Towing 5th wheel travel trailers

[sammy231]

What would be the recommended weight of a 5th wheel travel trailer that could be towed with an F150 4x4 5.4l pickup truck?

[pacificnw]

I do not have any experience towing a 5th wheel.

I tow a 6,000 lb., loaded, travel trailer and I don't think you would want to go beyong a total loaded weight of 7,000.

But you may want to play particular attention to the loaded pin weight of a 5th wheel. Keep loaded pin wieght under 1,000 for a 1/2 ton if you ask me.

They make 'em... just not a whole lot of choices in that size.

[APT]

Let's do the math.

1600 pounds of payload availible
-150 pounds of fuel
-400 pounds of family (driver, passenger, kids, etc)
-300 pounds misc camping stuff/firewood in bed)
-150 pound 5th wheel receiver in bed)

Leaves 600 pounds for the pin weight before exceeding GVWR. Using 20% for the average 5th wheel pin weight for RV's = 3000 pound loaded RV. I'm not sure they make any that small. This is why 1/2 ton = no 5th wheels.

Change the numbers if you'd like to better estimate your sitution, but you are a logn way away from 5th wheel RV's that generally have 1000+ pounds of pin weight.