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Old 06-21-2017, 06:46 AM   #1
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26.5BHS TV and Hitch Help

Hello!

Newbie here to the fifth wheel world. For various reasons I am working backwards and matching my tow vehicle to what unit we decide to go with.

I asked for advice from the dealer and he is actually pushing me to a half ton. I just want relatively safe (kids) and headache free and am not brand loyal.

Does anyone have a preferred TV/hitch setup for a 26.5BHS?
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Old 06-21-2017, 07:03 AM   #2
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For reference here are the specs

Unloaded Vehicle Weight (lbs) 7185
Dry Hitch Weight (lbs) 1370
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (lbs) 9950
Cargo Carrying Capacity (lbs) 2765
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Old 06-21-2017, 07:27 AM   #3
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GVWR for TT looks like 10,000lbs rounded.
Correction, didn't see FW. Fiver will have pin weight 15-20%
Pin weight could be up to 1,500 - 2,000 lbs

OMHO, a 1/2 ton won't be enough truck.

I have a 1/2 ton Tundra, max tow, max payload. My 24' TT GVWR = 7500. I wouldn't want to tow anything much bigger. I am probably only at 80% of my specs.

I would think you need to be 3/4 ton minimum.

Start with your estimated tongue weight, add gear and passenger weight. That will give you a better idea of where you need to start with truck specs. I like to stay within 80% of specs for comfortable towing, especially if going any distance.

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Old 06-21-2017, 07:30 AM   #4
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I'm from the "you can't have too much truck" school of RVing, so I would highly recommend a 3/4 ton truck of whatever brand strikes your fancy.
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Old 06-21-2017, 08:18 AM   #5
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Payload will be your challenge with the increased pin weights of 5th wheels. You will definitely need a Heavy Duty Payload Package. A Supercrew XLT 4X4 F150 with HDPP will give you around 2,500 lbs of payload, which may or may not be enough payload, depending on the passengers and stuff you load into your camper for camping. You will pay about 10-15% more for a similarly equipped gas 250/2500 and a further 10% more for the diesel. Chev and Ram may have HDPP packages but you would have to look into their availability.
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Old 06-21-2017, 09:52 AM   #6
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If you want headache free and safe your best bet is to go with a 3/4 ton or 1 ton. Even with a well equipped half ton you would have to watch your weights all the time. You will have a better experience just stepping up to a 3/4 ton now.
If you are considering a diesel jump right into a 1 ton so you don't sacrifice payload capacity.

Cheers
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Old 06-21-2017, 10:05 AM   #7
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Thanks for the replies.

I had told the dealers I was thinking 3/4 even though I was secretly hoping for a F150 V8 crew W/HDPP. For them to push me towards a half ton kind of through me for a loop. Perhaps it is just a default salesmanship practice or something.
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Old 06-21-2017, 10:36 AM   #8
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I had a 2015 Tundra Dbl cab, 5.7 and it did the job, but didnt have a warm and fuzzy feeling while towing. I just traded up to a 13 GMC Sierra Ext Cab 2500HD. I havent towed with it yet, as I am having hitch installed today, but I am sure it will be night and day. Ive been through through the TV shuffle when upgrading TT's. I thought the Tundra would be it, but not after my trip to Nashville last year. We made it safe and sound, but wished I had a bigger TV the whole trip. If I were you, Aim high, go for the 3/4 ton and dont look back at the 1/2 ton
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Old 06-21-2017, 11:12 AM   #9
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I'm also from the "You can't have too much truck" school.

We pulled the 19RD with a 1/4 ton Toytoa Tacoma. It was adequate.

Last year I sat down and 'housebroke' my F-350 chore truck. HUGE DIFFERENCE! The truck now tells the trailer what to do. No arguments, sway or other discomforts.

Spend the extra bucks now on plenty of TV. When two-foot-itis rears it's ugly head, you'll be ready for that too.
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Old 06-21-2017, 11:44 AM   #10
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Payload will be your challenge with the increased pin weights of 5th wheels. You will definitely need a Heavy Duty Payload Package. A Supercrew XLT 4X4 F150 with HDPP will give you around 2,500 lbs of payload, which may or may not be enough payload, depending on the passengers and stuff you load into your camper for camping. You will pay about 10-15% more for a similarly equipped gas 250/2500 and a further 10% more for the diesel. Chev and Ram may have HDPP packages but you would have to look into their availability.
Regarding the 250 sized diesel - be really careful. I've seen F150's with more payload capacity than a 250 with the 6.7 powerstroke. It's an amazing motor but it weighs a ton and will seriously hurt the payload numbers. IMHO, it is mandatory to jump to a 350 sized truck if you plan on putting a diesel motor in it. I added about 1200 lbs of payload capacity when I upgraded to my 250, but if it had been the diesel motor, I'd be lucky to get half of that. Spending an awful lot of money to only increase your payload by 5 or 6 hundred pounds.

Back to the OP, I wouldn't consider pulling a 5th wheel with a 1/2 ton truck. There's more at stake than pay load as well... i.e. stability and brakes come to mind.
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Old 06-21-2017, 12:00 PM   #11
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You'd think think as a car salesmen they'd be pushing you toward the more expensive truck. Maybe they have too much 150 inventory?? I'd go 3/4 ton or better, but i'm the paranoid type.
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Old 06-21-2017, 12:18 PM   #12
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You'd think think as a car salesmen they'd be pushing you toward the more expensive truck. Maybe they have too much 150 inventory?? I'd go 3/4 ton or better, but i'm the paranoid type.
Sorry to confuse... the Jayco dealer was telling me to go half ton.

My guess is my dealer is probably in the minority of dealers saying that.

Still, it seems to me the whole phenomenon has become such a deeply ingrained marketing gimmick it is hurting the industry.
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Old 06-21-2017, 01:22 PM   #13
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Sorry to confuse... the Jayco dealer was telling me to go half ton.

My guess is my dealer is probably in the minority of dealers saying that.

Still, it seems to me the whole phenomenon has become such a deeply ingrained marketing gimmick it is hurting the industry.
Dealers are famous for telling people that the half-ton they have will pull any 15,000 lb 5ver on the lot to make the sale. If the buyer needs to spend $20k to upgrade their TV, it may reduce the chance of a sale.

If you follow the "you can't have too much truck" philosophy then you absolutely need at a minimum a 350/3500 diesel dually to be safe.

If you want a truck that has more payload than most diesel 250/2500s and more torque and pulling power than any gas 350/3500, have a look at a HDPP F150 with the 3.5 Eco. With 2500 lbs of payload in a well equipped Screw XLT, it will not have as plush or soft a ride as half-tons with 1100 to 1400 lbs of payload, but you have to give up something for nearly double the payload.

In the real world, a Screw F150 pulling a 10k lb 5ver will stop shorter than a Screw 250/2500 pulling the same 10k lb 5ver. A dually 350/3500 will stop shorter than either vehicle because of having twice the amount of rubber in the rear under the hitch in contact with the road. It is only on the internet and this forum that 250/2500's stop in half the distance with 3X the weight "because they have bigger brakes"

Instability or sway occurs when people do not have properly equipped tow vehicles, are overloaded, or do not know how to set up the hitches. As long as you are within specs with your loads and have your hitch set up properly, you will not have any stability issues with an HDPP F150. There are many of us on this site who are safely and comfortably towing with F150's, including 5th wheels, who are often criticized by the vocal majority on this forum that think everybody needs a 2 or 3 in place of the 1 on the side of their truck to make it safe for towing. Even if you ask questions about the F150 6spd vs 10spd transmissions on this forum, you will be told you need a 3/4 ton and it is not safe to tow with an F150.

At the end of the day, you will be the one spending your hard earned cash and towing with the TV you choose. If your loading requirements, necessitate a 350/3500 or you simply want 900+/- ft/lbs of torque for pulling your 5ver that's great. But I hope you base your decision on accurate facts and actual manufacturers ratings and not inaccurate information on the web.
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Old 06-21-2017, 01:40 PM   #14
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Even if you ask questions about the F150 6spd vs 10spd transmissions on this forum, you will be told you need a 3/4 ton and it is not safe to tow with an F150.
Nobody told that member that his 150 was unsafe. I read all 30+ posts.

He was advised to 'consider' a bigger TV because it will make for a better towing experience. Not debatable. - and he was buying a new truck anyway. Doing it right the first time can save a TON of money and frustration. It would take someone a year to read all the 150 related towing posts on the forum. The vast majority of them boil down to A - what the person is towing / planning on towing B- are they pushing the envelope based on the capacity of their truck.

If a friend or family member was purchasing a new vehicle to tow a 5th wheel I wouldn't recommend a 1/2 ton truck, period. Having owned a half dozen 150's and 250's there is really no comparison when you start towing heavy. IF a person is buying a new truck, spending an extra couple thousand on a *more capable* tow vehicle I think makes a lot of sense. For most of us anyway. If all you are towing is a popup, you can probably tow it with my Ford Focus.

I also didn't see anyone suggesting that the superior brakes on a 3/4 ton truck will stop you in half the time - they will just run a lot cooler, and they can handle the stresses of stopping 10K+ pounds *better*. That isn't debatable either.

Wish the OP the best in his decision.
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Old 06-21-2017, 02:23 PM   #15
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Nobody told that member that his 150 was unsafe. I read all 30+ posts.
...
I also didn't see anyone suggesting that the superior brakes on a 3/4 ton truck will stop you in half the time - they will just run a lot cooler, and they can handle the stresses of stopping 10K+ pounds *better*. That isn't debatable either.
...
You need to read again including the following excerpts:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Subaru297 View Post
If you want headache free and safe your best bet is to go with a 3/4 ton or 1 ton. Cheers
Quote:
Originally Posted by spepi View Post
. We made it safe and sound, but wished I had a bigger TV the whole trip. If I were you, Aim high, go for the 3/4 ton and dont look back at the 1/2 ton
Quote:
Originally Posted by bansai View Post

Back to the OP, I wouldn't consider pulling a 5th wheel with a 1/2 ton truck. There's more at stake than pay load as well... i.e. stability and brakes come to mind.
I get it, you are proud of your 3/4 ton and think everybody should pull their camper with one and if having F250 on the side of your truck makes you feel safer, good for you and I am glad you are happy with your decision. But it is important that the OP and others base their decisions on accurate information before spending a lot of $$ on a new truck.


It is simply not true that a F250 stops "better" than an HDPP F150 with 10,000 lbs. In Canada, a gas XLT Screw F250, similarly equipped, will run about $8000 more than a similarly equipped F150 HDPP Screw which is more than a few thousand dollars even when converting to $$U.S.
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Old 06-21-2017, 02:37 PM   #16
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Buy once, the camper your buying now may be traded in for bigger one later. If it were me I would buy a 3/4 ton and call it good. It will handle better than a 1/2 ton, I traded in my 1/2 ton for a 3/4 ton when I had my 7,000 lb tt and it was a night and day difference in the way the trailer towed. Not sure about stopping distance as I never tested it, but I can say it was a more comfortable trip towing with a bigger truck.
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Old 06-21-2017, 02:41 PM   #17
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Buy a truck with 'what will my next trailer be' in mind. Last thing you want to do is buy just enough truck for the current trailer and then have to go get a new truck in a couple of years because you're current TV won't handle the bigger trailer. I made the mistake...

Something else to keep in mind is that there isn't that big a price difference between 250/2500 and 350/3500. If you go diesel your best bet is 350/3500 as the diesel eats up a lot of payload capacity.
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Old 06-21-2017, 02:54 PM   #18
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The one thing I can say for certain is up until '13 the rams had the exact same truck minus the overload springs for the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. GM's are still the same truck and I beleive Ford is the same. What I'm trying to say is the payload # is a bs #, if the trucks have the same brakes, frames, axles, motors, transmission, and suspension minus an overload spring what's to say you can unfit the 3/4 ton to tow the same(not talking legalities here just pure abilities). The whole 1/2 ton is better than a 3/4 ton because of a payload # is crazy, the frame is not as strong, the axles are not as strong, the brakes are not as big, at what point does one say that even makes sense because some company put a # on it.
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Old 06-21-2017, 03:00 PM   #19
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You need to read again including the following excerpts:







I get it, you are proud of your 3/4 ton and think everybody should pull their camper with one and if having F250 on the side of your truck makes you feel safer, good for you and I am glad you are happy with your decision. But it is important that the OP and others base their decisions on accurate information before spending a lot of $$ on a new truck.


It is simply not true that a F250 stops "better" than an HDPP F150 with 10,000 lbs. In Canada, a gas XLT Screw F250, similarly equipped, will run about $8000 more than a similarly equipped F150 HDPP Screw which is more than a few thousand dollars even when converting to $$U.S.
I'm equally proud of all the 150's I've owned. I've never trash talked any of them. Nobody in the world thinks 'smaller brakes' are better and you'll have to agree that they are smaller. When you are doing 65 MPH down a 8% grade off the rocky mountains and you have 10,000 pounds behind you- the bigger brakes do a better job. We can define what 'better' means to each other, but it isn't limited to just stopping distance. Factor in brake fade - brake temps and other benefits from having upgraded brakes.

Nobody in the world thinks a heavier duty truck is the worst choice given the task of pulling a 5th wheel camper. One could try to make the argument that a 150 (any 150) is up to the task, but they'll never convince anyone that it's the best choice for towing a 5th wheel.

After you slap on all the upgrades required to get the dream 150 with the payload numbers you quote, you are very close to F250 cost with just a default, typical truck you'll find at every lot in north america. The 150 you mention is a pretty rare beast. I've never seen one in the wild, but I know they exist. You simply cannot build a 'similarly equipped' 150. in a conversation that is solidly comparing apples and oranges. Any knowledge the OP can gain from reading all of our *opinions* regarding which is the better choice, will benefit him I believe. I find that in almost every 150 vs. other options threads we find ourselves commenting on, you tend to be a little sensitive about the 150 when anyone dares to suggest a bigger truck is in order for... well in this case towing a mid-sized 5th wheel of all things and it doesn't matter when the person suggesting this is the owner of a 150 or not (as was the case with me). I'm not nearly the 3/4 ton fan boy that you are of the 1/2 ton. The specs of the 2 vehicles speak for themselves though.

When you get hit with a 35mph cross wind on the interstate, which truck do you suppose will handle that better? There is a clear winner in almost every scenario. I know which one it is.... you do too.
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Old 06-21-2017, 03:05 PM   #20
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Just bought a 29.5 BHDS fifth wheel, and we tow it with a Silverado 2500HD 6.0 gas. The size and weight is very similar to yours and this truck is a very good match for it. It tows exceptional well. The truck is a 6.5' bed and it has a pull rite slider hitch, which is a little pricey but works well. I would buy the same vehicle again if I had to do it over.
You have many great options out there, and you are doing your homework, I'm sure you will find the best truck for your needs.

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