5th wheel
 

is there a rating for 5th wheel applications for a 04 dodge ram, 1500, HEMI. buddy of mine wants to know what the max vehicle rating is. he is lookin into a camper:U:

Have to go by the max tow rating and the GCVW and not supposed to go over either of them. Never heard of a separate rating for 5th wheel hitch. The only separate tow rating will be the max tongue weight for a bumper pull trailer.

Go to trailer life.com they have the most inforative tow ratings, and yea there is a difference between 5th Wheel and conventional towing, 5th wheel ratings are atleast 15-20% higher.

ok so what i am pullin from this is, he would be better off buying a travel trailer? i don't know why he "must have" a 5th wheel right now. he wants to upgrade to a heavier truck in the future, just don't have the funds right now and a couple years on the truck he has now. you think the truck would "sag" with a 5th wheel camper? would he have to mod. the suspension to make up for it? and also the trans? think that would hold up? i know the motor would be strong enough for it, but i am afraid he is going to "beat" up the truck and cause more headachs then it's worth. any in-put would be helpful

He would always be better off with a 5th wheel. Easier to pull on you and the truck, truck carries the weight much easier and a much safer and foolproof hitch.

Several years in the trailer business and I've never heard of a separate rating for 5th wheels. All the legal info is right there on the data plate of your truck inside the drivers side door. Legally speaking you can't exceed those weights, no matter what. In most cases I can think of the manufacturer specs are limited by what they are comfortable warrantying the tranny to since it's the weakest link.

Now everything I have said here is based on manufacturer and legal aspects. We all know that most of us have pushed a little over these limits and been just fine but your taking the risk when you do.

Given the option fivers are allways the way to go he just can't go to big, My neighbor pulls a 29' Jayco w/slides w/2001 ford supercrew 4.6l he says it does great other than the fact w/4.5' bed turns get scary

With a 1/2 ton he should be very careful. I don't thank his braking will be the best if he goes vary big! Hope he has anti sway bars front & rear.