Our F150 has about 2000# of payload capacity, per the door sticker. We pull our smaller-and-lighter-than-most FW, no sweat. We've been 12000+ miles, across the Rockies 4 times. Accelerates, brakes fine, gets the same miserable 10-11 mpg others do.
Two cautions about a half ton:
1. Don't take a nifty, tempting trailer for a test ride, find it tows fine, and decide you're safe with it. One afternoon we encountered a truck/trailer disabled and blocking Interstate 35. We were able to tow the truck off the road, then hook up to the trailer and pull it to the next exit and a store parking lot; no sweat there either. Seemed to pull just fine. Stopped fine. Merged and got up to highway speed just fine. Don't know what that trailer weighed, but it's GVWR was 2 tons over our truck's rating.
2. Think forward to what you might want next.
Back to OP. I tow with a Tundra, I don't know if it is really a 1/2 ton. My Chevy 1500, 5.3 had a hard time pulling our 5th wheel home so we got the Toyota ( 80% built in the U.S.A unlike Chevy).
I have the summers off and DW has 6 weeks. We spend a lot of time going down the road, no kids. I see a lot of 150/1500's on the road with small 5th wheels. I would say 30ftplus would be too much but with new liter trailers and the HP of the new trucks if everything is right 1/2 tons should be OK. The 150/1500's of today would blow away the trucks of 10 years ago.
We have met plenty of nice people in our travels and some we did not like. Not once has anyone said "What are you doing with a 1/2 ton and a 5th wheel". I have seen 37 to 40 footers with 250/2500's but I guess that's ok as long as it has a deisel in it.
The 1/2 ton vs. Mac truck debate goes on weekly.
edit for this: I can lift my hitch by myself and put it in my truck. It's a Reese 1800. Can I lift a 250 pound hitch at 56 years old?
* This post was
edited 07/09/12 04:54pm by LindanMick *
LindanMick wrote: Back to OP. I tow with a Tundra, I don't know if it is really a 1/2 ton. My Chevy 1500, 5.3 had a hard time pulling our 5th wheel home so we got the Toyota ( 80% built in the U.S.A unlike Chevy).
I have the summers off and DW has 6 weeks. We spend a lot of time going down the road, no kids. I see a lot of 150/1500's on the road with small 5th wheels. I would say 30ftplus would be too much but with new liter trailers and the HP of the new trucks if everything is right 1/2 tons should be OK. The 150/1500's of today would blow away the trucks of 10 years ago.
We have met plenty of nice people in our travels and some we did not like. Not once has anyone said "What are you doing with a 1/2 ton and a 5th wheel". I have seen 37 to 40 footers with 250/2500's but I guess that's ok as long as it has a deisel in it.
The 1/2 ton vs. Mac truck debate goes on weekly.
edit for this: I can lift my hitch by myself and put it in my truck. It's a Reese 1800. Can I lift a 250 pound hitch at 56 years old?
There was a couple next to us this last week in Silverton CO that towed a fifth wheel (close to 30' long) with a Tundra, didn't ask how it towed nor did I ever question if it was capable.
I with you on the guys that pull the 37-40+ footers with the SRW trucks that probably have pin weights of 3500lb+. Of coarse I don't judge them, some folks just have to learn the hard way.
We have the new Open Range Light 297RLS and tow with a 09 Ford F150. Haven't had any problems towing it and are really enjoying it. It's not a large 5th wheel, but it works well for us.
I also am towing a fifth wheel with a Tundra with no issues. The model is in my signature. I take my hitch out in two parts (Husky -16S). I am 60 and have a bad back and this is the reason I take it out in two pieces. It weighs closer to a 100 pounds instead of 250 pounds.
Pokey and Linda wrote: We have the new Open Range Light 297RLS and tow with a 09 Ford F150. Haven't had any problems towing it and are really enjoying it. It's not a large 5th wheel, but it works well for us.
Very nice 5th wheel, congrats!
Did you add airsprings or timbrens?
I changed tires from Wranglers HP P275/60R20 to Michelins LTX A/T2 275/65R20 E range tires with 10 ply.
Also added Timbrens
We tow a Jayco Eagle Superlite HT 23.5
Did you weigh the whole thing? how are you doing with the payload and RAWR?
Going to weigh tomorrow, a bit nervous.
http://3dogsandacamper.tumblr.com
2013 Jayco Eagle HT 23.5
2010 Ram 1500 HEMI with integrated brake controller, tow mirrors and Michelins LTX/AT2 275/65R20 max load: 3750 lbs. @ 80 psi
Superglide 2700
Timbrens
Umaxman wrote: I have hauled two different 5th wheels with half tons, the first was with a ford V6 4x4 auto reg cab long box, trailer was 21.5 feet...no problems
Second was a 24 ft pulled with Chev ext cab 4x4 5.3 v8 and again no problems
Both of my trailers had brakes so I didn't rely on just truck brakes and neither truck needed air bags to help out
This is about the correct trailer to tow with a 1/2 ton/1500/F250. Yes towing capacity and GVWR have gotten higher on the 1/2 tons, BUT how was this accomplished?
Well don't know about 01 1/2 tons but my 01 Dodge 2500 has a GVWR of 8,800#, which is only 78 percent of the GAWR!! That is one heck of a safety margin.
Looked at a MAX tow F150 and the GVWR is 95 percent of the GAWR!!! That leaves a very small margin of safety on semi floating axles!
I am almost 1,000# over the stated GVWR for my 01, but less than 90 percent of GAWR both front and rear. That and my rear axle is the much stronger Full Floating Dana 80.
It isn't if the engine will move the load (many 1/2 tons talk about being pulled down to 40 climbing hills SAFE??)
It is if your running gear has the strength to carry the load!!
Theere are smaller, lighter 5ers out there that can be safely pulled with a 1/2 ton F150/2500, but you don't have the capacity to push the limits. It is only about a 200# to 300# before you are exceeding the GAWR!
Russ & Paula
The Beagles Hedwig and Precious.
Portland, OR.
2001 Dodge 2500 4X4, 5.9 Cummins 5 speed, 3.55 gears, Pacbrake, DS Power Puck, 260K.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS
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