Hi All: Sorry to ask another towing question. I have read a lot of them and would like to ask a question pertaining to my truck.

I have a 1997 F-150 Lariat. It has a 5.4L V-8, 139" WB, 6.5' Bed, Aftermarket Heavy Duty/RV torque Conveter and Firestone Air Helper Springs. I want to get off the ground and trade in my tent for a RV. Should I look towards a FW or a TT?

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a FW versus a TT in terms of towing and use.

2. What size should I limit my search to?

3. What are some of the pitfalls I need to keep in mind when towing?

4. Anything else that I have not asked. I dont have enough experience to even ask..

Thanks for imparting your knowledge.

 

With a little more info you can check the "trailer weight chart" sticky at the top of this forum to get your truck's towing capability.

You'll need to know 4x2 vs. 4x4, std. cab vs. super, auto vs. manual trans, wheel size, and rear ratio.

Some of the more experienced towers will have to verify, but I believe you can't safely tow a FW with an F-150. To answer your question about TT vs. FW, I'm told by a friend that tows a FW and is a professional truck driver by trade that the fifth wheels feel more solidly connected to the tow vehicle and the handling is better and more predictable vs. a TT. (His tow vehicle is an early 90s diesel F-350 DRW with manual trans.)

That leaves TTs. Using the chart in the sticky, and guessing that your truck could be a supercab 4x4 with an auto trans, 16" wheels and 3.55 rear, you can tow up to 7,700 lbs:

5.4....SUP....AUTO...3.55/16.4X4...7700

You want to use the TTs GVWR, not the UVW, for this calculation.

Is your truck equipped for towing? Do you have the trailer relays, a brake controller, 7-pin connector, appropriate class hitch, and a trans cooler? There's a lot of good info on most of the above at etrailer.com if you don't already have or know about it this stuff. Also, seriously consider a weight distributing hitch.

Do you have any idea what size or type of camper you'd like? What part of the world are you in?

I tow a 24' Pilgrim TT with my 4.6L F-150 that had no towing gear when I got it, other than a rusted-out class IV hitch. It would be nice to have a 5.4, but this motor gets the job done-- and I had no idea I would ever tow with it at the time I bought it!

This is a great time to buy a FW or TT, btw. There are some fantastic deals out there on both used and new ones!

 

FC, the biggest obstacle you are going to face is the very limited GVWR of your truck...

I've got the same truck as you and my GVWR is a dismal #6250. When I go to the dump and get weighed, I come out weighing about #5500! My wife and I are usually in the truck, I usually have a full tank of gas and a bunch of stuff usually is in the truck as well, so that's why I weigh so much...

What does this mean for me. Well, it means that I can only add about another #750 before I exceed my trucks GVWR. Well, the pin weight of even most 'lite' model 5ers can be #1000 before you load them up. TT tongue weights are usually less, but can get to over #750 pretty fast too..

My little 22' TT has a GVWR of only #5000, but has a pretty good size tw of about #600+. I usually carry a bunch of firewood, more tools and more stuff for just a long weekend camping trip. Well, all of this puts me over my trucks GVWR and right at it's rear GAWR, so I'm not even close to that "tow rating" figure of #7,700, yet I'm exceeding my trucks GVWR..

So, my guess is you'll be in the same boat too. You can add all the power and suspension gizmo's you can think of (I have #2500 overload springs!), but they won't 'legally' increase your GVW ratings... They might make it not sag as much and perform better, but you will (as I am) technically be overweight...

Bigger toys need bigger rigs to pull them.... Decide what you want in an RV and then decide if your current rig is up to the task... I knew I couldn't get a new truck, so I got an RV that it would be comfortable with.. Would I like a bigger, heavier TT? Sure, but I have no towing issues and I've been towing this rig for 7 years now. My truck has 196,000 miles on it now and still pulls strong.. Still not willing to get a new truck.. No truck payments for the last 4 years has been nice!!

Hope this helps you decide! Good luck!

Mitch

 

In response to both, I have a supercab 4x4, I bought the truck used and I was listing the setup from the original dealer sticker that was among all of the receipts. It has the tow package, and everything to plug in etc. The setup is exactly the same as Mitch including the tire brand with the exception of 17" rims.

I've seen other F150's hauling FW around and it seems to be fine, my guess is they are overloaded??? Does the fact it has airbags make a difference?

 

You *can* tow a FW with a 1/2 ton truck, but that does not mean that you *should*.

 

I've seen lots of smaller rigs out there towing things I wouldn't want to tow with my F150.. Would my truck be able to tow them? Sure.. If it can hook up to the hitch, then you can usually move it... Question is, should you? If it's from one end of the yard to the other, then it's probably going to be okay.. Even from one end of town to the other, you'll probably be okay... But, if you are loading up your entire family, looking to have a good time, traveling 100's of miles, then maybe you should reconsider...

And no, air bags don't increase any of your existing weight ratings... They simply allow you to handle X amount of weight without sagging as much.. Your axle is still the same and the springs and frame it's all attached to is still the same..

What 'can' happen if you overload your truck? It's extreme, but take a look at the post about that guy that tried to load a huge tree stump on a car hauler type of trailer and using a 1500 Chevy truck... Sure, his load went from zero to probably several thousand pounds on his hitch in an instant, but still showed the weak link in his truck...

What we are saying here is only our opinions based on past experiences.. I've towed overloaded before and 'nothing' happened, other then the actual driving part was very stressful and not 'fun' at all.. When I tow my rig, I enjoy it and wish I could do it more often! That means more to me then having a bigger RV anytime..

Mitch

 

Thanks for the education. I am not too good at the math part. I looked at the sticky chart and saw that I can tow up to 7700#'s. So what is my limit in #'s that I should look to? I dont understand how GVWR, GVR, GAVR, UVR relates to the 7700# rating.

 

As I understand it, and I am still relatively new to towing so go with the experienced folks if they correct me, you can simplify matters by looking for trailers with a GVWR that is no more than the 7,700 lbs. specified in the chart for your truck. (And even better if you can leave a safety margin of several hundred lbs.)

GVWR is the maximum load that the trailer is rated for, and it's safe to assume that when loaded with your clothing, kitchen stuff, any outdoor gear, full propane tanks, some fresh water, etc., etc., the actual weight of the trailer will be close to the GVWR.

You can find definitions of GVWR, GCWR, UVW, etc., here: http://www.your-rv-lifestyle.com/vehicle-weight.html

Since the UVW does not include "... cargo, fresh water, LP gas, ... or dealer-installed accessories..." your trailer's actual weight will be much higher and the UVW is not going to be useful in determining if you can safely tow a specific camper.

With the new composite materials and lightweight designs that are available, you should find a good selection of really nice TTs that are within your tow rating.

 

Your truck is rated to tow 7700# under ideal conditions - 1 gallon of gas, a 150# driver, no passengers, no cargo, tongue weight at the bottom end of allowed............get the picture? You have to be concerned with the GVWR of the truck, and the front and rear GAWR. People overload their trucks routinely and get away with it, but it ain't right.

 

You'll find the best value in hybrid trailers, full height sides with just beds that are tent-like that need to be popped out. You can get some very nice ones with slide outs that are huge inside for the weight. Check out the Roo 21SS for example.

 

Thank you all for the great information.