Good afternoon. I am just jumping into this and am swamped with information! I am considering a new 5th wheel (as I see so many pros to this, except the price!) My truck is a 2014 RAM 2500 and can tow up to 17010 (according to the VIN on the Ram site). The trailer I am considering is a 41ft Coachman brookstone 344fl that has a GWVR of 14501. Of course the salesman is all "your good, no worries...etc, etc" but my gut is telling me the numbers may be too close and affect either the truck or trailer in a bad way (bent/broken axle, etc)....am I just a paranoid newbie or is he trying to "sell" me. any advice would be greatly appreciated!
So green I smell like fresh cut grass!
- Thread starter jcooke11
- Start date
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8Muddypaws
Well-known member
The gotcha in the equation is the pin weight. Pin weight is ?roughly? 15-20% of the trailer weight but the manufacturer lists what they think the pin weight is. They?re usually wrong.
20% of 14,500 is 2,900 pounds. Add to that the weight of the hitch (150 pounds) and anything else you put in the truck, including passengers. My slip-stick guess is you need a bigger truck or a smaller trailer but consult the tag on the door of the truck and the advertised pin weight for the trailer.
20% of 14,500 is 2,900 pounds. Add to that the weight of the hitch (150 pounds) and anything else you put in the truck, including passengers. My slip-stick guess is you need a bigger truck or a smaller trailer but consult the tag on the door of the truck and the advertised pin weight for the trailer.
Lou Schneider
Site Team
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Welcome to the RV Forum, jcooke! It's good to ask questions before you commit to the purchase.
Consider the truck's tow rating is as large as the manufacturer can make it for bragging rights, and was set using a low profile trailer with minimum wind resistance - usually a flatbed trailer with a box of bricks or iron on it.
You didn't say which engine or powertrain you have, but a high profile 41 ft. 5th wheel has considerably more wind resistance, meaning you need more power to carve a hole through the air as you drive down the road. At 13'5" height this trailer is only 1" shorter than a semitruck box trailer.
To further support 8Muddypaws' point, Coachman says the unloaded hitch weight is 2823 lbs, or 22% of the empty weight and this will only increase as you add gear and supplies. Note the dry weight also does not include any water, at 8.5 lbs per gallon a full freshwater tank can add 500 lbs by itself.
All of this weight will be on the rear axle of your truck because the 5th wheel hitch is located directly above it. If your truck has single rear tires the rear axle GAWR will be around 6,000 lbs or less and you'll be close to or over it's capacity by the time you add the unloaded trailer pin weight.
Just an educated guess on my part, but I think you're looking for at least a one ton dually with the appropriate engine and gearing to comfortably pull this high profile, 5 slideout trailer.
Consider the truck's tow rating is as large as the manufacturer can make it for bragging rights, and was set using a low profile trailer with minimum wind resistance - usually a flatbed trailer with a box of bricks or iron on it.
You didn't say which engine or powertrain you have, but a high profile 41 ft. 5th wheel has considerably more wind resistance, meaning you need more power to carve a hole through the air as you drive down the road. At 13'5" height this trailer is only 1" shorter than a semitruck box trailer.
To further support 8Muddypaws' point, Coachman says the unloaded hitch weight is 2823 lbs, or 22% of the empty weight and this will only increase as you add gear and supplies. Note the dry weight also does not include any water, at 8.5 lbs per gallon a full freshwater tank can add 500 lbs by itself.
All of this weight will be on the rear axle of your truck because the 5th wheel hitch is located directly above it. If your truck has single rear tires the rear axle GAWR will be around 6,000 lbs or less and you'll be close to or over it's capacity by the time you add the unloaded trailer pin weight.
Just an educated guess on my part, but I think you're looking for at least a one ton dually with the appropriate engine and gearing to comfortably pull this high profile, 5 slideout trailer.
Alfa38User
Well-known member
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Welcome!!!
I suspect you will be well over your payload limit with this trailer and truck combination, if not, it will be marginal.
There is little doubt that truck could pull that weight BUT... what weight can it carry (payload)?? Look on the yellow bordered label on the door frame of YOUR truck to get this number. (The payload = 20-25% of the trailer weight + hitch+ water + passengers + Dog and anything else you plan to carry in the truck.) Compare this number to the payload for your particular truck. We often suggest that you use 20-25% of the trailer's VGWR (2900-3600 lbs in this case) for the comparison and this will give you a safety margin when the other weights are not known.
I suspect you will be well over your payload limit with this trailer and truck combination, if not, it will be marginal.
8Muddypaws
Well-known member
Not to mention that a 41 foot fiver is a heck of a load to learn with. The longer that are the more they cut corners.
I watched a newbie driver wipe out the last 15 feet of his brand new fifth wheel in Morro Bay by turning too soon.
I watched a newbie driver wipe out the last 15 feet of his brand new fifth wheel in Morro Bay by turning too soon.
Arch Hoagland
Well-known member
41 feet is a pretty big trailer. Have you ever pulled a trailer before and backed it into a parking spot?
JudyJB
Well-known member
Also consider what it would be like to pull this long "train" into and out of a gas station! Add the length of your truck, and you will be at least 50' long.
Unless you are a family of 6-8, I would suggest a smaller 5th wheel instead of a bigger truck!
Unless you are a family of 6-8, I would suggest a smaller 5th wheel instead of a bigger truck!
MN Blue Skies
Site Team
jcooke, welcome to this excellent RV Forum.
The only advice I have is to listen to the experts on this Forum. We're five years new into our RV adventures and I don't think we would have lasted that long without their advice
BTW ... does jcooke have anything to do with Jay Cooke State Park in Minnesota?
The only advice I have is to listen to the experts on this Forum. We're five years new into our RV adventures and I don't think we would have lasted that long without their advice
BTW ... does jcooke have anything to do with Jay Cooke State Park in Minnesota?
rbrdriver
Well-known member
I wouldn't even consider pulling a fifth wheel that long with anything less than a 1 ton srw if not a dually. But hey, just my opinion.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
jcooke11 hasn't been back since he posted this, so it appears he has gone elsewhere for advice.
Hi Gary and all,
This is a change of subject but I always wonder why people take the effort to join and post to a forum then not hang around. While it is possible to not sign in and watch the answers to your post seems like they would want to follow through and comment and maybe thank people for the effort of answering. Even if they don't see the advise it's still good for others who do happen upon subject(s) like this.
When I joined this forum, I had looked around at all of the available places that I could join and decided which one or ones that I felt would be the best to be a part of. This forum struck me as the best. I did much research in the forum and asked questions. I've come a long way and done VERY well because of this forum and the very helpful people on it. Hopefully, I and others like myself will be able to offer decent advice to people getting into this fabulous way of travel as time goes on.
I sometimes wonder if kids, get on here and like to post something to create a long thread, thinking they are stirring up things. In the end there are answers that will help others on the forum, now and in the future as people put in searches.
This is a change of subject but I always wonder why people take the effort to join and post to a forum then not hang around. While it is possible to not sign in and watch the answers to your post seems like they would want to follow through and comment and maybe thank people for the effort of answering. Even if they don't see the advise it's still good for others who do happen upon subject(s) like this.
When I joined this forum, I had looked around at all of the available places that I could join and decided which one or ones that I felt would be the best to be a part of. This forum struck me as the best. I did much research in the forum and asked questions. I've come a long way and done VERY well because of this forum and the very helpful people on it. Hopefully, I and others like myself will be able to offer decent advice to people getting into this fabulous way of travel as time goes on.
I sometimes wonder if kids, get on here and like to post something to create a long thread, thinking they are stirring up things. In the end there are answers that will help others on the forum, now and in the future as people put in searches.
Tom
Administrator
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Not necessarily; He could have read all the replies without logging in, and we wouldn't know. Very much the norm for many looking for information on the internet. Not something new, and we've seen it here for a number of years.
If jcooke11 wanted to reply &/or ask additional questions, he'd need to first log in.
Tom
Administrator
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That certainly can and does happen on this and other forums, although the nature and content of the question might give some clue.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
It's true we don't know for sure that he never looked, but this sort of question doesn't lend itself to simple answers that can be read & understood without further discussion. I'll stick with my opinion that he is not watching and invest my time in helping somebody else.
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