5th wheel trailer and a 1/2 ton

[S.W.A.T.]

So I have a 16 Silverado True North edition, with trailer package (5.3L, 3:42 gears, 6spd auto)
Factory specs are

Maxium towing capcity 11,000 lbs
Maxium payload capacity 1,770 lbs

Trailer I'm looking at, (5th wheel)

Tongue weight 644 lbs
Dry weight 7,370 lbs
GVWR 10,400 lbs

My bumper pull is
Tongue weight 590 lbs
Dry Weight 4,760 lbs
GVWR 7,400

Doable or not Doable???

This combination would be better suited for a Ford I think. Bahahaha

Should be okay. Might be hard on the transmission though

 

[Tchetek]

Might be hard on the transmission though

Only the bottom 3 gears it is constantly shifting up and down at 6000 rpm.

 

[1200]

Put air bags in and floor it . After a year or too u will get sore foot and buy a real truck. Happy trails u will be fine just remember to pull over and let the big Cummins by haha .

 

[Iron Horse Racing]

Add air bags to level the truck..
what length of box....
The ideal position of a king pin hitch is 1 1/2" ahead of the rear axle....it's do able on a long box for sure, in a 6 1/2' box go with a sliding hitch, so when traveling the weight is ahead of the axle....
on a 5 1/2' box well I hate them ...

FYI weight behind the axle and even just on the axle, the truck with move a lot more, enough that over miles it will hard wear to the front end....
I prefer a 5th wheel, for space usage inside, and turning, but a tag trailer with properly set up weight distributing bars and the proper size bars for the load can also ride and handle very well...

 

[52weekbreak]

C'mon Trashy. You know you waaaaaannnnt it. Buy it.

 

[skegpro]

C'mon Trashy. You know you waaaaaannnnt it. Buy it.

Yeah worst case is you get a new truck too.

 

[ABMax24]

I'd say go for it. As kids Dad used to tow a 24' 7000lb (loaded weight) fifth wheel with a 3500lb boat hooked behind the back of a 2001 Chev 2500HD with a 300hp 6.0 V8.
So 10,500 lb behind 300hp. Sure on some really long hills the truck pulled down to 80 km/h, but we still got their in one piece, and pulling a fifth wheel is on order of magnitudes more stable than a comparable bumper pull trailer.

You want to pull the same weight with 355hp. On a chassis although a half ton, still with technology 15yrs more advanced.

To put it in perspective that trailer is in the same range as the new "half-ton towable" fifth wheels that are sold across North America to tow behind F150's and the like.

 

[tex78]

And that 01 would have had 4.10


H. P means nothing, torque and gear ratio is for pulling

 

[Trashy]

I am considering a newer truck, Canadian Black Book still values my 16 around 37,000 and I'd break even at about 35,500. So seriously thinking of upgrading (medler was right, I miss my HD diesel)

Going to look at the trailer and measure up heights and what ever else this weekend. Go from there I guess...………

I do appreciate all the input here

 

[busted2x]

I pulled my trailer with very similar weights, 10200gvwr, behind a half ton for one year. Then I said to hell with this and bought a diesel. Love pulling with the Cummins, but in hind sight, a bit smaller trailer could have saved me 50k+

It’s only money tho...

 

[52weekbreak]

I pulled my trailer with very similar weights, 10200gvwr, behind a half ton for one year. Then I said to hell with this and bought a diesel. Love pulling with the Cummins, but in hind sight, a bit smaller trailer could have saved me 50k+

That is kind of the rub. Bigger truck to pull a bigger trailer. Truck not as smooth as the 1/2 ton was and needs to be warmed up and still not really good for an in town short distance commuter etc. It all comes back to what you use it for MOST. If you travel from Calgree camping to Kananaskis/Canmore/Banff/Lake Louise six weekends and one full week then the truck you have will do fine. If that one week a year involves going up a pass, it will still do fine but slower (screw those idiots in the line up behind you - they can wait for a passing lane).

If you are planning winters down south in addition to the above, all bets are off although I know people who do drag that combination down. It is only money as pointed out by b2x

 

[007sevens]

I'll go back to what I was saying, The trailer empty is well within the means of the truck. Maybe don't fill it with water till you get to where your going save yourself 500 lbs. Be careful what you carry with you. I bet you can keep the trailer weight down to match the truck better. I would also have them weight it before you pull the trigger. The sticker you showed isn't right it doesn't show dry weight although Im sure it weighs around the 6-7000 lbs. All trailers are not weighed as they leave the factory. You might be surprised. My Old Man had a similar trailer and I KNOW it wasn't 7000 lbs but it was very basic for a 2001, It didn't even have electric jacks.

 

[Trashy]

So just looking at the door sticker again, and having 15" tires. Wouldn't that mean it only has 3500Lbs axles with D or E rated tires?

 

[Cdnfireman]

So just looking at the door sticker again, and having 15" tires. Wouldn't that mean it only has 3500Lbs axles with D or E rated tires?

Probably not. Having the GVW it does, it’s probably either 5300 or 6k dexter axles. Should have 6 lug hubs if it’s 5300 or above. The tires being 225-15 should be rated around 2800lbs or so. My arctic fox has 5300lb dexters with the same size tires, and a GVW of 10k. Remember that you can subtract the pin weight from the load on the tires. The trailer you’re looking at has a good cargo capacity at 3K+, and unless it’s a toy hauler it’s unlikely that you’ll put that much extra stuff in it. The limiting factor will be the load capacity of your truck.

 

[medler]

The sticker is confusing cause it doesn’t state UVW.
Easiest way is borrow a truck with a fifth wheel hitch and hit the scale. The older trailers are heavier and built better than these match stick things now days

 

[Trashy]

The sticker is confusing cause it doesn’t state UVW.
Easiest way is borrow a truck with a fifth wheel hitch and hit the scale. The older trailers are heavier and built better than these match stick things now days

Do you know anyone in Stettler that has a 5th and can weigh the trailer for me? That is where the trailer is.

 

[09 arctic cat m8]

I’m in stettler and have a 5th wheel, which trailer is it and what are you wanting weighed!?

 

[Trashy]

I’m in stettler and have a 5th wheel, which trailer is it and what are you wanting weighed!?

It the only Tahoe at the Automotive buy & sell next to CT. It would be nice to know what the actual dry weight is and if there was a way to measure the pin weight?
Sent a PM with my cell #