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Old 04-29-2022, 08:19 AM   #61
travelin texans
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Originally Posted by Badbart56 View Post
Long story short, if you need an F-250, just get an F-350. Basically the same truck with a better payload, same ride. There. I have done my good deed for the day!
Or any other brand of 1 ton SRW!
Surprisingly the other brands are just as capable!
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Old 04-29-2022, 10:24 AM   #62
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Dominic, I'll shoot straight with you. You have been misinformed and taken advantage of by the dealer. The limitations with the weight ratings are just that, a limiting factor that really is a "do not exceed". That doesn't mean you get to choose which number is relevant. Exceed one of those numbers stop and do not proceed, period. There are no "if then" statements, i.e., nowhere does it imply that IF you don't exceed "A" THEN it's ok to exceed "B" or "C".

Here's how I explain PAYLOAD vs TOWING CAPACITY.:

TOWING CAPACITY - go to a garden center and get a wagon or flat cart. Place about 250 or 300 lbs of say sand or cement mix on the wagon. Now you likely can pull it around, make a turn, and stop it if you don't go to fast. You can probably pull that wagon a very long distance before you become fatigued. If you have good upper body strength you may get a "false sense" of confidence that would quickly diminish if start running and try to turn a corner.

PAYLOAD - take that wagon above and transfer the load over to a wheelbarrow. Now you must SUPPORT a large portion of that weight not only while pulling it but also to control the direction of travel. I will guarantee you that you'll immediately experience the difference.

AXLE WEIGHTS - let's say the max axle weight of the wheelbarrow is 800 lbs and the wagon is 1,500 lbs. I seriously doubt that you'll get anywhere near those numbers before exceeding the PAYLOAD OR TOWING CAPACITY.

PAYLOAD is the straw the breaks the camel's (truck) back. That's the first number that gets busted first the majority of the time. It's also the "snake in the grass" that will bite you. By that I mean you can all the power to pull, make suspention modifications to compensate for lack of a sufficiant suspention and slide into a false sense of security. Then one day you step on that snake and it turns bad and you're out of control in a heartbeat.

Folks are giving you this advice for 2 basic reasons. First, a concern for your safety and everyone else who you share the road with. Secondly, the majority of use have been in you're shoes in the past. Consider these 2 points while realizing that none of us have anything to gain monitarily from this. No one here is asking you to buy anything from anyone. The folks that told you that your truck could be used to pull a 5 th wheel flat out lied to you to make a sale. IMHO that's despicable.

Good luck with your decisions and travel safe.
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Old 04-29-2022, 01:59 PM   #63
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Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
Dominic, I'll shoot straight with you. You have been misinformed and taken advantage of by the dealer. The limitations with the weight ratings are just that, a limiting factor that really is a "do not exceed". That doesn't mean you get to choose which number is relevant. Exceed one of those numbers stop and do not proceed, period. There are no "if then" statements, i.e., nowhere does it imply that IF you don't exceed "A" THEN it's ok to exceed "B" or "C".

Here's how I explain PAYLOAD vs TOWING CAPACITY.:

TOWING CAPACITY - go to a garden center and get a wagon or flat cart. Place about 250 or 300 lbs of say sand or cement mix on the wagon. Now you likely can pull it around, make a turn, and stop it if you don't go to fast. You can probably pull that wagon a very long distance before you become fatigued. If you have good upper body strength you may get a "false sense" of confidence that would quickly diminish if start running and try to turn a corner.

PAYLOAD - take that wagon above and transfer the load over to a wheelbarrow. Now you must SUPPORT a large portion of that weight not only while pulling it but also to control the direction of travel. I will guarantee you that you'll immediately experience the difference.

AXLE WEIGHTS - let's say the max axle weight of the wheelbarrow is 800 lbs and the wagon is 1,500 lbs. I seriously doubt that you'll get anywhere near those numbers before exceeding the PAYLOAD OR TOWING CAPACITY.

PAYLOAD is the straw the breaks the camel's (truck) back. That's the first number that gets busted first the majority of the time. It's also the "snake in the grass" that will bite you. By that I mean you can all the power to pull, make suspention modifications to compensate for lack of a sufficiant suspention and slide into a false sense of security. Then one day you step on that snake and it turns bad and you're out of control in a heartbeat.

Folks are giving you this advice for 2 basic reasons. First, a concern for your safety and everyone else who you share the road with. Secondly, the majority of use have been in you're shoes in the past. Consider these 2 points while realizing that none of us have anything to gain monitarily from this. No one here is asking you to buy anything from anyone. The folks that told you that your truck could be used to pull a 5 th wheel flat out lied to you to make a sale. IMHO that's despicable.

Good luck with your decisions and travel safe.
Great analogy Marshall! Sums those numbers perfectly!
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Old 04-30-2022, 05:49 AM   #64
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Good Morning! Because of you all. We took your sage advice and bought a 2020 F350 4x4 6.7 Power Stroke. This forum is invaluable for helping me, my family and those around me be safe. And that is the most important lesson I got from this. Safety first. I can't thank you enough for helping us in making the right decision.
Any advice on what Fifth Wheel you like for the back of the 6.75 bed factory prep'd.
Our dealer is recommending a Pullrite. I know nothing about these. So, what do your recommend for my Keystone 29RLI hitched to our F350. Thank you. Thank you.!!! You are my brothers. Semper Fortis!
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Old 04-30-2022, 06:39 AM   #65
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Originally Posted by DominickP53 View Post
Good Morning! Because of you all. We took your sage advice and bought a 2020 F350 4x4 6.7 Power Stroke. This forum is invaluable for helping me, my family and those around me be safe. And that is the most important lesson I got from this. Safety first. I can't thank you enough for helping us in making the right decision.
Any advice on what Fifth Wheel you like for the back of the 6.75 bed factory prep'd.
Our dealer is recommending a Pullrite. I know nothing about these. So, what do your recommend for my Keystone 29RLI hitched to our F350. Thank you. Thank you.!!! You are my brothers. Semper Fortis!
Now you are in for some suggestions! Everyone who has a 5th wheel hitch in their bed will tell you the one they use is the world's best! I say use an Andersen Ultimate because that is what I use... hehehe
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Old 04-30-2022, 06:54 AM   #66
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Now you are in for some suggestions! Everyone who has a 5th wheel hitch in their bed will tell you the one they use is the world's best! I say use an Andersen Ultimate because that is what I use... hehehe
Yep, most will very likely recommend the hitch they are using.
I am sure quite a few members have used several brands over the years though, so they have a better chance of being more objective.

We just bought our first 5th wheel this year. I did a lot of research and found there are several top rated hitches, so a lot of the time it just comes down to personal preference.

I ended up going with the B&W Companion hitch.
B&W (and others) make hitches for the factory puck system in your truck.

So far, I really like ours. But then again, I don't have any experience with others to compare too.

What I did was use "You Tube" a lot, just to get a bunch of different reviews and videos of the top hitches.
They all seem to have pros and cons, so what works best for one user, the next user might like something different.
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Old 04-30-2022, 07:06 AM   #67
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I've used a Husky, Reese & B&W, all worked well but as far as ease of hooking up & unhooking at any angle as well as customer service the B&W was the best!
When/if I get my next 5er I intend to try the Reese Goosebox, nothing in the bed but the ball when unhooked.
As for your dealer's hitch recommendation, what did they tell you about your F150s ability to tow your rv? Yep! Apparently they sell Reese hitches also! Do your own research, don't take a salespersons, word especially if that's what their selling.
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Old 04-30-2022, 09:25 AM   #68
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There are three "basic types" of fifth wheel hitches.

1. The "goosebox/ball/gooseneck" type. Only the Reese Goosebox is approved by Keystone/Lippert. Using any other will void your chassis warranty. That's a "3 year risk" to void....

2. The conventional fifth wheel hitch with a sliding bar. Several manufacturers make this type of hitch. It has a flat sliding bar that "locks the pin" in the hitch. It's a basic hitch, and prone to chucking (banging as the pin slides in the hitch when starting/stopping)...

3. The conventional fifth wheel hitch with interlocking jaw type "fingers" that wrap around the pin to lock it in place. This type hitch reduces chucking significantly, but there may still be some chucking in some situations.

Then there are several "features" that can enhance the hitch, based on personal preferences, wallet and brand loyalty.

Some of those "features" include manual sliding rails or automatic sliding rails to move the hitch back so there's more space between the fifth wheel nose and the truck cab. There are some hitches with air bladders to cushion the chucking, there are various types of "signaling devices" to warn the owner of hitch problems (overhitch condition, unlocked bar/fingers, etc) And there are a variety of methods to "articulate the hitch head" which can make it easier to hitch/unhitch at an angle (side to side as well as fore/aft).

All of those "added cost features" can make a $500 hitch suddenly cost $2500. To some buyers, that extra $2000 (or a part of it) is a sound investment while to other buyers, anything that costs more than the "basic hitch" is money wasted.... So, it's really up to you whether you want a "basic hitch" or a "all inclusive luxury hitch"....

It's sort of like buying a Ford or a Lincoln or a Chevrolet vs Cadillac or something between the two extremes. It becomes a matter of "how much bling can you afford vs how much function do you want/need."

There's a "new hitch on the market" that I've read about but have not yet seen, either in a store or in use on a truck. It's the CURT CrossWing 5th Wheel hitch. Since CURT is now owned by Lippert, I'd suspect that it is an approved hitch for the Lippert chassis, but that is not documented on the CURT website (that I could find). This hitch appears to be a "non ball gooseneck adaption" that eliminates some of the stress caused by the "gooseneck type hitch".... For me, the jury is still out on this one, but it's a new type hitch you might be interested in... https://www.curtmfg.com/part/16600
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Old 04-30-2022, 10:28 AM   #69
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I'm moving more towards the FW automatic slider. It seems to be the simplest system. Don't have to get out of the truck when needing to make the 90degree turn. Pullrite and Demco appear to be leaders in reviews. Any thoughts on the automatic sliders by either of these two companies or any others? Thanks
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Old 04-30-2022, 11:33 AM   #70
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I didn't see if you said you got the OE goose ball/puck system on the truck. If so I would look very hard at the Reese Goosebox. I use an Andersen and love it but I bought it inside the window where my warranty would cover it. Since your trailer is new it would void the frame warranty.

The goosebox has a LOT of advantages over a normal, extremely heavy slider hitch. Top thing to me is weight. Much more difficult to remove from the bed; some folks even use hoists which I have no intention of doing. Loss of payload say 2-300 lbs. Even though you bought a 350 (GREAT choice) payload can still be a concern if it's SRW which I am assuming. The other is just pure simplicity; ball is in the bed, goosebox is on trailer - drop the goosebox on the ball and latch it! Simple as that - removal is the reverse....TOO easy vs trying to drag a huge anvil in and out of the bed of the truck.
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Old 04-30-2022, 12:41 PM   #71
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Danny, Thank you for your input. I believe the 29RLI has a King Pin that connects to a FW Hitch. Do you switch out the KP for a receiver for the Gooseneck? Also, how do you deal with backing up and risking the notorious jack-knife and banging the front end of the RV into your truck? Are the backing up issues/90degree turns something you have mastered?
I appreciate where you are coming from with the lighter weight and simple drop and roll. Oh, and less expense. My biggest concern is backing into those small spaces and the stress that can sometimes result. Oh, and yes. The F350 is a SRW. Thank you for your additional thoughts in advance.
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Old 04-30-2022, 12:43 PM   #72
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Sorry, forgot to mention. The bed has an OE puck system I believe. It only has the holes drilled in it.
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Old 04-30-2022, 01:04 PM   #73
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Dom, Demco 21K owner here. About 8 years. It works flawlessly, as advertised. Weight coming off the delivery truck? 330 pounds plus crate. Lifting limit on Uncle Jim's 74 year old back? 100 pounds unless I'm hauling away free beer....
This last visit we stayed in Florida 18 months at one stretch. I had the bright idea to leave the hitch attached to the RV so I would have a clean bed. How many times did I use the clean bed? None....How long did it take me to unwrap the hitch and get it lined up and installed back where it should have stayed anyway? One hour 15 minutes. Bad, bad idea.
If I had it to do over (I do not) I would go with the Reese Goosebox or a very similar system from the get go.
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Old 04-30-2022, 01:33 PM   #74
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Danny, Thank you for your input. I believe the 29RLI has a King Pin that connects to a FW Hitch. Do you switch out the KP for a receiver for the Gooseneck? Also, how do you deal with backing up and risking the notorious jack-knife and banging the front end of the RV into your truck? Are the backing up issues/90degree turns something you have mastered?
I appreciate where you are coming from with the lighter weight and simple drop and roll. Oh, and less expense. My biggest concern is backing into those small spaces and the stress that can sometimes result. Oh, and yes. The F350 is a SRW. Thank you for your additional thoughts in advance.
The trailer will have a normal king pin which would normally require a full size 5th wheel hitch of some kind. To use a goosebox you remove the standard/OE king pin (whatever brand) and then bolt up the goosebox to the nose of the trailer - it replaces the existing kingpin. You use the center hole in the middle of the bed for a ball - I use a B&W turnover ball. The newly installed goosebox just slides right over the ball in the center of the bed then you lock it in place - Sooooo simple and easy....and light. There are a lot of videos of the conversion which won't be bad and worth it IMO. Here's a link to one:



The key to avoiding a jack-knife or banging into the cab is attention. Any of them can get to the truck if you just start cutting and keep at it. Watch the front of the trailer as you turn, find a place where you can back (or pull) it as you turn sharper and sharper; note where the trailer is angle wise and get a feel for it. You cannot just do any turn, for any length as sharp as you want - practice and learn what your truck/trailer limits are. Biggest note - DON'T cut your trailer sharp on pavement. Once past about 45 degrees the tires no longer roll, the truck is pushing them sideways and tearing up your "stuff". Learn to look over your potential path (applies in any situation) to size it up and make it work safely for your rig.

When you first start backing a 5th wheel, or any trailer, into tight spots there is some apprehension/stress. The answer is practice - you HAVE to get a feel for what your truck and trailer do when you give various inputs. You will find that when you make an initial cut it seems like nothing is happening but as the rig "gets into" the turn you can easily be cutting too much and have to make adjustments - take your time, watch and get a feel for that point when it starts to go too far; get out and look if needed.

Work with your wife so she can be your spotter. Go ahead and teach/learn the signals that mean different things. We did that...I thought we had it down. When trying to back into a tight spot in a COE campground I thought we had it mastered...as I tried to negotiate the trees beside me, guard posts, the trees in back etc. etc. I watched her for guidance....I couldn't tell if she was doing an imitation of a running, shrieking person on fire or had developed some sort of sudden sporadic muscle convulsions of her arms, hands....and her mouth! I couldn't hear anything but I could see her mouth going like she was spouting Chinese in hyperdrive - come to find out she was ticked because I wasn't following her "instructions"....we use cell phones now.

Good luck on getting it down - just practice. Any issues lots of folks here to help.
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Old 05-24-2022, 04:38 AM   #75
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Most of us have been where you are

We decided to move into a bigger unit this year we wanted a toy hauler travel trailer style ones didn't suit our desires ( separate garage ) and I wanted 5th wheel for better road manners
1st thing I came to was my old 97 F250 powersmoker isn't gunna cut the mustard so we went truck shopping with 5th wheel in mind found a 2010 chevy cclb drw duramax allison tuned deleted for a what I viewed as an insane price ( I paid 7 grand for the F250 in 2010 as a 13 yr old truck 40k in 22 for a 12 yr old truck &#128546
Now I had a what I believed was a capable tow vehicle because what else is there besides a peterbuilt then we went trailer shopping knowing what max pin weight can be we found an 08 raptor 299mp for the right price needing a few things ( air conditioning units were shot from lack of use and I went through the gender discovered a few nickel dime things as we tested all systems amounting to under a hundred in materials and I dont pay someone else to do things due to the fact I want them done right and there's 1 guy on the planet who cares ) she's about fit out and filled up I'll load bikes Thursday and embark on our maiden voyage Friday morning


Long story short go get the biggest dang truck you can afford do the math and find a trailer that suits amd doesn't go over the magic number

Also I use 25% of gross trailer weight for pin number this is probably higher than cat scale # but gives us wiggle room because we all know shes coming back with more stuff than she took
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