Considering a 5th Wheel

[JEly]

I am considering getting a 5th wheel and have a few questions about weight and if my truck would handle it ok.

The 5th wheel is a Laredo---29BH----actual length is 31'4''

The gross dry weight is 7800 and hitch is 1460.

I have never owned a 5th wheel and really dont want to get something too big. Any comments on the Laredo model?



Thanks

JIM

 

[RHARVEY]

It will do fine!~ I wouldnt want to pull anything else.

Rick

 

[klenger]

Read this: http://www.klenger.net/arctic-fox/weight/index.html

 

[CLAYTON]

I am considering getting a 5th wheel and have a few questions about weight and if my truck would handle it ok.

The 5th wheel is a Laredo---29BH----actual length is 31'4''

The gross dry weight is 7800 and hitch is 1460.

I have never owned a 5th wheel and really dont want to get something too big. Any comments on the Laredo model?



Thanks

JIM

You'll get a little sag with that hitch weight but it's nothing some air bags won't cure. Other then that at 7800lbs your truck won't even know it's there

 

[Snellville-Dave]

You might want to find out the height from the ground to the top of your bedrails to be sure you have at least 4 -6 inches of clearance. Your truck is fairly tall stock and if its lifted 2" and you have taller tires also, you may have a clearance problem. Other than the clearance thought, it looks like a good set up.

 

[JEly]

I have been considering going to the a 295 tire because of the 3:73 gear I have and to get the rpms up little while towing. What are my options if I dont have enough clearence between the bedrails?



Jim

 

[willyslover]

if the clearances are too close you can do an axel flip. . most RV repair places do it for few $$

it moves the springs to the top of the axel

 

[gonzo2]

Go For It.

I just went through this a couple of months ago. Your truck will be fine. With a 2500 you may want to be a little careful with loading up your box.

The Laredos that I have seen look good to me. It seems the newer fivers are set up already for the taller trucks. I know my Jazz was.

We actually used ours this weekend in Vancouver.

 

[RHARVEY]

Our 29rk Forest River Cardinal has a pin weight of 1980 lbs. The truck drops about 2" and that is it. The truck and trailer ride level. At the pin weight of 1460lbs... you may hit the overloads and you may not. Our Nash 5th wheel would drop the truck so that the overloads would just touch.

That size trailer will pull like a dream!



Rick

 

[CLAYTON]

JEly, with your truck already being leveled in the front with a 2 inch spacer you'll blind everybody with your lights at night unless you level it out some how. If your truck was stock with the back end higher then you would probably be ok. I like having the air bags on there though to keep it a little firmer. Seemed like with stock it was too squishy. I have about 1300 lbs of hitch weight. Like Willyslover said. . if it doesn't already come from the factory with a axle flip/ spring over then you can have it done. I also have a Jazz and it came from the factory with the axle flipped. I have had no issues with the bed of my truck and the 5th wheel. You can see from the picture that there is plenty of space.



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JEly, good choice in color for your truck

 

[JEly]

When I first saw the pic I thought-------hey someone stole my truck----are those 315's on your truck? I have been considering going to the nitto 295's on mine to get the rpms up when I tow.

Yes I really like color and the look



Thanks

JIM

 

[CLAYTON]

Yup. . they are 315's. I have no power issues while towing. Plus I like the look of a bigger tire.

 

[RMcCulloch]

I have been considering going to the a 295 tire because of the 3:73 gear I have and to get the rpms up little while towing.

Wait until you've towed a time or two before messing with the tire size: you might reconsider! :-laf



The only time I even get out of O/D is when overloaded and going up a long grade.



That truck of yours will do "right nice" at 1800 RPM and give as good mileage as you're likely to get with the Laredo's frontal area.

 

[cwsoules]

Do the numbers on your truck. Look at the Truck GVWR, Truck GCWR and trailer GVWR. Assume that when your trailer is loaded it will weigh at it's GVWR. Also assume that the loaded pin weight will be 20% of the trailer GVWR. Weigh your truck as you expect to load it when on a trip including Mom and the kids. Now you can add the weight of the hitch to get the truck loaded weight.

Now truck loaded weight plus trailer GVWR should not exceed the truck GCWR.

Now add the 20%GVWR pin weight to the tyruck loaded weight that should be less than your truck GVWR.

GVWR gross vehicle weight

GCWR gross combined vehicle weighs. (I found mine in the owners manual)

Expect that your truck will reach it's GVWR loaded before it reaches the GCWR. I am slightly over GVWR and under GCWR with my truck and trailer. If I had done the numbers properly I would have bought a 3500.

Your truck is a 4x4 so it sits taller that a regular truck. Some 5er owners with a 4x4 have to modify the trailer suspension to increase the height of the trailer so you can have 6" of clearance between the trailer and truck with the trailer towing level.

You may be just fine, but don't put too much value on a salesman who only gets paid when he sells you something.

 

[JEly]

OK---------I just went to the dodge site and towing capacity standard is 8750---GVWR standard is 8800------payload is 2730--------Towing capacity max is 13050----GCWR is 20000 and the GVWR is 9000,

The camper numbers are 7800 gross dry weight------2700 carry capacity---which is 10,500 and hitch is 1460. Their are so many numbers I am getting myself confused. My truck is a heavy duty so does it fall under the standard?



Thanks

JIM

 

[cwsoules]

Jim



The trouble with some of the stated numbers is that they are not based upon a fully outfitted rig. For example the tow capacity is based upon the truck GCWR minus the weight of a truck with no options, a 150# driver and a half a tank of fuel. Your truck in use will weigh significantly more than what they used. This is why you have to work up the weight of your truck when you are using it to tow your trailer. This is the weight to use to when adding the pin weight to see if you exceed the truck GVWR. I recommend you use 20% of the trailer GVWR. The trailer GVWR is usually on a plate mounted outside near the pin on the left side of the trailer.



I listened to a sales person who told me we would be unlikely to ever load our trailer to it's GVWR. When I weighed it the last time we were only 200# under the GVWR. By measurement our pin weight is 18% of the GVWR and this overloads our truck GVWR by about 300#. (This number varies as we load the trailer but not by more than 100#. ) The GVWR of my trailer is 10,640#, truck GVWR 8,800# and GCWR 18,000#. If I had realized that I would be routinely over the truck GVWR I would have bought a 3,500. Use only the truck and trailer GVWRs, truck GCWR, and actual measured loaded truck weight and ignore the other numbers the sales people give you.

 

[Neibe]

Buy a Jayco they have adjustable suspensions. That's what we have got it adjusted all the way up. Jayco also raised the deck height to allow for the taller trucks of today.