Snow Hawk
Ludlow, Ma, USA
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My friends are looking at buying a travel trailer and they have a new F150 Crew Cab with the short 5.5 foot bed, with pretty good ratings at over 9,000lbs towing a travel trailer. We both have seen pictures of an F150 towing fivers but assummed it was a long bed. Having a fiver myself the conversation moved into the advanages of a fiver over a travel trailer. We underderstand the turning constraints of a short bed and the need for proper hitch positioning over the axle, and that slide hitch technology is avaialble. But I couldn't facutally anwser the queston of whenter or not they could tow a fiver with a crew cab short bed at 5.5 feet, within the ratings for the truck? We are assuming it can't for obvious reasons but lightweight fivers are available. Your thougths would be appreicated. For all of the weight police please refran from wise crack remarks as we just want to know what is possible within the proper weight limits of the truck.
Thanks so much.
* This post was
edited 10/31/09 08:00pm by Snow Hawk *
Snow Hawk
06 Montana Mountaineer 342 PHT Fifth Wheel
06 F350 4X4 Lariat CC, 6.0 PS Diesel, SRW Shortbed, White/Tan Two Tone, 5 Speed Torque Shift, FX4 Pkg, Tow Command, Chrome Package, 3.73 Limited Slip, ESF, Rhino Liner, Remote Start Security System
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skylos
Issaquah, WA
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Of course it depends on what you mean by 'could tow'.
Yes you can *move* such a trailer on the truck. But then I could move a fifth wheel around with a quarter ton pickup. It just would be very slowly and not safely at any speed, and at the peril of basically just breaking the poor lil thing due to overloading. Does that mean it *could* tow it?
Regardless, it would be tricky to stay beneath the gross vehicle weight rating AND beneath the gross combined vehicle weight rating of the F150, don't you think?
Just because you could doesn't mean you should. Where do you put your risk assessments?
Skylos
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Grizzly128
N. Dakota
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Very few 5th wheels light enough for an F150 methinks.
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Texas Jim S
Belton, TX
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Rich, I briefly considered pulling a trailer with my F150 but after talking with others I bought a F250 Crew Cab 4 X 4 Diesel. I have been very happy with that decision. This enabled me to get a slightly larger 5th wheel trailer and that made a nice package. Now if you are just towing a short distance on week ends over flat land it would probably work. My bed is 6 3/4 feet long and it is tight. I have a manual slider and do use it from time to time.
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Beartoo
Perham MN
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I am towing a 5'er with a F150 with the smaller box (6.5). I have the slider fifth wheel plate in the box. I am not sure if I needed it or not, but with any shorter box I am sure it is necessary.
Last spring I pulled a TT from Minnesota to New Jersey and back, with no trouble. I wish I had the 5 er then to see how much better it would have been in the hills. I've only pulled this 5 er about 75 miles so far but it was in the wind and when semi and buses passed I didn't feel it.
I don't know if this helps or not.
DH - Bear
DW - Marge
Buster - English Springer Spaniel
03 F 350
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Steve W
BC Canada
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I tow a 5th-wheel with 1/2 ton truck. As stated it's all about finding the right one for your vehicles capacities. They are out there. They are not big units, ours is a light weight model and we are happy with it.
As for the box length I suspect that you'll have some clearance issues between the front of the trailer and cab of the truck during tight turns with the shorter box F150. I have been told by the RV dealers locally when looking at new trucks, that a 6' box is as short as I should go. With proper hitch adjustments I don't have any problems with my unit and a 6' box in tight turns.
Good luck with your search and don't give up on your half ton!
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SteveRankin
Sequim, WA
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An F150 can tow a 5ver as long as the pin weight of the 5ver doesn't take the truck over it's GVWR. Most 5vers are way too heavy for any 1/2-ton truck, but a few lightweight ones are OK.
PullRite makes a special SuperGlide for the F150 and others with extremely short beds. This hitch will allow you to maneuver a 5th wheel as well as a larger truck. That model SuperGlide moves over 22" compared to the normal SuperGlide's 14". FYI, the typical sliding hitch only moves 10".
Steve & C. J.
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portliz
Ontario
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We pulled our last 5 er with a silverado 1500. It was a cougar 26 foot. Yes it pulled it and was fine on the flats. We were pushing the limits with no chance of going bigger. Believe me if you love the RV lifestyle you will want to go bigger. This summer we moved to a 30 foot 5er with bedroom and living room slide. New truck 2500 diesel. What a difference!!! It pulls like a dream - flat or mountain. Out for 16 days this fall and rain 13 days - still comfortable in the new rig. We wish we had done this from the beginning. Cost us some money to learn this lesson.
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smkettner
Southern California
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Been pulling mine for four years now. No worries.
Trailer 26', 880 dry pin, ~1250 loaded pin, 7880 gvwr, truck payload ~1700.
Superglide 12k hitch that moves back 23" automatically.
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
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FLY 4 FUN
Alberta
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weight issues aside, I would be very concerned about cab clearance during any significant turn, even going forwards. I believe that I read that some slider hitches were not recommended on the 5.5 ft box. definately worth talking to slider hitch companies to see if they have a hitch to do the job.
2009 Colorado 29BHS M5
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