hitch weight issue

[FreddieD]

I made the mistake of purchasing a truck based on the total weight of the 5th wheel and have figured out that I am over on CCC by about 500lb hitched up and with the 5th wheel loaded. My question today is has anyone done any counter balancing with weight on a 5th wheel? Like adding 300lb to the rear of the frame? Unfortunately its a rear living and the basement and cargo holds are in front of the axels. When I use the only tank behind the axels (fresh water) as ballast it only takes off 120lb. I has a rear hitch, I could add 300lb there bit I would have to put it on and off every trip, I would rather do something perinate. Any thoughts? I don't want to move to a DW set up if I can get away with it..

[A.Texas.Yankee]

I made the mistake of purchasing a truck based on the total weight of the 5th wheel and have figured out that I am over on CCC by about 500lb hitched up and with the 5th wheel loaded. My question today is has anyone done any counter balancing with weight on a 5th wheel? Like adding 300lb to the rear of the frame? Unfortunately its a rear living and the basement and cargo holds are in front of the axels. When I use the only tank behind the axels (fresh water) as ballast it only takes off 120lb. I has a rear hitch, I could add 300lb there bit I would have to put it on and off every trip, I would rather do something perinate. Any thoughts? I don't want to move to a DW set up if I can get away with it..

Unfortunately, I don't believe you'll be able to counter balance enough to make up for the weight difference with 300 lbs since that isn't going to do much at all. I would think finding ways to reduce weight between the axles to be more effective, but hard to do as well.

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[tamrick]

I made the mistake of purchasing a truck based on the total weight of the 5th wheel and have figured out that I am over on CCC by about 500lb hitched up and with the 5th wheel loaded. My question today is has anyone done any counter balancing with weight on a 5th wheel? Like adding 300lb to the rear of the frame? Unfortunately its a rear living and the basement and cargo holds are in front of the axels. When I use the only tank behind the axels (fresh water) as ballast it only takes off 120lb. I has a rear hitch, I could add 300lb there bit I would have to put it on and off every trip, I would rather do something perinate. Any thoughts? I don't want to move to a DW set up if I can get away with it..

So if I read this correctly, you are over your payload capacity for the truck? If so, the only way to remove a lot of weight off the truck is to change your hitch to either an Andersen or I believe Pullrite. These two weigh substantially less than a standard hitch. Second, don't load anything in your truck other than people. Any cargo needs to go into the 5th wheel. Move weight in the 5th wheel from front to rear but don't go over the axle rating. Realize that this only removes a percentage of weight from the pin. Having a real living will make it difficult but you could strap down some cargo on the sofa or floor if there is room. Not sure of your exact numbers but I believe a 350/3500 SRW can handle this payload although a dually makes for a stable ride.

You might be able to achieve your goal or get really close to it, either way, I believe 200lbs over will not hurt your truck in the long run. Enjoy the new trailer....

[FreddieD]

Thanks for the reply's, I believe I am gong to be inducted into the infamous Two Time Tow Vehicle club.

[xrated]

Thanks for the reply's, I believe I am gong to be inducted into the infamous Two Time Tow Vehicle club.

I've been there, done that myself. First truck I bought for towing a camper was without any knowledge of towing dynamics on my part. Second truck I bought (See my signature) was after lots and lots of research, asking questions on forums like this, and digging in and learning about what all goes into properly mating a tow vehicle and a trailer....in my case, a very large 5th Wheel Camping trailer.

[A.Texas.Yankee]

Thanks for the reply's, I believe I am gong to be inducted into the infamous Two Time Tow Vehicle club.

Join the club! Sold my '19 Ram 2500 and soon to take delivery of a '21 F-450 because of payload. To this day I still hear "3/4 ton can do it all" and that's even from dealers and their personal trailers... be proud of the fact you are willing to accept the correct path, whether now or in the future. Don't be that guy who's can't see the horizon through windshield because he's driving a "v" at 75 mph.

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[Stealth13777]

Thanks for the reply's, I believe I am gong to be inducted into the infamous Two Time Tow Vehicle club.

Probably the wisest option. However, how are you relative to your axle ratings?

[trkester]

Thanks for the reply's, I believe I am gong to be inducted into the infamous Two Time Tow Vehicle club.

Welcome to the club if that's what you end up doing. I became a member in December. My F-150 with HD everything was good for 12,500 tow but similar payload issues although not as much as 500 over. So decided do this tow vehicle thing one and only one more time. Now can't wait for spring to try out our new F-350 SRW 6.7L diesel. Overkill for what I need for our 297RSTS but the future could change things.

[FreddieD]

Thanks, I have have been a mechanic and worked around 18 wheelers, I check the tow weights and has 20 min discussions about the tow ratings, it was the CCC and GVWR that got me, I had no clue that a truck that could tow 19K on a 5th wheel could not support the ccc and GVWR.. Live and learn..

[xrated]

Thanks, I have have been a mechanic and worked around 18 wheelers, I check the tow weights and has 20 min discussions about the tow ratings, it was the CCC and GVWR that got me, I had no clue that a truck that could tow 19K on a 5th wheel could not support the ccc and GVWR.. Live and learn..

That part gets a lot of folks and here is the reason why. Truck manufacturers will tell you tow ratings and GVWRs along with all the other numbers....Payload, FAWR, RAWR, GCVWR, etc. And when they list those numbers, they are NOT lying....they just don't tell you the rest of the story. The truck that will have a tow rating of say 19,000 lbs will in fact be able to do just that. But NO WHERE in the their info do they say it will pull a 5th Wheel Camping type trailer....they simply say TRAILER. So if you are buying a camping trailer, you would normally be looking for towing capacities for a "Camping Trailer"...but their info that gives tow ratings doesn't say a 19,000 lbs camping trailer...it just says trailer. So if you hook up to a tandem or triple axle flat bed or utility type trailer and load up a heavy piece of construction equipment, say a skid steer loader for something like that and the load and the trailer total weight is 19,000 lbs, it will certainly tow it. The difference is, that trailer can be loaded in such a way on the trailer that the equipment is further back on the trailer and doesn't cause the trailer pin weight to make the truck overloaded as far as payload capacity. With a 5th Wheel Camping trailer, most of the time the pin weight is going to be at least 20% of the total trailer weight, and many times it is more....22, 23, maybe up to about 25% of the trailer weight. And, there really isn't much you can do to change that. With the flatbed trailer, you can move the load further back on the trailer and lessen the pin weight on the truck....you have options. With a 5ver Camping trailer, the loaded trailer is what it is, based on where you tanks are, your storage compartments are, and other things. So that's where they get you, they tell you the truth, but don't clarify all of the facts that go with it.