Oldgator73
Well-known member
Sounds like you?ve done a ton of research. Now all you have to do is go forth and have fun. I?ve said it before, some folks would have us pulling pop ups with Peterbuilts.
Reliable, light weight fifth Wheel
- Thread starter Mtrowbridge
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
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FBO Cookie Monster
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kdbgoat said:
No worries, I was referring actually to Sellerbird. Even then, nothing personal, I get it. Everyone has an opinion, and I like the devils advocate. I just like having sound reasons behind them.
The Jayco 24.5 CKTS has a GVWR of 9950#. 20% of that would be pin weight if fully and correctly loaded. (1990#). The OP has 2500# of available payload. Minus the 1990#, that leaves 510# for people, hitch, and anything else put on the truck since it left the factory. Running close.
SeilerBird
Well-known member
If there are plenty of folks towing fivers with 1/2 tons then why isn't anyone entering this conversation to tell you that they don't have any problems towing a fiver with a half ton? Where are all these people? I cannot remember ever seeing a fiver on the highway towed by a half ton. And while the engineers at Ford might be telling the truth the people in the advertising department most certainly tell all the lies they can get away with to try and sell their vehicles.FBO Cookie Monster said:
FBO Cookie Monster
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kdbgoat said:
Well, the empty weight INCLUDING propane is 7880 lbs. Now I may be handy, but I fail to see how I can fir a ton of crap in a 24? trailer
FBO Cookie Monster
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FBO Cookie Monster
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SeilerBird said:
Ask and you shall receive!
https://www.f150forum.com/f82/lets-see-your-campers-being-towed-146837/
SeilerBird
Well-known member
Those are all photos of 1/2 tons towing trailers, not fivers.FBO Cookie Monster said:
FBO Cookie Monster
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If you look through the thread there are plenty of fivers there.SeilerBird said:
https://www.f150forum.com/f82/lets-see-your-campers-being-towed-146837/index101/#post3811756
https://www.f150forum.com/f82/lets-see-your-campers-being-towed-146837/index162/#post5765338
https://www.f150forum.com/f82/lets-see-your-campers-being-towed-146837/index162/#post5771878
https://www.f150forum.com/f82/lets-see-your-campers-being-towed-146837/index164/#post5852482
etc.etc.
SeilerBird
Well-known member
Only one of those threads showed a fiver. And it was grossly overloaded.
FBO Cookie Monster
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No, every one has a fiver in it. All part of one thread. I guess I can show you, you just don?t want to see. It?s okay, you seem dedicated to your idea that it can?t be done in spite of the fact I have shown how it can be done.SeilerBird said:
The HDPP has a thicker frame, about the same or more power and torque of yesteryears 350, bigger brakes, heavy springs and axles. It?s a changing world out there.
SeilerBird
Well-known member
Oh it can be done, just not safely.FBO Cookie Monster said:
Not sure if you are looking for new or used. I personally would buy a 8-10 year old 5th wheel over a new one because of how poorly they seem to be built nowadays.
I have a 30 foot 2009 Wildcat 29RL that has a dry weight of 8000 lbs and about 10,000 lbs fully loaded with includes 4 pairs of golf cart batteries, 600 watts of solar panels, and other upgrades. I towed it 2 years with an F150 Ecoboost with max tow package. It felt very solid on the highways and semi's were not a problem. Stopped just fine with properly adjusted trailer brakes. Never had a white knuckle experience and there were a couple of times I was probably at 11,000 lbs weight.
I believe there is no harm in utilizing a piece of equipment near or at its max capabilities. As a former pilot flying at max gross weight with the turbines screaming at near 100% was scary at first but then I realized that was what the aircraft was designed to do.
I did upgrade to a 1 ton because I wanted more pulling power on highway passes in Colorado and I was planning on eventually getting a larger fiver. I also didn't like being limited to 55-60 mph during some long grades (Ike Tunnel). On the flats and moderate grades, 65-70 mph was the norm for me and everything did just fine.
With wife and 200 lbs of dogs, I still had residual axle and cargo carrying capacity.
I even took it on a cross country trip one summer and was incredibly pleased by how well it performed at lower altitudes- less pressure on the gas pedal.
If you are a part time camper, an Ecoboost F150 with max tow package is an acceptable combination. It is no more dangerous then a F350 or F450 towing a 18-20k lb trailer.
All Ford trucks seem to have a soft suspension and squat too much under load. For my F150, I used a roadmaster active suspension system-much better than airbags and the truck handles corners so much better unloaded and loaded. Worked so well, that several of my neighbors ditched their airbags just for the handling improvements of the roadmaster active suspension.
I have a 30 foot 2009 Wildcat 29RL that has a dry weight of 8000 lbs and about 10,000 lbs fully loaded with includes 4 pairs of golf cart batteries, 600 watts of solar panels, and other upgrades. I towed it 2 years with an F150 Ecoboost with max tow package. It felt very solid on the highways and semi's were not a problem. Stopped just fine with properly adjusted trailer brakes. Never had a white knuckle experience and there were a couple of times I was probably at 11,000 lbs weight.
I believe there is no harm in utilizing a piece of equipment near or at its max capabilities. As a former pilot flying at max gross weight with the turbines screaming at near 100% was scary at first but then I realized that was what the aircraft was designed to do.
I did upgrade to a 1 ton because I wanted more pulling power on highway passes in Colorado and I was planning on eventually getting a larger fiver. I also didn't like being limited to 55-60 mph during some long grades (Ike Tunnel). On the flats and moderate grades, 65-70 mph was the norm for me and everything did just fine.
With wife and 200 lbs of dogs, I still had residual axle and cargo carrying capacity.
I even took it on a cross country trip one summer and was incredibly pleased by how well it performed at lower altitudes- less pressure on the gas pedal.
If you are a part time camper, an Ecoboost F150 with max tow package is an acceptable combination. It is no more dangerous then a F350 or F450 towing a 18-20k lb trailer.
All Ford trucks seem to have a soft suspension and squat too much under load. For my F150, I used a roadmaster active suspension system-much better than airbags and the truck handles corners so much better unloaded and loaded. Worked so well, that several of my neighbors ditched their airbags just for the handling improvements of the roadmaster active suspension.
Sandhill Guy
Active member
I have a grand Design Reflection 27RL 5th wheel with a gross weight of 10,000 lbs. The pin weight is 1850 lbs. My TV is a GMC 3500 diesel SRW. I could see towing with a 2500 but not a 150. Grand Design no longer makes this model but has similar 5th wheels. We love it and travel about three months a year.
FBO Cookie Monster
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Even if the 2500 had less payload capability than the 150?Sandhill Guy said:
Oldgator73
Well-known member
What it comes down to is if you have done the research and that research says the 150 will do the job safely and you are happy with the truck then that is all that matters. When I had a 5th wheel, 1997, there was no 1/2 ton truck on the market that could handle a 37?, triple axle, triple slide. I purchased a Dodge 2500, 5.9L Cummins, single cab, 4x2 with a payload near 4000 lbs. Never had an inch of trouble towing up or downhill, stopping on flat or steep grades. Now days folks would try to tell me that truck could not handle that load. I would need at least a 3500, DRW with 4 wheel drive. Some folks live in the past. Trucks have come a long way. Get the truck you want.
Hope your still around after all the silly posts typical of this forum. Part of the problem starts with not enough info on what lightweight means.Mtrowbridge said:
If your still with us do you have a idea what lightweight means to you in terms of actual weight. Now we could name of some trailers under 10k lbs but some units pin weight will be too heavy for a std 1/2 ton truck. Even a std duty 1/2 ton truck is capable to safely carry its rated load carrying ability and rated tow rating.
Use this clicky for input from 5th wheel mfg on their current units http://changingears.com/rv-sec-manufacturers-type-fw.shtml
Tom
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Try resizing it; The image attachment limits are on the message post screen.
FBO Cookie Monster said:
What do you fly? Kind of a similar argument. If you're going coast to coast all the time, your passengers will probably be much more comfortable in a Challenger 350 with 8 seats than a CJ-4 that has 10.
Same with a 3/4 ton. Straight axles, vs independent in most 1/2 tons, heavier leaf springs, heavier shocks, stronger brakes, and with a diesel you get the added help of exhaust braking. If it were me, I'd be looking for a 1 ton or a 3/4 with fewer options. Still going to tow better.
