Fifth wheel towing w/2005 F150 Anyone doing it?

[xc600]

I'm looking for anyone out there pulling their 5'er with the new F150. According to the Ford towing guide it'll pull more than my 04' F250, and since my 5'er is up for sale I'm looking to get into a truck I'll keep for a while but still be able to pull the trailer till it's sold. I'm wondering if anyone's installed a 5'er hitch on one of these trucks? I have a Pull-rite hitch and it doesn't look like they've quite done their homework for installing the hitch in that particular type of truck. Right now I'm really wondering how many people are pulling a 5'er with a new F150 and primarily one with an 8ft box.
Thanks in advance,
Alan

[xc600]

I'm looking for anyone out there pulling their 5'er with the new F150. According to the Ford towing guide it'll pull more than my 04' F250, and since my 5'er is up for sale I'm looking to get into a truck I'll keep for a while but still be able to pull the trailer till it's sold. I'm wondering if anyone's installed a 5'er hitch on one of these trucks? I have a Pull-rite hitch and it doesn't look like they've quite done their homework for installing the hitch in that particular type of truck. Right now I'm really wondering how many people are pulling a 5'er with a new F150 and primarily one with an 8ft box.
Thanks in advance,
Alan

[Roam America]

But I'll bet the GVWR is much lower than the F-250. That is what "kills" most pickups from pulling 5ers. The 5er pin weight is the first area where TV weights are exceeded.

[TXiceman]

The F150 will limit out on pin weight and GVWR long before you reach the Max towing rating. Better weigh the truck when loaded fro travel and add 150# for a 5er hitch. Now get the GVWr from the sticker on the drivers door.

GVWR- loaded truck = max loaded trailer pin weight.

Most 5ers will runover 15% and closer to 20% of the trailer GVWR for a pin weight.

Practically, a 1/2 ton truck will max out with about a 22 to 24' 5er.

Ken

[xc600]

I've checked all the specs in the Ford towing guide, the new 05-06' F-150 WILL out pull my current 04' F-250, AND be able to carry more in the bed. This is what frosts me the most. My F-250's max 5'er pulling rate is 7700#'s, the new F-150 with an 8ft box is at 9200#'s in 4WD and 9500#'s in 2WD. I've even changed my spring blocks to essentially get me an F-350, but the trailer towing rating is the same. I just didn't like the way the truck squatted when the trailer was on her. I already have a call into the dealer to price one.
Mind you, the minute you put an 8ft box on the new F-150 you get a higher payload package. One of the biggest differences is the weight between the two trucks, my F-250 tipps the scales at over 6000 lbs, the new F150 is closer to 5000lbs with the same motor (5.4L)
Alan

[TXiceman]

2006 Towing Guide

Check here for the load carrying capacity of the various models. The base model 2 door 2 wheel drive can carry a max load of a bit over 2600# (super cab and you are down to 1860#). Now this is based on a base model, no options, no cargo and no passenger other than a 150# driver. So you have to look at both GVWR and GCWR to know the whole story.

Ken

[xc600]

I'll agree with what you're showing, but I'm talking about fifth wheel towing.
If you look here https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/.../2006_F150.pdf
It shows that the GCWR for the "properly equipt" truck is 15,300 lbs!!!
I'm not talking about just any truck on the lot, I'm going to have to order it. My point is the GCWR for my F250 is only a little over 13,000 lbs!! This also tells me that as far as Ford and my warrantee is concerned I can pull a 9500 lb fifth wheel with a 2WD F150 AS LONG AS it's "properly equipt". Will I do it, probably not. But I will say this much, my 5'er weighs in at 7000 lbs empty, and with all the assorted stuff in it it's probably closer to 8000 lbs. My F250 is only rated to 7700 lbs, according to the 2004 Towing Guide. By the looks of it, I'd be better off with the F150 "properly equipt" and I'd end up with a cheaper payment to boot. Not to mention a little bit better gas milage around town when the trailer is in storage, which is the majority of the time.
Alan

[TXiceman]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">This also tells me that as far as Ford and my warrantee is concerned I can pull a 9500 lb fifth wheel with a 2WD F150 AS LONG AS it's "properly equipt". </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, but read all of the footnotes and fine print. Properly equipped and not exceeding the GCWR, GVWR or GAWR. With a 9500# 5er, it presumes you are a base model and only the imfamous 150# driver and nothing else. Also, a 9500# 5er will have a loaded pin weight of close to 1900# whichis over the MAX rating for the carrying capacity of the of the super cab model.

The only true way to know is to weigh the truck as ready for a trip (or add for passengers, cargo and a hitch) and use the GVWR and GCWR. You need to be under on both to be within limits.

Ken

[RustyJC]

As Ken said, once you know the laden curb weight of your truck (LCW), the weight with driver, passengers, accessories, hitch, cargo, full fuel tank, etc., you can use the following formulas to determine your towing capacity:

Truck GCWR - Truck LCW = Maximum allowable total weight of loaded trailer

Truck GVWR - Truck LCW = Maximum allowable pin/hitch weight of loaded trailer

When shopping for 5th wheels, the conservative approach is to use the trailer's GVWR as the total weight and 20% of the trailer's GVWR as the pin weight of the loaded trailer. Manufacturer's trailer tow ratings are misleading unless you read all the footnotes which warn against exceeding the truck's GVWR (which is where the 150 will likely come up short) and specify that the trailer tow rating is typically based on a stripped truck with only a 150 lb driver.

Rusty

[loves to camp]

I hope you read footnote 2: does not meet current 5th wheel designs.

Regular cab only.

[xc600]

Loves to Camp,
That footnote pertains to shortbed trucks only, and not the 8ft box models. It's just stating that the current fifth wheels on the market more than likely won't clear the cab.
xc600

[WaveMaker]

I have a 23ft Tahoe Glide lite, on a 2002 f150 supercab and i do not have any problems... i have a husky ez roller hitch... i dont even have to slide the hitch back to get around...

Dean

[TQ 27]

Hi Allan B: I think you may be getting marketing hype and reality mixed up. I know the marketing people say the new 150 will carry just about any thing tow any thing and save your marrage at the same time Consdider this it is still a half ton, compared to a heavy duty three quarter ton. It will not do the same type of work.
I have a 30 ft Jayco 5th wheel that I have hauled to Florida twice with a 99 chev 1500 half ton. The trip was 1500 miles each direction. I made it there and back with no problems both times. I have also made the trip twice with the same trailer behind an 04, 250, CC, 2wd 6.0 Power Stroke. The 250 pulls better, rides better, is not affected by wind and traffic like the Chev was. I was much more relaxed when I arrived in the 250 than the 1/2 ton. The point is a 1/2 ton will not work like a 3/4 ton no matter what the sticker on the door jam says.

[Roam America]

Ford has introduced an option that increases thier tow rating. Optioned correctly An F-350 SRW has 11,500 GVWR which is 100# more than my GMC-3500 dually was. As my signature notes, my F-350 dually has that TowBoss package. GVWR is 13,000 # and GCWR is 26,000 #. Point is that the weight ratings have changed a bit in `05; at least for Ford.