usmcshepherd
Asbury, IA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/29/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
Hello all,
I have a friend who has a F150 who is currently towing a 30ft bumper pull trailer who is looking to move up to a 5th wheel. I am concerned that while the dealership says he'll be fine that he'll have clearance issues with his small 5'5" bed (his F150 is a crew cab). He has already upgraded his tires and suspension so handling the pin weight (he's looking at the lighter halfton 5th wheels with pin weights around 1400lbs). If anyone has any thoughts or experience when it comes to clearance issues and hitches it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
2011 Ram 3500 / 2013 Lance 1172
Semper Fi
MGySgt/USMC
|
MFL
Midwest
Senior Member
Joined: 11/28/2012
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
About the only option with that short bed is a Sidewinder style pinbox that turns at attachment point on FW.
That truck is just not best option. Since he has upgraded tires/suspension, it may work, but keep in mind, if looking at pin wts of 1400 dry (brochure) wt, that will increase a bunch, could end up closer to 2K when loaded to GVWR of FW.
Jerry
.jpg)
|
valhalla360
No paticular place.
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
1) What does the payload sticker on the door say and what is the actual CAT weights for the truck loaded with passengers and gear ready for travel?
2) Is 1400lb pin weight based on an empty trailer or 20-25% of the GVWR?
- If it's 25% of the GVWR, he may be fine if he has a high payload 1/2 ton truck but that's a tiny 5er (like 5-6,000lb).
- If 1400lb is the empty weight, expect to be up around 2000lb or more once loaded.
2000lb pin weight is getting iffy for a 1/2 ton truck. Add in a couple hundred for the hitch and 3-400 for passengers and even the beefiest 2500lb payload 1/2 ton trucks are maxed out without putting anything else in the truck.
Yeah, he will have to be very careful with a 5.5ft bed. Doable but don't be surprised when he buys a new rear window for the truck.
What exactly is he hoping to gain by going to a 5er? While 5ers tow nicely, a properly set up bumper pull should not be a white knuckle ride by any stretch. The advantage is hitch weights for bumper pulls should be in the 12-15% range rather than 20-25%, so they tax the trucks payload less.
If you want a 5er, it makes far more sense to upgrade to a 3/4 or even better a 1 ton truck (3/4 can even be marginal by the time you get north of 8-10k lbs).
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV
|
Lwiddis
Southern California :(
Senior Member
Joined: 08/12/2016
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
"the dealership says he'll be fine..."
Of course they do! Dealer wants to make a sale. He won't be fine with 95% of all 5ers. TOO much pin weight. One can modify their truck (even those of us who are not automotive engineers) but one can't increase the manufacturer's max weight. What I believe your friend really did was modify the truck to make it level.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad
|
mooky stinks
Cicero,NY
Senior Member
Joined: 07/26/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
It’s a 5.5’ box which means it’s not a HDPP (they’re 6.5’) and doesn’t have enough payload or rawr for a 5th wheel. This is coming from a guy that tows a 5th wheel with a 1/2 ton that’s in my signature.
* This post was
edited 08/02/22 12:27pm by mooky stinks *
2020 F150 XL Screw 4x4 6.5”box
3.5 ecoboost Max tow HDPP
7850 GVW. 4800 RAWR
2565 payload
2020 Cougar 29RKS 5th wheel
|
|
|
Bionic Man
USA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/03/2009
View Profile
|
Is your friend in Colorado as well? I can't imagine that any 150 would have the cooling capacity to pull a 5er over the mountains. I have a 19 Expedition MAX that both tranny and engine temps go above 240* when towing my 7000 pound boat over I70. Higher profile and more weight is going to be a no-go, even if he had the payload to do it.
2012 RAM 3500 Laramie Longhorn DRW CC 4x4 Max Tow, Cummins HO, 60 gallon RDS aux fuel tank, Reese 18k Elite hitch
2003 Dodge Ram 3500 QC SB 4x4 Cummins HO NV5600 with Smarty JR, Jacobs EB (sold)
2002 Gulf Stream Sea Hawk 29FRB with Honda EV6010
|
time2roll
Southern California
Senior Member
Joined: 03/21/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Impossible!
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
675w Solar pictures back up
|
bukhrn
Lanexa, Va
Senior Member
Joined: 03/20/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Lwiddis wrote:"the dealership says he'll be fine..."
Of course they do! Dealer wants to make a sale.He won't be fine with 95% of all 5ers. TOO much pin weight. One can modify their truck (even those of us who are not automotive engineers) but one can't increase the manufacturer's max weight. What I believe your friend really did was modify the truck to make it level. Remember, generally speaking, if their lips are moving, their lying.
2007 Forester 2941DS
2014 Ford Focus
Zamboni, Long Haired Mini Dachshund
You can have my RV, when you pry my cold dead fingers from the Steering Wheel
|
way2roll
Wilmington NC
Senior Member
Joined: 10/05/2018
View Profile
Offline
|
When we started shopping FW's I had a F150 screw with a 5.5' bed. It was immediately clear based on the numbers and clearance that it simply wouldn't do. Even marginally it would have been a white knuckle experience and who wants that. I opted for an F350 diesel which is plenty capable and allows me to grow into another FW in the future if I wanted. The dealer I worked with actually schooled me on how to run the numbers which was very helpful. Unfortunately a lot of dealers will say anything to sell. I wonder if they could be accountable if some disaster occurs by advising on a combination that is unsafe. At the end of the day it's just math. Numbers don't lie.
2023 FR Sunseeker 2400B MBS
|
Busdriver
Shepherdsville Ky 40165
Senior Member
Joined: 03/06/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
A dealer will tell you the sun rises in the west if it will help him make a sale!
Busdriver 2019 2500 Chevy Duramax , - 2017 Grand Design 303 RLS
|
|
|
