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How big of camp/travel trailer can you pull on the trailer hitch on a '15 F250?

14K views 43 replies 17 participants last post by  Fossilfuels 
#1 ·
Just curious, how much weight - or - how long of camp/travel trailer can you pull on the tow hitch? How big does the trailer have to be before you go to a fifth wheel hitch installed in the bed?

And if you DO go with a 5th wheel mount (for say a 40' Toy Hauler), do you have to cut up your truck pretty good to install the mount? Is it easily reversible if you need the bed of your truck for work?

8' box btw

Thanks
 
#2 ·
The answer is how much weight can you carry (GVWR) if you are looking at a travel trailer, I wouldn't go over 33ft, anything longer you start having handling issue's and some camp site's are tight.

Isn't your truck already set up with a 5th wheel from the factory??

I have a 2001 and I have 2 bed rail's that don't cause any real issue's, so if you go with a 5th wheel just see what the "pin weight" is too make sure you aren't over the GVWR.
 
#4 ·
My 350 SRW didn't come with the hitch prep so I purchased a curt hitch with rails the rails are generic so they can work with many hitches. But I also bought a vehicle specific bracket kit which uses existing holes in the frame. So, I only had to drill the 6 holes through the bed. It wasn't too bad and I did my best to coat the holes with paint before installing the hitch. I did the same when I installed my in bed tool box by drilling 4 holes to bolt it in.

Not sure on the 250 but my 350 is rated at roughly 3,500 cargo capacity and 15,700 towing capacity. My 5th wheel is around 13k loaded and has a pin weight of about 2,500.

I think for bumper pull mine is rated at 14k pull and 1,200 lb tongue if I use a proper weight distribution hitch and a 2.5" draw bar. Again not sure how the 250 compares but you should be able to find out with the vin and the dealer if you don't have the trucks original build sheet window sticker info.
 
#8 · (Edited)
2011 f250 crew with 8' bed, running air bags @ 65lbs when loaded. Previous trailer was a 32' 8400lb travel trailer and current is 38'6" 5th wheel toy hauler weighing in at about 14k lbs depending on whats in it. Im using a reese 16k 5th wheel, with the ford kit, required 6 holes in the bed, no frame drilling required. BTW, I have yet to encounter any hill that was an issue when towing.

And yes im over my Cargo cap. and I don't need to be reminded....thanks.
 
#9 ·
I will be hauling my 12,500lb 31ft bumper pull with my new 2016. Tongue weight comes in at 1200lb with toys on board. Have not had a chance to pull it with my truck yet, but I will soon and when I do I will report back :)

For reference, this is my trailer on my old 7.3(which struggled to pull it, was literally AT my GCWR). Bonus points to anyone who can identify the mountain in the background.... :grin:

Motor vehicle Vehicle Transport RV Car
 
#10 ·
I thought all the new trucks had a 5th wheel prep package, I thought that is what those 4 plug's where in the bed. My wife's co-worker's husband just bought a new 6.7L because they are getting a 5th wheel soon, and I love my 7.3L but I'm starting too want a new truck>:)
 
#15 ·
Couple things. You have to be careful about weights on trailers. Its quite common for trailers to have x weight on the data plate but actually weigh y. The weight of TT can be fairly ambiguous. Next is how much weight are you putting into the trailer. Everybody says we don't have that much. But by the time you add in full water tank, propane, food, clothes, beer, chairs, grills,etc. its a lot of weight. I think read one time they figure the average camper has around 2k lbs of crap added into it.

Also do you have gas or diesel. for a 3/4 ton bumper pull I wouldn't put much more than 10klbs on it. Which 10k lbs is a big trailer. My 37ft fifth wheel weighs 11k dry. I don't tow it as its in permanent campground. I think most trailers in the 28-32ft range aren't going to be over 7-8k lbs which is no problem for that truck.

It depends on where you camp. We camp every weekend but the trailer doesn't move. If we were to camp at different locations I wouldn't be in something over 30ft, just for ease of storage and ease of hauling and setting up camp. A 30ft trailer is good sized specially with the slideouts these days. If you have kids I would look at trailers with at least two slides, one for the living room and one for the kids bunk area. If you have kids do not even think about getting a trailer without a bunk area, youll regret have to set up and pick up fold down tables and couches all the time.
 
#16 ·
This is a 38' with 4 slides and we had 8 people in it with beds to spare lol. The back of this one is a bedroom with 4 bunks in a slide on each side and the front is a master bedroom then you have a couch that becomes a bed and a table area that becomes a bed
 
#17 · (Edited)
5th wheel in my signature pic is a 40ft that is about 11,400 dry and somewhere in the low 13s fully loaded with everything. I plan on going to the CAT scale to weigh everything this month before covering it for the winter just to get my weights on paper.

I'm pretty close to the limit for a F350 legal wise but I know it sure can pull more then this.

I love the Ford prep kit!! It is a very clean setup and my slider falls right into the Ford Puck system and comes out just by turning the 4 pins 90 degrees to release it leaving the bed completely flat afterwards. Although it is 5 holes instead of 1, everything is done for you and you don't have to deal with the frame or getting under the truck for install.

My bed cover covers the whole thing so it stays looking brand new being out of the weather elements throughout the year.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Nice. Wish mine came with the hitch prep but it wasn't worth the price difference on another truck as I got a pretty good deal on mine as it sat.

Here is mine with a 35' Columbus that weighs right at 13k fully loaded

 
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#19 · (Edited)
I will throw in some more info, they are right about the weight. My old TT sticker had it in the weight of just under 7K, well it actually weighed in at just over 8K, that was a thousand pounds off. Now about my truck, my old and wrecked (RIP) 7.3 which was 2wd weighed in just under 6400lbs so that gave me about 2400 of towing weight, but my truck that I bought too replace it is a 4wd so it weighed in at just at 7700lbs leaving me about 1K for towing weight, it is amazing how little "Pin weight" my truck can handle, basically a TT is the only legal thing I can tow. But I and dear wifey purchased what is considered a 1/2 ton towable 5th wheel because we got a pretty good deal and it has the feature's we where looking for, and it put's me over the truck GVWR, but I am looking for a F-350CCDRW and here is another thing even thou the salesman can say you have plenty of truck, they don't know crap about weight's. I had the rep from Heartland tell me I could tow a 13K trailer according too his calculation's because he was looking at GCWR not GVWR.

Here is my Prowler, which tow's night and day different than my old travel trailer.
 

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#20 ·
So, one thing I tell EVERYONE to do is go spend some time at the cat scales. When I brought home my trailer 2 years ago I spent probably 4hrs at the scales weighing absolutely everything. I weighed my trailer fully packed with everything. then I pulled out my ATV's and RZR, weighed them, weighed the trailer with just a full tank of water, then dumped the water tank, then got individual axle weights for my truck and trailer.

With my entire family in the truck and with a fully loaded trailer and 3 pizzas we had just picked up we weighed in at EXACTLY 20,000lbs. Which was the GCWR of the 2002 F250 with the 7.3. So it is good to know your weights and have proof that you are within weight in case of any accidents...


So, bottom line, the truck will pull anything you can hitch up to it, but to know if you are legal you need to spend some time on the scales.
 
#21 ·
So how well does the 7.3 pull at 20K??? My old TT/truck combo weighed in at 14,400lbs I haven't had my new camper at the scale's yet because I haven't had time yet, but I'm guessing I'm in the 15-16K range now. It's amazing how different they tow, I see in your sig you have a camper shell on your truck, but if you even want a newer camper, ditch the shell:wink:
 
#31 ·
I tow a 33' long travel trailer with a tongue weight of 1200 pounds. I also use a WDH / stabilizer. My 6.7L handles it just fine, but there was a noticeable improvement after I installed air bags. Without the air bags, the rear end sagged quite a big even with the WDH set stiff. Over big bumps, I would hit the bump stops and it was pretty rough. With the air bags, the ride is nice and level and smoother.
 
#32 ·
With a properly set up W/D hitch the truck should not squat that much, I had a tough handling TT, and after joining a RV forum I was guided how too properly have a W/D hitch. After making some adjustments the trailer handled and towed a lot better, even thou a RV dealer set up the hitch doesn't mean it's right, I've got a 5th wheel now, and soon I'm going too double check I'm set up properly.

But that's a whole other thread:wink:
 
#35 ·
Mind me asking how much and from where? I do like the idea of something like that BUT do you have to pull it out every time you want to go inside?
 
#38 ·
I am not sure if I have responded to this thread LOL
Here goes. I wanted the prep package but couldnt get it so I ordered the B&W turn over ball and their 5th wheel Companion hitch. I had to natch the grove between the bed and the frame in 2 spots to get the angles in. then you have to cut a 4 inch hole in the bed for the hitch to stick through. I painted all exposed metal with paint from the dealer to match the truck to prevent rust. Then I mounted everything up. It was a lot of work but when you get the under bed part done it's done. I can remove the hitch and use the truck just like before because the part that sticks through the bed is below the rails in the bed. The hitch takes 2 guys to remove but what are neighbors for. When you get the prep package it comes with a plug in the bed for the 5th wheel 7 pin. I had to add one to my truck yes another hole.
I love my hitch. Its solid and doesnt clunk or make noise. Some guys install the one with rails but you have to drill 6 holes in the bed and they stay in the bed. I have the club cab 6.5 foot box without a slider and no problem
 
#39 ·
I assumed the B&W turnover had a setting where you could lock it open to remove it with one person??? My Curt has a tab that you turn 90° and remove the ball in seconds, literally, with one person.
 
#41 ·
I have a Curt Q20 and it weigh's close too 285lbs. even when taking the hitch head off it doesn't make that light. I use a 1 ton chain hoist installed in the garage so it's a one person operation.
 

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#42 ·
Why not just release the pucks and have the 5th wheel lift the hitch out of the bed keeping it attached to the 5th wheel? Then you never have to worry about weight...

And in regards to theft, just put a lock on the release handle. One and done!!
 
#43 ·
I am a newby too 5th wheel'n, and the posts I had read most where using some type of hoist, so I went that route, but I have thought about that, leaving it hitch too the camper.
 
#44 ·
The B&W Companion comes apart in 2 pieces and can be removed by one person, I'm an old man and I remove it with no problems, IMO its the best set up out there..
 
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