Fifth wheel pin weight generally gets closer to 20% , mine runs about 19% with just the general weekend stuff stored in the trailer. At a gross weight of 9995 # you could actually have a pin weight of 2000 # if loaded to the gross weight , this is what most owners figure for when purchasing a truck and trailer.

Brian

When you get the actual trailer, your empty weight and pin weight will be much different than what the brochure states. For example, I have a Momentum 21G. The website shows the empty weight as 6400# and tongue weight of 920#. Actual empty weight is 7219# and actual empty tongue weight is 1210#.

If pin weight of the 268BH is 20% and the trailer is at the 9995# max load, that's about 2000# pin weight.

Thanks for the information. So why did they figure 16% 7791 to get the pin weight? So what can my truck pin weight should be to be safe? 15% is 2100 and 10%is 1400. Another thing is that I am going to put all my heavy weight in the rear would that work?? Also does a Anderson hitch be better or a 20k b and w hitch? Use air bags? What number should I being trying to get with the camper and truck? Just lost on this. I seen a good bit of 37 foot 5th wheel pulled with a 250 like mine.

Also why is the pin weight 20% and the pin weight on the camper is at 16%

If you are talking about the Andersen ultimate hitch that is a reverse ball, it voids the frame warranty. The B&W is a good hitch, heavy as some state, but good solid hitch.

If you want to go to a goose neck ball style hitch, LCI (you will need to check for your specific frame) only allows the Reese Gooseball replacement of the forward pin box without voiding the warranty. This also give you air ride in the connection. I think BRBRV did a review on one and the only issue he seemed to have was disconnecting as it sometime required him to lower the air pressure so he could get the truck out from under the ball receiver.

Most people recommend 20% - 25% of trailer weight for a 5th wheel or goose neck trailer load. GD numbers posted could be slightly out of date on MFG, could be calculated weights, or what they measured on one production unit. Each trailer will have a different pin weight. May not be much, or it could be extreme, depending on how its loaded when weighed.

Ok so just do 20-25% for a 5th wheel for ford tow chart.
with the numbers I gave what’s your thoughts on towing the 5th wheel with my truck? How much pin weight will I take off if I put 100-200 pounds in rear compartment? Thanks for ur help!!

250 Beast There is another thread taking about weight distribution and how much it takes off the hitch. Think of your trailer as a big torque wrench. Location of load X distance from CL of axles in both directions will be equal. Pin weight is part of the equation. Any loads not equalized out will result in pin weight (assuming you do not overload the rear and lift the front BAD BAD BAD things come to mind). Use positive and negative distance values.

If you take all of the known weights you already have, then start adding in weights with distances from the center line of the axles, sum up the distance X weight numbers keeping the signs for distance. The resulting number divided by the distance from the axle to the king pin is the change in king pin weight.

Ok. I see what ur saying. Thanks

The reason you want 20-25% is to manage sway. The physics of a fifth wheel trailer dictate that’s the best place to be to minimize trailer sway. If you load too much to the back and reduce the pin weight below that point you’ll start to have a bad ride. Don’t worry about the tow brochure of capacity of the truck, on a 250 you’re limiting factor is always the available payload on the door sticker. You need the pin weight of the trailer (figure 20-25% of the trailers GVWR) plus the weight of the hitch, cargo in the bed, and passengers other than the driver to be less than the available payload on the door sticker (2,113 on your truck). If your pin weight is 2,000 pounds, you’ve got 113 pounds for the hitch, cargo, and passengers.

Thanks. Thats what I thought. So I be probably be 600 maybe over payload. Pull it or not pull it?

It’s crazy that GD camper figure 16%.

That’s a decision only you can make, but I would not. Some will tell you to stay below the axle rating of the truck and you’ll be fine. I had a 250 when I started and made the move to a 350. It was always in the back of my mind and when it came down to it the safety of my family and other drivers kept digging at me. I was itching for an upgrade anyway, but honestly I probably would have done it anyway. 250 Diesels unfortunately are rated badly for fifth wheel towing.

This is actually not "crazy". The 25% GVWR "rule of thumb" for 5th wheel pin weight is old news. Grand Design is specifically aiming the 150 Series 5th wheels at smaller trucks. Note that none of these trailers have slides in the forward end . . . to minimize pin weight. There is actual evidence that demonstrates that a towed trailer with less than 10% of its weight on the hitch will become unstable. I have never seen data that shows that a 5th wheel configuration requires more weight on the pin to be stable. I doubt that the dynamics of a towed trailer can differentiate as to whether the connection to the TV is at the bumper or over the axle.

Other Reflection 150 Series owners have reported "loaded for camping" pin weights of less than 20%. Also, you don't have to load the trailer to GVWR . . . in fact, if you tow with empty tanks, loading 2200 lbs of "stuff" into that trailer would probably be difficult to do. Lets assume that you carry 1200 lbs of "stuff". Trailer weight becomes 9000 lbs with likely less than 20% (1800 lbs) on the pin.

Only you can decide whether you are comfortable doing this with your truck. Many won't go over the label payload, but many others do. I specifically don't want to restart that debate! There are many 3/4 ton trucks towing much bigger 5th wheel trailer than the Grand Design (half ton towable) 150 Series.

Rob

I think the 25% max pin box weight is more of a frame design thing than stability, but I can see that if it gets too light it may act like a bumper pull. Never really seen this documented for a 5er or gooseneck trailer.

5er and gooseneck trailers can have higher "pin" weight because its not hanging off the rear of the truck. Think what would happen if you put 2000 lbs on the ball of a truck. It might lift the front tires completely off the ground. If there is that much weight pulled from the steering axle with out a WDH, I would be extremely scared of the combined vehicle.

I travel for work, and I've seen how some of those migrant turn around workers pack. I think the strangest thing was a tundra with a Harley in the bed (not the little one either) and camper in tow with no WDH. It scared me enough to wait till he left and ensured i went the other way. I think I could have picked up the front end and had someone change the tires. The rear was clearly on the overload stops. Too much of an angle on a parking lot ramp and he would have drug the ball.

Just because something appears to hold the load, does not always mean its right. Had he taken the time and weighted the assembly, he would know it was all wrong.