It's also important to practice driving, backing in, and
turning. Find an empty parking lot or quiet street and get a feel for how the
fifth wheel responds to your input.
Check Your Tow Vehicle's Towing Capacity
Towing comes with its vocabulary, but it all boils down to
simple measurements. The first number you need to know is your truck's towing
capacity. This is the maximum weight your vehicle's frame can support pushing
down on it and includes your passengers, cargo, and fluids.
To determine your towing capacity, you'll need to know your
vehicle's GVWR and the GVWR of the trailer you plan on hauling. You'll also
need to know your truck's payload capacity, which is the amount of weight you
can add to the bed of your vehicle.
These numbers may seem intimidating, but they're not. They
result from real-world testing to ensure that trucks and trailers can be safely
towed together. These tests include extreme driving conditions to test a
vehicle's limits.
Check Your Fifth Wheel's Weight
Fifth wheels are large, towable recreational vehicles attached
to a specialized fifth
wheel hitch mounted within a pickup truck bed. They are often much
more spacious than travel trailers and resemble residential homes.
Knowing your rig's weight before connecting it to your truck is
essential. This will ensure that your towing system is rated to haul the load
safely and not overload your vehicle or trailer.
Once you're confident with your setup, practice in an empty
parking lot or quiet street to get a feel for how the trailer moves and where
your blind spots are. A spotter and communication system, such as
walkie-talkies or hand signals, is also a good idea.
Check Your Tow Truck's Payload
Truck manufacturers compete with each other for maximum towing
capacity, but that number sometimes aligns differently from reality. Many
variables can reduce a truck's actual towing capability, including:
Towing capacity and payload are different ratings that refer to
other things, but you can use a simple formula to determine how much weight
your truck can safely carry. You'll want to add up the total weight of your
trailer, its cargo, passengers, and the truck driver. This weight figure will
give you your gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR. Adding extra weight beyond
your truck's rated capacity can strain the engine, make it difficult to drive
up steep inclines, and even damage your truck's transmission and brakes.
Check Your Fifth Wheel's Tires
The tires on both your truck and trailer should be in good
condition. Before every trip, use a tire pressure gauge to ensure each is at
the proper psi level (consult your owner's manual for this information).
If traveling in the mountains, plan to account for altitude. For
every 1,000 feet of elevation, your gas engine loses about three percent of
power. Load your fifth wheel as lightly as possible and put it into a lower
gear to make climbing steep inclines easier.
Backing up and turning with a fifth wheel takes practice.
Practice on a level parking spot, using cones or other markers as targets.
Remember that your trailer will need to turn wider than a standard vehicle.
Check Your Fifth Wheel's Hitch
It's not just the truck's payload that needs to be checked
before towing a fifth wheel, but also your trailer hitch. It's important to
periodically review the hitch's plate thickness and lubrication to ensure a
smooth connection between your trailer and truck.
You'll also need to ensure that your hitch's handle is locked in
the closed position. This will prevent the jaws or locking bar from
accidentally opening while you're on the road.
Finally, you'll want to ensure your hitch
is at the correct height between your truck bed and trailer kingpin. This will
help minimize damage to your trailer and truck should the traps separate from
one another. To do this, lower your truck
tailgate and extend the trailer jacks.
