"The Myth of the 1/2 Ton Towable 5th Wheel" - Trailer Life Magazine

Bohemian · Nov 4, 2014

This is a new feature article in the latest issue of Trailer Life.

Their conclusion is that you can tow a 5th with a 1/2 ton pickup. The details of that conclusion are more interesting.

1) You must be very careful to get the maximum capacity, heavy duty payload models of either the GMC, Chevy, or Ford. No dealer stock models

2) You must get one of the very few lightest 5th wheels.

3) You must not load the 5ths to anywhere near capacity. No water in the fresh tank.

4) Don't put much in the truck.

Be real careful about weight. Select the right HD payload 1/2 ton truck. Select the right 5th wheel trailer. Keep them both lightly loaded. Weight your 5th and your truck and you just might be able to do it safely.

GOTTOYS · Nov 4, 2014

Shouldn't take any genius to figure all this out. Sounds like another prize winning article from the "experts" at Trailer Life...JMHO...Don

Bohemian · Nov 4, 2014

GOTTOYS said:
Shouldn't take any genius to figure all this out. Sounds like another prize winning article from the "experts" at Trailer Life...JMHO...Don

Yet, so many are towing overweight, and this has been the new overweight trend..

Mizmary · Nov 5, 2014

It always amazes me. Hubby captured this in Winchester VA on Saturday. It just looks wrong.

racinjake · Nov 5, 2014

i have a ford f150 ecoboost and tow a sundance xlt 5er quite well. this application is suited to the rver that does not want to haul a 15000 lb rv or be a full timer. if you understand the limits of your tow vehicle it makes a great combo for weekend exploration or into areas that a large rv are not allowed such as some national and state parks or forest service campgrounds.Eventhough i am relativally new at rving, i did extensive research into what fit my needs prior to entering the 1/2 ton market. can you overload a 1/2 ton?, sure, but don't kick the 1/2 ton market to the curb just because you haul the big heavy rigs that need more truck. there is room on this forum for both of us.

JohnD · Nov 5, 2014

racinjake said:
i have a ford f150 ecoboost and tow a sundance xlt 5er quite well. this application is suited to the rver that does not want to haul a 15000 lb rv or be a full timer. if you understand the limits of your tow vehicle it makes a great combo for weekend exploration or into areas that a large rv are not allowed such as some national and state parks or forest service campgrounds.Eventhough i am relativally new at rving, i did extensive research into what fit my needs prior to entering the 1/2 ton market. can you overload a 1/2 ton?, sure, but don't kick the 1/2 ton market to the curb just because you haul the big heavy rigs that need more truck. there is room on this forum for both of us.

All it will take is one big scare . . . and you'll change your mind.

I had mine last August.

It is not all about what the truck can pull . . .

But what can your truck stop!

By the by . . . my trailer is not a big heavy 5ver . . . but an 8000 pound pull behind.

Old truck (1500) . . . new truck (2500HD):

Bohemian · Nov 6, 2014

There are clear reasons for specifications and laws and they are not there because some people are comfortable pulling an overweight trailer.

racinjake · Nov 6, 2014

Bohemian said:
There are clear reasons for specifications and laws and they are not there because some people are comfortable pulling an overweight trailer.

I agree that an overweight trailer is a major safety issue, but with that said, keeping the trailer well below gvwr and your tow vehicle below its gvwr and tow capacity is the responsibility of the owner. are you saying that if kept inside these numbers a 1/2 ton is not safe to to tow a trailer? if so, why are the brands listed as 1/2 ton towable?

GOTTOYS · Nov 6, 2014

racinjake said:
I agree that an overweight trailer is a major safety issue, but with that said, keeping the trailer well below gvwr and your tow vehicle below its gvwr and tow capacity is the responsibility of the owner. are you saying that if kept inside these numbers a 1/2 ton is not safe to to tow a trailer? if so, why are the brands listed as 1/2 ton towable?

Couldn't agree more...Some people want you to believe you need a dually to pull a 20 foot travel trailer...If everything is safely within the specs, I say go for it...Don

JohnD · Nov 6, 2014

I think the bigger issue is this . . .

Somebody out there is doing trailer hitch installations that are nowhere near up to the task of pulling today's RV's!

Sooner or later . . . somebody will get killed . . . then maybe . . . just maybe . . . some government agency will look at it and tell us it was our fault!

iaflatlander · Nov 6, 2014

Guess it seems to me that any truck can be overloaded, regardless of its rating. Likewise, I believe that if done with respect to load ratings, it is possible to safely pull (and stop) a small fifth wheel with a half ton truck.

Just passed 26,000 miles with such a rig - 24 foot fifth wheel and a half ton ecoboost.

JohnD · Nov 6, 2014

iaflatlander said:
Guess it seems to me that any truck can be overloaded, regardless of its rating. Likewise, I believe that if done with respect to load ratings, it is possible to safely pull (and stop) a small fifth wheel with a half ton truck.

Just passed 26,000 miles with such a rig - 24 foot fifth wheel and a half ton ecoboost.

A 24-foot 5th-wheel trailer?

I don't think you have a Heartland trailer . . .

iaflatlander · Nov 6, 2014

Model 245 with the rear living room. Guess it tapes at 26 feet.

JohnD · Nov 6, 2014

iaflatlander said:
Model 245 with the rear living room. Guess it tapes at 26 feet.

Model 245 . . . ???

Never heard of it . . .

boatto5er · Nov 6, 2014

JohnD said:
Model 245 . . . ???

Never heard of it . . .

Sundance XLT 245RL, but it's actually 26'4" long. Weighs in at 6354lbs dry weight. Pin weight is 1135lbs.

JohnD · Nov 6, 2014

That 'I can tow it with...' link on Heartland's website is bogus . . .

boatto5er said:
Sundance XLT 245RL, but it's actually 26'4" long. Weighs in at 6354lbs dry weight. Pin weight is 1135lbs.

OK . . .

I just looked it up on the Heartland website . . .

Actual weight, before any options and cargo loaded . . . 9900 pounds!

Ain't no Ford F150 capable of towing that safely . . .

Interestingly enough, their 'I can tow it with' link shows that this Sundance 5th-wheel trailer can be towed by plenty of Ford vans . . . but only one Ford Super Duty F150 pick-up!

I've been looking for a 5th-wheel trailer I can tow with a van for a long, long time!

However, if you really look at the numbers . . . he will need nothing short of an F250!

And even that is probably not enough . . .

I hate to say it, but not only is he taking his own life in his hands, but his family and everyone else on the road wherever he happens to be towing!

Sorry if that hurts . . . the truth often does!

branson4020 · Nov 6, 2014

Re: That 'I can tow it with...' link on Heartland's website is bogus . . .

Hey, take a deep breath there

. I think you may have looked at the wrong specs. Don't know of any Ford van suited to tow a fifth wheel. And the dry weight is indeed listed as 6354 lbs.

JohnD · Nov 6, 2014

Re: That 'I can tow it with...' link on Heartland's website is bogus . . .

branson4020 said:
Hey, take a deep breath there . I think you may have looked at the wrong specs. Don't know of any Ford van suited to tow a fifth wheel. And the dry weight is indeed listed as 6354 lbs.

Got this information directly from the Heartland page for the Sundance in question . . .

Don't believe me . . . go there and check it out for yourself:

http://www.heartlandrvs.com/index.p...i=SD+XLT+245RL&view=floorplans&fcmd=showfplan

Of course, 2012 was the last model year for tow vehicles listed . . .

By the by . . . dry weight is NOT the actual weight of the trailer.

The GVWR is the actual weight . . . and that is before putting all of your stuff in the trailer!

Heck, my new 2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD is not speced enough to pull this Sundance . . .

branson4020 · Nov 6, 2014

Re: That 'I can tow it with...' link on Heartland's website is bogus . . .

John,

GVWR is NOT the actual weight. It's the maximum allowable weight when fully loaded.

Bohemian · Nov 6, 2014

Re: That 'I can tow it with...' link on Heartland's website is bogus . . .

branson4020 said:
John,

GVWR is NOT the actual weight. It's the maximum allowable weight when fully loaded.

Correct GVW is the actual weight, published GVW is the catalog weight with no options.

Any spec with an "R" is a "rating" and is a maximum.

"The Myth of the 1/2 Ton Towable 5th Wheel" - Trailer Life Magazine

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