Pulling a 5th wheel questions

701FishSlayer

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Ok kids, gotta question that some of you should be able to answer. I have a 09 chevy crew half tonner, with the normal size box. Recently acquired a 40ft older 5th wheel and have never pulled one. Going to need a hitch obviously but the real question is, how is my turning radius going to be? Am I going to smash my cab corners? Is there some sort of an extension out there that i can get? I see em being pulled all the time with the half tonner crews, short box. Learn me something here fellas.
 


257Bob

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If the truck has a long box cab clearance should not be an issue if the hitch is properly installed.
In my opinion, pulling a 40 footer with a half ton is asking for trouble.
 

FishReaper

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If the truck has a long box cab clearance should not be an issue if the hitch is properly installed.
In my opinion, pulling a 40 footer with a half ton is asking for trouble.
I kinda agree here. Thats A Lot to ask of the brakes and suspension. Engine might have the power and if you keep it out of OD the tranny should hold up as long as you have a cooler. But your suspension will hate you and If you had to make a sudden stop I dont know that the brakes would be enough. Do a short trip first to do some testing.
 

sweeney

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what is normal sized box? 5.5? i got a buddy who bought a 5th wheel and has the 07 chev 1/2ton crew 5.3vortec with the tiny box(under 6ft which i thought was the only option in 09) anyways i talked him into the slide hitch, so far he said he has never had to use the slide portion of the hitch in the 4 times he has been out. So basically if you don't have to crank the thing to get into spots you might not need the slide hitch. If it was me i'd buy one for the just in case factor. they are almost double the price brand new as a standard little rocker. I think he got his used for 6-800 after install?
On a side note i had a 2011 1/2 ton ex-cab with the 6.5 ft box and had a standard lil rocker hitch in it i added airbags to my truck as i pulled an 18ft boat behind it too. To me the half-tons pull just fine, but their suspensions and aren't made for pulling these big loads so i would either look into airbags, timbrens or add a leafs. Also make sure you install a brake controller if yours doesn't have one, or you will more thank likely cause an accident or be putting new brakes on every year, or do what i did after 3 years of towing with a half ton and go buy a 3/4 ton diesel.
 

Wild and Free

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40 footer and half ton is a bad combo period. 40 footer would be a heck of a load even for a 3/4 ton to be honest. I can say I do not want to meet and pass that on the road. I have seen waaaay too many 1/2 tons with campers alone and with and boat trailer combos rolled or crashed along highway 83 between Washburn and Bismarck over the years. Once they get to wig wagging its all over if you do not have the brakes and vehicle weight to control it. I have had close calls with 16 foot bumper pull stock trailers almost take me in the ditch but lucky enough I was at just the right speed and had reflexes fast enough to hit the brake controller button to pull me straight at the last second.
You really need to know the loaded and dry weight of the trailer and see what your vehicle GCVW is rated at along with hitch weight at the pin is and rear axle capacity of the pickup. If you are just moving it slowly that's one thing but being on the open road is completely different.
Then you will need E rated tires at minimum aired up fairly high as well to handle the weight.
 
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sweeney

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thats the other thing is 10 ply tires aka e rated makes a heck of a difference, like wild and free said a 40 footer is a huge camper and depending on the weight may make it so you shouldn't even pull it with a half ton. i'm guessing something that big is going to be over 16k lbs so you would need a heavier duty hitch as well and will probably be over your max load on the truck. My camper and boat together were around 12k and that was pushing it.
 

701FishSlayer

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Ya it's the regular shortbox crew chevy, same as all the other ones you see around. The good news is I already have 10 ply tires on it. We pulled it home from Parshall with a Duramax, pulled super easy he said for what we were expecting. Basically will be pulling it down from Minot to Garrison area for summer I think if I can find a good place to set it up. No need to be in a hurry on the way down. I've just never had one of these and I was thinking there was some kind of hitch extension for the 5th wheel. Might have to look into getting a trailer break installed to be on the safe side.

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I can have somebody pull it down for me with a 3/4 ton but would kinda rather be rigged up to do it on my own I guess I dunno.
 

johnr

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How far do you think your going to pull it.
I would look at pickin out a new 3/4 or one ton
 

dust in the wind

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ahhh, who needs a pickup to pull these things.


1046264.jpg

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Seriously though, the posts above have good info. I wouldn't want to do it myself but that's just me.
 


Wild and Free

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If you have a 6.5 foot box a regular hitch is all you need, if shorter than 6.5 foot then you will need an auto slider, Get a good one, BW is the best of the best in the hitch world.

http://www.turnoverball.com/products/rvhitch/companion-slider-5th-wheel-hitch

Also do not waste money on timbrens or add a leaf overloads ect. Go with airbags and be done the first time, inflate to whats needed and deflate when not. I have tried the others and after using them you need a good chiropractor and dentist to put yourself back together after a long road trip on solid suspension, not fun at all loaded and even worse empty.

Plus if you would be packing some of those elusive 40" walleyes home you would really be over the top.Thumbs Up

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You could always try it this way.................Then you have nothing to worry about on the weight of the trailer on your rear end. Funny how they blur the actual hitch area when they do the slomo version in the video.

 
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701FishSlayer

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Ah thank you for the link to the companion, I had no idea what to buy. Figured somebody here would know. This is why this is going to be a good site. People helping clueless people lol. I just wanna be able to go camping, never had my own camper. Gotta get the family out this year. Wife is all about fishing so as long as she's got electric we are good to go. I'm so ready to get out on the big lake and slam some eyes, I can almost feel the thump sitting here.
 

Fisherman25

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I can feel my 33 foot behind me plenty with a stiff ND breeze. I can tell you with confidence you will hate that drive every time you make it. If you insist on pulling that thing with a 1/2 ton, find a storage place to leave it during the week around Garrison. I cringe at the thought of what you're thinking about doing.

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Oh and I'm pulling mine with a 3/4 ton Duramax.
 

Norske

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Air Ride air bags currently have a $50 rebate. Autoanything.com has good prices, JC Whitney may also provide some savings. Mine were shipped from the manufacturer in Michigan or Wisconsin (?), and I got my rebate check yesterday.

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You are courting trouble. What is the weight of that trailer when loaded with clothing, bedding, groceries, cookware, and fun stuff? What is the towing rating of your pickup's whole drivetrain (axle ration makes a big difference)? What is the carrying capacity (as much as 20% of a 5th wheel's weight is on the kingpin)?
 

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I think chevy's are rated to pull 10,500? Or close to that. That camper has to be 2-3 ton over that. Very dangerous imo. Im a chevy guy but switched to Toyota. The Toyota 1/2 tons are much heavier. Almost like a heavy 1/2. I was going to buy a 3/4 ton but for me, I only pull the camper maybe a dozen times a year and for the money the Toyota was worth the savings. I can pull our 27' camper and boat pretty easy.
 


Norske

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TA neighbor bought a 3/4T Chevy pickup with 6L, 6-speed, and 3.73 axle. Then he traded up to a 40' 5th wheel trailer. His transmission got warmer than he was comfortable with in only 25-30 miles on summer days. A 4.10 axle would have provided a big cushion between the weight of the trailer and the tow rating.
It's not just the engine!
 

sweeney

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As far as airbags over timbrens or add a leafs for ride don't know if i agree with you as usually you are running air-pressure in the bags thus relieving pressure from your suspension unloaded and personally i think it makes them ride rougher than timbrens or leafs, anyways Vollmer isn't the toyota only rated at like 9000 for towing?
 

Vollmer

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Mine is 10,800. So Im pushing it pulling the boat behind, but I have the trailer brakes on all and Toyota pickups have a much beefier braking setup.
 

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