Towing

Chfc2 · July 23

What pin weight on a 5th wheel can I legally have

ArrowsmithPML · July 23

Generally speaking, 10% of trailer. Then consider your payload. Then it depends on country and state/province and license and all that "stuff".

redwngr · July 23

21 minutes ago, Chfc2 said:

What pin weight on a 5th wheel can I legally have

Last line is pin weight for a 5th wheel / gooseneck

Chfc2 · July 24

A camper dealer told me gooseneck weight on-the tag is not a 5 wheel pin weight is this true?

asilverblazer · July 24

6 hours ago, Chfc2 said:

A camper dealer told me gooseneck weight on-the tag is not a 5 wheel pin weight is this true?

No... but to be clear...

Weight on what tag?

The trucks tag specifies maximum weights that can be placed on/behind the truck.

The trailers tags indicate the maximum weight that can be carried by the trailer and it's axles.

The actual pin weight of a particular trailer can vary based on what you put in the trailer and where you put it.

The key is that when the truck and trailer are loaded as you intend to travel to weigh the combination at a truck scale.

You should get three weights:

1. Steer/Front axle weight

2. Drive/Rear axle weight

3. Trailer axle weight

1 and 2 cannot be higher than the corresponding GAWR on the trucks sticker.

1 and 2 cannot add up higher than the GVWR on the trucks sticker.

3 Cannot be higher than the trailers axle ratings on the trailers sticker.

1, 2 and 3 Cannot add up higher than the GCWR on the trucks sticker.

To determine the actual pin weight that cannot exceed the 2865 lbs, the trailer would have to be unhooked and the truck re-weighed without it. The sum of 1 and 2 with the trailer, minus the sum of 1 and 2 without the trailer is the pin weight.

Edited July 24 by asilverblazer

Chfc2 · July 24

this tag

asilverblazer · July 24

10 hours ago, Chfc2 said:

A camper dealer told me gooseneck weight on-the tag is not a 5 wheel pin weight is this true?

3 hours ago, Chfc2 said:

this tag

Seems pretty common sense to me, a gooseneck and fifth wheel both place the trailer tongue weight in the same location...

Camper dealers are notoriously poorly educated (dumb).

Never take advise from them regarding what you can or cannot tow, you'd be better off to ask your neighbors cat.

bruceb58 · August 1

On 7/23/2024 at 4:49 PM, ArrowsmithPML said:

Generally speaking, 10% of trailer. Then consider your payload. Then it depends on country and state/province and license and all that "stuff".

For a 5th wheel, it's more like 20%

64BAwagon · August 1

The pin weight also needs to be factored against the cargo carrying capacity. Some 5th wheels are pin heavy. Mine is close to 3k on a 13k trailer which is why I have a 3500HD.

Your pin weight, the hitch itself, the cargo in the bed and the passengers all count against cargo capacity.

KARNUT · August 1

I pulled my equipment and campers for decades. You want minimum weight on your pulling rig. You want your trailer to stop itself with its brakes and just a little sag on your truck. That may be different with bumper pulling I stayed away from those. I would use the best hitch setup with weight distribution if I was to use bumper pulling.

newdude · August 5

On 7/23/2024 at 7:32 PM, Chfc2 said:

What pin weight on a 5th wheel can I legally have

Your goose/5th pin per the sticker is 2865lbs.

GM uses 15% of trailer weight to calculate tongue for the sticker. So 19,100lbs max trailer 5th/goose, 15% of that is 2865lbs (19,100 multiply by 0.15).

So say you bought a 14,000lbs 5th wheel camper trailer, you'd want to keep your pin around 2100lbs, which is 15%. I wouldn't go less, but if its a bit past that would be okay. GM says to not exceed 25%.

Conventional trailer hitch they use 10% of trailer for tongue.

Edited August 5 by newdude