5th wheel question.

[PRS]

Most standard 5th wheels will weigh 160-200#, more if you need a slider, which with a 6.4 box you might. We had a Goosebox on our 5th wheel and could not turn 60 degrees without contacting the cab. The other problem was sitting level, we had at least 6 inches clearance above the bed rails, but in a turn greater than 50 degrees the wings on the pin box would contact the siderails on the bed. We ended up installing a shorter Trailair pin box and the Anderson Ultimate hitch and resolved most of the issues. We can’t turn 90 degrees, probably 80, but at that amount the axles and wheels on the trailer are twisted like crazy on pavement so much I would never go that far anyway.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Most standard 5th wheels will weigh 160-200#, more if you need a slider, which with a 6.4 box you might. We had a Goosebox on our 5th wheel and could not turn 60 degrees without contacting the cab. The other problem was sitting level, we had at least 6 inches clearance above the bed rails, but in a turn greater than 50 degrees the wings on the pin box would contact the siderails on the bed. We ended up installing a shorter Trailair pin box and the Anderson Ultimate hitch and resolved most of the issues. We can’t turn 90 degrees, probably 80, but at that amount the axles and wheels on the trailer are twisted like crazy on pavement so much I would never go that far anyway.

No standard hitch weighs that much i can put a standard 20k slider in my truck by myself...

 

[PRS]

A16 5th Wheel Hitch, Select Ram 2500, 3500, 8' Bed Puck System

The CURT A16™ 5th wheel hitch excels in easy operation and stable, quiet 5th wheel towing. It does this with two key features: a single-throw handle and a patented head design. The single-throw handle only needs to be pulled once when coupling and uncoupling. It is designed to self-reset to the...

www.curtmfg.com

Here is a Curt standard 5th wheel non-slider hitch for a 16k trailer. Weighs 178#. I won’t even say I told you so.

 

[Brutal_HO]

A16 5th Wheel Hitch, Select Ram 2500, 3500, 8' Bed Puck System

The CURT A16™ 5th wheel hitch excels in easy operation and stable, quiet 5th wheel towing. It does this with two key features: a single-throw handle and a patented head design. The single-throw handle only needs to be pulled once when coupling and uncoupling. It is designed to self-reset to the...

www.curtmfg.com

Here is a Curt standard 5th wheel non-slider hitch for a 16k trailer. Weighs 178#. I won’t even say I told you so.

That's likely shipping weight as my A25 doesn't weigh quite that much.

Nonetheless...

No standard hitch weighs that much i can put a standard 20k slider in my truck by myself...

You must not know your own strength.

My Curt A25 with puck base is 168lbs. Weighed each major piece on a bathroom scale.

head 50
frame 35
legs 74
brace 9
168

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

That's likely shipping weight as my A25 doesn't weigh quite that much.

Nonetheless...



You must not know your own strength.

My Curt A25 with puck base is 168lbs. Weighed each major piece on a bathroom scale.

head 50
frame 35
legs 74
brace 9
168

Im talking a standard rail mount i have never even seen a true puck mount lol

 

[Brutal_HO]

Im talking a standard rail mount i have never even seen a true puck mount lol

Roger.

pre-puck, my hitch weighed:

head 50
frame 35
legs 31
brace 9

116lb

 

[CMRoadster]

Go to the Forest River Forums. There is a lot of fifth wheel specific discussions on trucks, pinload verses tow capacities and clearances between cab and trailer cap.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Roger.

pre-puck, my hitch weighed:

head 50
frame 35
legs 31
brace 9

116lb

Thats about what my old husky slider 16k weighed

 

[Brutal_HO]

Thats about what my old husky slider 16k weighed

I had a 16K husky slidebar hitch in my 04.5 until 2018. I absolutely hated that F thing. I don't know why I put up with it for so long.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I had a 16K husky slidebar hitch in my 04.5 until 2018. I absolutely hated that F thing. I don't know why I put up with it for so long.

Mine was in my 2011 1500 had it for about 3 years it was ok nothing special i got rid of it now i just have my 20k EZ rider air ride hitch and my 16k Reese cheapy nice an light to put in and out of the truck in a hurry

 

[RedBull]

If a couple hundred pounds of payload makes a difference between going over or not for a trailer you own, you need to consider another truck with more capacity.

You're right, but I actually don't own any trailer yet, just thinking ahead of the game lol...
So many options out there and so many things to consider, I didn't think that buying a camper will be so difficult.

 

[PRS]

Do you have the fifth wheel prep in your truck? For the camper you first mentioned, you could install a Reese sidewinder style pinbox and then install the appropriate fifth wheel hitch and the shortbed would not be an issue since the trailer would then pivot on the pinbox attachment point. No need for a very heavy slider hitch in that case.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Do you have the fifth wheel prep in your truck? For the camper you first mentioned, you could install a Reese sidewinder style pinbox and then install the appropriate fifth wheel hitch and the shortbed would not be an issue since the trailer would then pivot on the pinbox attachment point. No need for a very heavy slider hitch in that case.

Why do that just buy a trailer with a turning point pin box in the first place not need to retrofit.... i didnt know you could buy the sidewinder like that pretty neat to see it doesnt have to be an oem trailer option

 

[RedBull]

Do you have the fifth wheel prep in your truck? For the camper you first mentioned, you could install a Reese sidewinder style pinbox and then install the appropriate fifth wheel hitch and the shortbed would not be an issue since the trailer would then pivot on the pinbox attachment point. No need for a very heavy slider hitch in that case.

Yes I do have the 5th wheel perp package. That would work for sure. Any recommendations for lightweight hitch? Thanks.

 

[RedBull]

Go to the Forest River Forums. There is a lot of fifth wheel specific discussions on trucks, pinload verses tow capacities and clearances between cab and trailer cap.

I did asked the very same question if I can safely tow the Cougar I've mentioned here with my truck on Keystone forum. They pretty much said "NO" I don't have enough payload to do that, plus my HEMI won't like it either.... On this forum everyone says that I can, no problem. I'm so confused...
The RV dealer of course said that I can, but they want to sell that trailer so I don't care much what the salesman says.
That's why I'm here, asking questions and trying to figure things out.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I did asked the very same question if I can safely tow the Cougar I've mentioned here with my truck on Keystone forum. They pretty much said "NO" I don't have enough payload to do that, plus my HEMI won't like it either.... On this forum everyone says that I can, no problem. I'm so confused...
The RV dealer of course said that I can, but they want to sell that trailer so I don't care much what the salesman says.
That's why I'm here, asking questions and trying to figure things out.

Rv forums are useless

 

[PRS]

Looks like that model Cougar has a GVWR of 11500#. With an expected 20% pin weight that comes put to 2300#. You stated your payload was 3030#. I'm presuming that is from your door sticker. That's a good payload for a 2500. So you have 730# of your payload left before you add your wife and 2 small kids and what ever else you have in the truck. Oh yea, there's that 5th wheel hitch too. Let's say you use Brutal's 168# hitch. Now you're down to 562# for wife, kids and stuff. The Sidewinder pinbox weighs 176#, but that will replace the OEM pinbox which probably weighs 120#, but that extra 50# would be considered part of the 11,500# trailer GVWR anyway. I guess the bottom line is you can pull it and be within the limits. Just don't over do it with what you put in the trailer and your truck.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Looks like that model Cougar has a GVWR of 11500#. With an expected 20% pin weight that comes put to 2300#. You stated your payload was 3030#. I'm presuming that is from your door sticker. That's a good payload for a 2500. So you have 730# of your payload left before you add your wife and 2 small kids and what ever else you have in the truck. Oh yea, there's that 5th wheel hitch too. Let's say you use Brutal's 168# hitch. Now you're down to 562# for wife, kids and stuff. The Sidewinder pinbox weighs 176#, but that will replace the OEM pinbox which probably weighs 120#, but that extra 50# would be considered part of the 11,500# trailer GVWR anyway. I guess the bottom line is you can pull it and be within the limits. Just don't over do it with what you put in the trailer and your truck.

Thats max weight of the trailer 90% of people would never hit that number so the trailer is probably 8500lbs dry

 

[RedBull]

Thats max weight of the trailer 90% of people would never hit that number so the trailer is probably 8500lbs dry

It is actually 9500lbs dry, my concern is that If we start taking gear and other stuff with us I may hit that max GVWR fairly quick. My kids are 4 and 8. They don't require much stuff to bring along yet, but they will grow and sooner or later they will want to bring some more stuff with them like bikes, trikes you name it.... I'm sure the HEMI would pull it just fine, but if something happens and they will find out that I was overweight I will be screwed.

 

[PRS]

Shipping weight is actually 9292# so that's no water at all, no propane, no anything. 2300# can be a lot of stuff but it adds quickly and where it is loaded, fore or aft, can obviously affect the pin weight. The proof would be to weight it before you put anything on it, then weigh it again when you're all loaded for a trip.