5th wheel trailer and a 1/2 ton

Trashy · Jul 30, 2018

So I have a 16 Silverado True North edition, with trailer package (5.3L, 3:42 gears, 6spd auto)
Factory specs are

Maxium towing capcity 11,000 lbs
Maxium payload capacity 1,770 lbs

Trailer I'm looking at, (5th wheel)

Tongue weight 644 lbs
Dry weight 7,370 lbs
GVWR 10,400 lbs

My bumper pull is
Tongue weight 590 lbs
Dry Weight 4,760 lbs
GVWR 7,400

Doable or not Doable???

ferniesnow · Jul 30, 2018

I'm going to go out on a limb and say, you may be disappointed.

My truck is a 6.2l with 373 gears and it is marginal in the hills. 28l/100 on a good day and 32 on a not so good day.

Does a 5th wheel make a lot of difference?

Trashy · Jul 30, 2018

ferniesnow said:
I'm going to go out on a limb and say, you may be disappointed.

My truck is a 6.2l with 373 gears and it is marginal in the hills. 28l/100 on a good day and 32 on a not so good day.

Does a 5th wheel make a lot of difference?

Full mileage I'm not worried about, it's going to hard on gas regardless

But I'm thinking over the axle has to be easier than behind the axle, on such a truck...

skegpro · Jul 31, 2018

Trashy said:
So I have a 16 Silverado True North edition, with trailer package (5.3L, 3:42 gears, 6spd auto)
Factory specs are

Maxium towing capcity 11,000 lbs
Maxium payload capacity 1,770 lbs

Trailer I'm looking at, (5th wheel)

Tongue weight 644 lbs
Dry weight 7,370 lbs
GVWR 10,400 lbs

My bumper pull is
Tongue weight 590 lbs
Dry Weight 4,760 lbs
GVWR 7,400

Doable or not Doable???

What length box?
Hitch clearances........

And yes 7000lb 5th wheel is way easier on the truck than a 7000lb bumper pull.

TylerG · Jul 31, 2018

Trashy said:
So I have a 16 Silverado True North edition, with trailer package (5.3L, 3:42 gears, 6spd auto)
Factory specs are

Maxium towing capcity 11,000 lbs
Maxium payload capacity 1,770 lbs

Trailer I'm looking at, (5th wheel)

Tongue weight 644 lbs
Dry weight 7,370 lbs
GVWR 10,400 lbs

My bumper pull is
Tongue weight 590 lbs
Dry Weight 4,760 lbs
GVWR 7,400

Doable or not Doable???

what's the payload capacity of your pickup?

Bnorth · Jul 31, 2018

Should be doable right at the limits of your payload with the trailer loaded. You won't be very fond of the 5.3 or 3.42's, please don't come to BC and avoid Hwy 22 when the cross winds are bad.

the_real_wild1 · Jul 31, 2018

5th wheel will tow way better then the bumper pull ever can. It’s physics. But you will feel it with that truck. Still lots of weight.

brutematt750 · Jul 31, 2018

As long as you pull a second trailer with a sxs on it you should be good.

AreWeThereYet · Jul 31, 2018

TylerG said:
what's the payload capacity of your pickup?

It says 1770lbs in his post

52weekbreak · Jul 31, 2018

In support of most of the other opinions:

Fifth wheels do pull better.
Looks like your truck/trailer combo will be within vehicle specs.
You will never have enough towing power from a gasser to make you happy but yours will be adequate. You are supposed to be on vacation after all.
Pulling sucks fuel be it gas or diesel. Just did a round trip in my Ram 3500 from Edmonton - Kelowna - Nakusp - Creston - Claresholm - Edmonton. Average was 23 L/100 KM or about 12 MP Imperial Gallon or 10 MP US Gallon. My 3500 GM gasser averaged 6 MP Imperial Gallon on a similar trip but pulled the trailer fine.

Favourite thing about the Cummins - Engine brake

Pull the trigger

chedder · Jul 31, 2018

644 lbs seems really low for the hitch weight of a 7300 lb fifth wheel. I thought hitch weight was supposed to be 15-20% of gross trailer weight? You sure hitch weight isn't 1644?

doorfx · Jul 31, 2018

http://rvtowcheck.com/

Trashy · Jul 31, 2018

chedder said:
644 lbs seems really low for the hitch weight of a 7300 lb fifth wheel. I thought hitch weight was supposed to be 15-20% of gross trailer weight? You sure hitch weight isn't 1644?

I got the numbers from inside one of the cabinet doors, also checked online with the manufacturer and those are the correct numbers.

Trashy · Jul 31, 2018

brutematt750 said:
As long as you pull a second trailer with a sxs on it you should be good.

I am rebuilding a second trailer, 8x12 with 2-2200lbs axles. But no sxs yet....

tex78 · Jul 31, 2018

Bnorth said:
Should be doable right at the limits of your payload with the trailer loaded. You won't be very fond of the 5.3 or 3.42's, please don't come to BC and avoid Hwy 22 when the cross winds are bad.

B. S, a 5th wheel does great in cross wind, actually that's the best part between it and a travel trailer, it does tail wag, even up at high speeds

I've had 6 different 5th wheels, and now travel trailer, and it sucks azz to pull compared, but now I have box of truck for deck so it's a compromise

the_real_wild1 said:
5th wheel will tow way better then the bumper pull ever can. It’s physics. But you will feel it with that truck. Still lots of weight.

Yes they pull like there's 2000 plus lbs less

j335 · Jul 31, 2018

You have 1100 lbs to fit your family and all your truck stuff along with any truck add ons and additional equipment at front of your trailer. I can't see that being enough? Not to mention a fifth wheel hitch probably adds 150lbs.

Trashy · Jul 31, 2018

j335 said:
You have 1100 lbs to fit your family and all your truck stuff along with any truck add ons and additional equipment at front of your trailer. I can't see that being enough? Not to mention a fifth wheel hitch probably adds 150lbs.

I was thinking of that too.... Truck is pretty much stock with no add ons. But I get the extra sh!t going in the front and what not. The kitchen is pretty much behind the axles, so thinking that would give me a little more grace for upfront stuff

skegpro · Jul 31, 2018

No one has mentioned air bags yet.............

Trashy · Jul 31, 2018

chedder said:
644 lbs seems really low for the hitch weight of a 7300 lb fifth wheel. I thought hitch weight was supposed to be 15-20% of gross trailer weight? You sure hitch weight isn't 1644?

Here...

Cdnfireman · Jul 31, 2018

With that load on a half ton I’d be looking really close at your tires. Lots of half tons come with P rated tires. I’d be getting a good set of LT rated tires with the highest load rating you can get. The truck will do the job for you but it’s gonna be working hard and right at it’s limits.
Also, I’d be sceptical of the rated tongue weight on the information sticker. Manufacturers are often way off on tongue weight and unloaded weights as well. Makes it easier to sell them as half ton towable I guess.

5th wheel trailer and a 1/2 ton

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