Going to look at our first fifth wheel today.

Mb190e said:

OK with your advice and a little more research the 26.5 Eagle is just too much trailer.  I was able to find another one that more closely matches the truck 2018 Grand Design Reflection 150 Series Fifth-Wheel 230RL  Hitch weight of a 1195 dry weight of 6945

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Your'e still believing the sale brochure.
The trailer can easily be 9k loaded with a pin weight of 1800#.  What is your trucks payload 2,000# if your lucky?  If you don't have close to 3,000 pounds it's a pipe dream IMO.  Even if the pin weight was 1200 pounds with your loaded configuration how much weight will that leave you for passengers, and every other item that will be in the TV?

Every number you get from the trailer and TV manufacturers will be the rosiest and rarest of configurations with zero margin of error.

The numbers you're getting here from the weight police will be closer to real world weights with a safe margin of error for you, your family, the TV and and everyone else's safety. 

Seriously, the sooner you look into what your TV can actually haul within about 85% of max capacity the sooner you can begin looking at trailers that better suit it, and you will be happier (and safer) in the long run.

I hope the OP, and any others, don't take offense to the advice.  It's not criticism, it's concern, for your safety and ours.  I don't want to be sitting in the vehicle that gets T boned by an overloaded truck skidding through an intersection.  I'm old, I don't heal quickly and the pain hurts more now than it used to.  Spend the money on the truck.  As nice as the 5er might be, it won't fit in the coffin with you.  I personally wouldn't pull that 5er with anything less than a 350/3500 dually, but that's just me and I like big trucks.  In fact, I'd justify buying a F450 for pulling, but again, I go big or go home and lucky for me the DW loves me and puts up with my toys. ;D

ZinLuvR said:

I hope the OP, and any others, don't take offense to the advice.  It's not criticism, it's concern, for your safety and ours.  I don't want to be sitting in the vehicle that gets T boned by an overloaded truck skidding through an intersection.  I'm old, I don't heal quickly and the pain hurts more now than it used to.  Spend the money on the truck.  As nice as the 5er might be, it won't fit in the coffin with you.  I personally wouldn't pull that 5er with anything less than a 350/3500 dually, but that's just me and I like big trucks.  In fact, I'd justify buying a F450 for pulling, but again, I go big or go home and lucky for me the DW loves me and puts up with my toys. ;D

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I am REALLY wanting the Grand Design 350M or 351M toy hauler and the time has about come to get a new truck (but still keep my two old ones because I have so dang many trailers!), and I am going to go with the Dodge Ram 4500 for that extra margin of safety. Overkill is always better than pushing something to right at its limits every time you use it.

gravesdiesel said:

I am REALLY wanting the Grand Design 350M or 351M toy hauler and the time has about come to get a new truck (but still keep my two old ones because I have so dang many trailers!), and I am going to go with the Dodge Ram 4500 for that extra margin of safety. Overkill is always better than pushing something to right at its limits every time you use it.

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My brother always says, too much truck is almost enough.

vinceherman said:

My brother always says, too much truck is almost enough.

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I totally agree!

ZinLuvR said:

Guy parked next to me yesterday is pulling a pretty good sized 5th wheel.  Looking at the truck it looks like a 2500, which in my opinion is too small for the 5er.  Then I notice all the badging is removed from the truck.  Dollar to a doughnut the guy took all the badging off to keep others from telling him his truck was too small.  Have seen many 1500's pulling 5er's, some with the back bumper dragging on the ground, but they do it.  Nothing worse than losing control when the brakes fade.  Some like the thrill I guess.  My F150 is rated to pull 11,000, would I do it?  No way.

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Just as an aside and FWI....I have an 2003 GMC Sierra 1500HD crew cab.  The thing looks like a 2500 imho.... 8 lug rims, over load springs, 6.0L vortex, etc.  it came from the factory with no badging on it.  But it wasn't me, I don't pull a 5er.

Mb,
This is a reality check.

That is a nice FW, BUT  the GVWR is 9495#.  That 6495# weight includes NO options, NO battery, NO propane, No sheets, pillows or blankets, NO food, NO pots, pans, plates or silverware, NO clothes, NO power cable, NO sewer hose, NO water hose, NO lounge chairs...  You get the picture, I hope.  By the time you are ready to go camping, it may not weigh a full 9495#, but it will be closer to that than 6495# !!  Use 9,000# as your actual weight.  Now the REAL pin wt is 1800#, not 1195#.

So the truck is carrying 1800# of pin wt, 200# hitch = 2000# payload already.  Now add your family, for another 500 - 600#.  You are GROSSLY  OVERWEIGHT!

Look at some TT that size.  You CAN handle that safely!!!

ohiost90 said:

Just as an aside and FWI....I have an 2003 GMC Sierra 1500HD crew cab.  The thing looks like a 2500 imho.... 8 lug rims, over load springs, 6.0L vortex, etc.  it came from the factory with no badging on it.  But it wasn't me, I don't pull a 5er.

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More marketing gimmicks.  They keep making trucks appear more than what they are. Doesn't matter what make, style or, class.
It's all the rage.  The more intimidating the better it sells.  There are some 1 ton trucks that are marginally more equipped to haul better then some 3/4 ton depending on options.  All that matters is the specs for the particular vehicle.

Gods Country said:

More marketing gimmicks.  They keep making trucks appear more than what they are. Doesn't matter what make, style or, class.
It's all the rage.  The more intimidating the better it sells.  There are some 1 ton trucks that are marginally more equipped to haul better then some 3/4 ton depending on options.  All that matters is the specs for the particular vehicle.

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First, my comment was about the fact that some trucks do(or did) come with out badging...well, at least one did, mine.  And it may not have been some plan by the truck owner to take off the badging to hide the fact that his was a .5 ton truck as alluded to the poster I was responding to. 

second, what do u you mean marketing gimmicks?  I'm rather certain that the 8 lug rims, over load springs, and LT, load E tires, and the other components that make the truck appear to be a 3/4T truck have a fair amount to do with the 8600# GVWR, 6000# RWAR,  and the 2900# payload of the truck. 

all that being said, I do agree that "All that matters is the specs for the particular vehicle."

ohiost90 said:

First, my comment was about the fact that some trucks do(or did) come with out badging...well, at least one did, mine.  And it may not have been some plan by the truck owner to take off the badging to hide the fact that his was a .5 ton truck as alluded to the poster I was responding to. 

second, what do u you mean marketing gimmicks?  I'm rather certain that the 8 lug rims, over load springs, and LT, load E tires, and the other components that make the truck appear to be a 3/4T truck have a fair amount to do with the 8600# GVWR, 6000# RWAR,  and the 2900# payload of the truck. 

all that being said, I do agree that "All that matters is the specs for the particular vehicle."

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I agree. Years ago I had a 1980 something 1/2 ton Chevy pick-up, that had some serious springs in the back from the factory. Gave that one to the oldest son. He helped a friend with a roofing job and used it to haul off the old roofing to the land fill. It was piled up as high as they could get it. His net weight was nearly 2 tons! I asked about the tires, and the front end floating in the air. He had 10 ply rated tires, inflated to the max and he said they only went down a little bit, and the truck just sat level. It steered just fine. He was infamous for carrying really heavy loads in it. The rear axles bearings only lasted him about 15,000 miles though, and I had replaced them just before he got the truck since it had close to 250,000 miles on it when I gave it to him. I had replaced the old 305 with a 350, and he replaced that one with another 350 by the time he got rid of it.

Take the 1/2 ton advice with a grain of salt around here. The mentality is if you ain't got a 1 ton to tow it, you ain't got enough truck! They mean well and it would appear most have never looked at modern 1/2 tons.

1/2tons have changed drastically over the last decade. The technology has changed too. The key take-away is to configure your rig so you are under the maximum load limits for Truck Gross Weight, and Combined Gross Vehicle Weight (which includes the trailer and everything in it.)

What kills me is that a travel trailer has less tongue weight, however is less stable to tow then a 5er, and you can tow a heavier unit because of the tongue weight. So most go that route. A 5er is more stable and safer to tow, however that darn pin weight makes it difficult to match it up to a 5er comparable to a travel trailer.

I see 1/2tons in the campground with 5th wheels all the time. It can be done. Especially if your going camping and not living in it full time. In fact I counted no less than 2 dozen this past weekend in the campground I was at.

I'll be the first to agree that 1/2 tons have come a long way, but the key is what you said, configure the weights correctly. Most 1/2 tons just don't have the payload capacity to haul a fiver, lightweight or not.

I do not understand why folks will get a $30,000 to $50,000 fifth wheel or TT, but will not spend $5,000 to $10,000 more when they go buy a truck to get the 2500 or 3500 model and tow it much more safely.

gravesdiesel said:

I do not understand why folks will get a $30,000 to $50,000 fifth wheel or TT, but will not spend $5,000 to $10,000 more when they go buy a truck to get the 2500 or 3500 model and tow it much more safely.

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I suspect that in most cases it's because they had the truck before they decided to get a 5th wheel. Of course there are bound to be exceptions...