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mdshedman · 10-24-2015, 09:11 AM

I am downsizing from a 10 year old motor home to a fifth wheel. I have a f-150 that is rated to to 10,000 lbs. Does anyone have any good suggestions for good fifth wheel?

KerrTx · 10-24-2015, 01:35 PM

Scamp make one you could tow with a 1/2 ton. Just be careful about the pin weight on a 1/2 ton. It can pull more than it can handle on the pin

http://www.scamptrailers.com/showroo...html#!image_04

450Donn · 10-24-2015, 02:25 PM

Basically none that you would want to travel with. Half tons are really not suited to fifth wheels due to pin weight.

JIMNLIN · 10-24-2015, 06:54 PM

There are 5th wheel trailers out here suited for most F150 trucks.

For a better recommendation we need some help on which F150 you have as they come with many different GVWR/RAWR packages. Their not all the same.

We need its GVWR.
We need its RAWR.
axle ratio
and engine size
year model

Op .....a problem is a 10k 5th wheel RV trailer can have a 2000 lb pin weight. Now add a hitch and folks and gear in the truck which may be as much as 2500-2600 lbs.
That size trailer will need the F150HD model with a 8200 GVWR and 4800 RAWR with load range E tires.

Show us some specs.

mdshedman · 10-25-2015, 05:59 AM

I looked it up and I can tow 9500lbs with a tongue weight of about 1000 lbs. I have a 3.55 rear , 5.0 motor in the 2012 f150 super cab. I already figured that I would put air bags on the rear, I have had the before on a work truck and it really helps. I would also probably add a transmission cooler , if I saw it was running a little hot !

Cumminsfan · 10-25-2015, 08:16 AM

You need to look at the trucks payload (CCC) rating sticker that's on the door or door jamb. That's the amount of weight you can carry in the truck. My guess is it's around 1300-1500lbs. You need to add up the weight of everything and everyone that's going in the truck. subtract that from the payload number you found. That's how much you have for the 5th wheel pin weight.
Pin weights are usually around 20% of the trailers loaded weight.
Almost every 1/2 ton truck owner is at or over their weight limits. Only a few that had special order 1/2 tons are okay.

do yourself a favor and stay away from 5th wheels and look for a travel trailer. You'll get way more bang for the buck if you do. Why settle for a small 5th wheel when you could safely tow a much larger travel trailer.

jgriggs · 10-25-2015, 09:57 AM

I pulled a 28' jayco 5er with a f 150. Added air bags. I was only a weekender then.

JIMNLIN · 10-25-2015, 07:44 PM

Fords body builder specs show a '12 F150 super cab 3.55 2wd has a 9300-9500 lb tow rating depending on long or short wheelbase.

The same truck in a 4wd shows a 7600-7800 lb tow rating depending on wheelbase.

The F150 super cab 5.0 with a 7100/7300/7350 or 7450 GVWR has very small 3850 RAWR for carrying all of a 5th wheel trailers pin weight. These trucks can have a 2500-2600 lb rear axle weight which leaves 1250-1350 lb payload before exceeding its 3850 RAWR which includes axle/suspension/wheels and tires.

Now if your F150 has the 8200 GVWR and the bigger 4800 RAWR with load E tires then its good for 2200-2300 lb payload before exceeding the same components listed above.

Not knowing what your trucks specs are we can only guess.

Check out these folks as they make some small lightweight 5th wheel trailer for 150/1500 size trucks Allen Camper Mfg. Co., Inc. - 5th Wheel Floor Plans

SkiSmuggs · 10-26-2015, 08:02 AM

Look at Cougar X-Lite models in the shorter sizes. I towed my Cougar High Country for 3 years with my F150, but it had Max Tow and was rated for 11,000 lbs and 850 payload. Full disclosure, I was 500 lbs over the rear axle rating, but okay on the other ratings. I added SuperSprings and Bilstein HD shocks. I'm now towing with an F350 diesel and power is the biggest difference. Handling and braking are similar with those upgrades in spite of what I've been told. But with the F350, I can now put anything I want in the bed of the truck and don't worry about the weight of things I put in the basement of the fiver.
Most HT rated trailers are still too much for most half-tons. The F150 with Max Tow and HD Payload is the only half-ton I would consider and this article agrees: Half Ton Truck Tow Rating Reviews | 2015
It is very important to match the fiver to the capabilities of your truck.

mdshedman · 10-27-2015, 05:41 PM

Thank you for all the information! I believe what I am going to do is buy a 3/4 ton truck and be able to tow just about anything that I would want!

mrebele · 10-27-2015, 06:36 PM

I don't know all the particulars but friend showed us their Open Range Light 5er and it was pretty nice. They've traveled all over with it and have not had any issues so far.

cb1000rider · 10-27-2015, 06:41 PM

Buy a 1-ton dual-wheel truck if you think you might upgrade in the future, the 3/4 tons run into pin weight issues also when you get to about upper mid-range 5th wheels.

The 3/4 ton and 1 ton will pull the same weight, generally, but that's typically not what busts towing capacity.

Lots and lots of 3/4 tons pulling more trailer than they're rated for, unfortunately.

caissiel · 10-27-2015, 08:01 PM

And we do it with great comfort.

SkiSmuggs · 10-28-2015, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdshedman

Thank you for all the information! I believe what I am going to do is buy a 3/4 ton truck and be able to tow just about anything that I would want!

Not quite. 3/4 tons are more limited in payload than 1 ton, so you are looking at a max of 12-13K fiver vs about 15K for a ton truck. With Ford, the rear suspension is the only difference between the F250 and F350 and the price difference is about $600. My feeling was that I had limited my choice of fivers the first time with my F150 and I don't want to do it again by getting a 250 instead of a 350. Since I don't want to exceed 35', I stayed with the SRW.