mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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The "Micro Minnie 5th wheel" models listed on the Winnebago website claim to have an 1100lb dry pin weight.
You can save some weight in the truck by using an Andersen Ultimate 5th wheel or another similar hitch instead of a true 5th wheel.
Even so once you get the trailer loaded you're going to be pushing the payload on most 1500-series trucks. You'll probably want airbags.
I have no doubt that most 1/2 tons will do it, but the question is will you be happy. I know a couple of guys who had small 5th wheels towed by 1/2 tons. They eventually upgraded to 3/4 tons or downgraded to bumper pull travel trailers.
* This post was
edited 03/24/23 07:59am by mkirsch *
Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.
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LITEPHIL
AZ
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I would stick with a 3/4 ton
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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cptqueeg wrote:Keep your truck for towing, etc and get a Toyota Corolla Hybrid to conserve fuel. Buying a new big$$$, less capable, truck to conserve fuel is pointless, you'll conserve money by not buying it.
Many times over the years I ran numbers and it always worked out to be less expensive to have the one vehicle that could do it all.
The only way to make it pencil out is if the fuel savings is SIGNIFICANT. The compact chitbox will have to get 40+MPG to break even, if you have any car payment at all.
You either put it in the tank, or send it to the bank. There is no free lunch.
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APT
SE Michigan
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cptqueeg wrote:Keep your truck for towing, etc and get a Toyota Corolla Hybrid to conserve fuel. Buying a new big$$$, less capable, truck to conserve fuel is pointless, you'll conserve money by not buying it.
Agreed.
However, are you trying to improve towing FE or non-towing? Non-towing, then I further support buy any hybrid car for every non-towing situation. It will also cost half as much as any pickup.
If you want to focus on towing FE, then buy any diesel 3/4 ort 1-ton pickup.
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009
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Tyler0215
Iowa
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You won't notice any improvement in gas milage going froma 2500 to a 1500.
They are the same size. Different weight capacity. The Ford ecoboost might be a good choice. They seem to get better mileage than the V8's.
That said, I think any 5th wheel will pull better with a 2500. You will be close to max cargo weight in most 1500's.
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cptqueeg
Idaho
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Joined: 04/11/2020
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APT wrote:cptqueeg wrote:Keep your truck for towing, etc and get a Toyota Corolla Hybrid to conserve fuel. Buying a new big$$$, less capable, truck to conserve fuel is pointless, you'll conserve money by not buying it.
Agreed.
However, are you trying to improve towing FE or non-towing? Non-towing, then I further support buy any hybrid car for every non-towing situation. It will also cost half as much as any pickup.
If you want to focus on towing FE, then buy any diesel 3/4 ort 1-ton pickup.
OP may need a new vehicle for whatever reason, so in an effort to minimize over all fuel use the compact hybrid was suggested. We all know the mileage when towing will be the same whether it's the old 3/4 T or a new 1/2 T and when not towing the hybrid will have double perhaps more mileage than the new 1/2T.
Why sacrifice the capability of the 3/4T already in hand? Why not optimize fuel mileage by using an alternative to a pu?
The cheapest, most money conserving thing to do is buying nothing and paying the fuel bill.
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JIMNLIN
Oklahoma
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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Buying and maintaining a 2nd vehicle didn't make cents/sense for my use and others. BTDT.
Figure up the cost of a second vehicle....insurance...maintenance cost over long term. My and others issues with two vehicles is a 600-700 mile a week work commute. It made cents to keep driving my current '03 2500 Dodge/Cummins HO that ran 21.5-22 mpgs week after week month on month. 20 years later even with 380k miles on the odo the truck still works pulling my 11k lb rv and other smaller/larger trailers.
Same with a older 2500 chevy 5.7 truck. Ran it for 9 years on a shorter work commute.
Others that live in town and have a short commute, and money for a 2nd vehicle, may work for them.
A F150 3.5 EB with a 7500 gvwr/4050-4500 rawr (20+ mpgs) will handle that small trailer with ease. The big plus here is no added cost of operating a 2nd vehicle.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers
'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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NamMedevac 70 wrote:I would stay with GMC. Although I love Ford suspensions, I own 3 Dodge ram trucks and former 2500 V10 and also former Ford Van owner. According to these recent business news articles Ford has admitted serious quality problems.
24/7 Wall St.
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Ford’s Massive Mistake, Another Blow
Story by Douglas A. McIntyre • Sunday
"The Ford Motor Company may be America's least lucky public corporation or its most poorly run. After component problems with its new F-150 Lightning, battered earnings, and trouble pricing its vehicles, it has recalled several of its vehicles, including its flagship gas-powered F-150 pickup. The total recall adds up to 1.5 million vehicles.
Ford’s recalls involve two problems. One is that windshield wipers can break. The other is that some brakes can leak fluid. The brake problem involves 1.2 million of its 2013 through 2018 Ford Fusions and Lincoln MKZs. The other recall involves 222,000 F-150 2021 vehicles."
"Both of these recalls are a reminder of Ford’s sloppy work. Ford recently said it would take at least two years to improve its quality to industry standards. It is hard to believe that a global manufacturer with a century of car experience could take so long to remedy its problems.
Ford does less right than any of its competitors. In the third quarter of last year, it missed its earnings by $1 billion, mostly because it got its component cost estimates wrong. Ford’s fourth-quarter numbers were another earnings disappointment.
Ford has had trouble launching its F-150 Lightning which Executive Chairman Bill Ford said was the company’s most important launch in a century. There were faults with the EV’s batteries."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/ford-s-massive-mistake-another-blow/ar-AA18OOQT?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=0e43bceee26a413b8655a545b53c8ba0&ei=8
CNBC
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Ford is about to break out big EV losses for the first time
Story by Michael Wayland • Yesterday 8:00 AM
Wall Street Journal March 24, 2023 Front Page top story
"Ford Says
EV Unit
Will Lose
$3 Billion
This Year
Company rolls out new
projections as finance
chief describes the
division as a startup"
As stated, Ford admits they have serious quality control issues.
Seriously dude, you need to get out more…
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Not sure where y’all got the itch to try to analyze the OPs overall vehicle situation…..lol
Was it because he has a (presumably, since a LBZ would not have him thinking about poor fuel mileage ) gas hog older 3/4 ton and mentioned getting a half ton for better mpgs?
Any newer half ton will get 30% + better gas mileage than that old 6.0 or 8.1 in city and highway driving. (Not towing).
To the OP, almost any new half ton with anything bigger than the base engines (heck most of the base engines will tow it perty ok as well, just not by 2023 standards) will tow that small 5ver just fine. But you’ll need to beef up the rear suspension.
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Bionic Man
USA
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There are plenty of reasons to like the EcoBoost. But MPG really isn’t one of them. They never have gotten significantly better MPG than comparable engines.
OP, I’d look at the numbers on the door and the real pin weight but it’s hard for me to imagine that a 1500 isn’t capable of towing a 7000 pound GVWR trailer.
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/MgW3sNpl.jpg)
2012 RAM 3500 Laramie Longhorn DRW CC 4x4 Max Tow, Cummins HO, 60 gallon RDS aux fuel tank, Reese 18k Elite hitch
2003 Dodge Ram 3500 QC SB 4x4 Cummins HO NV5600 with Smarty JR, Jacobs EB (sold)
2002 Gulf Stream Sea Hawk 29FRB with Honda EV6010
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