1/2 Ton Towable...Really FR ?

[DieselDrax]

Originally Posted by OldSoldier

I served as a maintenance officer in the Army for 33 years and understand vehicles, vehicle safety and performance.; and the trade offs involved.

My personal (2 cents) philosophy about RV towing is that I will not tow a trailer that exceeds 75% of the rated tow capability of my tow vehicle.

My current configuration is a Bighorn 3270RL at 11500 dry and 13000 configured for the road and towed by a 2015 Silverado 2500 HD with Duramax diesel and Allison 1000 transmission and 3.73 rear end rated at 17500. That's about 73% of the truck's rated capability.


With this configuration I sacrifice NEITHER safety nor performance. I am stable on the road and have reserve performance capability for acceleration AND safety.


There will be those that say I'm overly cautious, but the load I carry in the truck is toooooooo precious to hazard by pushing my capabilities to or beyond safe limits. REMEMBER, when to tow the max you get MINIMUM performance from the configuration. Yu WON'T be happy or comfortable on the road.

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're almost certainly over your payload rating. You most likely have a payload in the 2K range. At 13000, you've got AT LEAST 1950 pounds of pin weight. I would venture that you're at a minimum of 150% of payload; maybe more depending on how the weight of your passengers and cargo.

If his truck is rated at 17,500LB max 5th wheel tow that makes it a ECLB 2WD with a max payload of 2,940LB (base model/least options). Being an LTZ will drop that down a bit, so let's say 2,740LB. If his pin weight is 1,950LB that leaves 790LB for occupants and cargo. It's possible he actually isn't overweight at all, but the only way for him to know would be to his the scales.

That said, 1,950 + ~350LB for a couple of occupants = 2,300LB and that is roughly 84% of max payload not counting any other gear, etc. so it is very likely they have at least exceeded their 75% rule.

[Superdutymike]

I have a F.R. 31kqbts and I towed it one time with a 2018 f150 with a 5.0 and that was enough for me I live in western North Carolina and towed it to pigeon forge and when I got back I went and traded up to a f250 and this camper is heavier than mine so no way would I pull it with a half ton even a max tow ecoboost that's just crazy the length alone is enough the camper controls where the truck goes instead of vice versa

[OldSoldier]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're almost certainly over your payload rating. You most likely have a payload in the 2K range. At 13000, you've got AT LEAST 1950 pounds of pin weight. I would venture that you're at a minimum of 150% of payload; maybe more depending on how the weight of your passengers and cargo.

Actually my load is in the range of 1900-2100. The truck is rated @ 2,975 to 3,583 lbs depending on the configuration. when I lower the truck on the hitch it squats between 1 and 1.5 inches. I am WELL WITHIN the load capacity of my truck.

[DieselDrax]

Originally Posted by OldSoldier

Actually my load is in the range of 1900-2100. The truck is rated @ 2,975 to 3,583 lbs depending on the configuration. when I lower the truck on the hitch it squats between 1 and 1.5 inches. I am WELL WITHIN the load capacity of my truck.

Do yourself (and us) a favor and check the yellow sticker on/near the driver’s B-pillar to know what your actual truck’s payload rating is. Using brochure numbers is not going to tell you what your truck’s actual payload is. Keep in mind that sticker doesn’t include any weight for the driver, either.

I think you’ll be surprised to find out your actual payload capacity is less than 2,975LB.

[rockfordroo]

My 2016 Silverado 2500HD 4WD gasser's payload is 2906 lbs. With a diesel, I suspect yours is less, unless maybe it's a regular cab w/o 4WD.

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by OldSoldier

Actually my load is in the range of 1900-2100. The truck is rated @ 2,975 to 3,583 lbs depending on the configuration. when I lower the truck on the hitch it squats between 1 and 1.5 inches. I am WELL WITHIN the load capacity of my truck.

I'd have to see a pic of the yellow sticker. 3,583 is........well, I'd have to see it.

My 2015 LTZ was payload of 2286.

[onetonford]

My Wildcat 25RL was advertised as 1/2 ton towable it has a pin weight of 1250 lbs. and weights around 10000lbs It was before they changed to Wildcat Maxx trailers. I tow it with a 1 ton Dually and it doesn't even touch the overloads. My old Four Winds fiver because it was a single axle it had a pin weight close to 1900 lbs. and weighed around 4000lbs also I towed it with my F-150 with extra overloads and it did ok. when I put it on the 1 ton it would just touch the overloads and would bounce so hard on some roads the seat belt would ratchet and get so tight I would have to take it off and put it back on to keep from squeezing me to death....

[rjc1024]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

I'd have to see a pic of the yellow sticker. 3,583 is........well, I'd have to see it.

My 2015 LTZ was payload of 2286.

X2...my 2017 3500 crew cab 6.5' bed 4wd Duramax is stickered (in the door) at 3600+.

[itat]

While the sticker payload number is good to know, I don't use it other than as a comparison number for a truck purchase. That's because once I've bought the truck, I'll add Line-X bed liner, a tonneau cover and a few other mods to the truck. The only way to know for sure what you have for available payload is to take the truck to a scale and weigh it loaded and ready to tow (GVWR - actual weight). So that includes all passengers on board, full tank of fuel, 5er hitch installed, all TV mods completed, and any cargo on board (front/roof racks loaded if applicable, tools, leveling boards, etc., etc.).

Now, if you don't care what your actual weights are and only go by your "seat of the pants" feel, none of that matters and you're probably not reading this thread anyway.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by rheriot

I have a Forest Maxx 28 foot 5th wheel which is a 1/2 ton version. By that I think they mean that the pin weight is 1000 lbs. which is doable with a 1/2 ton truck. But I would think you would need a pretty heavy duty 1/2 ton. I pull mine with a 1 ton dually and I don't even know its there when pulling.

No... they don't mean what you wrote now bold and red. A 1/2 ton truck doesn't have a load limit of 1000 lbs., either. It's mostly marketing ploy.

[DieselDrax]

Originally Posted by itat

While the sticker payload number is good to know, I don't use it other than as a comparison number for a truck purchase. That's because once I've bought the truck, I'll add Line-X bed liner, a tonneau cover and a few other mods to the truck. The only way to know for sure what you have for available payload is to take the truck to a scale and weigh it loaded and ready to tow (GVWR - actual weight). So that includes all passengers on board, full tank of fuel, 5er hitch installed, all TV mods completed, and any cargo on board (front/roof racks loaded if applicable, tools, leveling boards, etc., etc.).

Now, if you don't care what your actual weights are and only go by your "seat of the pants" feel, none of that matters and you're probably not reading this thread anyway.

That is true, the concern/point is that OldSoldier seems to have only looked at brochures to assume he has enough capacity and never actually checked his sticker when/before buying the truck and/or never got his combo weighed to ensure it's within his 75% limit. For all that talk of safety first and setting a self-imposed never exceed 75% of truck's rating limit you'd think he would have checked the sticker AND had the combo weighed to make sure. All I see him talking about are brochure/fantasy weights (dry/"configured for the road" ?), max tow rating (max tow is based on GCWR, that 17,500 max tow drops as weight is added to the truck), and max payload weights mentioned in the truck brochure.

Just seems odd to not go the extra step to confirm weights.