1/2 ton towing? Reflection 29rs or 295rl 5th Wheel?

[Skiddy]

What I was saying...^^^^^^^

[Cate&Rob]

We have a 2019 295RL Reflection 150 Series which we pull with a 2018 F150 Lariat 4WD, short 5'6" box, 10-speed transmission, 3.5L Ecoboost with 3.55 axle, heavy duty tow package

Jennifer1,

You have exactly the truck that Grand Design uses in their Reflection 150 Series announcement video. Good to learn that this works for extended miles. I am surprised that you have this towing stability on passenger car tires. This is different than many other F150 owners (without the HDPP) have experienced with similar sized 5th wheels.

Rob

[Skiddy]

Hi Ritchierich56
We have a 2019 295RL Reflection 150 Series which we pull with a 2018 F150 Lariat 4WD, short 5'6" box, 10-speed transmission, 3.5L Ecoboost with 3.55 axle, heavy duty tow package and we also added Timbrens to the back suspension. We use a Pullrite Superglide 3100 hitch, designed for short boxes, which works perfectly with GD's Turning Point pin. We have pulled our 295RL more than 15,000 kms since last November and have had no issues at all. We have travelled from Ontario to Arizona and back plus other shorter trips and we have successfully pulled the fifth wheel up long steep gradients with minimal loss of speed. We did a great deal of research and we purchased the F150 Lariat as outlined above specifically to pull the 295RL. We did look at the F150 Diesel but at that time it had less towing and payload capacity than the F150 EcoBoost. We did many calculations to make sure we were within towing and payload capacity limits before purchasing. We used a spreadsheet based on the one shown in the YouTube video from Keep your Daydream entitled "Payload Problems, How Much Can I (Really) Tow?" The spreadsheet is detailed in the video but can be downloaded from the Notes below it. We ensure that we travel light so we do not over pack the bedroom or the through-storage below and we distribute what is loaded into the fifth wheel throughout. Everything we have acquired to use in the fifth wheel is super light-weight so when we travel we are well below the 10,200 lbs GVWR. Make sure you weigh your truck and fifth wheel loaded on a CAT scale to ensure that you are within limits as in the Keep your Daydream YouTube video mentioned above it highlights the risk of invalidating insurance if you are outside specs. We love our 295RL and are really pleased with it and we have been told by RV technicians we know that we definitely bought the right truck with the right set-up. I hope this helps you.

Glad it works for you. Can you tell us what your door sticker says?

[Jennifer1]

Hi Skiddy
What specifically did you want to know from the door sticker and why? I see you have a Lariat also. What is your set-up?

[bmbl-bee]

We owned a 2017 F-150 when we purchased our 2970RL bumper pull. I knew we would be over on payload and hitch weight so we purchased a F-250. Payload numbers are very easy to ignore but can become very expensive if involved in an accident. Lawsuits are becoming very common place. Insurance companies won't step up because of the overloaded weights.

[Skiddy]

Hi Skiddy
What specifically did you want to know from the door sticker and why? I see you have a Lariat also. What is your set-up?

If you will share it, the actual combined weight of occupants and cargo etc... what we usually refer to as payload.

In the case of my truck, that sticker is 1392 pounds, 631Kg. That payload has been reduced to 1300 pounds with the addition of 92 pounds of BakFlip MX4 tonneau.

I was just wondering what your payload was according to Ford.

[Jennifer1]

OK ours is much much higher. What size box do you have? Do you have a panoramic sunroof or some other addition that would lower your payload to 1392 lbs? We remove our box cover when travelling. With us, the hitch and a cooler of food, it comes to 605 lbs.

[Skiddy]

OK ours is much much higher. What size box do you have? Do you have a panoramic sunroof or some other addition that would lower your payload to 1392 lbs? We remove our box cover when travelling. With us, the hitch and a cooler of food, it comes to 605 lbs.

Thanks, so what is much much higher? The sticker is the sticker, respectfully, what is it?

Originally we thought we wanted a “1/2 ton towable” 5er. A 250/2500 series truck would have been required but was ruled out as it would not fit in my garage. The more we looked, the more we realized a TT was a better option and the little 2150RB appealed to us, well maybe to my wife more than me. The truck was part of a deal that fell thru and the dealership was anxious to sell it. I think the box is same as yours, 145” wheelbase, crew cab, 4X4. It has the panoramic sunroof, auto running boards, skid plates, tailgate step assist, B&O sound, max tow package, spray in box liner and some other features. All take away from the payload, we knew that going in. Given our total “cargo” is about 750 pounds, we could accommodate a tongue weight of 650 pounds. The loaded 2150RB tongue weight is just under 775 pounds. The WD hitch can accommodate loaded hitch weight to be under our stated payload.

There is no issue with the pulling power of the ecoboost. Grades here on the west coast do not slow the rig down, although on downgrades the “engine braking” can be overwhelmed. 3.5 litres is not in a fair match on long, steep downgrades of 10%.

EDIT - your cargo of about 600, is similar to my 750. About 100 is the tonneau, 450 for the two of us and our St Bernard and 200 pounds of box cargo.

[Jennifer1]

Its 1996 and we don't have any of the add-ons you have. As I said earlier my 605 includes us, the hitch and a cooler bag. Does your 750 include your hitch in the bed?

[Skiddy]

Thanks, I assumed it might be the just under 2K payload limit. Not a 5er so no hitch in the bed, but 750 includes my 40 pound Andersen receiver hitch. I included it with the 200 pounds of box cargo.

I guess what matters is you are happy with your setup and it works for you. I would not be comfortable, but that is irrelevant. With about 1400 pounds of spec’d pin weight, the addition of propane and battery would bring your pin to probably 1450 or so. The spec’d weights are always lower on trailers, I don’t know about 5ers. My spec’d tongue weight is 427, actual is 446 - not a big deal but still 5% low. With 600 pounds in the cab and box, you are pushing 2050 with an empty rig. Even adding 1000 pounds of “stuff” and assuming best case of 20% applied to the pin, the result is 2250 or about 12% over your trucks ratings. Might be worth a trip by a scale to get an accurate picture. Happy travels.