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I currently own a Jayco X19H Travel Trailer (GVWR 5,000#), but someday the plan is to get a relatively light 5th Wheel - something like the Jayco Eagle HT 29.5BHDS (GVWR 10,000#).
I'm now planning to buy a truck for my everyday vehicle, and I want it to be enough to tow the 5th Wheel someday.
Based on my research and playing with Ford's Build & Price tool, I believe that the following will do the trick:
F150 XLT or Lariat
SuperCrew
6.5' Box
3.5L EcoBoost
4x4
3.73 Electronic Locking Axle Ratio
The tool reports that, properly equipped, this will tow 11,500# with a payload of 2,650#.
A few questions...
The F150 should be enough for my needs, right?
I'm assuming that I should be getting both the Max Trailer Tow Package and the Heavy-Duty Payload Package?
Would you get the XLT or Lariat?
Good luck finding this on a dealer lot, right?
I'm up in Canada, if that makes a difference. Thanks for any input/advice!
What really matters is the combined weight of both the truck (when fully loaded) and the fully loaded trailer. U.S. specs for 2016 is 17,100 pounds GCWR. May be a little more for 2017. On paper, it looks like it will enough. Yes, you'll need the Max Trailer Tow package and the Heavy Duty Payload package which I believe may come with the package when you get the 3.73 gears. As far as getting the XLT or Lariat, it depends on the level of luxury and options you want.
You absolutely should get the HDPP. Even better get a 250 or 350. If configured as you have it and you tow at the trailers GVWR, you will be close on payload. I towed 2 years with a GN on my 150 and it did great.
Most GN horse trailers are closer to 15% pin weight, most 5th wheel Rvs are closer to 20 to 25%. At 25% you are at 2500lbs pin weight and only 150 away from payload max. At 20% you are at 2000lbs and only 650 from payload max. 3 200lb people and some tools and you are over. Lest we forget your 200lbs of hitch etc.
If you load light and travel with dry tanks it can be done, but a 350 will give you all the room you need. Honestly I paid less for a new well equipped 16 350 dually XL Diesel with spray in liner and 125k mile esp as well as stereo upgrades, than I would for a 17 150 Lariat HDPP truck. It has power windows, doors, tilt, cruise, ac, all the extra towing equipment, a 5700 plus pound payload, and very nice cloth seats all for 10k plus off sticker even with the esp added in.That includes the addition of sirrius radio, bluetooth audio, stereo upgrade, GN Hitch, and Linex spray in liner.
Should also mention, the new truck rides much better than my 13 150 did, and fuel economy so far is about the same. Both trucks are 4wd, old one was a 5.0 with 3.55 gears new one is Crew Cab dually 6.7 diesel with 3.73 gears.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with pulling a smaller, lighter 5th wheel with a F150 Heavy Duty Payload Package and Max tow (included in the HDPP), which is essential for the job. However, payload remains an issue. The payload figure you quote is a maximum, and is reduced by every option you add when ordering and aftermarket additions. The truck you are describing when delivered probably would have around 2200 to 2250 payload. A HDPP F150 may well have a higher payload rating than a diesel F250 since the diesel drivetrain uses up much of the payload.. so you have to go to a F250 gas (12-13 mpg daily driving) or up to a F350 diesel (expensive and likely bigger than you want). Despite towing many miles on gooseneck trailers, I want to stay with traditional trailers. They continue to allow the truck bed to be used for golf clubs, fishing tackle, coolers, grey water tote, baby strollers, kids wagons and tricycles, and firewood that the fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch prevents. Attend a lot of regional RV shows, determine what trailer you will want ideally first, and then buy a truck with 20% additional payload capacity over the combined pin weight of the trailer (or hitch weight of the conventional trailer) plus you max expected weight of all occupants in the cab plus payload in the truck bed.
Congratulations on becoming a wise and informed camper. Many buy undersized trucks or oversized trailers and then complain on these forums & spend $$$ trying to resolve the symptoms of being overloaded.
...something like the Jayco Eagle HT 29.5BHDS (GVWR 10,000#).
Based on my research and playing with Ford's Build & Price tool, I believe that the following will do the trick:
F150 XLT or Lariat
SuperCrew
6.5' Box
3.5L EcoBoost
4x4
3.73 Electronic Locking Axle Ratio
Yes, that truck will do the trick, provided you don't try to haul much weight in the pickup. Notice that the 3.73 axle requires max tow and heavy duty payload pkg (HDPP). Pin weight of a 10k 5er will be around 1,800 pounds, plus another 150 pounds for the hitch. or a total of about 1,950 to 2,000 pounds gross hitch weight.
The tool reports that, properly equipped, this will tow 11,500# with a payload of 2,650#.
Ignore those estimates. Your actual payload capacity will probably be a couple of hundred pounds less, and your real-world tow rating will be around 10k.
The F150 should be enough for my needs, right?
Barely, but adequate if you don't try to haul much weight in the pickup. One adult passenger and minimum tools and jacks.
I'm assuming that I should be getting both the Max Trailer Tow Package and the Heavy-Duty Payload Package?
Right. Those are required to get the 3.73 axle. And the HDPP gives you enough payload capacity that you can handle the 1,800 pounds pin weight of the 5er, plus the 150 pounds weight of the installed 5er hitch, without being overloaded - provided you don't haul much other weight in the pickup. No auxiliary gas tank, for example.
Would you get the XLT or Lariat?
My Darling Wife insists on the Lariat. Your DW may vary.
Good luck finding this on a dealer lot, right?
You probably won't find one in stock anywhere in Canada. But that's good. You order exactly what you want and are willing to pay for. I had to do that yesterday to get DW her new 2017 Flex. She won't see it before Thanksgiving, and maybe not before Christmas. But we ordered well before we have to have it, so she'll just have to wait in anticipation .
I'm up in Canada, if that makes a difference.
The Ford Canada order guide is slightly different than the USA order guide. So to build&price your new Ford, don't surf to ford.com, but instead surf to ford.ca.com. Way back when, I wanted an F-250 Lariat with cloth seats. Not available in the USA; Lariats had leather seats, period. But it was available in Canada. Go figure.
The link above is a Canadian Lariat with minimum equipment required for max towing weight. You can add some other options, but nothing fancy. When you add or change other options, be certain that you do not delete HDPP.
Payment (all prices are MSRP in Canadian dollars)
$57,399 Base MSRP $2,670 Total of Options $1,800 TotalFees -$2,000Delivery Allowance $59,869 Net Price xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
$57,399 2016 Ford F-150 LARIAT SuperCrew®, 6-1/2' Box, (required for HDPP) 3.5L EcoBoost® Engine, 6-Speed Automatic Electronic Transmission with Tow/HaulMode, 4X4 (because you live in snow country) 3.73 Electronic-Locking Axle (required for HDPP) xxxxxxxxxxxx
$900 Heavy-Duty Payload Package (HDPP) $950 Max Trailer TowPackage (includes ITBC) $250 LED Side-Mirror Spotlights (reqired for tow mirrors) $570 Power Trailer Tow Mirrors (you should insist on these to tow any trailer wider or taller than the tailgate of the pickup).
Last edited by smokeywren; 10-18-2016 at 03:48 PM.
I have a new 2016 F150 Lariat with Heavy duty payload package and max tow, pretty much optioned like your example. Attached is the window sticker
The door sticker says the max payload is 2283 lbs. I'd expect the 10K 5th wheel trailer king pin weight to be ~20% of the trailer weight, so thats ~2000lbs. Add in say 150lb for you hitch. That's a total of at least 2150 lbs of 2283 payload. If I was pulling that trailer I'd be over the payload before my wife got in the truck!
Hope this helps!
Last edited by John_mc; 10-19-2016 at 01:11 PM.
Reason: rotate picture
The door sticker says the max payload is 2283 lbs. I'd expect the 10K 5th wheel trailer king pin weight to be ~20% of the trailer weight, so thats ~2000lbs. Add in say 150lb for you hitch. That's a total of at least 2150 lbs of 2283 payload. If I was pulling that trailer I'd be over the payload before my wife got in the truck!
It depends on the accuracy of your estimates. Modern 5ers with GVWR of 10,000 pounds will have wet and loaded pin weight of 17 to 19%, with average of 18%. If the 5er has pin weight of 18% of 10k gross trailer weight, that's an extra 200 pounds of payload capacity available for DW and her purse.
But your point is well taken. Dragging that 10k 5er without being overloaded means you must not allow any extra weight in the truck, else you'll be overloaded. No campfire wood in the truck - haul it in the camper. No extra fuel or water in the truck - haul it in the camper. No toolbox full of tools and jacks and jack stands. Haul those in the camper.
Then be sure you don't overload the camper. The CAT scale will tell you the weight on the trailer axles. Add the GAWR of each trailer axle to get the combined trailer GAWR, then don't exceed it for any reason.
Last edited by smokeywren; 10-19-2016 at 02:37 PM.
10-17-2016, 01:58 AM
5th Wheel Ready?
