SkiSmuggs

Talk about reviving the dead! This thread is so old!
So you may hear from the weight police or not, but I towed a 34' fiver for 3 years and 20,000 miles with my 2011 Ecoboost. Some things have changed since then.
To me, the ONLY hitch for you to consider is the Andersen Ultimate Hitch (AUH) because of the weight savings (35 or 45 pounds depending on model) and the cost ($730 or 510), and it is designed to be used with a short bed. I have it now in my F350 and love it. The model 3220 is all aluminum and mounts to a goose ball, so you would have to get a goose ball kit installed. The 3200 is steel and mounts to standard rails so you would have to have those installed. Look at some of the several videos on YouTube and you will see why I recommend it for the F150.
Also, you will probably need to boost the rear suspension. While air bags are the choice of many, Supersprings do a great job. An alternative from the same company are Sumosprings which are much like Timbrens with a more progressive loading.

Platinum_Sean

Wow! Blast from the past! I am still towing mine, quite successfully. Like that other guy said, if I ever decided to do this again, an Andersen Hitch is what I would do- 45lbs vs the MONSTER 365 lbs of a Pullrite, 3100 slider, with the 3" "Ford" lift. I actually bought a 2 ton shop crane last fall, just for the hitch to get it in and out of the box. It is heavy, large, and you cannot use the bed when towing, there is risk that something loose might fall into the guide rails and stop the sliding action, so no.

Other than size, weight, oh PRICE!, the hitch has performed perfectly. Absolutely perfectly. I grease it each time out with a dab of lithium (I have tried slip plate, axle grease, Krown, Graphite, ... I like the white because when it gets dark, it is time to wipe clean and add a new layer. (like my rims- I keep them clean on the back, when they get brake dusty, say, 1 more does than the other, I know the brake needs an adjustment as it is working harder than the others, for example)

My truck is now 8 years old- running like a CHAMP still- no rust (except 1 spot I cleaned up), no engine issues AT ALL, I do the brakes every 40K kms, tires and rims are fine, things are good. BUT, in true form, the Misses wants to 'upgrade' to a non-bunk unit, she wants the fireplace, lazy boy chairs, ceiling fan, tiles, ... which means HEAVIER which means at a min, an F250. So we are looking to buy either a late 2017, or order a 2018 F250 Platinum, gasser, soon. Then the new 5'er. That, is a different topic.

To answer your Q- my Pullrite worked perfectly. it is $, and heavy. Look at an Andersen if you can. Lite, less $, use the bed while towing, a lot better I think. On my 250, one option is the factory 5th wheel prep package, we are getting that, Andersen makes a kit for that

Not to broken record this, but the best measure of weight is this:

a) MEASURE (weigh) the truck at the rear end, loaded with what you think you will haul (people, dogs, 3/4 tank gas, ...)
b) SUBTRACT that from 4050- or, whatever your GAWR (rear) is.
c) the remaining is the MAXIMUM PIN WEIGHT that the 5'er should weigh, loaded (battery, crap up front, water in the hot water tank if that is forward of the wheels, ....)
d) one more calc, take THAT number, divide by 0.15- that is the MAXIMUM trailer weight (15% of a 5er should be pin, it is a reverse calculation)

All this talk about 1950 PAYLOAD or 2250 PAYLOAD means NOTHING if the GAWR gets exceeded first. I wish all these truck makers (Ford too!!) would stop pounding their chests trying to be the most PAYLOAD- it is meaning less to have 2000 payload, if the GAWR maxes out at 1400 right??? Oh well.

Heading out this weekend. Enjoy the trips. Enjoy each sandwich!

vikrax1

Sean with all the weight you have pulled over the years, have you had any exhaust manifold issues, warping, broken studs.... I pull and a 7x16 trailer and usually three bikes.....

Platinum_Sean

I did have a cracked exhaust manifold 2 years into ownership, replaced under warranty. Nor sure it was towing related though.

One thing I did this year was gwt an SCT Tuner and towing tune from 5 Star Tuning. I like that a lot. Not cheap.

Greg Owen

RESURRECTION TIME!! Wake up 5er haulers....

We're thinking about upgrading to a 5er, and I have been doing some serious contemplating over the past week whether or not my 150 can (according to specs) do it.

The possible trailer is the 2018 Palomino Puma 255RKS; 1102 Pin weight; 6754 dry, 8800 max.

My truck specs are Front GAWR 3450; Rear GAWR 3800; GVWR 6800; GCWR 13,500.
Actual from CAT Scales are front 3280; rear 2480; gross 5760. (Full tank of gas, my 180lb. ***** in the seat)

Leaves me left over with 170 in the front, 1320 in the rear, about 940 combined, but only 1040 gross. Plenty of meat for the combined and for the rear.

**(The attached spreadsheet has the wrong dry weights in it for the trlr. so disregard it, unless you plug in the correct numbers above. I would delete the attachment and upload a new one, but it won't allow me to)**

The paradox is this--my truck hooked up to this trailer does not exceed neither the front nor the rear GAWR, nor does it exceed the GCWR. Since this is now a "combined vehicle" does it matter that it (barely) exceeds the truck GVWR??

BTW--I've noticed in this thread people mentioning the "yellow" sticker regarding payload. Take notice that the yellow sticker has to do with the tires, inflation pressures, and therefore, the payload for those tires installed from the factory. If the tires are changed to a different rating, so would the payload rating. This sticker should only be a concern if you are still running OEM tires. Otherwise, check the payload rating of the replacement tires on your truck.

bikendan

BTW--I've noticed in this thread people mentioning the "yellow" sticker regarding payload. Take notice that the yellow sticker has to do with the tires, inflation pressures, and therefore, the payload for those tires installed from the factory. If the tires are changed to a different rating, so would the payload rating. This sticker should only be a concern if you are still running OEM tires. Otherwise, check the payload rating of the replacement tires on your truck.

you're wrong.
payload capacity is not just tires. it's for the whole truck as equipped.

try visiting a RV forum if you want to learn about towing a trailer. to tow a 5th wheel, it's ALL about payload capacity vs. pin weight.
most 1/2 tons don't have enough payload for most 5th wheels loaded pin weights. using fictional "dry" weights are the #1 newbie mistake when towing trailers.

Greg Owen

First--No newbie here to the RV world, and since you obviously wouldn't know that, I'll let that one go...

Second--I don't think you read my statement thoroughly. However, partially my fault since I forgot to add in my statement "up to the maximum GVWR".

As soon as, for example down south, you add those huge rims with wide tires and virtually NO sidewalls, that payload number drops significantly.

jp360cj

Payload is simply GVWR - truck weight. As long as the new wheels and tires are rated for at least 1/2 of the FAWR and RAWR per tire/wheel, then you have not reduced the payload because the wheels/tires can't handle the weight. But you have reduced the payload because of the extra weight of the larger wheels/tires.

But back to your question...If you are under your axle ratings, but over your GVWR by 100# like your spreadsheet shows, then I wouldn't worry about it. The issue is going to be the advertised dry weight and tongue vs real world, ready to camp weight. You haven't accounted for any additions in the Camper (food, luggage, battery, gas tanks, etc). You also haven't accounted for anyone in the truck but you. If you plan you be solo in the truck, then that isn't an issue, but if you plan to have a passenger or 2, then that can make a big difference and put over all weight ratings.

Platinum_Sean

Sounds right- 1320 in the rear left over, less 1102 pin (unloaded I assume), leaves 220 lbs. What hitch are you planning to run? Many sliders a HEAVY!! Don't forget to account for that. My Pullrite with the 3" lift is 340 lbs!!!!

Also, what about the RV battery and Propane- added to the RV, usually front, adds about 50-75 lbs to the pin I found.

Very quickly, the GAWR (rear) gets maxxed out.

Tires- I went with XL rated, max pressure (50 psi for my Nittos) when towing. That is not the weakest link in the whole game, but certainly something to consider.

Cheers

SkiSmuggs

You can get some help here http://fifthwheelst.com/2015-half-ton-truck-towing.html