I am looking into buying a 5th wheel camping trailer. I start out looking @ 25-30 ft`ers, then 31-33 ft`ers. Now theres a 36` that I could get a good deal on from a private party. He said he hauled it with a Dodge 1 ton dully. My truck---2004/ F250/6.0. Any experianced 5th wheelers, that can give some advise? Im listening..................

 

Not experienced with fifth wheel campers but 30 years in trucking, 14 running a couple mantenance shops for big trucking companies, and 25 years towing campers/horse trailers/car trailers/utility trailers and whatever else had a bumper hitch on it.

Some information about your truck would help - long bed/short bed, crew cab/extended cab/single cab, tool boxes and accessories, 4x4 or 4x2, etc.

Your problem will be GVWR and rear axle weight. The F250 has an 8800 lb GVWR, my 95 has a rear GAWR of just over 6000 lbs. My truck, a two wheel drive, weighs 6,680 lbs full of fuel and me (285#) in the cab. I have a custom rear bumper/pintle hook/reciever hitch that weighs in the neighborhood of 350 lbs more than a stock step bumper and frame mount hitch. Your truck ready for the road will probably weigh from 7000 - 7800 lbs, add 150 lbs for a hitch and the weight of folks and gear and it will leave you a lot less available GVWR than you will need for the pin weight of a large fiver. Guessing the weight of the trailer at 12,000 lbs (probably about average or maybe a little low for a loaded for the road 36' trailer) your pin weight will probably be in the neighborhood of 2200 -2500 lbs putting you very near a couple thousand lbs over the GVWR of your F250 if you take a couple folks or family members along.

Do you know the unloaded weight and GVWR of the fifth wheel? Also, do you have scale weights for your truck? If you can provide some more information I am sure folks will jump in and state their opinions.

Dave / Believer45

 

Dave thanks for your reply. My truck is a 4x4 C/C Short Bed. The GVWR of the 5th wheel I beleive is around 14,000. I really think its too much for my truck. I will be looking at the 30 ft`ers.

 

I have seen F250 pull trailers of that size, but I would not.

My truck (02 F-250, CC, SWB, PSD, 2WD) was 7200 lbs with a full tank of fuel and me (225 lbs).

I weighed my truck, with golf cart in the back (~1000 lbs) and TT (30 ft) hitch weight was ~1000 lbs and it was 9260 lbs. OVER WEIGHT.

I believe the pin weight will be ~2800 lbs (20%) with that trailer. You will be overweight on your GVW (8800 lbs) and CGVW (20,000 lbs).

I would look at a smaller trailer if I were you..

 

Hi muffdr: I pull a 30 ft. Jayco Eagle single slide, with my 04/250 cc 6.0 short bed, 2wd. 6pd. with camper pkg. The pin weight is approx 1600 lbs empty. Loaded the trailer is 10,000 to 10,500 lbs. With this rig the helper springs dont touch. On the road it tows great, its very stable. On a long trip this spring (3200 miles) I was getting 11.5mpg at 65 to 75 mph. An added bonus of the 6.0 is passing Duramax's towing 5th wheels and minivans with popups going up hill.
Do you have a sliding 5th wheel hitch? If not you should consider one, as it makes manuvering much easier in tight spots, and can help save the back window.

 

X GM GUY : I do not have any kind of hitch just yet. I have been told by others to look into a slider just as you say for manuvering in tight spots.
By the way, I am looking into a 96 Jayco I think he said Designer Series. Im going to look at it Sun.
Thanks for the replies so far to all.

 

muffdr:
Check out the following site:
http://www.woodalls.com/forums/index.cfm
Alot of information about 5th wheels here and etc

I am pulling a Wildcat 27RL 5th Wheel with my 2004 F-350
later
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