Half ton fifth wheels

[Pete54401]

Having been in the Ford business for 40 years I have seen too many instances where people "over trailer" their truck or tow vehicle. Anyone that comes in and says they are going to pull a 5th wheel with an F-150 gets my lecture on payload capacity and safety. I very comfortably tow my 7,500 lb GVWR CONVENTIONAL trailer with an F-150. If that same trailer was a 5th wheel I would never do it. Most people never consider all the added weight that also goes in their tow vehicle when calculating total payload. I often shake my head when I see a half-ton truck pulling a 5th wheel. That being said, there are trailers out there that, even at their GVWR will fall in within the rated payload capacity of the truck but one also needs to make sure that all the other essentials are there too.. engine, transmission, tranny cooler, electrical, axle ratio, etc.

I have found over the years these to be true... most camper salespeople will tell you that whatever truck you tell them you have, or are looking to purchase, that it will do just fine pulling the camper you are looking at; that most truck salespeople are not well versed in guiding a customer to the correct truck; and that most customers want the cheap way out rather than doing it right and spending more money.

Do yourself a favor and find a truck salesperson with lots of experience and ideally one who pulls campers too.

[FBO Cookie Monster]

Looking at the 25srl for my hdpp, but am curious. (I also started a thread with same question). Anyone have clearance issues with the trailer and truck? The bottom of the fifth is about an inch from the top rail of the bed.



BTW, the trailer has an empty weight of 7000lbs per sticker on side, and dry pin weight of less than 1400lbs vs a payload on truck of 2500 lbs and tow capacity of 11,400 before anyone starts busting out the weight police badge. My plan if I went with this trailer was to replace pin box with a goose box, and use a flip ball in bed of truck, saving me the weight of the hitch too.

[Harleydodge]

Originally Posted by FBO Cookie Monster

Looking at the 25srl for my hdpp, but am curious. (I also started a thread with same question). Anyone have clearance issues with the trailer and truck? The bottom of the fifth is about an inch from the top rail of the bed.



BTW, the trailer has an empty weight of 7000lbs per sticker on side, and dry pin weight of less than 1400lbs vs a payload on truck of 2500 lbs and tow capacity of 11,400 before anyone starts busting out the weight police badge. My plan if I went with this trailer was to replace pin box with a goose box, and use a flip ball in bed of truck, saving me the weight of the hitch too.

IMO an inch is way too close. I've touched mine going over a "hump" with 5 inches.
When you switch it to a gooseneck, I would adjust it accordingly.

[FBO Cookie Monster]

Originally Posted by Harleydodge

IMO an inch is way too close. I've touched mine going over a "hump" with 5 inches.
When you switch it to a gooseneck, I would adjust it accordingly.

I am worried that it will tilt the coach back, overloading the rear axle if I do that.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by FBO Cookie Monster

I am worried that it will tilt the coach back, overloading the rear axle if I do that.

That's what the equalizer between the axles is for. A "slight" (not 18" nose high) attitude will be compensated for by the equalizer. As long as you're only 2 or 3 inches "nose high/nose low" you should not have any issues with axle overloading. Ideally, we all "want perfection" in how we tow, but realistically, unless you're going to buy a new hitch, maybe a new truck, compromise on features (4x2 vs 4x4, etc) it may be impossible to find a "truck that'll tow any trailer with a specific hitch and maintain everything "level and Purdy"......

[GHen]

I need 6” space, I have come within one inch many, many times. With 1”, I can’t imagine you won’t touch even coming out of some parking lots.

[notanlines]

FBO, I'll ask again, how do you know you only have an inch clearance? I tried bringing this up on your other thread, with no answer.

[FBO Cookie Monster]

Originally Posted by notanlines

FBO, I'll ask again, how do you know you only have an inch clearance? I tried bringing this up on your other thread, with no answer.

I know now that there is more. The truck must have been in a depression on one side while I measured the other, but now after doing it again, new data. It s just over 56” to the top of the bed rail. The different fivers I’ve looked at seem to be about 60 to 61” to the bottom of the deck. There is 4 to 5” there. Add in a couple inches for sag, and should have 6” or more, so all good. Would like more of course....

[jsmith948]

There seem to be a misunderstanding...the distance from the king pin to the ground has nothing to do with the clearance between the chin of the fifth wheel and the bed rails of the truck. That clearance is predicated on the height of the fifth wheel hitch and the distance from the king pin to the underside of the chin. These measurements are adjustable.

There ARE differences in chin to ground measurements among the different brands/models of fifth wheel trailers, but that is more to do with drop framed larger trailers versus straight framed mid profiled trailers (think bedroom ceiling height).

Whatever the height of the kingpin while the trailer rests on its landing legs, the kingpin will have to raised or lowered as needed when hitching. IMO, it is very difficult to try and determine how much clearance you will have between the trailer and the bed rails without having first connected the trailer to the truck.

[FBO Cookie Monster]

Originally Posted by jsmith948

There seem to be a misunderstanding...the distance from the king pin to the ground has nothing to do with the clearance between the chin of the fifth wheel and the bed rails of the truck. That clearance is predicated on the height of the fifth wheel hitch and the distance from the king pin to the underside of the chin. These measurements are adjustable.

There ARE differences in chin to ground measurements among the different brands/models of fifth wheel trailers, but that is more to do with drop framed larger trailers versus straight framed mid profiled trailers (think bedroom ceiling height).

Whatever the height of the kingpin while the trailer rests on its landing legs, the kingpin will have to raised or lowered as needed when hitching. IMO, it is very difficult to try and determine how much clearance you will have between the trailer and the bed rails without having first connected the trailer to the truck.

Yeah, I never even measured the pin height. I was just concerned about towing the trailer moderately level, and with the trailer in a level stance, how high the chin would be over the bed rails, assuming it was rigged so that everything was level.