Fifthwheel weight and length?

[rlyons]

How big and how heavy fifthwheel trailer can I pull with my 92 D-250? I am looking at going to full time RV living for a while and was wondering what size and weight fithwheels were being pulled by D-250s. Due to my wife's teaching position being eliminated here next year we may sell our house and take a year or so off and travel/live in a fifthwheel trailer. We are looking at a few teaching positions in Arizona but don't know if she will be offered one or not but would like to be ready to relocate quickly when needed.

 

[Schlickenmeyer]

Having a newer truck, I dont know if this will help. .

I have a 33 foot 5er, as a toy hauler it is pin heavy (about 27%) around 3k

I have no sag, she sits level on a 2500. This is with the camper special group, (extra springs). otherwise stock. No problems pulling, steering or braking.

I do not, however do the steep mountain stuff.



Hope this helps, at least a little.

 

[EZeis]

If you go by what Dodge wants, 16,000 lbs GCW with 3. 54 gears with manual trans or 17,000 GCW with 4. 10 gears with manual trans. GCW=gross combined weight, meaning total for truck, trailer, and people. Also you need to figure your pin weight in with the rear axle limit and the trucks GVW. Rear axle limit and trucks GVW can be found on the drivers door label.



My truck weighs 5,580 lbs with me and a full tank. My GCW is 16,000, minus my 5,580 truck weight means I can tow a trailer of 10,420 lbs. My 5ther will gross to 10,050 lbs. So with me, truck, full tank, trailer to it's max GVW, and a passenger, I come in at 190 or so lbs to the good. But I don't carry enough crap with me to max my trailers GVW. Normally with my trailer ready to go, it will gross about 8,500 lbs and end up with with about 14,300 lbs GCW.



It's all in the math and knowing your true weights. Never trust the RV's empty weight rating. Pay a few bucks at the truck stop for the CAT scales. I would suggest going by the trailers MAX GVW when figuring your numbers to be safe. King pin weight can be 10% to 25% of the total trailer load.



Why to follow the trucks limits? Truck will perform better, fuel milage will be better, truck will last longer, and it'll be safe and legal.



Don't care about the above? Load it till it breaks. :-laf



Also big and nice (heavy) 5th wheels are sweet, but remember, the heavier the trailer, the less fuel milage you'll get and the harder your truck will need to work to pull it.



Earl

 

[JTCHess]

93 D350 and 30 foot 5th Wheel

I just traded in my Elkhorn 11Z truck camper on a 30 foot Cougar 5th wheel. What a difference it is to pull. My camper weighed in at about 4,000 pounds loaded. The 5th wheel weighs in at 8,600 empty. My assessment based upon the one time I pulled it, I won't win any races, but it pulled it just fine. I believe the hitch weight is at 1,600 pounds. I have a prodegy brake contoler which works great. Recommend 30 foot or less for your truck. There are 5 of us in our camping club with Dodge diesels, mine being the only 1 ton. The others (all second generation 2500's) have the same size 5th wheel as mine and have no problem.



John

 

[DBF]

How big and how heavy fifthwheel trailer can I pull with my 92 D-250?

We've put 40 to 50kmiles on our 28' Jayco 5er (see gallery) and lived in it for four months straight without killing each other. The combined weight is right at 14,000#.



If I were to change anything, I might get a slideout. However, you do loose some storage with a slide. This Jayco has plenty of storage.



If you want to look at it, come on down.



Regards, DBF

 

[rlyons]

Thanks for all the info, looks like I have been thinking about right as I had figured about 30 feet with a slide out. Sorry for the delay in responding but we were out playing for a few days with the old trailer,(spring break for the wife and son).

 

[DBF]

That's the way to do it. Throw out the question and duck. Come back later & take your pick of the answers.



DBF