1/2 Ton Fiver Towing

[Darross]

I have 2015 F150 Ecoboost Super Crew, 3.55's, w/ HD tow pkg towing a Rockwood 8289ws. Pin weight was the biggest concern for me but I am within towing guidelines (have scaled). I find it tows the trailer quite easily (60 mph) and unless bucking a strong headwind, I'm happy with my fuel economy. Having 3.71 gears would give a little better torque but I use my truck for work and only about 2% of my annual mileage is towing. I am comfortable with the truck and just drive to the conditions. I do know that I will eventually go to a 3/4 ton once I no longer put on major miles for work ....... just that extra power/torque and ability to tow a boat behind trailer but for now I am happy.

[CaptnJohn]

I had a 6 month old F150 when I decided a 28' TT with 1 slide was not enough for my wife and I + a dog on extended trips. I looked hard at lite 5ers. Either they were too small or the build quality did not seem there. Traded it on a F250 6.7 and bought a 34' standard 5er with the heavy tow package.

[The_Rhino]

Have you considered sticking to a TT vs. a 5er for your 1/2 ton? For any given floor plan a 5er always weighs more.

Our roomy 2-slide TT is 6,500 empty w/empty hitch of 640. Ready to camp we're around 8,000 w/loaded tongue of 1,100. Add our family of 5 & 1 dog and we surpass the payload capacity of every 1/2 ton except the F150 EB WITH HD upgrade, not just tow package...

5ers smaller than our TT have empty tongue weights of 1,200 and go up from there. Add some cargo to the basement, full propane, etc. and there is no margin left for passengers in the TV... Just sayin'.

[gconley]

Why does it always seem that people on here are truck salesman. No one and I mean no one ever has enough truck.

[Flybob]

Please remember that because some has been doing it forever, doesn't make it right or safe. Get the load capacity from the yellow sticker on the drivers door. Subtract the weight of passengers in the vehicle, any cargo in the TV, and 100 lbs for the hitch. The remainder is what your max pin weight can be.
Towing capacity is how much you can pull down the road, load capacity is how much the frame, suspension and tires on the TV can support. They are very different things. Air bags etc may improve the ride or balance, but do not increase load capacity. As one member posted earlier in one of these discussions, " I am not worried as I always look far ahead and anticipate having to stop". Most accidents do not provide those advanced warning signs. You are using your RV for enjoyment, make sure you enjoy the trip as well as the destination.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by gconley

Why does it always seem that people on here are truck salesman. No one and I mean no one ever has enough truck.

Reminds me of 5 and 6 year olds arguing "My old man can whip your old man".

[HAMMDOWN]

I towed a 2014 8289ws from Toledo Ohio to Panama City Beach Fl. with a 2014 Toyota Tundra 5.7 and back just two weeks ago and pulled like I had #9000 behind me without any problems. Those of you that say "didn't know it was there" are full of sh-- no matter what your tow vehicles Is. I have towed it with everything from the Toyota to a ford f350 w/ a diesel other than having better get up and go there was not lot differance as long as you have the right set up and the brake controller set right the camper will control it self

[camping baba]

I am towing a 8280 Rockwood with a Silverdo 1500. 4x4 . No problems towing and I am under weight for that truck and trailer .

[Skyliner]

When people say they are towing underweight, does that include cargo carrying capacity, max axle weight, or just overall tow weight?

Dealerships, both RV and truck, only focus on tow weight. Like I said, my '13 ecoboost has no problem towing my 30 foot 5th wheel. It was 7300 lbs dry and about 8500 lbs wet. However, I was overweight on my cargo carrying capacity and couldn't put my wife or dogs in my trucks either. I just didn't have the cargo carrying capacity to account for the pin weight when loaded.

The only way one can get away to legally and safely tow a fiver is with a stripped down 2wd short bed F150 EB or one with a heady duty payload package. I'm guessing most folks who do tow with an EB are exceeding ccc or an axle weight rating even though the fiver is less than the max towing capacity.

You can never have too much truck. I've owned 2 Ecoboost F150s and wish that I had just gone for a 1 ton truck to begin with; it would have been cheaper.

[WFD]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Reminds me of 5 and 6 year olds arguing "My old man can whip your old man".

Yup...we knew it would come to good ole 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton vs 1 ton debate as soon as we read the 2nd post that said..."Oh boy, here we go again!"
Actually surprised we haven't seen yet that you may need a Kenworth or Peterbilt to tow a trailer.

[dcheatwood]

Towed a 8600# (dry) 2010 wildcat all thru the Rockies, Smokies and Ozarks for 3 years wit my '08 tundra. Been towing my 7700# (dry) 2013 rockwood 8282ws the same places, plus to Goshen, IN 2 years ago for frog rally. Never had any problems other than tires blowing up. Avg 9-10 mpg. Very satisfied with my halfton setup and don't plan to go larger unless I go heavier on the next 5er. Wildcat was heavy on the pin at @ 1400. Rockwood is @1100.
I have airlift 5000 air bags to maintain level and smooth the ride.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by WFD

Yup...we knew it would come to good ole 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton vs 1 ton debate as soon as we read the 2nd post that said..."Oh boy, here we go again!"
Actually surprised we haven't seen yet that you may need a Kenworth or Peterbilt to tow a trailer.

Well ~~~ we all know after factoring in tongue weight, 20 gallons of water, and that canvas flap sewn over the window a dually is required to tow that popup.

[PnJ]

Originally Posted by Mypedlcar

Anyone out here successfully towing a fiver with a half ton truck? If
You are could you share what you are towing (brand, model, etc) and what
You tow with? I know there are lots of models out there that say 1/2 ton but I wanted some real experience. I have a 2015 F150, super crew w/ 6 1/2' bed, 3.5 EcoBoost and Max trailer tow package. Thanks !

I have been towing with same truck as you have for almost 5 years,22K miles towing.
My trailer(5th wheel) Forest River Flagstaff 8526RLWS is usually at 9000 lbs. Have been over 11000Ft ASL with NO problems with power. Love that truck, goes over any Mt. Pass as fast as you want.

[B and B]

I traded a year ago for F 250 Diesel with Camper pkg. The F 150 Ecoboost Crew maxed out was over weight with the 8289 WS , no question at all. Where I used it worked but where I wanted to go I needed a larger truck.
Spending some else dollars is easy to say. Its your choice, I would stay close to home and try your truck. Any hilly or mountains needs stopping power. Eco can pull but stopping in a hurray is problematic.

[davel1971]

while the Ecoboost is very impressive for what it is. people saying it climbs mountains as fast as you want with ease is absurd. There is no way 420lb-ft of torque compares to 860lb-ft. It may be much stronger than your previous truck so you are impressed with it, but until you've towed with the endless torque of diesel, you just won't understand. I'm not saying everyone needs one, but the differences are worlds apart.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by camping baba

I am towing a 8280 Rockwood with a Silverdo 1500. 4x4 . No problems towing and I am under weight for that truck and trailer .

How about posting a picture of your yellow sticker? I assume you know what and where it is.

Bruce

[aceinspp]

Originally Posted by WFD

Yup...we knew it would come to good ole 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton vs 1 ton debate as soon as we read the 2nd post that said..."Oh boy, here we go again!"
Actually surprised we haven't seen yet that you may need a Kenworth or Peterbilt to tow a trailer.

Give it time as someone will eventually mention to get one Later RJD

[PhoneDude 8289]

Towed first a Cougar 5th wheel @ 10,300# GVW and most recent a Rockwood 8289WS @ 9,300# GVW with my 08 tundra limited never having a problem. I do have to say that I was 300# over GRAW. I've towed to the Rockies and Cascades several times and many other places. I have since changed vehicles. I am now in a 2014 Ram SLT 2500 CC, SB, TCD with 26K on it's clock. Got a better deal than expected and sold the Tundra to a private party that will be towing a TT. The only reason for changing vehicles was the offer made to me on the Tundra, could not pass it up. Now to install the hitch in the ram and give the Rockwood a test pull. The 5.7 Tundra is a good workhorse.

[KingFisher]

Originally Posted by aceinspp

Give it time as someone will eventually mention to get one Later RJD

My favorite camper dealer where I got my windjammer is a great guy, around 80 years old, and he pulls his 40 ft fifth wheel with a truck that looks like this:



He used to be a dealer for them, don't know if he still is. He was telling me about a club he's in where everyone has these trucks and they go all over and have meet ups.

[CWSWine]

This is not rocket science and its just simple 5th grade math. It just comes down to a numbers game and if you believe that staying within the manufacture GVWR/GAWR specs and keeping you and your family safe or not.


Most trucks run out of payload long before they run out towing capacity. The numbers below are from tow planner with only a 200 pound driver and 250 pound hitch and nothing else in the truck. If you added an passengers, wood, cooler and etc you must also subtract those weights. Remember not to use the dry weight but ready to camp weight when figuring the weight of your 5er.


The numbers below came from Tow Planner.

Payload = 1200
You're adding approximately 450 lbs. to the truck. You have 750 lbs. of payload capacity. Fifth wheels typically have 20% - 25% pin weight which gives you a maximum loaded camper weight of 3,000 - 3,750 lbs.

Payload = 1400
You're adding approximately 450 lbs. to the truck. You have 950 lbs. of payload capacity. Fifth wheels typically have 20% - 25% pin weight which gives you a maximum loaded camper weight of 3,800 - 4,750 lbs.

Payload = 1600
You're adding approximately 450 lbs. to the truck. You have 1,150 lbs. of payload capacity. Fifth wheels typically have 20% - 25% pin weight which gives you a maximum loaded camper weight of 4,600 - 5,750 lbs.

Payload = 1800
You're adding approximately 450 lbs. to the truck. You have 1,350 lbs. of payload capacity. Fifth wheels typically have 20% - 25% pin weight which gives you a maximum loaded camper weight of 5,400 - 6,750 lbs.

Payload = 2000
You're adding approximately 450 lbs. to the truck. You have 1,550 lbs. of payload capacity. Fifth wheels typically have 20% - 25% pin weight which gives you a maximum loaded camper weight of 6,200 - 7,750 lbs.

Payload = 2200
You're adding approximately 450 lbs. to the truck. You have 1,750 lbs. of payload capacity. Fifth wheels typically have 20% - 25% pin weight which gives you a maximum loaded camper weight of 7,000 - 8,750 lbs.

Payload 2400
You're adding approximately 450 lbs. to the truck. You have 1,950 lbs. of payload capacity. Fifth wheels typically have 20% - 25% pin weight which gives you a maximum loaded camper weight of 7,800 - 9,750 lbs.

The numbers come from Towing Planner at http://towingplanner.com/Calculators...0&hw=250&ct=FW