Hey guy's, I just purchased a 2013 F-150 Lariat Crew cab with a 6.5' box, 4X4 and the 3.5 eco-boost, I would like to get opinions if you think I could safely pull my 5th wheel RV with it.

My RV is:

2000 Sportsmen 2653P: UVW= 6,740 lbs., Dry Hitch weight= 1,480 lbs.

The truck has the Max Tow package, but NOT the HD payload package (I had 14 dealers looking for one of these for the last 7 months with no luck). My previous truck was not safe/dependable to travel with anymore so I bought the 2013.

I do see quite a few F-150's pulling 5er's, but want to hear from all of you on this forum.

Thanks

 

I would do it as long as ALL your weights are within spec. 1/2 tons usually reach their rear axle rating 1st when towing a 5th wheel.

So many people say absolutely no 1/2 ton should ever pull a 5th wheel but they must not understand there are smaller 5th wheels out there.

 

Here is my confusion: I've read that the 2013 has not changed in capacities (pay load, max tow, etc.) from the 2011-2012 F-150's, but the 2013 specs brochure refers to trucks having the heavy duty payload package (which I and 95% of others do not have).

The 2012 specs:




To me, this looks like having the max tow package, I can have up to a 1,840 pin weight. That's pretty darn heavy if you ask me. Am I reading this correctly?

 

I don't spend much time looking at tables, but I read that as you total payload capacity, that is everything that goes into or on the truck, not just the pin weight, right? Like the folks in the cab, maybe the folks' dog or kids, the hitch, whatever else is in the bed. Our fiver has a 1,600 pin weight. Put my wife and I in the cab and even if we left the bed empty, we would be over the payload in the truck in this example.

In the "for what it is worth category' I have actually stopped to talk to folks pulling fivers with 1/2 tons, not just eco boosts and I haven't heard complaints about power, just some comments that it does not handle the weight as well as a heavier model. Nothing dreadful, but a feeling the fiver had more effect on the truck. And, none of this is mountain towing. We uns here in the Volunteer leave the high stuff to our friends west of the Mississippi.

Steve

 

That 1840 is how much weight you can carry in the truck on top of its curb weight.

So if the truck weighs 6000#, then you load the truck with people, stuff, and hook the trailer to it, the front and rear axle weights added together should be under 7840#.

But there's also front and rear axle weight limits and the rear axle is where you are going to reach the limit fast. A white and yellow sticker in your door jam should tell you the axle gross weights.

If the pin weight of the 5th wheel is 1480 then you and all your stuff in the truck needs to weigh less than 360# or you'll exceed your payload capacity and most of that will be on the rear axle.

 

Agreed. Our lightest fiver had a pin weight of 1,100 pounds. I have seen several folks with the Ultra Lite Salem double slides and talked to a guy with a Wildcat double slide, all towing with half tons. I don't know their weights.

Steve

 

Thanks,


So I guess the best thing to do is find a scale? Never done that. Do they measure each axle independently?

 

CAT scales at truck stops measure weight on front and rear axle of truck and weight of the trailer, so you drive onto three separate pads. Very easy to do. Weigh your truck empty first set up as it would be when you are towing, i.e. full of fuel, passengers (or nearly so), etc. That way you know how much weigh your fiver adds to your truck. Truck with fiver hitched minus truck without fiver hitched gives you pin weight.

Steve

 

Cat scales are a good deal...$10 per weigh ticket is nice peace of mind. Weight can really creep up on you. Our 3/4 ton is rated for 3200 payload. I weighed the truck "empty" and found out my few wood blocks (for jacking), 5 gallon of spare fuel, aftermarket running boards, me in the truck and my fiver hitch added a lot more weight than I thought. All that only left me with 2300 lbs of payload. Add my family and fiver and we are just under the limit. Fiver only weighs 10,300 (well under my tow rating). I'd have to put my truck on a diet to tow a bigger camper.

 

It is kind of surprising how quickly the weight adds up.

Steve

 

I had watched this video, but my question: The first weigh-in, weighed the truck, not individual (front/rear) axles. Should he have had both axles weighed in separately and then do the second weigh-in like he did?


The weigh-in starts at ~2:00:

The way it was done, can you tell what the pin weight is? (I realize it's a TT), but the rear axle should still have more weight on it compared to empty.


Also, what does it cost to get weighed?


Thanks

 

Is he at 980 pounds extra on the rear axle? (pin weight)

 

Look at his ticket. He has a "steer axle" front and a "drive axle" rear weight. At least that is what I see.

Steve

 

I didn't see that on the first (truck only) ticket. It was only the total weight.

 

I'm sorry. I only scanned quickly and missed that. I have the CAT ticket for my truck and it clearly shows both steer and drive. How did he set up on the scale with his truck only I wonder.

Steve