Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna


browercreed

New Member
Does anyone have any experience with using a 5'6"
shortbed truck to haul a fith wheel? Can this be
done or is this just impossible and unsafe?
 

Grandview Trailer Sa

Senior Member
Re: Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna

Reese, Drawtite and others say that the bed has to at LEAST be 6' long and you need the sliding hitch.

There is an automatic hitch that moves as you turn. The price is probably close to $3,000.00, with the rails, capture plate and installation. It is the only way to tow a fifth wheel with your truck.

You also have to be certain that the weight is not too much for your truck. When the Ford Super Crew came out, Ford put it in writing that the truck was NOT designed for 5th wheel towing.
 

browercreed

New Member
Re: Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna

Grandview Trailer Sa - 8/2/2008 3:00 PM

Reese, Drawtite and others say that the bed has to at LEAST be 6' long and you need the sliding hitch.

There is an automatic hitch that moves as you turn. The price is probably close to $3,000.00, with the rails, capture plate and installation. It is the only way to tow a fifth wheel with your truck.

You also have to be certain that the weight is not too much for your truck. When the Ford Super Crew came out, Ford put it in writing that the truck was NOT designed for 5th wheel towing.


Ok I'm at the point of "buying the truck". Our RV has been parked while my son was using it, but now we get to use it and will trade this truck. I've been told I need a diesel, a dually, a 3/4ton with a 6 1/2' bed, and almost every truck on the road. Now I need to know exactly which of these I actually need. Don't want to get more truck than I need, but since we are new at this we do want a truck that will make up for our inexperience. What do you suggest? I would prefer a chevy.
 

Grandview Trailer Sa

Senior Member
Re: Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna

I don't know what size trailer you have, but if it is the average 5th wheel, I can tell you this.

In my years of doing business, I have had lots of dually's. Now I have 2 GMC's, a 2500HD and a 3500. I do not have a dually and I can tow anything that comes on my lot. The 2500HD will tow a 15,400lb. 5th wheel, the 3500 will go to 16,600lb. I can tell you that you do not need a dually if your trailer is under those weights. Don't look at GVWR, see what the actual weight is.

Diesel or Gas? Good question. Both of mine are diesels, but am not driving them enough to justify it. Several schools of thought here. MOST people will agree that you have to drive a Diesel a certain amount of miles a year before you can justify the added cost. 20 years ago I was told that figure was 50,000 a year. I would say that if your towing time would be once or twice a month and just going to your local campground, buy Gas. If you want to go across country or are going to take extended trips and tow a lot, get the Diesel. Of course, what you do with the truck the rest of the time, will also determine whether you go with Gas or Diesel.

Long or Short bed. The better tow vehicle is the longer vehicle. I refuse to buy short beds because I hook up to so many trailers and I am not fooling with the slider hitch. That is my choice and better for my business. If I were going to tow twice a month and local, I would have the short bed because of regular driving, but the LONGER vehicle is the better tow vehicle. (I repeated that on purpose)

If you go with a short bed, you will need a slider hitch so you will have cab clearance in tight turns. Because the non slider hitch is less expensive, the longer truck will probably cost about the same after you buy the short bed and a slider hitch. YES, get a truck that has at least 6' in the bed. I would also get at least a 3/4 ton.
 

browercreed

New Member
Re: Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna

Thank you so much for your quick reply. We have a Keystone Laredo 30' fifth wheel. We won't be doing much traveling, and the truck will sit more than it
travels probably. If we can sell the RV we will, but until then we need a way to
tow it so that's our dilemna. We may decide we love the RV life, but I sorta
doubt it, and we will mostly use the truck for small hauling needs on our farm.
 

browercreed

New Member
Re: Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna

browercreed - 12/27/2008 4:33 PM

Thank you so much for your quick reply. We have a Keystone Laredo 30' fifth wheel. We won't be doing much traveling, and the truck will sit more than it
travels probably. If we can sell the RV we will, but until then we need a way to
tow it so that's our dilemna. We may decide we love the RV life, but I sorta
doubt it, and we will mostly use the truck for small hauling needs on our farm.

Forgot to add it's an 8,400 dry weight.
 

Grandview Trailer Sa

Senior Member
Re: Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna

From what you say, I would probably get a 2500HD with the 6.0 gas engine. I have customers towing larger trailers than you have with that truck.
 

browercreed

New Member
Re: Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna

Doesn't this mean I will need the slider you talked about? I'm sure I could do
without it, but that would be the safest??
 

Grandview Trailer Sa

Senior Member
Re: Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna

Yes, If you get the short bed, you will need the slider hitch. I have seen a few people get by for a while without a slider, but I have also seen back glass from the cab broken and camper damage also.
 

Kirk

Senior Member
Re: Fith wheel and shortbed truck delimna

Keep in mind that the towing experience level of the driver plays a major part in the need for the long bed truck. If you have a great deal of experience towing fifth wheel or goose neck trailers, you can probably get by. If you are inexperienced, it could be a very expensive lesson to tow with a short bed truck, even with the sliding hitch.
 
Top