Can anyone on here with a sidewinder 5th wheel hitch give me an answer of how much the hitch setup weighs? I've been looking online and have been unsuccessful. I'm looking at a small to medium 5th wheel and it has a tongue weight of 1,075 lbs. I know the payload for my truck with my wheelbase is 1,750. I need to add the weight of the hitch to see where I will be at. Thank you.

 

Sent PM.

 

The Sidewinders we sell are replacement pin boxes and they don't add a lot of weight maybe 50lbs more than the original pin box the extra weight will depend on which hitch setup you use with it. A standard Reese rail kit is about 50lbs a 16k Reese hitch is about 125 and a Sidewinder is about 135. so that would be about 310 lbs minus whatever the pin box on the trailer weighs. So if the old pin box weighed 80lbs you would add 230 for the Sidewinder and hitch which would put your actual weight added to 1305 leaving you 445lbs for you other passengers and truck cargo. This is where I constantly have to remind people there really is no such thing as a 1/2 ton towable 5th wheel. I just towed a brand new 1/2 ton tow able 5th wheel 300 miles empty with a 2006 GMC 2500 4X4 with a 350 engine. I got roughly 6 mpg and could not hold much over 60 on any large hills. This was in MI Grand Rapids to Novi show and back all highway. Other than up hill grades the truck was fine and drove OK but that is all I also towed another similar trailer back with our 2005 Duramax 4X4 set cruise at 70 and drove it home.

 

Pulling mine all over the country...

 

What are your axle weights when on vacation? I weigh over 250 and took a F150 screw with a 27ft 5th over the scales last year trailer was empty and nothing I could see but me in the truck and only had 50lbs left on rear axle rating. The advertised towing limits don't include weight of driver and cargo or even a full gas tank. I am sure you pull it just fine but have you scaled it?

 

Have not scaled it yet.

 

I would love to see the real world numbers on a CAT scale. I know the motor will pull it so I don't doubt you drive just fine. I pulled a 36ft travel trailer with my 98 F150 w a 4.6 and it towed it pretty decent even though I know for a fact I was several thousand pounds over weight. My equipment trailer with my tools gear and bike in it weighed nearly 15k and the same truck pulled it from Louisville to Houston in 2000. My F250 Diesel I came back with however towed that trailer like a rag doll and I also know it was overloaded. Next time you hook it up and tow I would love to see how it scales Please. The reason I ask is the only time I ever get follow up info is when customers have a problem.