It seems everyone has an opinion, RV dealer and Auto dealers when it comes to what make a good Tow vehicle. Does anyone know the industry standard when it comes to towing a fifth wheel RV? I am interested in the 2011 F-150 with the new Eco-Boost V6 Twin Turbos. I would like to tow a 7000 lb dry weight RV with a 3000 lb carrying capacity. Their is mention of pin weights etc but the two dealers, RV and Auto, cannot come to a mutual conclusion. Any help would be appreciated.

 

For that weight you would be far better off with a F250. At minimum you need the 8200lb GVWR. Remember the weight they list for max tow is ambiguous at best. Not only do you need to be below the max tow weight, you need to be at or below GVWR, GCWR, and GAWR when you are towing. This means with all passengers, cargo, and the loaded trailer.

All those weights need to be considered. If your payload is 1500lbs, and between the weight of the fifth wheel hitch, all passengers, cargo, and pin weight totals over 2000lbs, you are now over GVWR and probably GAWR. by 500lbs.

 

X2 on getting an F250. The max towing is 11,300 when speced right, but I wouldn't want to tow maxed out all the time.

 

Tow ratings are fine.. When comparing one truck to another that are equipped similar..

But not really for what "you" are going to be able to go out tow..

Trailers come in all shapes, sizes, configurations. What those 'tow ratings' fail to mention are those kinds of trailers!

Notice on the commercials when they are doing some sort of 'tow comparison' with another make. Sure, they load up a trailer to the max 'tow rating' for the truck they are testing, but ever notice that it's a flat bed trailer with a pallet of bricks on it and loaded pretty much centered on the trailer axles... This is so they can keep the tongue weight down, so it won't exceed the trucks GVWR.. Yet, they can say it's a "#10,000 trailer weight.."

A #10,000 5th wheel RV is gonna have about #2500 of pin weight that you need to account for.

A #10,000 boat on a trailer will have significantly LESS tongue weight, because most of a boats weight is in the rear where the engine(s) are. That's why boat trailers always have the axles farther back on them, yet still have relative 'light' tongue weights and still tow okay.

A #10,000 travel trailer will have anywhere from #1000 to #1500 of tongue weight to deal with.

As far as "industry standard" for 5th wheels, pin weights can be anywhere from 15% to 25% of the trailers loaded weight. Travel Trailers are generally between 10% to 15%.

If you have a payload of #1500 and put #1500 of people and stuff in the bed, then you technically can't tow anything! Even if the specs say you have a 'tow rating' of #11000... Once you burn up your payload, that's it, you are done.

If a #5000 TT eats up your remaining payload, again, that's it, you are done... That's "your" tow rating..

People tow overloaded all the time.. Most probably don't even know it.. They just figure they are below the "tow rating" figure, so it must be good! Yet, they go and load up the truck with the kids, dog, spouse, fill up the bed with more stuff....

I'm over my trucks GVWR by several hundred pounds when I'm towing my TT, but I accept that and know my truck and it's limitations and am fully confident in the rig..

That's what you will need to determine for yourself too... Decide what are your limits based on your available payload and go from there..

Good luck!

Mitch

 

Fully agree with the details Mitch said. In addition, a fifth wheel hitch usually weighs 150-250 pounds which also is all weight on the truck, or against payload.

With that in mind, you could find the right combination of closer to 15% pin weight empty and a regular cab or Supercab with the 8200 pound GVWR for something like 2300-3000 pounds of actual payload. No supercrews.

Generally, anyone considering a 5th wheel skip straight to the 1-tons. 3/4 are great for towing the lighter 5ers and the heaviest TTs. $500 more for an extra 1000 pounds of payload for the 1-ton is a great value.

 

The 6.2 gas engine in the Super Duty is also a very capable engine for towing till you get into the mountains. There, the only way to tow something that big without driving yourself nuts is with forced induction.

 

Thanks all. After much research, looking now at the f250 diesel. This should solve all the problems.

 

^ sounds like a much better plan. Good luck

 

Go move on your part. It should tow much safer than behind an F150.

 

Highly recommend spending the extra $600 for the F-350 and 1000 pounds more payload. Never know when you'll want an even bigger trailer. 20% of 10k pounds is 2000 pounds, plus 200 hitch and people/cargo in the bed. Just enough for most 3/4 ton trucks. 14000 pounds 20% is 2800 pounds, 200 pound hitch, and people. Over most 3/4 tons. No reason to limit yourself on the RV to under 9k pounds dry.