Who says you can’t pull a 5th wheel

heymrdjCW · June 20, 2018

I saw this gem of a 2017+ model on I-69 with me in Fort Wayne. It’s a double cab, so 6.5’ bed. It was tracking perfectly staight, but there was some porpoising on bridge expansion joints. Seemed to have no issue with cruise control on the hills. We were both doing 68-70.

juscuzram · June 20, 2018

My aunt used to pull a pretty good sized 5th wheel with her 07 Sierra Crew Cab short bed. She had the sliding hitch in the bed and it pulled it no problem at all.

CadillacLuke24 · June 20, 2018

Good gravy with the 5.3 as well. Hey, it's his truck. Not something I would do, but more power to him

Crstfr · June 20, 2018

man ... nice!

Donstar · June 20, 2018

16 minutes ago, CadillacLuke24 said:

Good gravy with the 5.3 as well. Hey, it's his truck. Not something I would do, but more power to him

The engine wouldn't be my concern with respect to pulling a travel trailer of this size. It's the rest of the truck that is not designed for this type of load. An overloaded truck puts more than the driver at risk. I appreciate that some 5th wheel trailers are 1/2 ton tow-able but my guess is this example significantly exceeds the GCVWR.

aseibel · June 20, 2018

He's not squatting at all. Must have airbags or all the gear is in the back of the trailer.

I love seeing leveled trucks with bumper pull campers. I don't know how the drivers can see over their hood half the time.

TXGREEK · June 20, 2018

The engine wouldn't be my concern with respect to pulling a travel trailer of this size. It's the rest of the truck that is not designed for this type of load. An overloaded truck puts more than the driver at risk. I appreciate that some 5th wheel trailers are 1/2 ton tow-able but my guess is this example significantly exceeds the GCVWR.

I bought a trailer advertised as half ton towable, though it was a very large bumper pull it turned out to be a nightmare experience. I then later bought a DMax which completely satisfied my nerves. Half tons should NEVER pull a 5ther no matter the setup. Slap the [emoji90] out of someone that says that a fifth wheel is half ton towable, brakes and power for one thing are extremely inadequate. Ive got a new CC with a 6.2 and still rated at 9500 and I’d never imagine ever towing even a 7k fifth wheel cause it’ll slap my truck around like a rag doll

Donstar · June 20, 2018

20 minutes ago, aseibel said:

He's not squatting at all. Must have airbags or all the gear is in the back of the trailer.

I love seeing leveled trucks with bumper pull campers. I don't know how the drivers can see over their hood half the time.

1 minute ago, TXGREEK said:

I bought a trailer advertised as half ton towable, though it was a very large bumper pull it turned out to be a nightmare experience. I then later bought a DMax which completely satisfied my nerves. Half tons should NEVER pull a 5ther no matter the setup. Slap the out of someone that says that a fifth wheel is half ton towable, brakes and power for one thing are extremely inadequate. Ive got a new CC with a 6.2 and still rated at 9500 and I’d never enshrine towing even a 7k fifth wheel cause it’ll slap my truck around like a rag doll

There are debates on this forum with respect to heavy loads and 1/2 tons. Some people have little respect for weight limits or believe that some aftermarket add-ons will allow for heavier loads. Many years ago I was of this mindset and it took a couple of scares to set me straight. (I didn't get it the first time) This time of year you will see many overloaded holiday travelers on the highway. Keep clear because when they loose control due to a broken component you could be part of their wreckage.

Styles_888 · June 20, 2018

**** this guy....

amxguy1970 · June 20, 2018

46 minutes ago, TXGREEK said:

I bought a trailer advertised as half ton towable, though it was a very large bumper pull it turned out to be a nightmare experience. I then later bought a DMax which completely satisfied my nerves. Half tons should NEVER pull a 5ther no matter the setup. Slap the out of someone that says that a fifth wheel is half ton towable, brakes and power for one thing are extremely inadequate. Ive got a new CC with a 6.2 and still rated at 9500 and I’d never imagine ever towing even a 7k fifth wheel cause it’ll slap my truck around like a rag doll

Sure a half ton can tow a 5th, you wanna slap me? It is all about numbers. Plenty of 5th wheel travel trailers under 8k, I would rather see a 7k 5th wheel than someone running an 7k bumper pull. An 8k box on wheels is an 8k box, it will handle better with the weight on the axle than the bumper. If it falls under all the limits it pulls and drives better with the weight over the axle. Ditto with 5th wheel flat beds. Granted it usually entails a heavier trailer but with half tons on max tow packages getting well north of 2k payload (I think ford has 3k on one of theirs) if it is set up right that is a good way to go, there is plenty of room considering about 20% pin weight. Granted you might not feel comfortable to handle it but it doesn't mean someone else doesn't, especially when it is a superior way to tow...

To the OP, no one. Set up correctly and under weight it is a superior way to tow. Half ton trucks with max tow packages comfortably have the capacity to tow a small or smaller midsize 5th wheel.

Tyler

Edited June 20, 2018 by amxguy1970

TXGREEK · June 20, 2018

Sure a half ton can tow a 5th, you wanna slap me? It is all about numbers. Plenty of 5th wheel travel trailers under 8k, I would rather see a 7k 5th wheel than someone running an 7k bumper pull. An 8k box on wheels is an 8k box, it will handle better with the weight on the axle than the bumper. If it falls under all the limits it pulls and drives better with the weight over the axle. Ditto with 5th wheel flat beds. Granted it usually entails a heavier trailer but with half tons on max tow packages getting well north of 2k payload (I think ford has 3k on one of theirs) if it is set up right that is a good way to go, there is plenty of room considering about 20% pin weight. Granted you might not feel comfortable to handle it but it doesn't mean someone else doesn't, especially when it is a superior way to tow...

To the OP, no one. Set up correctly and under weight it is a superior way to tow. Half ton trucks with max tow packages comfortably have the capacity to tow a small or smaller midsize 5th wheel.

Tyler

Just cause you do it and get away with it doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. I’ve heard horror stories on setups just like that as a matter of fact YouTube is full of how not to tow.
I’d go out and trade it in especially now with enormous incentives on the 18’s and pickup a DMax. Good luck, God Bless!

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KARNUT · June 20, 2018

I’ve mostly pulled with one ton dual wheel goose neck. If the choice is a 1/2 ton bumper or 5th wheel I’m going 5th wheel. I would love to see after market dual wheel conversion for 1/2 tons. If we’re talking safety there’s nothing more fun than a trailer wagging a truck with a blown tire. We go by odds anyway so it will never happen to me. My pulling trucks never had tires with more than 30K miles, same with my trailer. Highest ply- load rating too.

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TXGREEK · June 20, 2018

I’ve mostly pulled with one ton dual wheel goose neck. If the choice is a 1/2 ton bumper or 5th wheel I’m going 5th wheel. I would love to see after market dual wheel conversion for 1/2 tons. If we’re talking safety there’s nothing more fun than a trailer wagging a truck with a blown tire. We go by odds anyway so it will never happen to me. My pulling trucks never had tires with more than 30K miles, same with my trailer. Highest ply- load rating too.

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Lol, this was my setup when taking the kids out camping, right before burned out and sold it all. My DMax had new Bilstein 5100’s, custom airbags with in cab remote controls. Maybe 28K on it and already on its third set of Michelin’s AT2’s cause nothing more important to me than my family. Also Amzoiled after each tow lol! One day I had to stop hard and I thought the trailer was coming into the bed plus took much longer to stop. Nah, one ton is the way to go and now I’m waiting for the 2022’s to show themselves!

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TXGREEK · June 20, 2018

I’ve mostly pulled with one ton dual wheel goose neck. If the choice is a 1/2 ton bumper or 5th wheel I’m going 5th wheel. I would love to see after market dual wheel conversion for 1/2 tons. If we’re talking safety there’s nothing more fun than a trailer wagging a truck with a blown tire. We go by odds anyway so it will never happen to me. My pulling trucks never had tires with more than 30K miles, same with my trailer. Highest ply- load rating too.

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ray2005 · June 20, 2018

Just cause you do it and get away with it doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. I’ve heard horror stories on setups just like that as a matter of fact YouTube is full of how not to tow.
I’d go out and trade it in especially now with enormous incentives on the 18’s and pickup a DMax. Good luck, God Bless!

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I think you missed his point. He's not saying that he's getting away with it. He's saying a properly equipped (max tow) can safely tow a 5th within the manufacturer margins. Now that doesn't mean any 5th wheel, there are only a few that fall into the half ton towable category.

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2016 Silverado LTZ w/ NHT.