Ok so here we go rookie towing question of the week.

So I'm wanting to buy a new toyhauler. I've done a lot of research and I think I'm going to go with a 5th wheel. I know I know I only have an F150 please hear me out that's why I'm asking.

So the new 2011 Stealth LX3112 (Aluminum siding their are two types in the same model) dry weight is only 7800lbs it says that on the sticker.

I point out on the top of the sticker that it says GVWR 12013lbs or something like that and he says but you have two axles on the trailer which weigh something like 5000lbs and you subtracted that from the GVWR and you get your dry weight of 7800. I know my math isn't exact here but you get my point and it sort of made since but is this guy pulling my leg or what?

I mean if my manual says I shouldn't pull anything over a certian weight which in the manual I'm going by GVWR and the trailer says a GVWR then shouldn't I not go over the darn GVWR??

Help?????

 

That toy hauler is way to big for a 1/2 ton truck. With a couple of bikes, gear, food ect. you will be way over 9000lbs ready to camp. I have a 24ft toyhauler I tow with myf150, dry its 6500lbs, loaded I'm pushing 8000lbs. Even with my 4:56 gears its a bit much. I would recommended looking into the light weight 5th wheels under 26ft. Bottom line you need something 6800lbs dry and under. Even that is pushing it. Don't let the guys at Giant RV sell you something you can't tow! Because they will!

 

Dude how did you know it was Giant RV haha that's hilarious! Ok so I'm looking for a 5th wheel under the weight you stated with a separate Master bedroom. Seems to be the deal breaker from my girlfriend if we can't find that. So any suggestions? Money isn't a huge issue we like the upgrades and the cool stuff just really don't want to go out and buy a new truck just to tow the bikes to the track and have a nice track day with the comfort of the home feeling and the the occasional camping trip ya know.

 

5th wheels are not advised with 1/2 ton trucks, period, especially with a short bed.

 

Run far away from that salesman who does not know what the trailers GVWR, axle ratings, truck ratings, even mean.

You need to stick to dry weights near 5000 pounds in a travel trailer, not 8000 pounds an 5er for a half ton.

 

Giant RV is the only dealer in the west that have exclusive rights to Stealth Toyhaulers made by Forest River. I would Stay away from Giant. If you like the Stealth check out Sandstorm and Shockwave also made by Forest River. Unless you can trade in the F150 for an F250 your limited with toyhaulers. I don't see any 1/2 towable 5th wheel toyhaulers for 2010 that I can find. The 233slc Sandstorm has a front bed.

 

Alright gents I knew I was going to hear about the 5th wheel and the 1/2 ton thing. Got it so how about now you help me out and suggest a good toyhauler that has a separate master bedroom. When I say separate I mean with a door that seperates it from the rest of the trailer. I'm not set on any brand name I just want a bad *** hauler that I can pull safely with my F150

 

I personally think this is where your hang up is, and thus your biggest challenge is going to be...accomplishing both of these.

Here's another thing you really really have to consider with a 150...those stupid *** weight stickers on these trailers are NOT as they sit on the lot. Take that trailer to a set of scales and prepare yourself for some major sticker shock....(has happened to me) I will bet you $100 if the sticker says 7,800, that trailer weighs 9,000 lbs at least on the scales. You should walk away from that trailer.

I have a 23' Forrest River with a sticker that reads 5,900 lbs...yea, I wish! No, I am not, and will not share what the trailer weighed in at on the scales, but it was substantially higher. My truck only pulls it great because I've spent a ton of money on the truck to theoretically make it a LD 250.

You are not going to find a "Bad ***" trailer that fits the bill or your requirements and be pulled by your truck. And under no conditions what so ever should you be shopping for a 5th wheel toy hauler for this truck...toy haulers by nature are much heavier than an equivalent size camper.

 

Trailers will have several weights.. Tongue weight, Axle weight and Gross Vehicle Weight.

First there is tongue or pin weight. This is how much weight is on the tongue jack and will be placed directly on the truck, whether it's in the hitch or in the bed. You will need to allow for this weight in the truck, because it's additional PAYLOAD to the truck and takes away from the trucks GVWR.

Then there is axle weight. This is how much weight is just on the axles of the trailer if you were to weigh them by themselves.

Finally, there is GVW. This is the combination of the tongue and axle weights or the total trailer weight.

The trailers GVWR is the max that the total trailer can weigh.

Your truck is going to have similar ratings too. There is GVWR, Front and Rear GAWR and GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating).

Your truck probably has a total PAYLOAD capacity of around #1200 to #1400. Add in additional passengers and their stuff, load up the bed with some stuff and finally plunk that heavy tongue weight or pin weight (5th wheels) and the next thing you know, you are over your trucks GVWR.... Doesn't take much to do it either...

Most toyhaulers are going to have tongue weights in excess of #1000 when it's all loaded up. That eats up a lot of payload on a 1/2 ton truck... I'm sure most 3/4 ton trucks towing those huge beasts are also over their GVWR too....

To accommodate a separate front bedroom, is going to call for a pretty long trailer, so that's going to add weight and work against you in the long run of having a "safe" combo...

Good luck with your pursuit!

Mitch

There is the GVWR. That's what the trailer can weigh total weight.

 

This all boils down to the old adage "the right tool for the job". The redneck version "the right tool is the one I have" doesn't cut it here.

Bottom line, there probably is not a toyhauler made with what you want that can be safely towed with a 1/2 ton truck. You will be way over one or more of the limits. Something is going to have to give - either the toyhauler or the truck.

It's not the actual trailer weight that's the issue, it's the tongue or pin weight. A 1/2 ton truck just doesn't have the payload capacity.

Load up your truck with what you would be taking with you on your trip, fill the gas tank, and go hit a truck scale. Subtract the total weight from the GVWR on the door sticker. That's how much you can have for a tongue or pin weight (and don't forget, with a 5er you would also have to add the weight of the hitch you don't have yet). Now, you have to figure that the pin weight of a 5er will probably be around 20% of its gross weight. I'm betting that even a 7800# 5er will put you over GVWR before you put *anything* in it. Bumper pullers usually have 10 to 15% of the gross on the tongue.

Yup - and that's why 90% of the big toyhaulers you see out on the highways are being pulled by F-350 or F-450 (or Chevy/Dodge equivalent) dualies.

 

You guys rock now were getting somewhere.

 

You could find a Dunesport that might work, but you'll have to compromise on the front bedroom with door to keep your F150 happy.

 

I've had the pleasure/displeasure depending on how you want to look at it, of hauling various trailers with six different body style of F150's with five different motors. The most important number in my opinion is the rear axle weight rating. If you're not overloading the trailer, it will have some spare braking capacity, but you do really want to stay within the GVWR and axle rating of the tow vehicle.

We were recently looking at the Jayco ZX toyhaulers, specifically the Octane T24Z. http://www.jayco.com/php/products/floorplans.php?id=222 it has a very appealing floorplan for my wife and I that would allow for expansion, but it's at the top end of the spectrum I would still consider 1/2 ton towable. This particular model would allow us to put most of our cargo towards the middle to rear of the trailer keeping the tounge weight at or around 900lbs loaded.

F-150 tow rigs over the years, not all mine but family/friends I've used and/or abused:

'85 351/Auto
'89 300/5spd
'90 351/ZF5spd (My favorite)
'93 302/Auto (Least favorite)
'95 300/5spd
'97 4.6/Auto
'04 5.4/Auto (Current truck, second favorite)

 

Look for a 21 front bathroom. Mine "sleeps" 4 but you can always blow up air mattresses. Mine is 4900 dry: 10,000 GVWR. I still have stock gears and can run 55-65 safely.

 

The Attitude Z-Gravity TL27IFBG is what I'm looking at now. It has a dry weight of 6700 and a GVWR of 9,900 lbs. It has the front separate sleeper and some real nice amenities. Anyone here ever seen them or even better anyone own one. I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy one with in the next few months or sooner. I just want to do as much research as I can before I buy. Again you guys have been super helpful and I can't wait to get a new Toy-hauler. Next year at Laguna Seca I'm taking all the toys to watch the races. Tomorrow at 2 I think on the Speed channel is the Laguna Seca Moto GP race everyone should watch even if you don't like Superbikes it's a bad *** race.