Recommendation for Towing a 5th Wheel with a 2013 Ford F-150 Platinum with 6-1/2 Foot Bed

Updated 03/02/2016 | Published 03/01/2016

Question:

Purchasing my first and dont have a whole lot of experience towing. Looking to buy this 29foot 5th wheel. Looks like gross weight is 10k #s. I was told I would be fine in my1/2 ton V8 5.0 but after research on my own this looks like its over 1k of my trucks pull weight. 2x4 2013 5.0 Super Crew. Ill post a pic of the camper specs below. Also if I can pull this what hitch would you recommend the dealer quoted me about $1300 with labor which seems high but Im not sure what hitch it was.

asked by: Bratton M

Expert Reply:

I can help you figure out if your truck will be capable of towing this trailer.

First thing I recommend is to look at the sticker on the door jam of your truck and look for the GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating). Then you will want to subtract this number from the GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight). This will tell you exactly how much towing capacity your model of truck has. You will definitely want to make sure that your vehicle has the capacity to tow the Gross Weight of the trailer you are looking at, which is 10,079lbs. The Dry Weight is what the 5th wheel weights completely empty of cargo. So lets say that you determine that your vehicle can tow 10,000lbs, it is possible to tow this 5th wheel but you will not be able to tow it at its max weight, and would need to be carful about how heavy it is loaded.

Since you have a 6-1/2 foot bed you will want a slider hitch to ensure that you have the clearance for tight turns, nobody wants to hit the cab of their truck with their trailer. If you find that your vehicle can support this type of weight the slider hitch I recommend for you is the Demco 13K Hijacker AutoSlide 5th Wheel Hitch # DM8550040. As you turn this hitch will give you an extended distance of 22-1/2 inches, which is crucial to most short bed truck owners when making sharp turns. This Demco hitch will also fit into industry standard above the bed rails # RP50081-58.

I have linked a few Help Article on towing for your convenience.

If you would like to tell me the specs you find on your vehicle I can help better tailor a personal recommendation for you and answer any other questions you may have.

expert reply by: Jackie C