150 Series 5th Wheel ?'s

[rollindowntheroad]

Hello. I am not a Grand Design owner yet. I am wondering about the 150 series 5th wheels.

Looking at getting a 2019 F150, XLT, 3.5L ecoboost, 4x4, 145" wheel base, 20" tires, 6.5' bed, 3.55 rear axle, trailer tow package, but NOT the Max towing package, 1,772 lb. payload, super crew cab. The only thing I am missing is the transmission cooler. I will NOT be towing up and down any mountains. Currently living in Florida and will be there the majority of the year. Maybe summers in Northern Illinois where my daughter lives or North or South Carolina. A Travel Trailer would also suit my needs and would definitely be comfortable towing a TT. I have never owned a truck before so this is all new to me. I am just curious about these new 1/2 ton towable 5th wheels.

Wondering if any of you GD owners have purchased the 150 series 5th wheel and are actually towing it with a 1/2 ton truck?

Thank you in advance for your replies.

[Paul & Deb]

Welcome and there are actually quite a few folks towing various 5th wheel trailers with 1/2 ton trucks. It all depends on the trucks "actual" (not from a brochure or online) towing capacities both GVWR AND payload. When you find the truck you want look inside the driver's door for the payload sticker then check the 5th wheel you are looking at and take an educated guess at the worst case pin weight (i.e. 21 or 22% of the GROSS vehicle weight not the UVW). I checked the smallest and the largest 150 series 5th wheels and I would plan a pin weight of between 2,000 and 2,300 lbs. So the truck must have a payload capacity of that pin weight plus your hitch, passenger(s) and cargo. I'm not sure what the payload capacities are on the non-Max Towing F-150s is but sounds kind of tight to me.

I will say that it has become increasingly obvious to me that the majority of folks pulling 5th wheels I see pay zero, none, squat attention to the stated payload capacity of their tow vehicles and I mean this. Our last 3 week trip I made a mental note of 5th wheels I saw and I would bet a paycheck (I don't work ) that the majority were pulling with the wrong truck.

It's good that you're asking the questions though! At least you will be aware going in.

Good luck with your search

[rollindowntheroad]

The truck I saw says nothing about payload on either sticker on the front door. One sticker talks about tire information the other is front and rear axle weights. The tire one states that passengers and cargo should not exceed 1,772 lbs.

[Paul & Deb]

The truck I saw says nothing about payload on either sticker on the front door. One sticker talks about tire information the other is front and rear axle weights. The tire one states that passengers and cargo should not exceed 1,772 lbs.

Okay, that's your payload, 1,772 lbs. I can't think of any GD 5th wheels that will meet that low capacity. Again, by the time you add one passenger and a hitch you will only be able to handle 1,500 lbs or less! better off looking at bumper pull trailers to be honest.

[rollindowntheroad]

That's what I am thinking. Doubt a 5th wheel is going to work. I would be content with a TT. But just though I would investigate the "150 towables".

[powerscol]

Hello. I am not a Grand Design owner yet. I am wondering about the 150 series 5th wheels.

Looking at getting a 2019 F150, XLT, 3.5L ecoboost, 4x4, 145" wheel base, 20" tires, 6.5' bed, 3.55 rear axle, trailer tow package, but NOT the Max towing package, 1,772 lb. payload, super crew cab. The only thing I am missing is the transmission cooler. I will NOT be towing up and down any mountains. Currently living in Florida and will be there the majority of the year. Maybe summers in Northern Illinois where my daughter lives or North or South Carolina. A Travel Trailer would also suit my needs and would definitely be comfortable towing a TT. I have never owned a truck before so this is all new to me. I am just curious about these new 1/2 ton towable 5th wheels.

Wondering if any of you GD owners have purchased the 150 series 5th wheel and are actually towing it with a 1/2 ton truck?

Thank you in advance for your replies.

In the F150 you need the max towing package and a 3:7* rear end. But I highly recommend you to consider at least an F250 with the tow package as with the F150 only the smallest Reflection 150 units can safely be towed. Try searching here for towing with a F150. There have been numerous discussions on this, especially given this is your first truck. Don't skimp on the tow vehicle . Get something wit a margin on capacity. Sooner or later you will need it.

[Chiefblueman]

Hello. I am not a Grand Design owner yet. I am wondering about the 150 series 5th wheels.

Looking at getting a 2019 F150, XLT, 3.5L ecoboost, 4x4, 145" wheel base, 20" tires, 6.5' bed, 3.55 rear axle, trailer tow package, but NOT the Max towing package, 1,772 lb. payload, super crew cab. The only thing I am missing is the transmission cooler. I will NOT be towing up and down any mountains. Currently living in Florida and will be there the majority of the year. Maybe summers in Northern Illinois where my daughter lives or North or South Carolina. A Travel Trailer would also suit my needs and would definitely be comfortable towing a TT. I have never owned a truck before so this is all new to me. I am just curious about these new 1/2 ton towable 5th wheels.

Wondering if any of you GD owners have purchased the 150 series 5th wheel and are actually towing it with a 1/2 ton truck?

Thank you in advance for your replies.

It appears to me when GDRV says their 150 series is half ton towable that they have one specific half ton in mind. That would be the rare F150 with the HDPP (heavy duty payload) package. This would give you the highest payload capacity in a half ton truck. Rob of Cate&Rob tows a regular Reflection 303 with one and is very knowledgeable on the capabilities of the HDPP. Try a search on F150 HDPP. Looks like this package could push that payload up to 2500lbs or so if you really want a 5er.

[backtrack2015]

There are Micro Minnie 5ers from Winnebago now too if you want something on the very small side. The issue with them is they have much less exterior storage (laughable pass-through) and torsion axles. I normally like torsion axles but it is really important to make sure the trailer is level while towing so the load gets balanced between them. Leveling the unit can be hard with a fifth-wheel.

[rollindowntheroad]

On the window sticker it has a 7000 lb gvwr package. Anyone know what that would be?

[rollindowntheroad]

Here is a list of the optional equipment from the window sticker:

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT/OTHER .
XLT CHROME APPEARANCE PACKAGE .
CHROME STEP BARS 3.5L V6 ECOBOOST 2,595.00
275/55R20 BSW ALL-TERRAIN NO CHARGE
3.55 ELECTRONIC LOCK RR AXLE 50.00
7000# GVWR PACKAGE
PRO TRAILER BACKUP ASSIST
VOICE-ACTIVATED NAVIGATION 795.00
TRAILER TOW PACKAGE 995.00
MIRROR MAN FOLD W/POWER GLASS
FX4 OFF-ROAD PACKAGE 905.00 .
SKID PLATES .
FLOOR LINER - TRAY STYLE
20" CHROME-LIKE PVD WHEELS 1,295.00
36GAL EXTENDED RANGE FUEL TANK 445.00
INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONT 275.00
XLT POWER EQUIPMENT GROUP PKG 725.00 .
POWER-SLIDING REAR WINDOW .
LED BOX LIGHTING .
110V/400W OUTLET
REVERSE SENSING SYSTEM 275.00

It does not have the HDPP package.