Who is hauling a 5th wheel travel trailer ?

[Jerry B]

What size 5th wheel are you towing?

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[ctechbob]

With a Ranger?

Hopefully no-one unless it is one of those tiny little wierd 5th wheels.

https://www.scamptrailers.com/showroom/19-trailers

 

[MattSucks]

Seems like a bad idea.

 

[Dereku]

I have seen some tacos with a 5th wheel. That sounds like an even worse idea. If an F150 from 6-8 years ago can do it, the ranger should handle it. But I would limit it to smaller trailers, which defeats the purpose.

 

[JohnnyO]

Seems like a bad idea.

As I recall, somewhere in the owner's manual it says not to tow a 5th wheel.
Assuming you can even find a 5th wheel mount, all the weight would be over the rear axle.
Be better off with a regular trailer and a weight distributing hitch.
I'm leaning toward a lightweight slide-in camper and if necessary, Firestone airbags.

 

[brroberts]

There are Scamp and Escape 5.0SA, and 5.0TA 5th wheels towed by Ranger owners. My Escape is a travel trailer, but my payload for that rear axle is much higher than most of the F150’s Escape 5th wheel owners talk about. The Escape trailers are nice with a high cost and long wait to get, but mine has been worth it to me. They are different from the Scamp and Casita in construction.

 

[Jerry B]

5th wheels handle much better than a regular travel trailer. Eliminates most sway problems. Don't understand why it's a bad idea as long as you stay within the gross weight and pin weight.

 

[Grumpaw]

5th wheels handle much better than a regular travel trailer. Eliminates most sway problems. Don't understand why it's a bad idea as long as you stay within the gross weight and pin weight.

Problem is that, not counting the small trailers listed above, the smallest 5th wheels that are of "regular" construction, weigh in excess of 8-9000 lbs with hitch weights over 1000 lbs...way too much for the Ranger.
The Scamp and Escape may be ok, but they are small by comparison to the regular type. We looked at them but for our needs were just too small and cramped for us. A Winnebago Micro Minnie would be towable, but the set up was not what we were able to live with, and the 2 fiberglass small rigs were too small for us.
The real limiting factor is the short bed of the Ranger...seriously limits the placement of the hitch and the length of the forward front end of a 5th wheel,
Went with a regular towable.

 

[myothercarizahearse]

the scamp 19' deluxe is under 3000lbs why wouldn't it work? now I want it

 

[Grumpaw]

the scamp 19' deluxe is under 3000lbs why wouldn't it work? now I want it

It would work, and the Ranger should tow it with no problem.
But, their cramped inside, have very little storage...no outside compartments, pretty much anything you want to bring, lawn chairs, grills, hoses, outdoor stuff, you have to fit or shoehorn somehow in the bed of your truck. They have very small fresh water, and waste water capacities. No way you could "boondock" in one due to the limits. They are not set up for cold weather use.

 

[TomC]

this might work. 5500 GVWR and 630 lbs pin weight.

Escape 5.0 - Escape Trailer

 

[Grumpaw]

Doubt the Escape would work...maybe on a SuperCab, but not a SuperCrew. Not saying it won't...depends on how the trailers hitch is set up and how far forward it protrudes.
The 5th wheel hitch needs to be mounted directly over or just in front of the rear axle. Placement of the hitch is critical...you just can't move it "back" to where you want it.
The Scamp would work with both models as the hitch is angled forward and the mounting point is in front of the front edge of the camper. With the Escape, the hitch mounting point is under the front area of the rv...means just about any time you have to make a sharp turn, the front of the rv is going to hit the back of the cab.
If your thinking about something like these for your Ranger to tow, do your diligence in measuring, both the placement of the hitch and the front overhang of any trailer your looking at. With rv trailers and 5th wheels, there aren't any "test drives"...you need to have your ducks in a row when looking/buying.

 

[brroberts]

I know there are Ranger owners towing the Escape on the Escape forum. The Scamp is not a true 5th wheel hitch, but is similar in towing. Some of the MicroMinies are smaller than some of the Escapes. There are smaller non fiberglass 5th wheels as well. They are typically marketed for 1/2 ton trucks. We have some friends that recently bought a 23’ 5.0, but I haven’t seen it yet. There are trailer and hitch combinations for short beds. It can work safely, but you have to do your homework.

 

[Grumpaw]

pull up a log beside the campfire.
who needs chairs and a grill?
I can go to a restaurant for that kind of luxury.

We don't boondock and unfortunately the campgrounds we stay at don't provide logs to sit on, and even if they did, would be hard to move under the awning. Also, I like to sit outside under the awning for several hours at a time and read, or contemplate my pickle recipes, have a beer, or talk to the passer-by's
And most campgrounds do not let you bring in your own firewood for the usually supplied fire rings. Picking up loose wood around a wooded campground is a big no-no. But the do sell their own firewood for $7-$8 per bundle of 6 or 7 pieces. Considering I grill usually 2 times a day, that can get expensive. Cheaper to use my little Weber hooked into the rv tanks.
But, always did like the flavor of a hot dog cooked over a fire !!!

 

[brroberts]

I'm leaning toward a lightweight slide-in camper and if necessary, Firestone airbags.

As long as we are looking at what we can and can’t do, here’s what Ford says:

Using a Slide-In Camper
We do not recommend using your pickup for carrying a slide-in camper

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