Just ordered a SCrew hoping to use it to haul FW everywhere. I'm completly new to this and now having doubts. Is the SCrew to short? to light? Someone told me I need a 'sliding hitch' What is a sliding hitch and why would I want or need one? Any help or info appreciated.

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'clean and unscheduled' SCrew 4X 5.4 DWB/LG MR

 

How is the rear axle any farther forward than any other truck? Ford says the cab wall is moved to the rear and that the bed is the same as the crew cab model. Does the front of a FW extend forward of the hitch?

 

You need a 8 ft. bed to haul a 5th wheel. The trailer needs room to turn corners. The 5th wheel hitch would be to close to the front of the bed. A goose neck trailer might be a possiblity but the don't make campers with a goose neck.

Your bed is only 5 1/2' long, on a SD Crew Cab the small bed is 6 1/2' same as the 150 Super Cab then you have a 8' bed same on both 150 and SD

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GOLD RUSH

'99 F150 XLT SC SB 4x2 Harvest Gold
Factory[*]5.4[*]3.55 limited slip[*]Trailer towing package[*]In-dash CD player
Aftermarket[*]Ford Beanie bear[*]Slip on extender mirrors[*]Powerstop brake controller[*]Covermaster C1000 topper with wing[*]BugflectorII[*]Ventvisors (front&rear)[*]3 www.f150online.com decals[*]Ford Lumi Logo[*]Steelhorse Billet grill[*]Ford hitch cover[*]Yellow wire loom[*]Hyper White head light bulb[*]Fender badge on tailgate[*]Painted to match AVS slotted taillight covers[*]Ford system 4 alarm[*]Clear turn signals[*]"Blazer" strip reflectors under tailgate[*]FORD script antenna painted to match[*]Cup Holder courtesy lights[*]IonOptics driving lights as reverse lights[*]12 Volt power outlet in bed[*]Power port/Cigarette lighter courtesy light[*]4 Driving lights in grill[*]Next who knows???

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[This message has been edited by Firezap (edited 10-19-2000).]

 

Sorry, I meant axle forward in relation to the bed. In a longbed the axle is closer to the tailgate than the cab. In a short bed the axle is in the middle. In a Supercrew, the axle is closer to the cab than the tailgate.

Here's what you can do, as most fifthwheels are 8 feet wide. When you get your Supercrew, take a 8 foot 2x4 and drive a nail in the center of it. Put the 2x4 across the bed (this is the width of your fifthwheel) the nail is your hitchpin showing you where the center of your hitch must be mounted. Now just slide the 2x4 back towards the tailgate until you can swing the wood around without hitting the cab for a simulated 90 degree turn.

This is going to place your hitch in an unacceptable spot, I garuantee.

So now you've got to keep the 2x4 back to make the swing but, get the nail forward for stability. The distance you have to move the nail forward of the wood is the amount of gooseneck you'll need or how far the hitch pin must be in front of the trailer.

Once you have this measurement you'll find that no fifthwheels are made this way and you'll have to have some custom work done.

 

Well, that's not good news. Then on the other hand a 90 degree turn would be rather uncommon I'd guess. Like just before you hit the ditch. Certainly one can not turn a 'regular' trailer 90 degrees! I'd think 45 degrees would be reasonable but even then if the trailer is 8 ft wide that's going to be a problem. Guess I'll have to look at ball hitch trailers.

 

Short-beds are a little more difficult, but you definitely do not have to have a Long-bed to pull a 5th-wheel. What you have to do for short-bed trucks is extend the pin box of the trailer (moving the nail forward in the 2x4 analogy). There is more than one lenght & height for these pinboxes. A good RV shop "may" be able to set you up correctly. I just don't know much about the dimensions of the Crew Cabs.

As for 90 degree turns, they can be quite nice. The Sliding Hitch will help with slow-speed manuevers, but shouldn't be used on the road. I pull a 24' trailer with my 250SD short-bed and I can make a 90 degree turn.

Be sure to consider the truck's weight ratings when making your purchase. Remember that the "max" weights listed are for a base truck. XLT or Lariat trim reduces payload & towing capacities.


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1997 4x4 Expedition- 4.6L, true dual exhaust w/glass-packs, K&N air filter, SuperChip, airbox mods, Edelbrock shocks, 285/75R16 BFG ATs, 2000 "XLT" wheels, 4.10 gears, Auburn LS, Clarion In-dash CD player, Smitty Bilt push bars and nerf bars.

2000 4x4 F250 SD XLT SuperCab SWB- 6.8L, Offroad Pkg, Camper Pkg, 4.30LS, Tape & CD player, Remote Keyless Entry, Sliding back glass, tinted windows, 265/75R16 OWL tires.

NoMo's site

 

Not to beat this death but, you actually 'DO' have to put more turning effort into it when the pivot is over the axle rather than off the back bumper. Near 90 degree turns are more common than you'd think. For what we're talking about a good '45 would cause a sickening metal to metal sound.

 

By all means do beat it to death. I'll take all the information I can get, this is a big undertaking and I need advice. What do you me that its more effort with a FW than a bumper hitch?

 

Go to several (not just one) RV shops and talk to them about hitching your truck and the size/type of trailer that it will tow. I say several because one place I was looking told me that I HAD to go get my 4x4 lowered to pull a 5er. A second shop never mentioned the height or bed-length to be an issue. Another place (I actually bought the trailer there) said "no problem" with height or length. They installed the hitch over the axle and put a long pin-box on the trailer.

 

Fifth wheels have alot more tongue weight than the 'tag-along' trailers. For this reason the pivot needs to be over the rear axle. In a supercrew the rear axle is so far forward in the bed that even if the fifth wheel would hookup without hitting the cab, it would hit the cab when you tried to make a left or right turn. I don't think you'll find anyone towing a fifthwheel with a supercrew, unless there is some sort of extension that would turn it into a 'gooseneck'.

 

ASUSCrew, when towing eventually you're going to have to back up. If you watch an 18 wheeler do it, the tractor is whipped around at extreme angles to get the desired effect. When the pivot is at the bumper very little wheel turn is needed to get trailer turning.

I've only driven a fifthwheel once but, I noticed the difference.

nomo is right, go to more than one place. There are people out there that will sell you anything (and if they try to sell you a fifthwheel when they know you'll be using a supercrew F150, beat feet.)

 

ASUscrew: Are you positively locked into buying the SCrew??? That truck is on the lighter, F150 frame. Have you looked at or test drove any SuperDutys?? I can tell you that if you like the roomyness of the SCrew then you wont know what to do with all the space in a SD CrewCab!!! And there wont be any problems with pulling that 5er either. What is the size of the 5thWheel???

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2k F250 CC SWB 6 speed 4x2 Diesel XLT Super Duty, Woodland Green
Power Mirrors, 3.73 LS, Captains Chairs, ARE tonneau top, rear privacy glass
TT Pkg, Class IV hitch, sliding rear window, running boards, mud flaps
265/75/16 AS OWL tires, am/fm/cassette/cd, rechargable MagLite
Clarion APA 5240 amp, Memphis speakers:Components front, 5x7 rear, 10"sub
SuperChip, Stepshields, Ventshields on windows, rubber bed mat
rugged liner bedliner on tailgate, quick disconnect jumper cables
unaFORDable (decal on tailgate) Western Diesel Turbo Brake (whoa boy)

 

We started out to buy a Ranger then moved up to the four door Ranger then the Sport Trac finally settled on the SuperCrew. So for us this thing is HUGE! Absolutly the biggest/baddest/most expensive (by about a factor of 10) thing we've EVER owned. Wife will not consider anything larger and neither will the carport. We'll have to get a trailer to match the truck. Always wanted a FW because passengers can ride in them (in some states) but now consider maybe not the best idea even if legal. Standar Travel Trailer will do mainly Wife will no more camp tent on ground. Been there done that (and much worse). Old Hippies, new job, big money, new grand daughter = much traveling. RV future.

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'clean and unscheduled' SCrew 4X 5.4 DWB/LG MR

 

One more thing. The SCrew will be our only vehicle so it must serve many purposes.

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'clean and unscheduled' SCrew 4X 5.4 DWB/LG MR

 

Just Got My SCrew. Its one day old. We had to make a decision that we would not be towing a fifth wheel and currently tow a 31 foot bumper pull trailer. My brother has a supercab and tows a fifth wheel that was converted to a gooseneck. He says he still can't turn sharp and has a hard time backing it up. I don't see anyway to pull a fifthwheel with a SCrew.

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2001 Silver XLT 2x4 SCREW 5.4L 3.55LS & Tow Package

Future Mods K&N Filter, Ranch SportLid Fiberglass Toneau

Tow 31FT. Glendette Deluxe Camper Trailer