Fifth Wheel Friendly

[fnznfwl]

I have bags on my '17 Tundra that I manually fill..... It's not that bad, they fill shockingly fast and they are tied together so I never have to worry about matching the PSI between the two bags. Now that I've used them for a year, and I'm used to doing it this way, I'm glad I didnt' fork over the money for an on board compressor.

Problem with bags linked together is air transfers between the bags when the load shifts around corners etc. causing the bag which needs the air, to lose it.

 

[wslayer]

38' loaded would probably be over load capacity for a 3/4 ton ? I know people do it all the time.

 

[Wirehair]

Likely this question has been asked and answered many times... Recently retired & considering a half-ton towable fifth wheel camper. Have a 2015 GMC Sierra (5.3 Vortex) with the Max trailering package that suggests the truck is capable of towing around 11,000 lbs. Currently looking at used campers in the 8,000 lb range to trial before taking the plunge on new truck and larger fifth wheel. Any suggestions on towing fifth wheel with 1/2 ton truck would be appreciated. Spend some time on Lake Michigan each summer and not sure if towing a fifth wheel that distance is too much to ask of a 1/2 ton truck.

 

[Ericb]

You are going to hear a lot of no you can't! Check your max axle weights and see how much you can add. Next check what tires you have. I would definitely go with load range e tires. As far as campers newer will usually equal lighter. I have a 2014 f150 and a 2017 jayco 30' fifth wheel. Empty truck and camper besides me I am ok on the scales. Family and gear in the truck I have to much tongue weight. If I fill my water tank it takes enough tongue weight off that I am under all limits. Then it sways a little and is less comfortable to pull. I usually leave the tanks empty and am 200# over on my rear axle but ok on gvwr and gvwr.

 

[PrairieGhost]

Back in 1993 I owned a new GMC 1/2 ton with a 350 engine. It was my first truck and the dealer told me I could pull any camper I wanted. Our first camper was a used 1988 24 ft Mallard travel trailer. It pulled heavy and I put in a transmission temperature gauge. It was running to hot, so the dealer put in an aftermarket transmission cooler. It still pulled heavy so we traded for a fifth wheel that was new and lighter even though it was a 26 foot. We kept that a year and traded for the lightest 5th wheel I could find. It was 23 feet and the weight with everything on it was 4700 lb. We did ok with that. I think my engine was a dog. One day coming back from Minnesota we were just west of fargo headed west. Wind was 15 mph from the NW and I tried to pass a semi that was doing 65. The wind coming off his front would stop me. So I got behind and pushed it to 75 and started to pass. I was able to make it to just about his front bumper and again it stopped me.

I can't remember when the Duramax came out if it was 2000 or 2001, but we bought a new 2001. Within a year we bought a 29.5 ft 5th wheel. In 2012 we bought a new Duramax and in 2014 a 37 ft 5th wheel. Loaded it's 17,000 and with the boat behind it pulls easily. As long as I own a camper I'm sticking with diesel. With the smallest camper we had and the old gas truck I and a son headed to the badlands for turkey with a 40 mph headwind. Top end was 55 mph and my mileage was just under 5 mpg. Didn't know a truck could suck that much gas.

With the old 350 gas engine I was limited to under 5000 lbs. My brother-in-law had the identical truck and pulled a six horse trailer with horses. Maybe I just had a dog.

Edit: When the newest (2014) camper was two days old we headed to Texas for the month of January. Everyone kept flashing their lights at me at night. I wondered what was with people. I could pull without adding suspension, but I noticed my back end really dropped when I hitched up. Evidently my lights were in everyones eyes.

 

[SerchforPerch]

You are going to hear a lot of no you can't! Check your max axle weights and see how much you can add. Next check what tires you have. I would definitely go with load range e tires. As far as campers newer will usually equal lighter. I have a 2014 f150 and a 2017 jayco 30' fifth wheel. Empty truck and camper besides me I am ok on the scales. Family and gear in the truck I have to much tongue weight. If I fill my water tank it takes enough tongue weight off that I am under all limits. Then it sways a little and is less comfortable to pull. I usually leave the tanks empty and am 200# over on my rear axle but ok on gvwr and gvwr.

Well if you talk to the team at the RV dealer located in East Bismarck they will tell you "yes you can" on just about anything your looking at buying :shame:.

 

[Motohunter]

We have a 27' BH 2016 Crossroads Rezerve that we pull with a 1/2 ton. Weight is around 7400 lbs with hitch weight being around 1200 lbs I believe. I put in airbags which definitely made a big difference but can't say I would recommend towing long distances with it. Sure it has plenty of power and getting up to speed is a non issue but to me it just doesn't feel solid in any kind of wind or weather. Towed it with my father in-laws 3/4 ton and man what a difference it was soooo much more solid feeling and I definitely felt more confident that if any thing were to happen we'd be safer in that thing. My next truck will definitely be a 3/4 ton. I'm sure plenty will disagree but that's just my thoughts on it.

 

[sweeney]

db-2 I think the length of your rig is longer than allowed in ND

https://www.nd.gov/ndhp/node/132

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...dhp/node/132&usg=AOvVaw1XSLuXLbdhI6Jvo9kxN9X7

If I pull two trailers (e.g. camper and a boat), what is the maximum length allowed?

FAQ Category
Motor Vehicles/Trailers

FAQ Answer
The length of any vehicle combination, measured from the extreme front to the extreme rear of the entire combination, cannot exceed 75 feet.

https://www.nd.gov/ndhp/sites/www/files/documents/MC/RoutingLimitationsMap.pdf
the map in my link shows what the actual restriction on length are for ND. The designated highways in nd allow travel of combos over 75 feet and there is a 10 mile grace period off of these.

 

[SlamminSalmon]

I guess I’ve never heard anyone say they have to much truck for what they are pulling. Heard a lot say wish I had more!