Just a curious..

Can 2004 F150 5.4 3.73s w/ package tow trailer pulling 5th wheel camp trailer like 25-28ft with slide out eh ??

I remebered i saw old f150 pulling small 5th wheel camp trailer..

Thanks!
YOMAN!

 

I don't think Ford recomends it with the short box, but I have seen it done with a slide hitch.

 

No you do not have the right truck for that kind of a load, nor is the bed long enough to properly mount a hitch in it not even a slider. The hitch would be behind the axle not in front where it is supposed to be.

 

If you look at Ford's towing specs, a fifth wheel is not an option ONLY travel trailers. The slider hitch is only used when you go to back your unit into your spot and not for traveling, when traveling you will be over the axle, but closer to the cab, so you can't make sharp turns that's why Ford does not recomend it for that truck. Like I said I have seen them in action before with a shorter 5th wheel, but I would not recommend it. Rich

 

i must disagree. they make slider hitch for all f150 and up trucks. also they make light trailers for all makes even the ranger. they are very light and they are long.you pay more for the lighter trailer but you don't need to get a bigger truck. i love this forum but you need to go to another forum to get trailer info. like openroads forum. they have all kinds of info on the light fivers and TT. they even make a slider hitch for the four door trucks. remember you pay more for this special parts, put it can be done.

 

you could do it but i would not recomend it. a load that big is going to be way too hard on the truck. it definitly will push you around, maintaining your lane in traffic, or trying to stay on a narrow two lane highway. just because you can make it all hook together dosent mean it is safe. the salesman answer is "you should be fine" the service department answer is "that should not be done".

 

IF you can get it all hooked together, make sure you confirm the trailer weight and vehicle weight/tow ratings. "Short" trailers aren't always light. My little 26 foot 5th-wheel weighs over 10,000 lbs. Slide-outs add a lot of weight... mine has three.

 

The point that was being made is that PROPER installation of a fifth wheel hitch means mounting it several inches in front of the rear axle. Since the bed on the supercrew is so short there really isn't enough room to mount it properly. Also, most fifth wheels will be way too heavy for a 1/2 ton truck's payload. I suggest you look into travel trailers instead.

 

As a heads up.... getting a bed hitch installed in a 2004 F150 "New Body Style" can be a pain. Be sure to call ahead and make sure to let the dealer know that you need the "extra" kit.

I had a Reese GN hitch installed. I needed 3 parts kits. The special new body style underbody kit; the rails; and then the gooseneck portion.

I have an extended cab - which leaves me enough room in the 6.5 box to handle a GN. I can 90 degree it since the nose is tapered and the coupler is at the very front of the GN.

The worst part of the 2004 F150 setup is the lack of payload - even though my setup is rated for 9300 pounds for towing, I only have 7200 GVWR - with a GN, I have to estimate 20% of the trailer weight as "hitch weight". A 5200 pound trailer, with 2300 pounds of stuff (horses & tack) puts me at 7500, or 1500 pounds hitch weight. That leaves me with 360 pounds for a passenger and any gear in the truck bed. Pretty slim. Yet, with a WDH, I could go to the max 9300 pounds since hitch trailers are only rated at 10% tongue weight. go figure.

Oh, my GCWR is 15,000 - so I'm under that with my current setup (7500 + 5350 + passenger).

So - if you want to go with MORE WEIGHT, then go with a ball hitch and weight distribution hitch-type trailer. Of course, 2WD gives you greater capacity, but probably less stability, over 4x4.

 

Actually, 2wd is more stable than 4wd. 4wd is higher off the ground (higher center of gravity is less stable) and will increase wind resistance from under the truck turbulance. That's why 2wd vehicles get better MPG than 4wd.

 

I had a 2000 F150 4.6 reg cab long bed and bought a 27 ft Terry Quamtum 5th wheel with a big slideout. that had a 1260 pin weight and empty weight of 7300 and loaded it goes at around 10000 .When we pulled it home empty it wasn;'t to bad pulled it at 65mph down the interstate but when we loaded it with all the equipment it about bottomed the rear supension out I had to add 2 extra leafs in the rear suspension and that helped greatly but the truck really strained pulling this load.As long as your traveling short distances you might be alright but you will need extra leafs in the rear.Also the tranny shifted to where you would have to get off the accelerator to get it to shift into drive cause the rpms sounded like she was gooing to blow. I traded this in for a 2004 F250 V10 reg cab long bed 4x4 with the snow plow package and it has the trans temp gauge with it and now I could have bought a even bigger 5th wheel .It seems I allways do things backwards!!!!!!!!!!!!! but this truck can pull this weight and theres no struggle at all

 

Something else you may want to consider is the brakes. The F150 does not have BIG brakes so good luck stopping. Now I know this is gonna stir up a whole bunch of " Well tow a" and "I know someone who" Fine you can rationalize what ever you want. But as for me and my family I prefer safety and security when we travel not OH MY GOD WE CANNOT STOP.....

Fire Rooster

 

Without knowing the trailer weight (UVW) you have no clue whether it can be done or not. There are so many lightweight trailers made now that are specifically designed for short box 1/2 ton trucks that you can easily do this. Many of them do not require a slider hitch as they're designed to clear the cab on a SB truck.

 

It's a wonder you didn't kill someone. Overloading as bad as you did is illegal and incredibly dangerous.

 

We've got a 2000 F-150 with the 5.4L bone stock and it pulls a loaded 27ft 5th wheel pretty easy. Drove it 700 miles in one day and never had a problem doing 70mph. Just to make it a little easier we're looking at a chip and some air bags to level the towing. But your truck should be more than capable of towing that since '04s have a power boost anyways.