Hagen

I have a 2008 king ranch with factory tow option ( tranny cooler, wired for trailer brakes, extra leaf spring in the rear, and 373 gearing) looking to tow a trailer for work, mostly once every month or two and maybe 300 miles at most. Looking for a travel trailer, but found a fifth wheel that has everything I want. My max towing capacity is 8900 pounds and the fith wheel has a dry weight of 7200 pounds. Bad idea? Was considering airbags for sag and won't really be loading the trailer with liquid as I will be staying in rv parks.

FrozenTundraGuy

Air bags will just make your truck level, they don't increase the towing weight capacity. It might work, provided you don't travel the mtns or long grades-then could be an issue. I have an 06 Screw 2wd long bed with 5.4L & 3.73 limited slip. Its rated @ 9200lbs. I tow a travel trailer that weighs a max of 4800lbs. This combo tows great, even thru the mtns of Yellowstone @ 10,000 ft. I've also found that the optimum speed for best gas mileage is no higher than 65mph, 55-60mph is best. My truck will tow this combo @ 70mph+-but it is too dangerous and uses way too much gas.

You'll also need a Class III weight distrubing hitch with sway control-if you decide for a trailer instead of a 5th wheel. I've got the Equalizer hitch which has sway control built in. Its a bit more $$, but very easy to hook up and works great.

Good Luck!

Adam013085

You are going to be pushing your MAX capacity once you load the fifth wheel up. A half ton doesn't go well with a fifth wheel IMO. I'd hate to pull anything that close to my max capacity for a very long distance.

doit2010

Well, after learning from you all I see that, as one above said, maybe I can carry two lawn chairs with a payload of 1251lbs. So next question is what is all the other stuff on this truck for;

1. 7350# GVW package
2. Trailer Break Controller
3. Sway Control
4. Tow Package

I was going to downsize from my motorhome to a trailer, but with this truck not able to tow what I wanted, I will stay with the motorhome.
Thanks for all of your input

2008__XL

This is the 04-08 section. With built in sway control and ITBC, you have a 15+.

doit2010

Whaat?? Dont understand your responce/

2008__XL

What year is your truck? 04-08 trucks didn’t come from the factory with with brake controller and sway control. That leads me to believe you have a newer truck and are posting on the wrong section of this forum.

This is the 2004-2008 section.

You don’t have a signature or any info on what truck you’re working with.

Johnny Paycheck

If you really have 1,251# payload, you really are too low for 5er territory. I guess you can find a 4,000# GVWR model (don’t know, not something I look for myself), but at around 20% hitch/pin weight, you’ve already chewed up most of your payload before anyone has had a seat in the truck.

doit2010

my truck is a 2013