hitch weight on 5th wheels - need advice

[jewallac]

So 5th wheelers out there - what's going on with these hitch weights? I previously had a Hitchhicker that had a dry weight well over 10,000 lbs but a hitch weight of about 1600. No issues. Now I'm looking around and can't even handle a smaller Jayco at 9,000 lbs but a hitch wt of 2110. I have a 3/4 ton chevy silverado hd with a gvwr of 9200. When I weighed my truck (full tank, people etc.) it comes it at 6960 which only leaves me 2240 for hitch weight. Or in this instance, about 130 lbs leeway. Add on some weight for propane and loading the trailer and few items in the truck bed and I'm easily over the truck weight limit. After looking at numerous makes and models of other 5th wheels (other than super lights) there's no hitch weights lower. Yet I see most of these rigs being pulled by similar 3/4 ton trucks. Any ideas or am I calculating incorrectly.

June

 

[Grandview Trailer Sa]

Re: hitch weight on 5th wheels - need advice

Your Hitchhiker must not have had a bedroom slide and this Jayco does. My guess... I looked in Gulf Streams brochure and those weights are close when you do and do not have bedroom slides. Your truck can tow it just fine.

 

[jewallac]

RE: hitch weight on 5th wheels - need advice

Actually my Hitchhiker did have a bedroom slide with a full clothes closet, desk and linen closet. I have a feeling that the hitch wt on the Hitchhiker was probably closer to the Jayco hitch wt. My first Hitchhiker which didn't have a bedroom slide was rated with about a 1400 hitch weight. I would think the slideout in the second Hitchhiker would have increased the hitch wt. beyond an additional 200 lbs. Hence, I probably had a hitch wt over 2000 but just didn't know it.