Seen a 1500 pulling 5th wheel with no sag

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Frankwhoa

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I seen a 1500 5.7 pulling a 5th wheel with very little sag this week. I tow a few different things pretty regularly. I even rented a Uhaul hauler once and pulled an old pickup but this caught my attention. What are we talking here: helper air bags and a trailer brake or did he probably do more?
 
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sirdumpsalot

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I saw a 1500 5.7 pulling a 5th wheel with very little sag this week. I tow a few different things pretty regularly. I even rented a Uhaul hauler once and pulled an old pickup but this caught my attention. What are we talking here: helper air bags and a trailer brake or did he probably do more?
Got to be airbags...
 

OC455

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Probably upgraded springs, air springs or a combo of both...
 

Wahrsuul

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2003F350

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There are a few (very few) fifth wheel trailers that are listed as half-ton tow-able. Keystone makes one as does Grand Design. They're smaller as you'd imaging, but the Grand Design looks really nice. Costs like it too.

https://www.keystonerv.com/product/cougar-half-ton/premium-fifth-wheels

https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2021/fifth-wheel/reflection-150-series

There are a few others as well, but having looked at some of them...the small ones are light, sure, but some of their bigger options are NOT half-ton towable despite being billed as such (I was looking into some to see if there were any I could potentially pull with the Power Wagon). Their pin weights alone get up over the payload of most half-ton trucks, and likely would put them over their RAWR too.

That said, they're nice alternatives to the full-weight models, and make it possible for those with 2500s with lower payloads/GVWRs to have roomier campers without having to upgrade their truck.
 

Irishthreeper

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I pulled our 5W for about 5 months with a ‘19 1500 with 3.92 axle. Trailer was 8400 dry with hitch weight of 1250 and the 1500 did great. I put in AirLift brand bags, 100 lb capacity but 30-40 kept me perfectly level. Also put in OEM integrated brake controller. Most “half ton” 5W’s are too much for a 1500 but there are some that work nicely.
 

Hd74ica

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I've see a "Scamp" fifth wheel going down the road. Didn't see if it was a half ton pulling it but the fiver had only 1 axel. Scamps are of course fiberglass units.
 

GTyankee

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I have wondered why trailers can't have more space between axles
Why can't the tires be 12" to 18" apart?
Is there a reason ?
 

Zerio29

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I have wondered why trailers can't have more space between axles
Why can't the tires be 12" to 18" apart?
Is there a reason ?

The suspension operates better. Usually a tandem trailer has it's springs hung from a triangle shaped equalizer in between them that allows one wheel to go up while the other is down - it really balances the load on the trailer when you hit a bump, which is a massive advantage of the tandem trailer. If they were further apart, the equalizer wouldn't be able to do it's job properly. they make axles up to 20k lbs very commonly, so if it weren't for the suspension advantages, single axle 20k trailers would be a lot more popular than tandem 7500 lb axles.
 

Zerio29

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I saw a 1500 5.7 pulling a 5th wheel with very little sag this week. I tow a few different things pretty regularly. I even rented a Uhaul hauler once and pulled an old pickup but this caught my attention. What are we talking here: helper air bags and a trailer brake or did he probably do more?

As above, definitely helper air bags and maybe upgraded springs. but 5th wheels don't tend to sag as much as hitch pulls because it puts the weight in front of the rear axle and so the front axle also takes a bit of the weight
 

dhay13

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I have wondered why trailers can't have more space between axles
Why can't the tires be 12" to 18" apart?
Is there a reason ?
Would make turning much more difficult (meaning more ear and tear)
 

crash68

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I saw a 1500 5.7 pulling a 5th wheel with very little sag this week. I tow a few different things pretty regularly. I even rented a Uhaul hauler once and pulled an old pickup but this caught my attention.
Probably air bags but a fiver hitch is located slightly forward of the rear axle, that pushes some of the pun weight onto the front axle also. Tag along trailers apply the weight behind the rear axle, so they'll squat a truck further with less weight as it has leverage working for it
 

2019RamInSC

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I have wondered why trailers can't have more space between axles
Why can't the tires be 12" to 18" apart?
Is there a reason ?
Try this. Not a great explanation. but watch the tires as the trailer turns.


 

VelocityC6Z

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Squat can also be alleviated by balancing the load. It can be deceiving... there may be 12k pounds on whatever he's trailering, if the weight is all to the rear of the trailer, it won't squat and it's not safe as he is risking that death wobble.

We beat the horse dead here to follow the rules of safety. These trucks can pull probably 30 ton if it's balanced right and the weight is resting on tires and wheels to support that kind of weight... but it doesn't make it safe.
 

curleyrl

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The factory 4-corner air suspension works amazing. I loaded mine with about 1500 lbs of roofing material. It auto leveled itself off where you wouldn’t know it had anything in the bed.
 

Richard Chabrajez

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I have wondered why trailers can't have more space between axles
Why can't the tires be 12" to 18" apart?
Is there a reason ?
When you make a turn, one axle (usually the front) is the center point for the turn and rotates for the turn. The second axle is behind the rotating point and drags the tires through the turn. The further apart the axles, the more the tires will drag instead of turning causing flat spotting on the tires. This happens even when the axles are close together.
 

CaptOchs

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It is doable as some are rated for 1/2 ton. That would be max tow option for a 1/2 ton.

I was on the road last summer and all I could see is this popup rolling down the expressway. We couldn't see the car until we started passing it. I was towed by this Civic and was a low rider. lol.
 

Randy Grant

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Bone stock '19 Limited. Tow from WA to AZ most winters and no problems, except one blowout on trailer outside of Bakersfield.

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