F 150 5th wheel suggestions?

[gatekeeper]

Does anyone have any suggestions I have a 2012 F150 want a 5th wheel? Have been told they toe better with wind, and Tractor Trailer issues. My first 2499 miles with a 18 ft TT was torture.

[Tugboat]

when I bought my last TT my wife and i looked at 5er's that could be towed with my 2005 F150. And after some research and a lot of looking all I can say is DON"T DO IT. If you want a 5er up grade your truck you will only be able to get a low profile 5er in a light weight. unless you don't mind no headroom up front, crawling in to the bed, no slides and not very long. DON"T DO IT

[TXiceman]

The problem with a 5th wheel and an F150, is the trucks limited GVWR and rear axle GAWR. A 5er carries more weight on the pin than does a travel trailer does on the tongue.

An F150 should tow an 18' TT without any issues. It sounds as though you did not have a sway control weight distributing hitch set up properly and/or tailer balance to have about 12% of weight on the tongue.

Ken

[CD]

You will do a lot better with the 18' with a bigger PU. BTDT.

[tuffr2]

I agree with the previous posts. I towed a 22' 5200 lb trailer w/o a very areodynamic front end 1000 miles from central ohio to 70 miles north of Tampa. I had a 2011 F-150 5.0 litre. I describe the trip as uneventful and pleasant. I had a Reese weight distribution hitch with chains and bars.

There must be something else not quite right. Tire pressure on the truck and trailer would be the 1st thing to check.

What trailer do You have?

I towed this same trailer with a Honda Ridgeline. Now that was kinda what you describe. Not fun unless 50mph or slower.
Semi Trucks passing would suck the rig into them then as they passed it would push the rig away from them. But when I traded the tiny Ridgeline for a 2011 F-150 I was very satisfied with the improvment.

[wingnut60]

I'm with TXiceman on this--F150 should be able to tow 18ft TT without sway. Hitch setup, or trailer load is too much to rear.
If you are happy with how it pulls (power) than you could look into a ProPride hitch--it will do away with sway. About $2200 and you are swayless...
Joe

[tuffr2]

One thing I thought of is your fresh water tank is 1/2 full. That the water is slushing around which causes the trailer to sway.
Either empty the tank which I recommend or fill it 100% full.

[bwallac]

I wouldn't pull a 5th wheel with anythijg less than a 350/3500.

[gatekeeper]

I think I got the message, thanks a lot for all your help.

[Tugboat]

Like the other post said there is something wrong with your set up. My Jayco was a 31E with a light weight of 6,200lb GVW of 9,500. Is the weight even in the trailer and/or a load in the bed of the truck. A18' should pull with no problem with a 150. Good luck.

[touringmn]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

when I bought my last TT my wife and i looked at 5er's that could be towed with my 2005 F150. And after some research and a lot of looking all I can say is DON"T DO IT. If you want a 5er up grade your truck you will only be able to get a low profile 5er in a light weight. unless you don't mind no headroom up front, crawling in to the bed, no slides and not very long. DON"T DO IT

I strongly agree. I purchased a 1/2T compatible 5er three years ago. I enjoyed the RVing a great deal. But every time that I put the weight onto the truck and watched the box drop and the front suspension raise, I was getting less and less comfortable with the decision. I started watching for a grown-up hauler. Found a 3/4T equipped nicely. And then I started shopping for a 5er that would be within the hauling limits.

Really glad that I made the move up to a 3/4 T.

And I do also agree, move to a 3500 - that is the best move. And the 1T option is no more expensive that a 3/4T hauler. And then your 5er options are much wider.

[Cumminsfan]

Originally Posted by bwallac

I wouldn't pull a 5th wheel with anythijg less than a 350/3500.

Ya and a dually to boot. Geez when was the last time you actually looked at the lighter 5th wheels out there? Theres a lot of them in the 7-9,000lb dry range with pins in the 14-1900lb range. Very doable for 3/4 tons made today.

[KOTR36]

Gatekeeper,

There are many 5th wheel trailers being produced that can be pulled easily and safely towed with a 1/2 ton truck. What you are getting here is just more advice from the "weight Police". " I tow mine with a 3500 and no one should use anything smaller." It is nothing but bunk. Find a 5th wheel that is within the capabilities of your tow vehicle and enjoy. A good friend of mine just traded in a tow behind that he bought less than a year ago for a 5'er that he tows with a Ford 1500 Ecoboost and he is very happy to have made the change.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by gatekeeper

Does anyone have any suggestions I have a 2012 F150 want a 5th wheel? Have been told they toe better with wind, and Tractor Trailer issues. My first 2499 miles with a 18 ft TT was torture.

Properly equipped F-150s can tow a light-weight low-profile fifth wheel. But the F-150 must have the HD Payload pkg. Those are rare. If your truck doesn't have 17" 7-lug wheels, then you don't have it.

The so-called "weight police" are simply trying to warn you that if you don't pay attention, you'll be overloaded over the GVWR of your tow vehicle. Towing overloaded is dangerous to yourself, your family, and anyone else on the road with you. So don't do it.

A properly loaded TT with a good no-sway hitch will tow just as good as a 5er. I have lots of experience towing both. But the TT must be properly loaded to result in about 12 to 15% hitch weight, and you must have a properly installed and adjusted weight-distributing hitch with sway control. Even the cheaper WD hitches (less than $1,000) with sway control can usually be adjusted to do a good job, but the expensive ones (over $2000) such a ProPride or Hensley Arrow are a sure way to have a TT tow as good as a 5er.

Tire pressure also needs to be a concern. The trailer tires should be pumped up to the max PSI on the sidewall. The rear tires on the tow vehicle must be pumped up according to the load/inflation table for that exact size tire and rear axle weight. Over-inflation of the truck tires is okay as long as you don't exceed the PSI on the tire sidewall, but under-inflation for the load on the tire is a no no.

Tire manufacturers are now reluctant to publish the load/inflation tables for their tires - they assume ordinary consumers are too stupid to read and understand those tables. But some are still available, Including this one from Toyo:
Load & Inflation Tables | Toyo Tires

The load/inflation tables are developed by the Tire and Rim Assn, (TRA) and apply to all brands of tires sold in the USA. So if you can find your exact size in the Toyo tables, that table applies to your brand of tire too.

Most F-150s have P-metric size tires, and it's usually hard to find load-inflation for any tires except Lt and commercial truck tires. But the Toyo tables include most sizes of P-metric tires.