I have a F250 4x4 with the 7.3L diesel engine. I'm looking for fifth wheel travel trailers and considering the towing weights that would be within spec of the truck. The truck's payload is 2450 lbs and the fifth wheel towing weight is 12,800 lbs per Ford's website.

I know there are two main considerations which are 1) the hitch weight of the trailer which needs to be within the payload of the truck and 2) the total weight of the loaded trailer.

I'm looking at a trailer which has a hitch weight of 2080 lbs and total carrying capacity of 12,000 lbs.

Any advice is appreciated. Do you think this is a safe configuration? Anyone with a F250 have any examples of what fifth wheel they are towing with the respective weights or know of someone towing?

Thanks,

 

I tow a 30' 5th with my F250 CC V10, and there is a difference between capable and legal.

Weights:
Truck dry (me only) = 6500 lbs at dump scale.
Rig all in (me, wife, kids, as much stiff as they could put in the truck, trailer, as much stuff as we could fit in it) GCW = 18000 lbs (scale)
Pin approx 2180 lbs calc from the 2 different scales and assumed passenger + stuff weight in truck (interesting side note, trailer claims a 1600 lb pin weight, means my 13" TV and my overnight clothes bag weigh in at almost 600 lbs ???)
Axles from rig as described above: front approx 4100 lbs, rear approx 5000 lbs thus GVW = 9100 lbs, slightly over 8800 lbs 3/4 rated for.
Some math, and trailer weight about 11300 lbs wet.

By the above numbers, I am at the legal weight limits of my truck.

Add a diesel for 500lbs, and I'd be too much over for me personally to sleep at night.

Two concerns I'd have with your proposed rig

1./ additional approx 500lbs for the diesel, extra weight added to the GVW (not GCWR, 2001 and newer have 20lklbs vs my '99 18 klbs). I've noted that the actual "dry" weight of these trucks seems to vary plus or minus 500 lbs for the apparent same equipment/configuration from other threads on this site.

2./ If weights you quote are dry (eg no water, propane, or from sticker on trailer) you could be miss-led and end up way over weight. "Stuff" weighs a lot .. a gallon of water is 10 lbs, an awning is a couple of hundred, clothes are ??? groceries are ??? Based on my sticker and actual trailer weight I have more than 3000 lbs of "stuff" in the thing ... surprising since I carry most of it in and then out again each trip!

Bottom line, my read is that you will be over the legal weight limit of a 3/4 ton. When I replace my truck, I'm going with a 1 ton to get the extra 1100 lbs GVWR.

To confirm, I'd weigh the truck all in (including full tank of gas and all passengers) and recalculate available payload from the GVWR of 8800 lbs - actual weight. With a diesel I bet you find available payload at 1600-1800 lbs. Then I'd put the trailer on and weigh again ... each axle individually (truck and trailer) and check against total GCWR and individual axle ratings to be sure nothing is overloaded.

On the positive side, I have no doubt that your truck will "love" to pull the weight you have described. Is I alluded to at the beginning, the trucks (diesel or V10) are capable of towing more than they are legally rated for from a power and overall handling perspective. I drive the speed limit up to 70 mph without any issues. The rig is exceptionally stable and simple to handle. I've towed through the Rocky's with it without issue, generally hold 40-45 mph on the steeper inclines. No "blow by" with the 18 wheelers as they pass and no sway no way. The long wheel base, and the dynamics associated with the pin over the axle make my rig a pleasure to tow. Never going back to a conventional travel trailer.

Good Luck.

Greg

 

Over on the RV.net Forum you'll find a ton of posts on this subject and the "Weight Police" over there will be happy to guide you through their experiences.

Some states are beginning to crack down on overloaded RV rigs. So, I wouldn't want to exceed the GVWR, GCWR, or tow rating.
Get your truck weighed with everything loaded and full tank(s) and get the 5er weighed loaded.

On RV.net you'll even find posts where folks claim to have been fined for being overloaded or have legal issues after an accident.

... which TV cop show was it that always used the line "BE SAFE OUT THERE!"?

 

The dry weight of the trailer that I am considering is @ 9000 lbs. The heaviest the trailer can be wet is 12,240 lbs.

Here's my thinking:
My payload is 2450, so I should be legal with a pin weight of 2040 as long as the additional weight added to the truck isn't more than 410 lbs.
If I never overload the trailer weight past the 12,240 limit, then
I should be within the 12,800 limit for fifth wheel towing for
my model truck.

I should probably weigh the truck to get the real weight of my truck and will probably do that. I haven't purchased the trailer yet, so am considering the options.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

tbro698,

I think the show was "Hill Street Blues"!!!!

 

Another thing to remember when your hooked to a fiver trl. is that the taller trailer don't go threw the wind and when you get to a mountain and have wind comming at ya, you would think the trailer weight was 40,000lbs.
I have a 150 and 26ft fiver that at last weigh station was 12,800lbs. but tong weight is only 900#, which kept me within max. gross for my truck, but I kno when I hit the mountains it's to heavy for the little 5.4, but we made it from NY to Utah and back and if you don't think climbing the Rockies was do'n something,try it!