What Brand 5th Wheel to buy?

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Bobandpamlemay said:
Hey BrotherBear: Let me respond to your question about my tv. As I said, I pull a 34 foot 5er with my 2008 F250 with 6.4 diesel. My fifth wheel has a dry weight of 10,800 and I estimated the loaded weight to be about 12,000. We've only had the new 5er out twice since we bought it in July 2009 but it handles well. The pickup is geared to pull a 15,200 fifth wheel according to the specs but with the truck weighing 8,400 lbs empty and with my wife and I and my six pack that brings the truck weight to just short of 9,000. The specs also say the combined GVW is 23,000. I don't get it...the truck weighs 8,400 curb weight....I can pull up to 15,200 but the GVW is 23,000. Doesn't add up to me.

I get about 8 mpg with the trailer although I may be losing a bit because the pin weight causes the front end of my truck to rise a bit. Before we leave I'm going to have the Firestone bags installed to deal with that problem. I'd like better mileage but as it's still under warranty, I'm not going to start playing with chips or whatever.

Bob
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Are you sure about the truck's empty weight? My old 2004 F250 7.3 super cab weighed 7500 lbs loaded with fuel and us. My 2005 F350 6.0 supercab weighs 7700 lbs loaded with full fuel, generator, me, wife and "stuff".

You really need to get your whole rig weighed full...front axle, rear axle, and each trailer axle. Not sure about your year, but the limiting factor on my F250 was the rear axle weight with the trailer on. That's why I had to go for an F350 SRW instead. You may also find that your rear axle weight limit may be exceeded with the 5er hooked up.

No amount of chips are going to help an over limit weight situation. It's not so much the pulling that's the problem; it's the stopping capability and also the axle/tire load. You had better leave yourself plenty of room behind the vehicle in front in case you have to make an emergency stop.
 
BruceinFL said:
Are you sure about the truck's empty weight? My old 2004 F250 7.3 super cab weighed 7500 lbs loaded with fuel and us. My 2005 F350 6.0 supercab weighs 7700 lbs loaded with full fuel, generator, me, wife and "stuff".
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Yes, he's sure about the empty weight. These '08s and newer are heavy trucks. My F-350 dually supercab 4x4, full of fuel and me but otherwise empty, weighs in at 8500+.

I do wonder a bit about his GCWR of 23K. I was thinking mine on my 350 dually with the Tow Boss package was about that. I'll have to do some checking.

9:59 PM Well, I looked up the 2008 Ford 5th wheel trailer tow guide. His GCWR of 23K is right on. Mine, with the tow boss package, is 26K. Here's the 5th wheel tow chart for the 2008 Super Duty: https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/rv_trailer_towing/2008/08RVttscltrp19Aug07.pdf
 
Haven't got the number at my finger tip, but it seems like the GCWR on my 05 F350 SRW is also 23,000 and it looks like the weight of the new trucks are almost 1000 lbs higher. If so, that would mean I can haul a heavier trailer than y'all can.  I ran the numbers out before I bought my fiver/truck and it was OK to  tow the 14,000 lb GVWR of the trailer with the 05 350SRW.
 
Before I bought my 2009 Komfort 5er, I talked to my diesel mechanic about the 23,000 GVW and the hitch weight limitation with 2 passengers in the truck. He told me that some of the numbers are EPA numbers and are lower than reality because of the regulations. He assured me that my 2008 F250 with diesel would have no problems pulling a 12,000lb 5 er with a pin weight of 2,400 lbs and that the only problem I might experience is the front end of the truck raising slightly. He was correct and I plan on dealing with the front end lift with the Firestone air bags.

Bob
 
I'm not sure how/where the EPA gets into tow ratings, but he is right that the F250 diesel can haul the weight. Your most likely shortcoming will be on the rear axle loading. You are placing at least 2400 lbs (probably more when loaded for travel) right over the rear axle and may well exceed its weight rating.
 
Thank's for the reply Gary. My trailer has a dry weight of 10,800 and a hitch weight of 2165. I estimate that we will add between 700 and 1000 lbs for our trip(s) so I think I'm right at the line. The Ford specs suggest that the max payload for my truck is 2280. While we've had the trailer loaded for 2 short trips, our next trip is to South Texas and I plan on bringing clothes for warmer weather which don't weigh much. Hopefully we'll be able to use them soon. I'm real sensitive to the pin weight and am looking at ways to reduce trailer weight. I've got a few ideas and we'll see what happens.
I'm also concerned about the fact that my front end comes up a few inches when I'm hooked up. Ford tells me this is common and I think the Firestone air bags will help. Do you agree?

Bob
 
I'm going to sort of put this back in your lap by answering with a few questions.  Do you already have a truck? How large are you willing to go? Staying within the limits of any one ton DRW truck will eliminate almost all of the luxury appointed fivers.

FastEagle
 
BruceinFL said:
Haven't got the number at my finger tip, but it seems like the GCWR on my 05 F350 SRW is also 23,000 and it looks like the weight of the new trucks are almost 1000 lbs higher. If so, that would mean I can haul a heavier trailer than y'all can.  I ran the numbers out before I bought my fiver/truck and it was OK to  tow the 14,000 lb GVWR of the trailer with the 05 350SRW.
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The web site listed below is the best one I've found for figuring out the Ford.


https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/rv_trailer_towing/default.asp

FastEagle
 
FastEagle said:
I'm going to sort of put this back in your lap by answering with a few questions.  Do you already have a truck? How large are you willing to go? Staying within the limits of any one ton DRW truck will eliminate almost all of the luxury appointed fivers.

FastEagle
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I dunno.  The 2010 Trailer Life Tables post up to 18,000 for the Ford F-250/350 diesels with auto and DRW.  18K has got to allow some luxury, no? ???
 
Carl L said:
I dunno.  The 2010 Trailer Life Tables post up to 18,000 for the Ford F-250/350 diesels with auto and DRW.  18K has got to allow some luxury, no? ???
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If Fast Eagle had viewed my posts very carefully, he'd see that I pull a 37 foot Day Dreamer with my '08 F-350 DRW. I'm somewhere near 24K loaded and ready for the road. That still leaves 2K to spare on my GCWR of 26K. With my TV weight of 8500, that means my fiver is right at 15K. These are actual certified scale wieghts at my local grain elevator.
 
BrotherBear said:
If Fast Eagle had viewed my posts very carefully, he'd see that I pull a 37 foot Day Dreamer with my '08 F-350 DRW. I'm somewhere near 24K loaded and ready for the road. That still leaves 2K to spare on my GCWR of 26K. With my TV weight of 8500, that means my fiver is right at 15K. These are actual certified scale wieghts at my local grain elevator.
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I don't recall addressing any of your posts.

Providing your pin weight does not max out your truck's GVWR you can get to the 26K GCWR with any body style 2008 Ford DRW F350 when equipped with auto trans, 2.30LS grearing, 6.4L turbo V-8 diesel with the "Tow Boss" option. That's according to "Fleet Ford" stats.

Sorry for getting this off the OPs questions. I'm outta here.

FastEagle
 
FastEagle said:
I don't recall addressing any of your posts.

FastEagle
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If you read this thread, you read more than one of my posts. Your information here contradicts itself. And there is no 2.30LS option in an '08 Ford F-350.
 
Hey Brother Bear: I have a question for you...In your last post you said that your GCWR is about 2,000 lbs under what you can have. I have a similar situation with my 34 foot 5er and my F250 SRW with Diesel. So we're both good. What I fail to understand if how Ford can say that the GVW for our trucks is 10,000 and tell us we can pull loads like we're pulling yet we have to be blowing the GVW when we hook up. My pin on the 34 footer is about 2400 lbs. I found a spec on the Ford truck site that says my payload max is 2,900. Doesn't add up to me. When I add the truck curb weight of 8,400 lbs, my wife and me and a six pack, I'm about 9,000lbs. Add in my pin and I'm about 11,400 yet all the other numbers work fine. How can they say that I can tow 15,200? Do they expect me to find a 5er with a pin of less than 1,000 lbs and less total weight that 15,000? I'm confused but I have pulled my trailer twice since I bought it with no problems. I know my diesel mechanic said I was good but I can't help being a bit concerned as I read this thread and am packing for our trip to So Texas.

Bob
 
FastEagle said:
I got my information from the Ford Fleet web page. It clearly lists the 4.30LS as part of the requirements to get to the 26K GCWR with all 2008 models.
FastEagle
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Go back and read your previous post. You didn't say anything at all about a 4.3, nor did I.
 
I just pointed out what you have to have to get to the 26K GCWR with a 2008 Ford F350 DRW 6.4L turbo diesel. You opened the door to the 26K.

The OP was asking about what to pull, not what to pull it with. My point was to insure he knew some of the limits he would be facing with trailers appointed with numerous options taking the weight beyond that of the average pick-up truck most want to haul with.

FastEagle
 
Bobandpamlemay said:
Hey Brother Bear: I have a question for you...In your last post you said that your GCWR is about 2,000 lbs under what you can have. I have a similar situation with my 34 foot 5er and my F250 SRW with Diesel. So we're both good. What I fail to understand if how Ford can say that the GVW for our trucks is 10,000 and tell us we can pull loads like we're pulling yet we have to be blowing the GVW when we hook up. My pin on the 34 footer is about 2400 lbs. I found a spec on the Ford truck site that says my payload max is 2,900. Doesn't add up to me. When I add the truck curb weight of 8,400 lbs, my wife and me and a six pack, I'm about 9,000lbs. Add in my pin and I'm about 11,400 yet all the other numbers work fine. How can they say that I can tow 15,200? Do they expect me to find a 5er with a pin of less than 1,000 lbs and less total weight that 15,000? I'm confused but I have pulled my trailer twice since I bought it with no problems. I know my diesel mechanic said I was good but I can't help being a bit concerned as I read this thread and am packing for our trip to So Texas.

Bob
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Bob. I thought I'd responded to this the other day. Obviously not, because I don't see a reply. Sorry. My GVW is 13,000. My GAWR is 9,000 alone. It should be safe to assume that less than ? of the 8400 or 8500 pound tare of our trucks is on the rear axle. That should leave 4500 pounds of weight carrying ability on the rear axle. My tongue weight is roughly 3400. I'm not sure how all this translates for you.
 
The only way to know for sure is to weigh the truck and RV when it's loaded for a trip. Kinda takes the guess work out of it.  ;) ;D
 
BruceinFL said:
The only way to know for sure is to weigh the truck and RV when it's loaded for a trip. Kinda takes the guess work out of it.  ;) ;D
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Been there and done that as noted in one of my earlier replies. ;D ;)
 
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