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Old 03-25-2022, 10:29 AM   #1
Berettajoe
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Hitch

I want to tow my keystone 27sgs 1/2 ton fifth wheel with my Chevy 1500 5 3/4 bed and Reese slide hitch
Can this work if I am careful not to do sharp corners?
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Old 03-25-2022, 11:23 AM   #2
flybouy
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I would be more concerned with the pin weight vs the payload capacity of the truck. That "1/2 ton towable" has a whole bunch of foot notes and "if properly equipped" disclaimers. The shipping pin weight is not obtainable as that's based on an empty trailer with no options.

Typical pin weight is around 23% of the ACTUAL trailer weight when loaded as you would use it. You don't know that number yet so use the gvw of the trailer. I belive the gvw is 10,000 lbs plus. So at 23% that's over 2,000 lb pin weight. Add to that the weight of the hitch (anywhere from 100 to 250 lbs) plus the. Weight of all your passengers and stuff in the truck and you will exceed the payload of a typical 1/2 ton truck rapidly.
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Old 03-25-2022, 11:46 AM   #3
Berettajoe
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I am ok with weight and only tow to summer camp and back
Worried about clearance under normal driving conditions not 90 degree turns
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Old 03-25-2022, 12:07 PM   #4
chuckster57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Berettajoe View Post
I am ok with weight and only tow to summer camp and back
Worried about clearance under normal driving conditions not 90 degree turns
That auto slider should work as long as your suspension and axles don’t fail from the weight.
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Old 03-25-2022, 01:00 PM   #5
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A lot of the answer would depend more on which 1500 you have and the equipment on that specific truck.

Here are the specs on the 2022 Cougar 27SGS:

Shipping Weight 8,211 lb.
Carrying Capacity 2,079 lb.
Hitch 1,495 lb.

The typical fifth wheel "loaded pinweight is around 22% of total weight. Assuming you load your trailer to "GVWR" (10,290 pounds) that would be a pin weight of around 2264 pounds, then add 100 pounds for a lightweight non-sliding hitch or 200 pounds for a sliding hitch and you're looking at roughly 2400-2500 pounds in the truck bed plus the weight of other cargo in the truck and passengers.

I don't know of very many (if any) half ton trucks capable of carrying that kind of weight as payload. I'd suspect your truck's payload is close to 1000 pounds lower than that, likely closer to 1400-1700 pounds before you sit in the driver's seat or put a passenger in the truck.

So, short answer: No, your 1500 is probably going to be critically inadequate to carry the weight of a 27SGS pin in the bed, but it's probably got more than enough power to pull it down the highway.... There's a significant difference in "pulling" and "towing".....

The "length of the trip" has nothing to do with responsible towing... You can run into a school bus a block from home just as easily as you can on your way to Alaska.....
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Old 03-25-2022, 01:08 PM   #6
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One of the largest examples of disservice the RV industry has done over the last 15 or so years is the concept of “half ton” models.
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Old 03-25-2022, 02:12 PM   #7
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One of the largest examples of disservice the RV industry has done over the last 15 or so years is the concept of “half ton” models.
Yup, that and "polar ready".
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Old 04-02-2022, 03:04 AM   #8
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Agree with all of you about 1/2 ton towable AND their "polar ready".

We pull a '16 Cougar 25RKS with our 3/4 ton Chevy. Pull it with a 1500? Not this guy.

And as far as cold weather use? Sure. Just don't expect the furnace to turn off much.
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Old 04-02-2022, 05:10 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Berettajoe View Post
I am ok with weight and only tow to summer camp and back
Worried about clearance under normal driving conditions not 90 degree turns
Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
That auto slider should work as long as your suspension and axles don’t fail from the weight.
I see later post form this with the trailer weights. With a GVWR of 10,280, and a DRY pin of almost 1,500#, you will be at the limits of your 1/2 ton unless a unicorn F150.
The sad part is the towing experience will not tell you that you are exceeding your ratings, like it would with an TT.
Most of the members of this forum, will encourage you to tow within the payload limits of your TV, both for yours and others safety, and for the safety of your pocket book.
Do us and your self a favor load up all who travel with you, and normal stuff you carry in your truck, and have it weighed. Then do the math and subtract that weight from the trucks GVWR, and see what your have left for hitch and pin weight.
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Old 04-02-2022, 05:21 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Berettajoe View Post
I want to tow my keystone 27sgs 1/2 ton fifth wheel with my Chevy 1500 5 3/4 bed and Reese slide hitch
Can this work if I am careful not to do sharp corners?
I'll hold your beer!
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Old 04-02-2022, 05:42 AM   #11
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I have that trailer and, believe me, you do not want to be towing it with a 1500. I bought my current truck (see below) to be able to tow mine safely. I have 3034 available payload on mine and it is not far off meeting that when all things are fully loaded. You will have nothing like that on any 1/2 ton truck that I am aware of.


The sales hype of 'half ton series' is just that - hype. This is my second so called light trailer and I wouldn't have towed either of them with a half ton truck.


Clearance on turning is the least of your issues.
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Old 04-02-2022, 05:47 AM   #12
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The OP hasn't logged on since tha day after this post. My guess is he other got his answer or didn’t like the opinions offered.
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Old 04-02-2022, 08:25 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
The OP hasn't logged on since tha day after this post. My guess is he other got his answer or didn’t like the opinions offered.
Likely headed off to the friendlier confines of a Facebook user group. If you look hard enough you'll find the answers you want to hear!
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Old 04-02-2022, 08:26 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
The OP hasn't logged on since tha day after this post. My guess is he other got his answer or didn’t like the opinions offered.
My guess is he's already done what he was asking about, didn't really care what our answers were & sitting around the campfire with his camp buddies with a cold one in his hand saying "what a bunch of idiots, that truck towed just fine, it's rated to tow twice that, hardly knew it was back there!", opened another cold one, slurp, slurp "what's the big deal we travel light & only drove to the campsite!".
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Old 04-02-2022, 11:33 AM   #15
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Most 1/2 ton towables don’t have a bedroom slide (I didn’t take the time to look this one up) which keeps the pin weight down compared to other 5th wheels. So the percentage typically seen on pin weight is less on a 1/2 ton towable, but I agree the majority of them are not a true 1/2 ton towable. Grand Design used to make a 230RL which was probably the only one I would say is. It was less than 1200 on the pin, and 7k dry weight. Plus it used the Lippert Turn Point pin box which allowed use of a standard hitch in a short bed eliminating the weight of a slider. The 1/2 ton towable market has exploded and the manufacturers are making more/bigger floor plans which obviously are much heavier. They shouldn’t be calling them 1/2 towable anymore, they should just say light.
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Old 04-02-2022, 12:19 PM   #16
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The Cougar "half ton" 27 SGS actually does have a bedroom slide.
Although it is a wardroom slide, same as our 24 RDS


Click image for larger version

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That 27 SGS is a little heavier than ours though.
No way would I want to pull that with a half ton truck.

Dry Weight = 8,211 Lb
Carrying Capacity = 2,319 Lb
GVW = 10,290 LB
Dry Hitch Wt = 1,495 Lb
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Old 04-02-2022, 12:26 PM   #17
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That’s why the pin weight is so high (1,500 range). I’ve never seen one with a bedroom slide much less than that. IMO, keystone should not be calling them a 1/2 ton towable, but other brands are doing the same thing. I still say they should just be called a light. Very misleading for buyers.
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Old 04-07-2022, 07:50 AM   #18
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Sure.........pulled a fifth wheel trailer for years with a Reese manual slider hitch that did not slide in a short bed Ford F250. Always careful not to jack knife the trailer to avoid the trailer hitting the truck cab. Eventually, installed a slider hitch and now have a long bed truck with a fixed fifth wheel hitch.
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Old 04-09-2022, 01:54 PM   #19
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look at the Anderson ultimate. its light weight and likely the best match for 1/2 ton truck
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Old 04-10-2022, 01:28 PM   #20
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I have a keystone 2020 Cougar 27sgs 1/2 ton fifth wheel and a Reese slider hitch but with a 2021 F350 6' 10" bed. I can turn fairly tight, basically lock to lock U-turn, without interference of the trailer and the cab. But the trailer is very close to the cab and with a shorter bed I couldn't do that without using the slider in the extended position.

The hitch weighs a couple hundred pounds. Empty trailer pin weight is listed at 1500 lb. Including a couple of passengers you'll be around 2000lb cargo weight with an empty trailer. The main storage area of the trailer is up front so most of that weight will go on the truck. I was considering a F-250, but with the added weight of the diesel I opted for the 1 ton truck for the cargo capacity.
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