Hey guys I have seen some of 5th wheels y'all pull, well I have asked the other day and I am going to ask again, so bear with me please. I am new to the 5th wheel lifestyle and we are currently looking at buying a 41'8" Forest River Sandpiper 384QBOK, specs of Forest River website states hitch wt is 2261, gross wt is 15,500. I have just bought a 2019 6 3/4 bed, 4x4, Lariat package F250, I have been looking for the gross trailer weight I can pull without being over by to much. My GVW is 10000, my little yellow sticker tells me combined weight of occupants and cargo not to exceed 2247 lbs, i don't know if it matters but I have 355 rear end with GAWR of 6340, 20" tires, and am planning on putting in a B&W slider since I have a 6 3/4" bed (but if I don't need a slider please let me know) also I am going to install a set of airbags and I know its all preference but y'all have been pulling for a bit so could you recommend a certain brand. I know it will not increase my payload it will only help level the truck for hopefully a smoother ride. Thanks in advance for y'all help, also any other recommendations would be greatly looked into and appreciated, once again thanks for the info.

 

Howdy from the perfume factory Gang! Have a great day all.

 

The F250 is de-rated at the factory to fill a different market segment. That means the all your ratings, GVWR, GAWR, and payload will be less. Your 250 (you didn't mention the high capacity tow package) will come with the Sterling 10.5" rear end which is the same unit that the 11.5k GVWR SRW 350 came with for many years. So, inflate your rear tires to 80psi, add your airbags (or other suspension enhancement) to make up for the softer rear spring packs, and you're good to go there. The rest of the truck is identical to the SRW 350. That said, I would have no concerns about your proposed setup.

On the hitch, I'm not a huge fan of sliders. Unless it's an auto slider, you likely won't get out and engage it all the time. Yes, you can have cab to RV contact in a very tight turn without one if you're not paying attention. My thought always was, you can also have truck to tree contact if not paying attention... so just pay attention... LOL. But that's your call. Another issue with a slider is they are heavier than a standard hitch and will pull more capacity from your payload. The Anderson Ultimate is a very light and popular option as opposed to traditional 5th wheel hitch if you decide to explore other routes.

On the RV's posted weights, it's pot luck as to how accurate they will be. My RV was less than 100# different from manufacturer's listed specs when I added batteries, propane, and loaded it for travel. Others have had the opposite experience and saw their pin weight jump hundreds of pounds from listed "dry" weight. The only way to know for sure where you stand is to go to a truck stop and hit a CAT scale. It's only 10 bucks and worthwhile IMO.

Anyways, don't let the weight police scare you. Forums, whether it be truck or RV, are full of them and many will tell you that you need a DRW for anything more than a pop up. Use common sense, get the feel for your combo in the beginning by starting off easy, and enjoy the RV lifestyle. As with all things on forums, pictures are required...

 

Case in point: See the "Stirring the pot" thread. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...g-the-pot.html

 

I had blissfully missed that thread until you pointed it out Doug... Thanks a lot!

 

Rodney, are the rear axles different on the 2017 and up F350’s?

 

Yep, the high capacity 250 and SRW 6.7 350 come with a Dana M275.

 

I actually kinda assumed you had not personally witnessed the ignorance on display, or you would've offered your input. You're welcome!

 

Ok guys thanks for the input and feedback, so another question could I travel to the Rocky mountains with this setup, as we are planning to go to the west next summer, we do have our eyes on a lighter trailer but really like this Sandpiper, we are really looking forward to taking our 11 yr and her friend to the mountains, again thanks for all the input and feedback. I'm sure I will come up with some more questions. I will definitely put pics on once we pull the trigger.

 

That trailer is going to put you far over your truck's GVWR, even without any passengers, hitch or other gear in the truck. Too much trailer for that truck's GVWR.

 

In 2015, Ford put a larger turbo on the 6.7, which helps at higher altitudes. I don’t see why you would have any issues.

 

But just right for a SRW 350... which is what a 250 is minus some spring capacity... so again, I’d be quite comfortable after adding to that rear pack. GVWR is meaningless on a 250...

Queue the hypothetical scary situations speech... LOL

 

You mean the one about lawyers and insurance companies, prison sentences, etc?

 

My favorite is, “You better not be driving near me and my family...”

 

Yeah, that's a good one too.