I left the springs attached to the frame and used heavy duty G-clamps to decompress, then compress the spring pack. Further, it required multiple jacks for the frame and axle, 3/4" drive socket set, and will likely require longer u-bolts to replace the stock ones.

In hindsight, I would suggest getting quotes from truck repair or truck performance shops. It's similar to the work to raise the truck frame for over-sized tires. Of course with the helper spring, it doesn't change the visual or handling characteristics of the truck. The helper spring sets run between $75 and $160, u-bolt sets $40-80, and I would guess labor to be around three hours ($150-200). So I would expect the total parts and labor to run between $300 and $450.

At the end of the day there is no question that it was worth it for us. I had tried the Timbren type approach first (these are rubber compression bumpers between the axle and the frame). Although it did make the truck ride level under the load of the 5th, it appeared to transfer every bump and pothole through the truck frame and to the 5th wheel hitch. I was worried about the increased stress on the 5th wheel frame, and was tired of cleaning up all our stuff that was pitched around inside the 5th. Hence by earlier comment about leaf spring range of motion. With the helper spring we are back to the full range of suspension, and our stuff is no longer being tossed around inside the 5th (compared to a frame to axle solution).

[5er_tom]

Okay. Thanks for the info. I'll pass on doing it myself. We have a good truck maintenance facility nearby. I'll go over and have a chat with them.


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