I've been lurking here for weeks, we've been looking at RV's for several months now, the one we really like is a 41', 12,746 UVW with a 2256 lb. hitch weight. ​​​I'm also in the process of upgrading my truck and since it will be a daily driver, wanted to avoid a DRW. I've found an F350 SRW with a cargo capacity of 3365 lbs. My question...although I would come in under the CC, including passengers and fuel, would the SRW be sufficient for this or do we need to consider a smaller 5th wheel? Thanks...

 

What is the GVW of the trailer? That will be the number to go by. Then figure 20% of that number for the king pin wt, which will go against your cargo (payload) amount.

What trailer is it?

 

It's a Sandpiper 38FKOK, GVWR is 15500 but I doubt we would ever get close to that #. Is 20% the accepted standard? I've seen as low as 15% used. Thanks for the input, we're just trying to make sure we match up our towing vehicle to a trailer.

 

 

You need to have at least 3100 lbs of payload avail

 

Thanks guys.

 

The 20% rule is a guesstimate and not 100% what to expect. The only way to know is to weigh the RV. That said, a 2011+ SRW 350 is MORE than enough truck for the proposed RV. What year truck are you after?

 

It's a 2018 Lariat.

 

Yep, plenty of room there then. I regularly tow a 44.5' toy hauler with my SRW 350. I can push it a hair over my truck's GVWR depending on loading but usually it's under.

 

The Payload (and GVWR) ratings are wet weights (they include a full tank of fuel). Of the 250 pound reduction in payload of the long bed compared to the short bed is the weight of 14 gallons of fuel (Diesel Fuel is right at 7 pounds per gallon, gasoline is less).

 

Took my truck with and without trailer to the scales. Truck was loaded with normal trip stuff and full tank of fuel. My 2nd trip, trailer was loaded with normal trip stuff. My pin weight was just a hair over 22% of loaded trailer weight.

 

Other people's pin weights are really anecdotal and have nothing to do with what any particular rig will be. The only way they will ever even be close is if they are the identical floorplan. For example, my rig's pin with the garage empty is only 15.7% and drops to only 12.9% with the garage moderately full. It's actually more about axle placement and less about loading. I searched out and found a rig with a lighter pin just to stay near SRW ratings as I didn't want to daily drive a DRW.

 

It looks like you'll be inside the limits, but that's definitely all the trailer you're going to want behind a SRW. My trailer is 37' with typical road weights of 13,800/2750. It's stable and comfortable, but I don't think I'd want much more without going dually. I think you're going to find your actual loaded pin to be in the 2700 range as well.

 

15% never happens. 15% is about the minimum required to safely tow a 5th wheel....but remember, most 5th wheel cargo sits in front of the axles, so it will be closer to that empty, then full. Its usually 20% PLUS! The "the trailer will never be at GVWR" is a pipe dream. Plan for it to be at GVWR with a full tank of water.

Remember @Karl4Cat, you have a triple axle toy hauler, and your experience is not going to be typical for a NON toy hauler double axle 5th wheel.

@ 15500lbs GVWR i would plan on 3200lbs of pin weight. Then add your 150 lb hitch. = 3350lbs Then add the wife, the dog, the kids. you very quickly realize that 3300lb of cargo capacity is ..marginal.

Our XLT Premium has 3650lbs of cargo capacity, so a little lighter then a Lariat or nicer. To be flat out honest, I am over the truck GVWR every time we go to the scales with a 16200lb GVWR trailer. Under both axle ratings, but over the trucks 11500lb GVWR - usually right at 11700lbs. You need to decide if that is important to you.

I know I am gonna get slammed for this, but this is why I like the newer SRW RAMs....11700GVWR or better , more like 3800-3900lbs of CCC.....it makes a difference.

 

Never being at GVWR is more common than not unless you full time which I don't see the op saying he was planning to do.

s for me being a 3 axle toy hauler, most are much heavier on the pin than a non toy hauler double axle to offset potential garage weight once loaded and yet mine is lighter. So, like I said, arm chair engineering is nothing more than guessing compared to real world scale results. Is the 20% rule more commonly correct than finding a trailer with a light pin like mine? Sure. Can you find a trailer with a much lighter pin than the 20% average if you put in the research time? Sure.