JohnnyC

iTrader: (1)

I'm with both of you. I want to pull a short 5er, traded in my 04 stx 4.6 for a 09 XLT 4.6 3v screw short bed (found with 9000 miles) rated to pull 7700#. I have spent tirelss hours on line looking for answers to the weight mysteries. Salesmen just don't have answers. So I am glad I stumbled onto this. Great info and great equations to figuring it all out. I actually found a small 5er under 5000#. But the debate goes on-it is just my wife and I. 5er might not be needed but would sure be sweet.
Again thanks for posting your story and thanks for giving the 250/350 purists some food for thought. For what I want-most people can't afford a 250/350 especially with a deisel.

tf5598

What is your GVW with the trailer hooked up?

myowneq

I think the only "limited" factor on the F150 is the available tongue weight. But it's called 1/2 ton for a reason. Half a ton is 1000 pounds, and my F150 payload has a hundred pounds more than that.

So... my camper's gross weight is 7600. Tongue weight is up there at just over 750. With me in the truck, that leaves 250 pounds for passengers and gear in the truck.

I can pull it safely now that I have a brake controller doing 65 mph on the I-state. Big rigs don't bother me and stopping happens easily. Other than the gas gulping, I see nothing unsafe on my rig and I still have 25% of my trucks max towing capacity to go if I went with another trailer with a lower tongue weight.

So you can be ok with a 7k pound trailer as long as you pay close attention to your tongue weight and have a properly adjusted W/D hitch.

Tim

beckbd

Great thread. We were already in the middle of what you have described and found that your info. reaffirmed what we have been thinking. I have weighed my 2009 F-150 XLT SCrew truck three times and have some good numbers. Even did a weight without the spare and tailgate. Got her down to 6100 lb. with me and a full tank of fuel. 2580 lb. on the rear axle (4000 GAWR). Add my wife and the hitch and I think we are in good shape for a light weight fifth wheel. If we go for it will get some better load rated tires, and probably a set of Timbrens for the rear. Looking at the Pullrite 12K or a Reese 16K/Sidewinder fifth wheel combo. We are looking at Keystone Cougar Xlites and Forest River Flagstaff Super Lite fifth wheels with unloaded hitch weights below 1000 lb.

Can you share your final weight numbers for the complete rig?

Platinum_Sean

I stopped at a different scale on the way home from the dealer, than I did on the way. There seemed to be a small error (I think it was 8%) between the 2 sets.

WITH the trailer connected, and later I found out with 1 grey tank full (25 gall/200 lbs), and the hot water tank full (6 gall/64 pounds), the front weighed 3630, rear 4334 and trailer was 6072 at the axels. The pin weight (diff between truck rear without then with the trailer) was 1050 lbs. The rear was over the rating by 334 lbs, I have since removed all that water/weight, removed the spare, added most the heavy things to the rear of the trailer behind the wheels to lighten the pin and truck weight, and added Supersprings (does nothing for weight ratings, just sag).

Combined, this is 14,061, my gross combined rating is 17,100.

I am heading back to the dealer tomorrow for my aluminum rims, and will stop at the first scales that I did, with a full tank, and reweigh.

prairiesailor

Excellent write-up. We currently have an old mid 80's travel trailer and a nice new boat. Being in the same situation we purchased our 2010 FX4 SuperScrew for the exact same reason. We want a 25'ish foot 5th to tow the boat as well. You've helped seal the deal for us.

We're close to the US border, but hear the real deals are much further south. Problem is getting the true number from so far away.

Thanks again for sharing your hard work!

roegs

Very good write up. You’ve done an excellent job of going through the numbers. I towed travel trailers for years, and was always surprised at overloaded combinations we’d see at campgrounds. The reply was almost always the same…’the camper salesman said it would be no problem’. I’ve always been a fan of weighing at a truck stop. Even with the variance in scale accuracy, weighing is the only way to know what you really have.

nolagtime

Any of you fine U.S of A'ers mind sharing some RV buying tips? Where would you recommend we shop for the best deals on RV's if we are not scared of driving to find the deal in your fine country. Funny... the dealers up here want 10-20% more for the same product because it has crossed that 49th parallel. Have F150...will travel!!!

Justi

Great post! Scary a little bit but very interesting. Thanks!

Hot Rod

This is my 5th wheel 8200 dry 1145 pin weight this thing pulls nice!!! 26.9 34 FEET LOA!!!