Camper Tow Question

[ChesterJack]

Good day. I have a 2021 2500 Cummins short bed with the 3.73 gear and am looking to step up to a 5th wheel camper.

So I am being conservative in only looking at what they call "1/2 ton towable" 5th wheels. And for the record i do not believe any 1/2 ton can tow a 5th wheel.

What is confusing me is the hitch weights I am seeing. The unit we are looking at has a hitch weight of 1,400lbs but my payload capacity of my truck is 2,000lbs and my tow capacity is 19,000lbs which I will never reach. The weight of the camper we are looking at is 10,000lbs.

So should I need to be concerned with hitch weight that is approaching my payload capacity or should I just focus on axle weight rating which in my case is 6,000lbs and where I believe the hitch weight of the 5th wheel will ride.

It's really confusing and want to be sure I am being safe for myself and others I share the road with.

Thanks

 

[Riccochet]

Yeah, focus on pin weight. Just remember though, that 1400# is dry weight. Which mean before any batteries, propane, generator (if you get one), liquids. So, that's another 110# for dual 30# propane tanks, 70-90# for a single G27 battery. Plus your pass through storage is up front which adds pin weight. Plus you'll most likely need a slider hitch which will be another 150# in the bed of the truck.

1400 + 110 + 90 + 150 = 1750 lbs of payload before you put a single thing in that trailer or occupants in the truck.

If your 2500 was a gasser you'd be fine. I think you'll be over on payload with the trailer you're looking at.

 

[Irishthreeper]

Personally, I would try finding a 5W with lower pin weight. Our 34’ Arctic Wolf is only 1250. At a recent CAT scale I think I had about 1900 lbs of 5W weight on our 2500 Hemi, including “stuff”, propane, etc, almost an additional 700 lbs.

 

[Riccochet]

Personally, I would try finding a 5W with lower pin weight. Our 34’ Arctic Wolf is only 1250. At a recent CAT scale I think I had about 1900 lbs of 5W weight on our 2500 Hemi, including “stuff”, propane, etc, almost an additional 700 lbs.

Pretty much this. A diesel 2500 isn't really ideal for 5W's. Pin weight adds up fast in a 5W when you put everything in your trailer and pass through storage.

 

[runamuck]

my son boght a new 2500 laramie dsl before the shortage. only 2100# cargo cap. count on pin wt. being several hundred pounds higher when ready to travel he added the frame mtd. airbags to his to firm up the back end when towing his 8400# 5th wheel trailer.

 

[ChesterJack]

To all who responded, Thank you. The advice was great and frankly I think my best option is to just look for a larger travel trailer, which will still provide me the additional room / space we were seeking. It's not a full time gig for us, only occasional campers we are, so another travel trailer with overall lower weights will be fine. Plus the cummins pulls what we have now like there is nothing back there and I suspect that will not change with a couple, (2,000) more pounds in total.

Thanks again.

 

[NH RAM]

You'll have a hard time with a half-ton towable 5w meeting the payload parameters. With that said, I'd try hard to make it work as the towing is much better in a 5w than a TT in my experience. I also like the higher ceilings in the living area but I sacrifice a pitched ceiling in the bedroom. If you're not taking long trips on the highway, you won't notice much, but on the highway is where the 5w shines- it's smooth and stable. I have a Cougar 30RLS half-ton towable- I'll have to look at my CAT slip and see what my rear axle numbers were- the 5w has a GVWR of 11,000 and a dry pin weight of about 1500#.

 

[Riccochet]

1500# dry pin weight is considered half ton towable?

I'd like to see the half ton that's towing that once that 5W is loaded.

 

[NH RAM]

1500# dry pin weight is considered half ton towable?

I'd like to see the half ton that's towing that once that 5W is loaded.

Yeah, on one of my first trips with it a guy in a Ford Super Duty saw the label on the front while I was getting gas and said "that's a half-ton" towable? I said that they market it that way but not really.
The specs say it's 1545 pin weight. It has the awful "half-ton" right under Cougar on the front of it.

 

[dhay13]

Yeah but F-150's have a much higher payload than the Ram 1500. Pretty sure the Silverado does too. Still not sure I'd be comfortable towing one of those with any 1/2 ton though. My step-father had a 2011 and 2014 1500 Rams both with 3.92s and towed a 2012 Crusader 5th wheel. Think it was about 29'. It towed it but definitely too much for that truck. They rarely took it anywhere cause it was so stressful towing it with that truck

 

[NH RAM]

Yeah but F-150's have a much higher payload than the Ram 1500. Pretty sure the Silverado does too. Still not sure I'd be comfortable towing one of those with any 1/2 ton though. My step-father had a 2011 and 2014 1500 Rams both with 3.92s and towed a 2012 Crusader 5th wheel. Think it was about 29'. It towed it but definitely too much for that truck. They rarely took it anywhere cause it was so stressful towing it with that truck

The F150's can get to 2700-2800# on a regular cab with the heavy duty payload package; Super crew's are 1800-2000 max depending on 2x4 or 4x4. No way would I haul a 5w with a regular cab F150. I've seen an F150 with a 5w once coming off the highway and the driver looked like he was death-gripping the steering wheel. I personally wouldn't tow a 5w with a half ton- I didn't like towing my 7500# TT that much with a half ton, it's just too much trailer. Like they say- just because you can, doesn't mean you should. With that said, in Canada a few years ago there were lots of Ram 1500's with the 6'4" bed towing 5w, but the speed limit was 55 where we were so it might not of been too bad.

 

[Vargasvinyls]

I guess I shouldn’t tell anyone that I pull a fifth wheel with a 1/2 ton?

 

[sandawilliams]

View attachment 474974
I guess I shouldn’t tell anyone that I pull a fifth wheel with a 1/2 ton?

I will pull it but will it stop it? Don't get in any cross winds.

 

[barr0208]

View attachment 474974
I guess I shouldn’t tell anyone that I pull a fifth wheel with a 1/2 ton?

 

[barr0208]

nice rig what model and year is that grand design reflection i have a 2021 reflection 150 295rl

 

[runamuck]

I have not found any 5th wheels I would feel ok trying to pull with the 1500 laramie I have but when folks are discussing this topic some mention the brakes. I dont see the brakes as any weakpoint. the brakes on my 1500 are huge and the stopping power is the best of any truck I have owned. there are also brakes on the trailer. my own 6000# travel trailer actually has 4 wheel brakes and lots of stopping power so I dont see that as a weak point as long as the trailer wt. is not more than the truck is capable of pulling. the weak link is always going to be pin wt. being higher than the cargo capacity of the truck. my own truck only has 1324# so after me and the wife and a few items in the bed, I am out of capacity for any known 5th wheel I have been able to find.