Egregious overloading

[bdreinv]

Maybe add one leaf spring to your tow vehicle!

[klinner28]

Originally Posted by vcbice

My 2017 Ford diesel, crew cab, 4x4 reg bed has 2632lb cargo on the sticker. My 2009 Dodge diesel, 4x4 crew cab reg bed had a capacity of just under 2100lb.

I have a 2016 Ford diesel, crew cab, 4x4 reg bed and the sticker is 2057.

Did the new design increase it that much?

If I recalculate using 150 hitch weight and the smallest unloaded Jayco fifth wheel:
2057 - 500(family) - 150(hitch) - 1450(tongue) = 43 lbs overweight

With a 5 person family, I'd obviously want a larger fiver... but still... in the best scenario, I'd be overweight unless I lose the kids.

[vcbice]

I don't know what is different. As I posted before, my 2009 Dodge had something like 2100lb payload. I added Timbrens to it and it did fine. I was happy about the Ford. It is a very base model diesel but I don't think that is the difference. I would not worry about being even a couple hundred pounds overweight, but, that's just me. I'd check the rear axle rating and spend some time at the scales to see what you really have to deal with.

Yep, lose the kids LOL

And, yes, if I had any bigger or heavier trailer I'd get a 1T.

[ArcticFire]

400 # for a hitch ... That seems a tat high to me.

Originally Posted by klinner28

Let me know if I'm evaluating this correctly because I'd love to be wrong and be able to tow a 5th wheel.

The sticker on my F250 door says do not exceed 2057lbs.

2057 - 500 (family of 5) = 1557 remaining
1557 - 400 (5th wheel hitch weight) = 1157 remaining
1157 - 1715 (dry hitch weight 29.5BHDS) = 558 overweight

So if I google F250 payload, it says 3300-4200, but with the crew cab and accessories, it greatly reduces that.

[TxLoser]

When I hear the word egregious, I'm thinking an early model half ton with a 15K fiver loaded on it. 400-500lbs over(sticker)weight is really not a big thing in my opinion on a newer 3/4 or a 1ton for that matter. 5% over... I wouldn't give it another thought.

[AKGperson]

Originally Posted by klinner28

I was considering a 5th wheel with a F250 diesel and after calculations, determined that it would easily exceed my payload, despite any "HT" designation on a Jayco.

On our last trip, we went to a couple of campgrounds and I checked people's tow vehicle for a 5th wheel.

The worst I've seen - a Chevy 2500 towing a Pinnacle! Either the owner is completely clueless or doesn't care.

If he's clueless, the dealer must be willing to take some responsibility for selling it right?

Why would you assume the dealer is responsible for the owner overloading the vehicle?

[PlayersZ28]

Originally Posted by AKGperson

Why would you assume the dealer is responsible for the owner overloading the vehicle?

To be fair we don't know which dealer is being referred to here.

Truck dealer? RV dealer? Drug dealer?

[AKGperson]

Originally Posted by PlayersZ28

To be fair we don't know which dealer is being referred to here.

Truck dealer? RV dealer? Drug dealer?

Ha. My money is on the drug dealer.

[sail154]

One of the most common and serious errors made by those choosing to RV using trailer or 5th wheel and tow combination is undersizing the tow vehicle. Pulling a Jayco Pinnacle 5th wheel with a 3/4 ton pickup is unsafe. I am alway confused as to what motivates someone to attempt this type of RV package.

[Hangar11]

Going to ASK for advice here...
I own a 2005 Dodge ram 4wd crew cab. short box. 5.7 hemi with a factory hitch.
Truck driver is in good shape snd maintained we.

We bought 2018 Jayco 38fdds
8200 pounds mt...

I was told by my dealer my Dodge Ram could pull it safely with a weight distribution hitch and brake controller installed.
BUT. I was very close to the upper limit for tow weight.

I opted to NOT have the hitch installed. We had the unit delivered to our rv park.

At some point I think being able to tow it safely to n from a dealer for service might be necessary...
Is there a definitive guide regarding tow capacity?

Note. I contacted my Dodge dealer and he sent my the tow capacity chart for my truck.
If I read it correctly. its 8600 pounds.

Ty for the replies.....

Bobby B

[Hangar11]

05 Dodge Ram tow charts. 05' Ram 1500 Quad Cab trailer tow ratings.pdf

[sail154]

Of course this is the choice of each owner/operator, but "at the upper capacity" for me is code for overtaxing and truck motor, drive train, and suspension. This results in a situation which shortens the life of your truck, results in severely reduced fuel economy, and may be, in some situations, unsafe. One area often overlooked is how much "stuff" you load on your trailer/5th wheel when you take off on the big trip. Water, batteries, clothes, food, bikes, etc. all add weight. When you are close to the "upper capacity" you should, in theory, head off to the nearest scale to be sure you have not exceeded that upper capacity as you load on the families belongings for your next trip.

I would study the weight and tow capacities very carefully remembering that sales people at both the RV and truck dealerships want to sell. Once you make the purchase you own the decision. I would also ask and talk with people you know and trust who tow. I am confident you will discover that in these conservations those who tow and do it well will tell you that it is always better to err on the side of oversizing your tow vehicle when considering weight capacities.

[Wireman]

RAWR is just as important as any measured weights.

Adding springs, tibrons, or what ever will not increase the capacity for that vehicle.


It will help level the vehicle but that's about it.

[MLaffoon]

I'm towing a Pinnacle 36kpts with a Chevy HD2500 Diesel/ Allison. Truck pin weight is listed as 3000 pounds. The Pinnacle 2017 is 13500 empty. Jayco says empty pin on this camper is 2750. Not a lot of room to play with but it works for me. I put the timbren jounce bumpers on the rear and carry nothing in the truck cab or bed except the hitch, me and wife and dog. ( Wife and dog ride in cab with me). Careful loading of the 5th wheel evens out weight distribution. We do not carry water or black/grey tanks with anything in them. Next step is a weigh in at a weigh station.

[Papa Ray]

According to the manufacturer’s specs on my 2015 GMC, the 5th wheel towing capacity is 17,300 lbs. I also added airbags to the rear suspension to aid in leveling but I certainly have no troubles with towing my Pinnacle.

[SkiSmuggs]

I have a 10K gross fiver with a dry pin of 1410, but 1650 loaded because I was towing with a 2011 F150 Max Tow with a payload of 1850. I was 600 over the rear axle rating but towed for 3 seasons with it and it was never scary even in the mountains out west. However, once I decided to trade in for a Super Duty, I went to an F350 because I didn't want to be constrained on what I carried or a new fiver up to 15K. Just as well with dual golf cart batteries and solar now we are closer to 1800 lbs on the pin. I actually don't notice that much difference in the 3 years of towing with the one ton, but fuel mileage is better. The Ecoboost rarely went above 3500 RPM and the Powerstroke rarely goes above 3000 RPM

[vcbice]

Originally Posted by Hangar11

Going to ASK for advice here...
I own a 2005 Dodge ram 4wd crew cab. short box. 5.7 hemi with a factory hitch.
Truck driver is in good shape snd maintained we.

We bought 2018 Jayco 38fdds
8200 pounds mt...

I was told by my dealer my Dodge Ram could pull it safely with a weight distribution hitch and brake controller installed.
BUT. I was very close to the upper limit for tow weight.

I opted to NOT have the hitch installed. We had the unit delivered to our rv park.

At some point I think being able to tow it safely to n from a dealer for service might be necessary...
Is there a definitive guide regarding tow capacity?

Note. I contacted my Dodge dealer and he sent my the tow capacity chart for my truck.
If I read it correctly. its 8600 pounds.

Ty for the replies.....

Bobby B

Check the sticker on the door of your truck. It will show the cargo and towing capacity for YOUR truck. FWIW, every truck is different depending on options. Those options can change your capacities a LOT, ie, just because your neighbor's truck will do the job does not mean that yours will.

Then check the weight sticker on the trailer. It will show the GVWR for the trailer and then you can also figure the hitch weight (do NOT use the empty weights listed on the sticker).

How are you using the truck? If you are just driving to weekend campgrounds you will probably be fine. If you are towing across the country a couple times a year or more then you might want a little more capacity with your truck.

[slevar]

For the sake of correctness the dry pin weight on my 2016 26.5 RLS is 1340lbs, dry weight on the trailer is 7,350.

I have a 2015 F150, 156” wheelbase, with max tow and max payload (2900lbs). The 3.5 Eco pulls my trailer beautifully. We go to Florida from
Ontario once a year and the mountains aren’t as bad as I thought they would be. When I bought the trailer, the dealer told me not to go bigger, even though i wanted to. Anyway, that’s my 2 cents

[ericloz]

I have a lot to learn before I upgrade to a new truck and a 5th wheel.

[Sk734]

I have a 2WD 2014 Chev 2500HD 6.0 CC gasser.
Payload is 3,115. If I had a diesel motor I believe the payload would be less however they are work horses. I had a 2011 diesel dually pulling a 16K FW. Great tow vehicle-we full timed for 2 years. Some guys fuel pumps went out and it was like a grenade going off. Metal down injectors and cylinders. $15, 000 repair. Ford had the same problem. Hope they have fixed the problem. Funny it did not happen to all of them. Good luck.