Fifth Wheel King Pin Weight and Truck Payload Capacity

Question:

What I have: 2010 Toyota Tundra 5.7 V8 Payload: 1380lbs What I found in the door jam at least Problem: Can I safely pull a fifth wheel I have been shopping around for a camper for some time now. Yesterday a dealer told me that my truck would be able to handle more payload on the bed of the truck vs. a hitch fifth wheel vs pull behind. The fifth wheel that we found has a hitch weight of 1400lbs. After loading passengers and the fifth wheel hitch, this is clearly above the marked rating or maybe Im misunderstanding. He is under the impression that because the hitch weight is going to be distributed over the bed, this will not be a problem. I would like to get a second opinion on this because I do not want to put my family or others at risk while pulling this down the interstate. Thanks in advance for the help! Side note, the overall weight is well within my vehicles towing capacity. Towing Capacity: 10,200lbs Fifth Wheel Weight: 7,600lbs

asked by: Jordan

Expert Reply:

The hitch pin weight of 1400 lbs you stated is so close to your payload capacity, but that is not accounting for the 5th wheel hitch and rail weights or the loaded weight with cargo added. Tunda's are notorious for having a lower payload and in this case, I can't tell you it will be fine. The payload weight is spread out over the truck bed where the 5th wheel rails are mounted to the frame directly so are more secure. Unfortunately manufacturers don't test for the 5th Wheel Hitch weight capacities.

The towing weight won't be an issue at all, so you will need to determine how comfortable you are with the loaded king pin weight and your frame. Normally we use the payload weight as a reference for hitch weights, but they aren't directly interchangeable.

If you decide you want to pull the 5th wheel, I recommend going with a light hitch like # RP30051 for a slider on a short bed, or # RP30047 for an 8 foot bed. With either option for custom fit rails, I recommend the # RP50084-58. Finally, you may want to consider a wiring harness like # 50-97-410 to add a second 7-way to the bed of your truck for easy connection.

expert reply by: Jason S