Towing 5th wheel with
Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,517
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From: Home Base Nebraska
As in tounge weight versis 5th wheel pin weight.......
Bill06FX4
The trailer I would like to pull behind the 5th is a utility trailer that holds my 3 ATVs or one Polaris ranger and 2 Polaris 90cc sportsmans...
Ive found a 93 24ft 5th wheel that's selling for 7 grand and is in like new condition.
Bill06FX4
The trailer I would like to pull behind the 5th is a utility trailer that holds my 3 ATVs or one Polaris ranger and 2 Polaris 90cc sportsmans...
Ive found a 93 24ft 5th wheel that's selling for 7 grand and is in like new condition.
Will the trailer frame be strong enough to support the second trailers hitch weight and gross pulling weight.
Are the truck and 5ver brakes up to the the extra weight with the second trailer.
I know from experience that the truck and front trailer can have very little sway to keep the second trailer from wiping. Can the suspension on your truck handle the sway.
With only a 24ft trailer I'm sure that truck can handle the pin weight but will the second trailers hitch weight remove to much pin weight and causing the 5ver to become unstable.
Denny
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 140
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From: Dent,Mn
2nd trailer would be around 2700lbs(giving it about 500 more then I think) total weight with ATV'S or Harleys on it so Iam guessing tounge weight would be around 500 I think,the 5th does have a hitch on it,they pulled a 16ft fishing boat behind it...
Dumb ? but does a 5th have a rear tounge weight rating like a p/u,guess Ive never looked into that before due to the fact the ones Ive looked at have hitches on the back already.
Dumb ? but does a 5th have a rear tounge weight rating like a p/u,guess Ive never looked into that before due to the fact the ones Ive looked at have hitches on the back already.
Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,517
Likes: 917
From: Home Base Nebraska
2nd trailer would be around 2700lbs(giving it about 500 more then I think) total weight with ATV'S or Harleys on it so Iam guessing tounge weight would be around 500 I think,the 5th does have a hitch on it,they pulled a 16ft fishing boat behind it...
Dumb ? but does a 5th have a rear tounge weight rating like a p/u,guess Ive never looked into that before due to the fact the ones Ive looked at have hitches on the back already.
Dumb ? but does a 5th have a rear tounge weight rating like a p/u,guess Ive never looked into that before due to the fact the ones Ive looked at have hitches on the back already.
Denny
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 140
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From: Dent,Mn
Thats were Iam most worried..The rear end is 3.55 and I know the 3.74 would be better so I guess when it comes down to it the rearend should be my 1st concern then go from there or just get into a F250 and not worry about it........
My F150 should do just fine with the 24ft 5th but I will keep from towing a 2nd till I get a F250.......
Better safe then sorry...
Thanks for all the help guys.....
My F150 should do just fine with the 24ft 5th but I will keep from towing a 2nd till I get a F250.......
Better safe then sorry...
Thanks for all the help guys.....
Elder User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 546
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From: Rialto, Ca.
Now that's better thinking. Good luck on your search.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 60
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From: London
5th Wheel
i have a 08 150 5.4 373gears and am going to tow 30' fiver 1600lb pin weight and wieghs 8500lbs empty. My dealer said i will have no problems justput E rated tires and air bags. Ford are being conservative with their limitations. if you think about it they make the most money on 3/4 tons and 1 tons so are going to push them more. Same motor and tranny
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 37,379
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From: Frederick, MD
F150 will do the job, over the life time of towing 8500 lbs it will wear on the 150 more. You will also notice that the 150 will get pushed around more that a 250 would. But it will do the job.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,496
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From: Simpsonville, KY
It is not the same tranny, and the largest F150 engine is the SMALLEST F250+ engine. So they are not exactly the same. I tow 7500lbs with my 02 F150 and yes, it does it, and does it reasonably well, but you really should get larger. Its a lot safer, a lot more comfortable, etc.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 124
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From: Woodlawn, TN
I have an 08 F250, 5.4, 3.73 and tow a 26 ft fifth wheel with an empty weight of 7800lbs and according to all Ford towing literature I'm close to limittations. So either I am paranoid or this is a really bad idea.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 3
From: Simpsonville, KY
You won't do it with any speed records, but you'll do it. 
The limiting factor in your case is the relatively weak 5.4L V8. Everything else can pull the moon. The brakes, suspension, and frame will pull double that weight. So I wouldn't worry too much The F150 in the same position would also be near its tow capacity... except it WOULDN'T have twice the brake ability, twice the suspension, and twice the frame... ALL its specs would be maxed out. Not as good of an idea.
The limiting factor in your case is the relatively weak 5.4L V8. Everything else can pull the moon. The brakes, suspension, and frame will pull double that weight. So I wouldn't worry too much The F150 in the same position would also be near its tow capacity... except it WOULDN'T have twice the brake ability, twice the suspension, and twice the frame... ALL its specs would be maxed out. Not as good of an idea.
Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 94
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
i have a 08 150 5.4 373gears and am going to tow 30' fiver 1600lb pin weight and wieghs 8500lbs empty. My dealer said i will have no problems justput E rated tires and air bags. Ford are being conservative with their limitations. if you think about it they make the most money on 3/4 tons and 1 tons so are going to push them more. Same motor and tranny
First there are a few terms and concepts to get familiar with….
GVWR – That’s the most weight your loaded truck can weigh and stay within manufacturers limits (the total weight resting on all four or six tires). This is important when selecting a fifth wheel because you actually “carry” part of the trailer rather than just “pull” it.
GCWR - That’s the most weight you can have with the truck and trailer combined but remember, staying under the combined limit and over on the GVWR isn’t good.
GAWR – Is the axle weight rating which is always higher than the combined component rating of the truck (GVWR). Don’t get sucked into using this rating alone just because it allows you more weight capacity. You have to consider all the components on the truck including the weakest link which probably isn’t the axle!
Base or “Curb” weight – My personal favorites! Most brochures advertise “Best in class” type weight ratings and tout huge trailer weights but if you read the fine print you will see what it takes to achieve those weights… a stripped down base truck, smallest engine, std transmission and no options, not even a bumper hitch, mirrors or floor mats.
Weigh the truck – It all starts here. Without the REAL weight of the fueled truck, you are only guessing at the outcome of your capacities. If guessing suites you, read no farther because the rest of this will be boring. If you haven’t bought the truck yet don’t worry, take one for a “test drive”… straight over to a set of scales and weigh it. I did it and so can you.
Pin Weight capacity formula – Add the fueled truck + passengers + hitch + anything else you plan on sitting on or in the truck including that auxiliary fuel tank you just installed, it adds weight too. Subtract that total from the trucks GVWR and you will see what you can handle in the way of kingpin weight.
ffice" /><O
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></O>Let’s run through an example…
Our dream fiver has a “dry” weight of 12,500 lbs with a pin weight of 2,400 lbs.
Our hypothetical brand X truck has a GVWR of 9000 lbs; it weighs 6,000 with a full tank of fuel. Working back from 9,000 lbs lets subtract our “stuff” and see what kind of weight capacity we’re left with.
9000 – GVWR of truck
-6000 – truck with fuel
- 150 – fifth wheel hitch
- 50 – spray in bed liner
- 60 – nerf bars
- 130 – driver, Susie
- 210 – husband, Fred
- 110 – daughter, Sarah
- 140 – son, Michael
- 60 – pit bull, fluffy
That leaves a grand total of 2,090 pounds for additional capacity of which all or part can be allocated for the pin weight. Wow… that’s not much of a pin weight, what happened to that 15,000 pound towing figure I read someplace in a brochure? Oh, yeah, that was based on the stripped down “base” model wasn’t it? Sort of trick advertising isn’t it?
So it looks like we can’t tow that sharp trailer we had our eyes on because the pin weight is well over 2090 lbs, darn. Not only is it over when the trailer is “Dry” but you can bank on the fact that the pin weight will grow with every can of corn you place in the pantry.
A wise person on the RV forum (I cannot remember the name) once posted a formula for determining the maximum trailer weight. Most loaded fivers average 20% pin weight so if you multiply the GVWR of the trailer by 20% you will have the heaviest weight the pin will likely ever be. Select a truck that can support that weight and you’ll never worry about pin weight again.
What can we do, what are our options? Well, four options jump right out;
1. Choose a lighter trailer with a lighter pin weight.
2. Choose a truck with a higher GVWR.
3. Leave the kids and fluffy home, there’s a savings of 310 pounds right there!
4. Ignore the numbers because your buddy has a similar truck and “it pulls just fine”.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: London
Yes it is near the max but I am told it is fine ,by the Ford Dealer and RV dealer. the 09 ford 150 has a payload of 1750lbs if you look at the specs for 3/4 tons from 99-2000 the new 150 do just as much as they did back then