5th Wheel - Can I do it?
02-17-2018, 05:31 PM
#11
Edit - slow tablet typing...
As you will soon understand, that 10,700 number is way above your limit, because you will max out on payload, or rear axle capacity first.
I cannot imagine someone new to towing getting a fifth wheel. Let's look at a regular trailer.
Take your 1,565 payload and subtract the weight of every modification you make to the truck - tonneau cover, bed mat, floor mats... Now subtract the weight of you and your family, the dog, and everything they bring into the truck. Now subtract anything you load in the bed, and 100 pounds for a weight distribution hitch.
Take that number and divide by .13 and that is the max LOADED trailer you can have. 13% is the average tongue weight.
Also, read the label on your trailer hitch. It shows a max weight distribution number of 1,150 or maybe 1,200. Subtract 100 for a weight distribution hitch, then divide by .13. 1,150/.13 = 8,846. 1,200/.13 = 9,231. And remember, that is loaded. Often a travel trailer has 1,000 pounds or more of crap in it.
Discussed often, read some of the posts on the forum.
As you will soon understand, that 10,700 number is way above your limit, because you will max out on payload, or rear axle capacity first.
I cannot imagine someone new to towing getting a fifth wheel. Let's look at a regular trailer.
Take your 1,565 payload and subtract the weight of every modification you make to the truck - tonneau cover, bed mat, floor mats... Now subtract the weight of you and your family, the dog, and everything they bring into the truck. Now subtract anything you load in the bed, and 100 pounds for a weight distribution hitch.
Take that number and divide by .13 and that is the max LOADED trailer you can have. 13% is the average tongue weight.
Also, read the label on your trailer hitch. It shows a max weight distribution number of 1,150 or maybe 1,200. Subtract 100 for a weight distribution hitch, then divide by .13. 1,150/.13 = 8,846. 1,200/.13 = 9,231. And remember, that is loaded. Often a travel trailer has 1,000 pounds or more of crap in it.
Discussed often, read some of the posts on the forum.
02-17-2018, 09:39 PM
#12
Grumpy Old Man
Travel trailers (TTs) have about 13% tongue weight (TW). TW plus about 100 pounds for a good weight-distributing hitch gives you hitch weight. Subtract hitch weight from GVWR and the answer is the max weight of people and any other weight in the truck without being overloaded.
Small 5ers have about 20% kingpin (pin) weight. Pin weight plus about 150 pounds for a decent 5er hitch gives you hitch weight.
With your payload capacity, you can probably tow a small light-weight TT that grosses less than 7,000 pounds without being overloaded. No way to tow a 5er without being overloaded - because your F-150 doesn't have the heavy duty payload package (HDPP) needed to carry the increased hitch weight of a small 5er.
Examples:
TT with wet and loaded weight of 7,000 pounds. 7,000 x .13 = 910 pounds TW. Add 100 pounds for a good WD hitch and hitch weight is 1,010 pounds. Subtract 1,010 from your 1565 payload capacity = 555 pounds max weight of people, pets, tools, toys, campfire wood, charcoal grill and fuel, and whatever else you haul on a camping trip. IOW, even with a small TT, you're probably going to be overloaded.
Small 5er with wet and loaded weight of 9,000 pounds. (There are very few 5ers available with wet and loaded weight less than 9,000 pounds). 9,000 x .2 = 1,800 pounds. STOP! You're overloaded before anybody or anything gets into the tow vehicle. Not even a 5er hitch installed yet. IOW, you cannot tow a small normal 5er without being overloaded. Even the smallest normal 5er such as a Keystone Cougar Half-ton 25RES would probably gross 9,000 pounds when wet and loaded for the road. http://www.keystonerv.com/cougar-half-ton/
Maybe one of those itty bitty 5ers with paper shell walls, such as this one:
http://escapetrailer.com/trailers/the-5-0-escape/
Small 5ers have about 20% kingpin (pin) weight. Pin weight plus about 150 pounds for a decent 5er hitch gives you hitch weight.
With your payload capacity, you can probably tow a small light-weight TT that grosses less than 7,000 pounds without being overloaded. No way to tow a 5er without being overloaded - because your F-150 doesn't have the heavy duty payload package (HDPP) needed to carry the increased hitch weight of a small 5er.
Examples:
TT with wet and loaded weight of 7,000 pounds. 7,000 x .13 = 910 pounds TW. Add 100 pounds for a good WD hitch and hitch weight is 1,010 pounds. Subtract 1,010 from your 1565 payload capacity = 555 pounds max weight of people, pets, tools, toys, campfire wood, charcoal grill and fuel, and whatever else you haul on a camping trip. IOW, even with a small TT, you're probably going to be overloaded.
Small 5er with wet and loaded weight of 9,000 pounds. (There are very few 5ers available with wet and loaded weight less than 9,000 pounds). 9,000 x .2 = 1,800 pounds. STOP! You're overloaded before anybody or anything gets into the tow vehicle. Not even a 5er hitch installed yet. IOW, you cannot tow a small normal 5er without being overloaded. Even the smallest normal 5er such as a Keystone Cougar Half-ton 25RES would probably gross 9,000 pounds when wet and loaded for the road. http://www.keystonerv.com/cougar-half-ton/
Maybe one of those itty bitty 5ers with paper shell walls, such as this one:
http://escapetrailer.com/trailers/the-5-0-escape/
Last edited by smokeywren; 02-17-2018 at 09:44 PM.
02-19-2018, 08:36 AM
#13
OwenShannon, yes we tow a 5er with our F-150. BUT...BUT... it's has the heavy duty payload package. We have 2172 lbs of payload capacity and truck travel ready weighs 6350 lbs of the 8200 GVWR & pin weight of the 5'er travel ready is 1450 lbs giving us 400 lbs ish of leeway.
IMO, I don't think 1565 lbs of payload is enough for even a smallest of 5th wheels and like some have said, it will limit you on TT's also.
Oh by the way, for you skeptics bout our F-150 towing a 5er, in the 4 years we've towed it, we put in the neighborhood of 10,000 miles on it, mostly in & around the mountains of Southwestern Colorado and back & forth across Southern Utah & down thru Arizona. Let me tell ya, it's an awesome combination & pulls with such ease, I forget at times it's back there.
IMO, I don't think 1565 lbs of payload is enough for even a smallest of 5th wheels and like some have said, it will limit you on TT's also.
Oh by the way, for you skeptics bout our F-150 towing a 5er, in the 4 years we've towed it, we put in the neighborhood of 10,000 miles on it, mostly in & around the mountains of Southwestern Colorado and back & forth across Southern Utah & down thru Arizona. Let me tell ya, it's an awesome combination & pulls with such ease, I forget at times it's back there.
02-19-2018, 12:48 PM
#14
Oh by the way, for you skeptics bout our F-150 towing a 5er, in the 4 years we've towed it, we put in the neighborhood of 10,000 miles on it, mostly in & around the mountains of Southwestern Colorado and back & forth across Southern Utah & down thru Arizona. Let me tell ya, it's an awesome combination & pulls with such ease, I forget at times it's back there.
02-20-2018, 08:12 AM
#15
Well we pull a 5th wheel with our F-150 so was giving him some info.
Sorry I won't let it happen again .... until the next time.
02-20-2018, 01:53 PM
#16
Well excuse me! I'm sorry redranger04g for trying to answer one of the Op's questions. He did ask the question, "Does anyone use their F150 to pull a 5th Wheel"?
Well we pull a 5th wheel with our F-150 so was giving him some info.
Sorry I won't let it happen again .... until the next time.
Well we pull a 5th wheel with our F-150 so was giving him some info.
Sorry I won't let it happen again .... until the next time.
