I assume you got 1800lbs payload by subtracting your pickups actual weight from its GVWR. Which should be 10,000lbs for a 4x4. If your pickup is a Crew Cab 4x4 it probably weighs right around 8200lbs empty sitting in your driveway. The curb weight is 6900lbs. Its rated for 3140lbs of payload. So they get the payload and trailer towing ratings based off of the curb weight. I have no clue how they come up with 6900lbs curb weight on a pickup that weighs 8000lbs plus in the real world?!

So they can add the 20% pin weight of a 16000lbs trailer and stay within the ratings provided they use the curb weight of the pickup as it’s baseline. It’s how they inflate the numbers on the commercials and brochures.

 

I have no clue how they come up with 6900lbs curb weight on a pickup that weighs 8000lbs plus in the real world?!

Base model trucks in Cab only configuration. They use the lowest weight model possible to get that number.

10K GVWR-8200(curb weight) = 1,800 lbs (cargo or pin weight)
16K 5th Wheel 15%= 2,400 pin weight
16K 5th Wheel 25%= 4,000 pin weight

You need a DRW truck. Either get a lighter 5th wheel or a bigger truck. At this point I'd suggest looking at 5th wheel trailers in the 12K GVWR range.

 

Went through the same thing myself. I weighed the truck with a full tank of fuel and DEF plus me and the dog. It came out to 8,330 pounds.

 

An 8,000lb trailer at 20% hitch weight would be 1,600lb. Add the wife and dogs and I'm overweight. So technically I can tow more on the bumper with a weight distribution hitch than a 5th wheel. I wasn't expecting the math to add up like this.

 

I don't feel this this right and the math must be a little off... A bumper pull trailer puts the pin weight BEHIND and only SOMETIMES level with the rear axel even with the weight distribution gear. A gooseneck/5th wheel puts the pin weight usually directly over if not slightly forward and ABOVE the rear axel... You can tow weigh more with an over/in the bed hitch then a bumper pull. 5th wheel trailers are designed to keep pin weight within usual ranges for most truck and have come a long way. You still have to be thoughtful when loading and storing items but in general they handle way, way (yes added the second one lol) then bumper pulls even with a properly set up weight distribution system that from my experience 90% of people don't set up right to begin with.

My 1999 f250 has the camper package (rear overloads, front/rear sway bar, 4way/rv plugs) and has a 10k rated hitch meaning if I use a weight distribution, don't overload tongue weight I can haul 10klbs max... my truck-7640lb on sticker and usually 7900 with me, fuel and gear bringing me to 17900lb which is also under the 21k limit for the truck in total. +/- 500 for gear but I travel light with trailer gear when camping.

If I go 5th wheel or gooseneck legally (this varies by states and locals) but federally i'll be under 26,001 so I can tow 12,500lb with the 5th wheel/gooseneck brining me to 20,400lb +/- 500lb for camping gear, I keep the trailer light when camping. in total still keeping me under the 21k max gross combined. Im only 90% sure my f250 shortbed 4x4 auto is rated at 21k but It could be 22k etc.


You truck will handle a 5th wheel A LOT better then any weight distributed bumper set up and handle more weight to boot. To keep state patrols, dot and other off by back I learned just subtract 1500lb from your gross total combined and pick a trailer in that just in case you need to pack heavy.

 

I agree 100% that a 5th wheel will tow much better than a bumper tow. I'm just saying that with actual truck weight of my f250 I will exceed the hitch pin max weight long before I would exceed the CGVW. With properly set up trailers and hitches a F250 crew cab could tow more with a w/d bumper pull than a 5th wheel per manufacturer specs. I'm surprised the numbers add up the way they do. I'd rather tow a 5th wheel slightly over the recommended pin weight than I would a 9k bumper with w/d hitch that is within specs.

 

The trailer you are looking at is just too big for truck if 15.9k overloads your pin weight rating. I believe another guy mentioned it. You just need to find a trailer with less slide outs or little shorter. My friends camper is a 32ft that weighs 11k empty but then with gear was about 12.5k topped on scales. He could tow more but in CA sticker weight will get you if you are one ounce over...

find your total, subtract 1500lbs-ish and get a trailer the puts you in that zone. or.... get a bigger truck lol.

There are usually options on trailers you can remove too. Usually the larger water heaters and tanks, slide outs, and stuff add the most weight.

 

Others have commented but ill add my 2 cents.

as stated you ned to go by the Yelow CARGO CAPACITY sticker on your door usually under the white truck id sticker most 3/4 Ton newer trucks range from 18-2400 olbs payload capacity. To be legal, You need to calculate the driver, all passengers, cargo, the 5th wheel hitch and the weight of the trailer which is what ends up exceeding GVWR of the truck regardless if youre within GCVWR.

Also, the 15,900 cap on the trailer is with your truck dead empty, so you need to subtract the weight of the trailer from the wight of your truck w/ passengers, cargo etc.

Most 5th wheel campers are 20-25% of the GVWR when estimating trailer and truck cap because at the end of the day you should only care about loaded weight, not unloaded (UVW),.

Grand Design RV has 150 series ( half ton towable ) which would fit into the specs of most 3/4 ton trucks with a cargo cap of say 2-2400 lbs with a GVWR of around 11k/12k lbs. If you want a larger 5er/toy hauler you may want to skip to a DRW 350 then try to do the math w/ the trailer and trucks.

heres a cool video to help understand towing specs and help pickout your next Rig.

https://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/comment-page-1/

 

Sorry for the confusion, my example of 8,000lb trailer with 1,600lb hitch weight was for a 5th wheel (20% hitch weight). That would put my F250 right at the limit with passengers. So real world 5th wheel towing is not close to the max CGVW and is limited by hitch weight.

 

most of your issue will come from Truck Cargo/Payload cap and exceeding GVWR on the truck.

when cal hitch weight, usually i add in the 20-25% of the trailer GVWR and the 5th wheel physical hitch weight. Then I include driver, passengers etc.



Some guys dont care and will upgrade the truck, liklihood of DOT really checking you is slim but if you get into an accident, u can be held liable for negligence. so really its up to you.

Best way to cal everything IMO is to get on a catscale and weigh your truck as you plan on driving it to get the GVW and subtract from the 10k lb GVWR and that is what you have to work with. Good Luck