New to 5th Wheels

[Starvus]

I have the opportunity to purchase a 2012 Keystone Montana 3750FL and was wondering if I could use a Ford 250, 3/4 ton, to pull it with or will I be sorry for not getting a Ford dually 350, 1 ton to use? Help.

[bsmith0404]

that RV weighs almost exactly the same as my Alpine, both total and pin weight. I towed mine once with a 2500, I now own a 3500 DRW because of it.

[Quad]

I don't know what you camper pin weight or GVWR are, but my camper is 13,000lb and I pull with a 2500 Duramax. It's pulls great! It will yank the camper around all day long. It even stops good (notice I didn't say great), but when it comes to stability going down the road it lacks. Air bags helped tremendously! But still lacking. I'm currently in the process of getting mine ready to sell and buying a Dually before next spring starts. Can't miss camping season lol I'd vote for dually if you think you need it.


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[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum :wlcm:

Here is the published specs of the unit your looking at:
http://www.keystonerv.com/previous-years?brand=Montana&year=2012

It weighs 12,500 empty and has a pin weight of 2240. It's a given that those numbers are low, and do not include any batteries or propane. if it has a washer and dryer that will add too.

Will your F250 do the job? You need to take it to the scales with everything you would have in it including people, pets, gear and FULL tank(s) of fuel. once you get the weight ticket, look at the rear axle weight, subtract that from the rear axle rating on the drivers door....Less than 2240, NO BEUNO....

FWIW, most of us hauling a big heavy fifth wheel, will tell you a DRW is the only way to go.

[bsmith0404]

I don't know what you camper pin weight or GVWR are, but my camper is 13,000lb and I pull with a 2500 Duramax. It's pulls great! It will yank the camper around all day long. It even stops good (notice I didn't say great), but when it comes to stability going down the road it lacks. Air bags helped tremendously! But still lacking. I'm currently in the process of getting mine ready to sell and buying a Dually before next spring starts. Can't miss camping season lol I'd vote for dually if you think you need it.


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You're 5ers pin weight is listed at 260 lbs less than the Montana.

[Quad]

You're 5ers pin weight is listed at 260 lbs less than the Montana.


Yeah that's a big camper for a 3/4 ton. I didn't see his GVWR listed. But at a dry pin weight of 2250lbs and dry shipping weight of 12.5k. That's within dually territory IMO. His GVWR I'd say it at or around 15k-16k. My dry shipping weight was stated around 10.5k and when loaded with supplies and food and everything else the wife and kids bring, it always hovers around 12k + or - some. It doesn't take much.


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[therink]

Personally, I would not tow that heavy of a fiver with a 3/4 ton. Beautiful rig, but will have a loaded pin weight of 3000 lbs assuming you load 1500 lbs cargo, options, propane, etc in it.
With a pin weight of 3,000 you have likely exceeded the gvwr of your truck. A 1ton SRW would work, but a DRW would be the best fit for stability.

[buckeyebobhockingcamper]

my rig is 10k empty,1750 pin weight and loaded i know its there!!!i am pulling with 3/4 ton duramax and my cargo limit is 3k,a dually 1 ton would meet your needs much better,why live on the edge?

[Keywestparrothead]

Starvus - it depends on the truck. I say this because I have a 2010 3750FL and pulled it with a 2008 F350 SRW, and after multiple trips to the scales, I always found myself in the 7-8 % safety margin of maxing out the truck. I say it depends on the truck, because the new 2015s have more capacity and why I upgraded to the 2015 F450. I now have north of 40% safety margin :) So just check the numbers on the F250, if it is a 2015, and you might find that you will be surprised. If its an older model, I would recommend against it. It is night and day between the F350 I had and the new F450, both the dually and the 6.7 make a huge difference! We love our 3750FL, I hope you will too.

[danisr1]

I agree it depends on the truck. Loaded out the 5th wheel is 15,740 which puts it in the range of what a 3/4 ton can pull. Is a DWR better, sure....is it needed, depends on the specs of your particular Ford.

[GmaPaTime]

Not knowing what your full truck specs are but assuming the are the same as mine, no way you should tow that 5er with a 250. My trucks GVWR is 10,000 lbs and with the DW and I with our stuff in it is 7,500 lbs. This leaves max 2,500. As someone else often says on this forum, you may be able to pull it, but stopping it is the big question. :D

[GmaPaTime]

Forgot to add that the GCWR is 19,000 lbs. 19k - 13k trailer leaves only 6k TV. Not good.

[notanlines]

Without knowing the particulars of your F-250 you leave little to answer but no, you will be outside the envelope. I believe your trailer weighs about 13K off the line. Put in bare essentials and you're at 14K (and that literally means "Bare.") Your truck will weight about 6500 "bare," so add some fuel, mama and the critters and a suitcase and guess what? Your about 2K beyond what is safe. I have no problem with you towing right on the edge., but once you are that far out then all bets are off. You can't even leave the RV park with full tanks in the belly because that would put you another thousand or more out. Realistically you are in need of a 350, 450, 3500 or something along those lines.

[SAABDOCTOR]

HI I OWN THE SAME 5ER. I did tow with a dodge 2500 diesel manual trans and a351 rear it did a fine job of towing.Long down hill runs were tough on the brakes and long up hills required lots of down shifting. the 3500 daully was a smart upgrade enjoy the 5er we love ours.:cool: