There is some opinion out there that a 1/2 ton pickup is not suited for towing a 5th wheel trailor. I researched the topic a little and with the dealer's help
bought the new 2004 Ford F150 (new style body) 4x4, extended cab, 5.4L equipted with factory installed towing package. 17" tires We have a 27.11 ft 5th wheel
ultralite Terry. dry weight of 5000lbs and tongue weight of 1065 lbs. I'm of the opinion that this pickup fits the bill. What is your opinion? your opinion
is appreciated.
Thanks
The Les man

 

The GCWR in your owner's manual should tell you all you need to know - if the weight of your trailer ready-to-tow (NOT dry) and tow vehicle with passengers is at or exceeds this rating, you're asking for trouble. The only way to know if you'll be safe is to get everything weighed. The GCWR on my '04 Explorer is 11600, but I never go over 80% of that so I have a safety margin. Good luck!

Steve

 

What does the trailer weigh fully loaded? That's what you need to base your decision on. Most fifth wheel trailers are too heavy for 1/2 ton pickups which is why it is so rare to see a 1/2 ton towing one. The only possible issue other than weight I see is bed rail clearance. The new F150 has higher bed rails than the previous design.

 

You *can* tow a fifth wheel with a half ton, as long as the truck is adequately equipped (tranny cooler, brake controller, etc.), and as long as the fifth wheel isn't all that heavy. 5,000 pounds is at the top end of the range for a half ton, though.

I'd say you can do it, and do it safely, but if it were me, I'd use it as an excuse to buy a PSD.

 

I am not sure where everyone is coming from. I agree you should make sure you are not exceeding your gcvw rating but the new 150's with the 4.1 rearends area rated to tow 9200lbs. Surely a 7000lb 5ver would be under that total, would it not?

Different question (maybe a dumb one). Does the tow rating for a vehicle differ pulling a trailer differ versus a 5th wheel?

thanks

 

rerion, the GCWR (tow rating) is only one piece of the puzzle. The vehicle also has to stay within the GVWR (payload). Since a fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch puts about twice as much weight on the truck you can tow much less than a regular trailer if you have a smaller payload like that in the F150. A 7K lb fifth wheel will put A MINIMUM of 1400 lbs on the truck. Keep in mind the other things that add up towards the GVWR, fuel, passengers, accessories, cab configuration, etc. There are a lot of F250 and F350 SRW trucks on the road towing fifth wheels that are overloaded for this same reason.

 

les paul, knew you had to be a guy with calloused fingertips...

The Ultralight series and similar brands are designed specificaly with the smaller tow vehicles in mind. Aren't they a bit narrower to conserve weight? I think like 7'-7" vs 8'-0"?

I think your axle ratio will be a big determining factor in your 'coeficient of towing pleasure'.

Just curious, but what were your considerations in selecting a light duty truck over a Super Duty for such a relatively large trailer? Was it style, economy, comfort or what? Not critisizing your choice. But we havn't had very many new '04 F150 owner's visit this forum and I'm just interested in what people like about it.

Welcome to FTE and thanks for joining us in the Towing forum!

 

I have a f150 5.4 pulling a 5000lb. fifth wheel. The only concern i have heard about is the 17"tires. not recommended by r.v. dealer as they rob you of a lot of power.

 

What matters is the gear ratio, not the tire size. If it comes with 17" wheels and has 4.10 gears there is no concern. If you put much larger tires on it then the effective gear ratio is changed and effects your towing ability.

 

The Ford dealer and the Rv dealer in my area have agreed on one thing that is the new F150 and the Ultralite trailer are compatable. I had a discussion
with a Ford F150 owner who is towing a 5th wheel heaver than mine and
he tells me I'll have no trouble, he;s a happy camper with his buy. We agreed
the 5.4 L triton is the answered he had a 4.5 L and he said it worked to tow.
The new one is just peachy. There are different opinions out there and i'll just
have to put mine to the test. I will be having mine weighed when outfited
to make sure I dont' exceed the safety factors.
I liked the rugged look, the roomy cab, the ride, you get the drift. Look's built tough, now i'm sounding like a commerical. Thanks for all the reply's
they have been helpful,
Les Paul

 

Thanks for your personal insight on the new '04 F150!

Please be sure and give us an 'after report' on your new rig after your first shake-down cruise. Share your tips, tricks and experiences too!