Will our TV be enough?

[Mabelworld]

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Today 07:48 AMMabelworld
Good Morning everyone! What a great resource this forum is! We are a family of 3, considering a Jayco 5th wheel purchase. Salesman said "of COURSE you can buy a fifth wheel with that truck!" Left the lot, found this forum, probably not true. So, we have a 2013 F150 V6 3.2L 4WD and doubt that buying an Eagle 26.5-RLS would be wise unless we upgrade and buy a new HD truck. My question: would trading in our 6 month old F150 and buying another F150 V8 6.5L do the job? Was hoping to not have to do that but not sure keeping our truck and going forward is wise. Thank you!
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[namusmc65]

I doubt buying that unit would be wise on a half ton body and the small V6 engine. That would make for a lot of uneasy moments.

[parkersdad]

No but a Cummins Ram will do the job!!!

[jco83]

A 1/2 ton will do the Job but I'd go with at least a 6.2 V8 with a 3:73 rear end

[RedHorse1]

I think namu's got it. Check the owner's to see if is rated to pull that much weight and then consider the Pin weight. It's just a guess but let's say loaded with tools, food and adult bev's you weigh in around 8500#. You would then expect around 2100# on the pin (25%).
I say this a lot but, fill the gas tank, load up the TV like you'd be travelling and visit the local CAT scale ($10) and you will know what the rear axle weighs. Your yellow tag on the TV will tell you the Rear GAWR (gross axle weight rating). Subtract the rear axle weight from the GAWR and that will tell you how much cargo you can put in the bed. Add 100# (for the 5th hitch) to the 2100# and you get 2200# of possible cargo. Comparing that to the above calculation will let you know if you can expect to be over weight or under and by how much.
Even if you are within the weight limits of the F150 I'd expect the 3.2 to be grunting pretty hard going uphill. Before rushing out for a V8 make sure that would even be capable, I expect it would but I'm not 100% on that.

[annie oakly]

I would rather have to much power, then not enough to pull up some of the hills

Dodge owner 1995 2500 Cummins Ram air bags in the back end.

[Ela1948]

Originally Posted by Mabelworld

Preview
Today 07:48 AMMabelworld
Good Morning everyone! What a great resource this forum is! We are a family of 3, considering a Jayco 5th wheel purchase. Salesman said "of COURSE you can buy a fifth wheel with that truck!" Left the lot, found this forum, probably not true. So, we have a 2013 F150 V6 3.2L 4WD and doubt that buying an Eagle 26.5-RLS would be wise unless we upgrade and buy a new HD truck. My question: would trading in our 6 month old F150 and buying another F150 V8 6.5L do the job? Was hoping to not have to do that but not sure keeping our truck and going forward is wise. Thank you!
Edit Report

I think that most would agree that a 3.2L engine is too small for any serious towing. If it was required to trade in my 6 mo. old F150 for a beefier truck, I believe I would give serious consideration to going to a F250. It would give you heavier brakes, frame and transmission with a lower rear end ratio that was made for hauling. That would also give you a lot more flexibility with how you load your truck and your trailer. Being on the ragged edge of being over loaded is not the ideal way to get started. An F250 gas or diesel would be a good fit for a 26.5 5th wheel. Can you make a 150 work?? Yes, if you are careful with your gear ratio's. But you are at or near maximum capacity when you start. Thats not where i'd want to be after I just bought another truck!!!!!

[annie oakly]

Dodge 2500 or Chev 2500 BUT not a FORD

Yes I know I can be a smart Butt

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

snip..... It's just a guess but let's say loaded with tools, food and adult bev's you weigh in around 8500#. You would then expect around 2100# on the pin (25%).......snip

I agree, and very few 1/2 tons (if any) have that kind of "available" payload capacity under loaded TV conditions.

IMO a 3/4 ton Ford, Ram, or GM product would be a better choice.

Bob

[Paulx213]

If you like the truck you could buy a smaller lighter trailer. You're going to lose a lot trading the truck.

[Ela1948]

Originally Posted by annie oakly

Dodge 2500 or Chev 2500 BUT not a FORD

Yes I know I can be a smart Butt

Opinions are like arm pits, everybody has one!!!

[jal0710]

You might be able to carry that trailer, the hitch weight is fairly light, mine is around 1,300 pounds before loading stuff in it. However, that wimpy motor will not work. You would be very under-powered. You might get lucky on a trade-in. I owned a Ram 2500 Diesel for nine months but decided to get a different truck and received only $2,000 less in trade than I paid for the truck nine months earlier.

[Boss Wagon]

Salesman said "of COURSE you can buy a fifth wheel with that truck!"

Did he actually say "you can buy a fifth wheel wheel with that truck"?

Big difference between "buy" and "tow"!

You can buy it with a Fiat 500!

If he said you can "tow it", I'd find another dealer or at a minimum ask for a different salesman. I wouldn't give him the commission or the time of day.

[mjlaupp]

I posted the following in another "will my TV pull this TT thread:

Out of curiosity, I did a "Build and Price" for a F150 V6 EcoBoost HD and a F250 6.2 V8.

Both were XLT Trim, Crew Cab, Short Bed, 4x4, 3.73 Locker. Had to add LT tires to the F150. No additional packages/options selected.

Difference in price: less than $1K

F150 towing 11,100 max, F250 towing 12,200 max

F250 with 4.30 Locker towing 15,100 max

http://www.showroom.ford.com/FDShowr...nsition=config

[HappyGuy]

We just took delivery of a new Eagle 31.5 FBHS. We originally (over a year ago) started looking at "1.2 ton towable" fifth wheels. After talking to dealers and doing research on my own, I soon realized this was a dubious claim. The tow ratings on trucks are only just now being regulated, so a manufacturer can claim almost anything, that combined with the disregard by RV dealers who just want to make a sale. We ended up with a larger fifth wheel and purchase a 2015 GMC HD Duramax to tow it. The back end barley squats when the trailer is attached and the engine has lots of power, not to mention the benefits of the engine brake which when crossing through the mountains will save your brakes.
Just my two cents, I am by no means an expert.

[Budlight]

Yep. Just bought a nice used Jayco 299rls, with the stated understanding from the dealer that our 1.5 ton Toyota Tundra would pull it fine ... The factory weight of 9,060 lbs. would have been ok, but the traveling weight is listed at 12,500 lbs., which would tax the Toyota.

Anybody have a HD truck they no longer need for hauling a 5th wheel?

[Jdaniel343]

I to wondered about a 1/2 ton pulling a fifth wheel
We bought a 2012 Ford F-150 Crew cab, 5.5ft bed, EcoBoost v6, and 3.73, Max Tow package.
We then bought a 2013 Jayco 26 RLS. It weighs 7500 empty. When we pull it is usually right at 9000lbs.
I could not ask for a better combination. We live in Wyoiming and have no problems pulling the trailer anywhere. Going up the grades out of Buffalo west to the Bighorns, there is a 7% grade and I can accelerate going up that grade without any problems.
I average 9.5 to 10 mpg pulling the trailer and 19 or better on the highway not pulling.

[Ela1948]

Originally Posted by Jdaniel343

I to wondered about a 1/2 ton pulling a fifth wheel
We bought a 2012 Ford F-150 Crew cab, 5.5ft bed, EcoBoost v6, and 3.73, Max Tow package.
We then bought a 2013 Jayco 26 RLS. It weighs 7500 empty. When we pull it is usually right at 9000lbs.
I could not ask for a better combination. We live in Wyoiming and have no problems pulling the trailer anywhere. Going up the grades out of Buffalo west to the Bighorns, there is a 7% grade and I can accelerate going up that grade without any problems.
I average 9.5 to 10 mpg pulling the trailer and 19 or better on the highway not pulling.

Your loaded weight tells the story. With Fords ecoboost and 3.73 gears, I would think that you should have a fine tow rig for 9000 lb.

[jal0710]

We have a 26.5 HT RLS and I measured the squat with attaching the FW to it. The truck dropped one whole inch when the FW was fully loaded and ready to go. We get around 12 per gallon pulling our FW and 19" Crestliner from Lander, Wyoming to Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park and back. Going down the highway empty at about 70 we get somewhere between 18 and 19 mog. Bud, I didn't know that Toyota made a 1.5 ton Tundra.

[Seann45]

What does the sticker on the drivers door frame say? vs the weight (max weight) of the trailer