Reflection Series 100 purchase and towing question

CHRISTOPHER_6770420f41e32

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RV LIFE Pro
Joined
Jan 17, 2025
Messages
14
Location
Fuquay Varina
Hey all!
Even though it’s a bit late I did want to see yalls opinions on our purchase. My main reason for posting and asking is to get yalls take on our purchase/truck combo and specifically if I have to have a bigger truck. Me and my wife purchased and will pick up our 2025 Reflection 100 series 27BH tomorrow. We drive a 2024 F150 and here are our numbers for the truck and the fifth wheel. Should I be worried towing this thing?

Truck Specs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
7,100 lbs
Gross Combined Weight Rating
19,400 lbs
Max Payload
1,851 lbs

Here are the fifth wheel specs

Hitch
1,280
UVW
8,200
GVWR
10,195
Length
32' 3"
Height
12' 3"
Sleep

Any and all replies would be so very welcome. Thanks so much
 
With your trucks max payload of only 1,850lbs and using a realistic ~23% for the pin weight and your trailer GVWR I think you are in the market for a new truck. As many of us who have crossed a CAT scale will see the actual pin weight is much higher than the published pin weight. In our case we are 23% of our FW GVWR. Keep in mind the TV payload will also go down by the number of passengers weight and anything else you load inside the truck or in the truck bed like the FW hitch. Just using 20% puts you at 2,040 lb. pin weight.
 
Have to agree. You are over the current truck’s payload by a good amount and that’s with you standing outside of it. Looks like an F250 or more is in your future.
 
Hey I want to thank you guys for responding. This morning was my moment of truth I guess you could say…pulled it home last night probably about 45 minute ride. Not to bad I guess. It’s been about 15yrs since I towed anything and it was a simple 12ft enclosed behind a RAM VAN but….today I took it to a CAT Scale. So I know it’s only gross weight I’m looking at but I did some of the calculations and I’m impressed. I’ll share the numbers and photos with y’all. I gassed up all 36 gallons right before. Both our propane tanks full too. It was only me when I went across the scales so obviously I’m taking that into account but, Im about 165lbs, wife is about 140lbs, the two little ones might weigh 50lbs combined (3.5yr / 1.5yr)

Went across the scales and weighed

Truck and Trailer
14,120lbs

Truck and trailer but with only truck on
(This does need to be bumped up slightly on account of I was not in the truck)
7,040lbs

Truck Only
5,760

Now I will say, there’s not much there. Factoring the rest of the family, it leaves about 200 lbs of cargo. I’m pretty excited to actually get out in this thing with the family, my two little ones are already over the moon about the setup. I hope I’m not being naïve about the weight and what can be added, what can’t. I do regret my lack of due diligence though. “There made for 1/2 ton trucks” and everything else out of our salesman mouth that I bought into is also my fault but…For now till we decide to pull the trigger on a bigger truck 🤷‍♂️ this is it and I guess wish me luck and thanks for the insight. Look forward to bing in this community and getting advice and help from everyone that’s been doing this much longer than I have.
 

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Hey I want to thank you guys for responding. This morning was my moment of truth I guess you could say…pulled it home last night probably about 45 minute ride. Not to bad I guess. It’s been about 15yrs since I towed anything and it was a simple 12ft enclosed behind a RAM VAN but….today I took it to a CAT Scale. So I know it’s only gross weight I’m looking at but I did some of the calculations and I’m impressed. I’ll share the numbers and photos with y’all. I gassed up all 36 gallons right before. Both our propane tanks full too. It was only me when I went across the scales so obviously I’m taking that into account but, Im about 165lbs, wife is about 140lbs, the two little ones might weigh 50lbs combined (3.5yr / 1.5yr)

Went across the scales and weighed

Truck and Trailer
14,120lbs

Truck and trailer but with only truck on
(This does need to be bumped up slightly on account of I was not in the truck)
7,040lbs

Truck Only
5,760

Now I will say, there’s not much there. Factoring the rest of the family, it leaves about 200 lbs of cargo. I’m pretty excited to actually get out in this thing with the family, my two little ones are already over the moon about the setup. I hope I’m not being naïve about the weight and what can be added, what can’t. I do regret my lack of due diligence though. “There made for 1/2 ton trucks” and everything else out of our salesman mouth that I bought into is also my fault but…For now till we decide to pull the trigger on a bigger truck 🤷‍♂️ this is it and I guess wish me luck and thanks for the insight. Look forward to bing in this community and getting advice and help from everyone that’s been doing this much longer than I have.
I’m a little confused by your weights with “trailer off scale”. Specifically why are the truck axle weights zero?
 
So the “trailer off scale” which is listed as “Trailer Axle” is where I left the trailer hitched to the truck and only pulled the truck onto the scale weighing both truck axles but not the trailer axles. As far as the drive axles thing you’l mentioned, I have no idea. There’s no way that pin weight it 4860. I don’t think I would still be on I-40 East trying to get that thing up to 70mph
 
Chris,
I was seeing the same thing but in you description you mentioned you left the trailer connected and just weighed the truck (but still hooked up). Typically we just weigh both truck and trailer then drop off the trailer and weigh the truck. Then you take the drive axel weight difference with and without the FW to get the actual pin weight of your unit.

Gladded to hear it pulled well. Is that with the 3.5 eco-boost?

Dutchman2
 
Chris,
I was seeing the same thing but in you description you mentioned you left the trailer connected and just weighed the truck (but still hooked up). Typically we just weigh both truck and trailer then drop off the trailer and weigh the truck. Then you take the drive axel weight difference with and without the FW to get the actual pin weight of your unit.

Gladded to hear it pulled well. Is that with the 3.5 eco-boost?

Dutchman2
Yeah the 3.5 eco boost. And the reason I did weigh it like that half on half off is because I figured if I took the weight of the truck without the fifth wheel and subtracted it from the weight of the truck hitched up to the fifth wheel but only with the truck on the scale, it would give me the pin weight. I don’t know if I can believe that on the pin weight being that high. There’s no way it’s got a pin weight of nearly 5000 lbs. the rear axle is only rated to 4150 😬 wouldn’t the pin weight be somewhere in the middle of drive axle and trailer axle?
 
Yeah the 3.5 eco boost. And the reason I did weigh it like that half on half off is because I figured if I took the weight of the truck without the fifth wheel and subtracted it from the weight of the truck hitched up to the fifth wheel but only with the truck on the scale, it would give me the pin weight. I don’t know if I can believe that on the pin weight being that high. There’s no way it’s got a pin weight of nearly 5000 lbs. the rear axle is only rated to 4150 😬 wouldn’t the pin weight be somewhere in the middle of drive axle and trailer axle?
To get your payload number, weigh each axle of your tow vehicle separately both with the trailer connected and disconnected. Weigh the front axle only, then both. To get the payload, add the two together then subtract the truck only one from the truck and trailer one. Obviously you did something wrong.
 
So you weighed it and figured out you are at max weight
Ummm. Isn’t the trailer empty?
 
Chris,
Based on the CAT scale numbers if I take the truck only and the truck connected to the trailer but the trailer is off the scale and subtract - you are at 1,280 lbs. pin weight with both truck and trailer unloaded. Below is an example of the chart I have used to help keep track of my cargo weight added to our FW. This excludes the driver and passenger weight and any cargo in the truck or truck bed. Did the 1,851 lbs. max payload come off the yellow sticker in the door jam of your truck?

I hope this helps.

Dutchman2

Normal Trailer Carry Weight
5 Gallons fresh water 42
5 Gallons black tank 42
2 Full propane tanks 110
Food/Drinking Water 150
Pots/Pans/Dishs 35
Lounge chairs 20
Cloths 50
Misc tools etc. 250
Total 699
 
From your own weight sheet, the truck by itself weighs 5,760. The gvw is 7,100. The difference is your available capacity for the trailer pin weight + anything else that will be in the truck that isn’t already. That difference is 7,100 - 5,760 = 1,340. That trailer loaded will easily have a pin weight way in excess of that, never mind whatever else goes in the truck. No way is that enough truck for that trailer.

I towed a 23’ TT bumper pull with a 2018 Ford Screw 3.5 eco with similar specs and weights as your truck. That loaded TT put about 800lbs on the truck, which left me with very little wiggle room on overall truck gvw after also loading the truck. My door sticker advertised about 1,500lbs available payload, and after wife, dog, bed cover, typical gear in the back, and WD hitch I only had about 200lbs to spare.

My brother had almost the same truck, and his larger TT put just under 1,000lbs on the truck. He was essentially maxed out with that rig, and wished he had a HD truck.

I think it's fair to say anything more than 1,000lbs or so of tongue or pin weight is too much for a modern 1/2 ton truck. Unless maybe a horse jockey is driving and there is absolutely nothing else in the truck. :)

Bottom line is that 5th wheel you want to tow is way more than that truck is spec’d to handle. Both truck rear axle and overall gvw will be way over. Turns out those 2 limits are almost always the governing factor when it comes to how much truck you need.

It sucks that trailer manufacturers and dealers will claim all day long that model can be towed by a half ton, but there’s no practical way that's true. You need an HD truck for that amount of pin weight.
 
Chris,
Based on the CAT scale numbers if I take the truck only and the truck connected to the trailer but the trailer is off the scale and subtract - you are at 1,280 lbs. pin weight with both truck and trailer unloaded. Below is an example of the chart I have used to help keep track of my cargo weight added to our FW. This excludes the driver and passenger weight and any cargo in the truck or truck bed. Did the 1,851 lbs. max payload come off the yellow sticker in the door jam of your truck?

I hope this helps.

Dutchman2

Normal Trailer Carry Weight
5 Gallons fresh water 42
5 Gallons black tank 42
2 Full propane tanks 110
Food/Drinking Water 150
Pots/Pans/Dishs 35
Lounge chairs 20
Cloths 50
Misc tools etc. 250
Total 699
I do something similar in a spreadsheet for my current rig. Similar items and numbers. Pin weight on the OP’s 5th wheel will be 2,000+ I bet.
 
Chris,
Based on the CAT scale numbers if I take the truck only and the truck connected to the trailer but the trailer is off the scale and subtract - you are at 1,280 lbs. pin weight with both truck and trailer unloaded. Below is an example of the chart I have used to help keep track of my cargo weight added to our FW. This excludes the driver and passenger weight and any cargo in the truck or truck bed. Did the 1,851 lbs. max payload come off the yellow sticker in the door jam of your truck?

I hope this helps.

Dutchman2

Normal Trailer Carry Weight
5 Gallons fresh water 42
5 Gallons black tank 42
2 Full propane tanks 110
Food/Drinking Water 150
Pots/Pans/Dishs 35
Lounge chairs 20
Cloths 50
Misc tools etc. 250
Total 699

Yeaa it’s looking like I’ll be doing the same, hopefully you don’t any your spouse with all the numbers and weight mess like I already have 😂😂 it’ll happen even with going to a 250. I’m not sure if it is 1280lbs though. That’s seems way too suspect to be that on the nose with what the manufacturer specs it at. 20% when I take the gvwr of the camper, subtract it from the trucks weight and I’m at 1500lbs. I think that’s the way I should be calculating it by the in weight, and I’d hope that’s a conservative way to calculate so you’re never within maxing out your capacity.

From your own weight sheet, the truck by itself weighs 5,760. The gvw is 7,100. The difference is your available capacity for the trailer pin weight + anything else that will be in the truck that isn’t already. That difference is 7,100 - 5,760 = 1,340. That trailer loaded will easily have a pin weight way in excess of that, never mind whatever else goes in the truck. No way is that enough truck for that trailer.

I towed a 23’ TT bumper pull with a 2018 Ford Screw 3.5 eco with similar specs and weights as your truck. That loaded TT put about 800lbs on the truck, which left me with very little wiggle room on overall truck gvw after also loading the truck. My door sticker advertised about 1,500lbs available payload, and after wife, dog, bed cover, typical gear in the back, and WD hitch I only had about 200lbs to spare.

My brother had almost the same truck, and his larger TT put just under 1,000lbs on the truck. He was essentially maxed out with that rig, and wished he had a HD truck.

I think it's fair to say anything more than 1,000lbs or so of tongue or pin weight is too much for a modern 1/2 ton truck. Unless maybe a horse jockey is driving and there is absolutely nothing else in the truck. :)

Bottom line is that 5th wheel you want to tow is way more than that truck is spec’d to handle. Both truck rear axle and overall gvw will be way over. Turns out those 2 limits are almost always the governing factor when it comes to how much truck you need.

It sucks that trailer manufacturers and dealers will claim all day long that model can be towed by a half ton, but there’s no practical way that's true. You need an HD truck for that amount of pin weight.

It does indeed suck. Definitely doesn’t suck as much as I do for listening to a salesman, hearing it and thinking “ohh ok so I guess the truck I’ve got will be fine”. In reality though he had just as little idea of what he was talking about as I did when it came to my vehicles capacity and pulling this fifth wheel. Definitely a big live and learn experience
 
Last edited:
This is an RV industry wide issue across all the manufactures. As you search this website you will see you are not alone in this situation. I was in the same situation with a 3/4 ton before jumping to a 1-ton pulling the 337RLS.

Dutchman2
 
Shame on GD and all others who use the term "1/2 Ton Towable" and shame on the dealer for putting money over your safety. not only did the salesperson sell you a trailer that's too big for your truck they also now cost you more money because your F150 is not fit to tow it.
To save weight and be as safe as possible I'd recommend taking two vehicles with the wife and kids in the 2nd vehicle along with some camping gear until you can get a 3/4-1 ton truck.
 
1st of all, kudos to the OP for concern about his weights, and going across the CAT scales.

It is surprising that the listed pin weight is within 10 lbs of his actual pin weight.

Like others said, listing these trailers as 1/2 ton towable is a stretch. Yes, many 1/2 tons can pull that weight, but they do not have payload to carry the weight.

I have a friend that had a 150 eco boost. He went to a small 5th wheel, and did OK for a while, but decided to get an F250. That towed much better, so he decided to get a 32’ 5th wheel. He then decided that a 1 ton truck with the 7.3L and 10 speed tranny would be better, and it was. Many people make similar steps up.

I don’t see where the rear axle GVW on the F150 is listed. That may be at the max or over.
 
Yeaa it’s looking like I’ll be doing the same, hopefully you don’t any your spouse with all the numbers and weight mess like I already have 😂😂 it’ll happen even with going to a 250. I’m not sure if it is 1280lbs though. That’s seems way too suspect to be that on the nose with what the manufacturer specs it at. 20% when I take the gvwr of the camper, subtract it from the trucks weight and I’m at 1500lbs. I think that’s the way I should be calculating it by the in weight, and I’d hope that’s a conservative way to calculate so you’re never within maxing out your capacity.



It does indeed suck. Definitely doesn’t suck as much as I do for listening to a salesman, hearing it and thinking “ohh ok so I guess the truck I’ve got will be fine”. In reality though he had just as little idea of what he was talking about as I did when it came to my vehicles capacity and pulling this fifth wheel. Definitely a big live and learn experience
If you really want to “future proof” your truck investment, you should consider a 1-ton class hd truck. The F250 would probably be fine with the trailer you bought, but it still could be close. Initial cost is not that much different between “3/4” and “1 ton” units. Additionally, If you stick with a gasser then available capacity will likely be more than the heavier diesel variants, but on the other hand the diesels are great in the hills and on mpg. Lots of discussion and debate on all of this.

I have an F250 diesel with an additional 800lbs gvw over the base 10,000lb gvw variant. I end up with about 2,200lbs to “give” to a trailer tongue or pin after loading everything for a trip. That’s works for me as I prefer the “flat” version of my large floorplan vs the heavier, taller, and pricier 5th wheel variant. My tongue weight runs 1,500-1,600lbs loaded for a trip. This setup isn’t “better or worse”, just my carefully chosen preference.

The point is, pay close attention to the specs on the truck you get. Lots of good info on this forum. Don’t buy the “wrong one” … it’s an expensive mistake that gets made a lot. 🙂
 
If you really want to “future proof” your truck investment, you should consider a 1-ton class hd truck. The F250 would probably be fine with the trailer you bought, but it still could be close. Initial cost is not that much different between “3/4” and “1 ton” units. Additionally, If you stick with a gasser then available capacity will likely be more than the heavier diesel variants, but on the other hand the diesels are great in the hills and on mpg. Lots of discussion and debate on all of this.

I have an F250 diesel with an additional 800lbs gvw over the base 10,000lb gvw variant. I end up with about 2,200lbs to “give” to a trailer tongue or pin after loading everything for a trip. That’s works for me as I prefer the “flat” version of my large floorplan vs the heavier, taller, and pricier 5th wheel variant. My tongue weight runs 1,500-1,600lbs loaded for a trip. This setup isn’t “better or worse”, just my carefully chosen preference.

The point is, pay close attention to the specs on the truck you get. Lots of good info on this forum. Don’t buy the “wrong one” … it’s an expensive mistake that gets made a lot. 🙂
That is excellent information that I forgot to include. A 3/4 ton truck with a diesel may not have much more cargo carrying capacity than an equivalent 1/2 ton truck.
 

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