Towing a 5.0- Wheelbase Choice

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by Hilola

Thanks, David! Enjoyed your kitty pics, and good to know you can ride four cats in the trailer. Did you get them used to riding back there by having a person with them initially? And where do you put the litter box(es)?

Our first cat clearly hated riding in the truck and was very happy when we let her ride in the trailer...as each additional cat joined the clan we just let them start off back there and learn the ropes from the others and it has gone quite well.

Our old trailer had a dry bath with a separate small tub that was perfect for the litter box. We are just in the planning stage of our 5.0TA and not yet sure where the litter box will go, there's not an obvious easy spot. But the cats' comfort comes first, so we will figure something out...

[deansco1]

We are using a 2017 Silverado 1500 crew cab (not the full double) with a 6.5 foot bed to pull our 5.0. It is a great set up. I have a dog platform built over the 2/3 part of the rear seat and our 60 lb dog is happy there. We can use the other part of the rear cab as either a seat or storage. I have no issues with the trailer hitting the cab and still have some storage in the bed around the Rees hitch. We went with Chevy because we did not want a suicide rear door (previously had an F250 with those and didn't like it) and the Dodge payload was insufficient.

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by deansco1

We are using a 2017 Silverado 1500 crew cab (not the full double) with a 6.5 foot bed to pull our 5.0. It is a great set up. I have a dog platform built over the 2/3 part of the rear seat and our 60 lb dog is happy there. We can use the other part of the rear cab as either a seat or storage. I have no issues with the trailer hitting the cab and still have some storage in the bed around the Rees hitch. We went with Chevy because we did not want a suicide rear door (previously had an F250 with those and didn't like it) and the Dodge payload was insufficient.

Hi deansco1, wondering if you had a photo to share of your dog platform setup? Also, what kind of payload/ towing capacity does the Silverado have?

[davidmurphy02]

In case you missed my recent post about our new Ram, although we haven't towed with it since we just ordered our trailer it is a very capable tow vehicle for the 5.0TA. We really, really like the new Ram - incredibly quiet and smooth riding, and plenty beefy for towing.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...ity-13348.html

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

In case you missed my recent post about our new Ram, although we haven't towed with it since we just ordered our trailer it is a very capable tow vehicle for the 5.0TA. We really, really like the new Ram - incredibly quiet and smooth riding, and plenty beefy for towing.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...ity-13348.html

Sorry, I did see that before, just forgot. Thanks for the reminder!

[deansco1]

That is great news about the Ram. We loved it when we drove it but the payload numbers on the 2017 weren't close to the Ford or Chevy, at least for the trim levels and cabs we were looking at. We have the LTZ trim on the Chevy and it is really nice. Our payload is just over 1700lbs. I forget the town number because it was so irrelevant to the 5.0.

Attached are some pictures of the dog platform. They may not be clear enough so let me know if you want me to try again. We use a cover under the platform on the seat that connects to the headrests so the seat stays nice and clean.

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by deansco1

That is great news about the Ram. We loved it when we drove it but the payload numbers on the 2017 weren't close to the Ford or Chevy, at least for the trim levels and cabs we were looking at. We have the LTZ trim on the Chevy and it is really nice. Our payload is just over 1700lbs. I forget the town number because it was so irrelevant to the 5.0.

Attached are some pictures of the dog platform. They may not be clear enough so let me know if you want me to try again. We use a cover under the platform on the seat that connects to the headrests so the seat stays nice and clean.

Nice! Thanks for the info and photos!

[Oldtimer]

I love my Chevy. Just took it on a shake down run to Indiana and back (2000 mile round trip ) it’s a 2017 Z71 4x4 5.3 . Going up it got 20.8 mpg going up there and 20. 2 mpg coming back. We were running at 80 to 85 mph average it’s super comfortable especially with the back issues I have no pain at all can’t say enough how great it tows when towing my brothers cars around. Counting the days now when we pick up our 21 on September 7th.:

[Tim L]

My truck is a Tundra regular cab with 8'1" bed. I use the truck all the time so I plan on using the Anderson Ultimate hitch connected to hidden gooseneck connection. I have no experience with fifth wheel trailers.

My question is I assume the gooseneck hitch must be installed in a specific location in the bed, which I assume is close to the axle. I am just wondering about clearance between the rear of the truck bed and the 5.0. As I look at photos of shorter bed trucks it does not appear there is a lot of space between the back of truck and the 5.0, so I seems like the longer bed would hit the trailer. Is this correct? If so what is a solution?

Thanks for any information or clarification.
Tim

[padlin]

Can't talk specifically about the gooseneck you mention, but for my Patriot hitch, the installation instructions specify the same distance from the end of bed to the center of the hitch for for 2007 and newer Tundras no matter what the bed length is. So you'll have the same clearance on yours as would the 5'6" bed.

FWIW, on my F150 with the 8' bed, I have just a couple inches clearance for the tailgate to clear when open. If I need to come in at an angle of some sort to hitch or unhitch, I need to have someone open/close the tailgate the closer I get. I can do it myself but it's easier with 2.

You could get one of the aftermarket 5th wheel tailgates that has the cutout in it. Or, I had a coworker that had a big 5th wheel, he left the tailgate at home when traveling. Of course with a big trailer you can manage without using the bed of the truck for storage.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I would look for a vehicle with a minimum wheel base of approx 150 inches
That allows the trailer to clear the truck cab and you have room for storage in the truck bed

Originally Posted by steve dunham

All I know is one of the couples we camp with have a Ram 2500 with the 6 ft 4” bed towing a 5th wheeler and he has a beautiful crease in the back of the truck cab plus the rear window of the cab leaks .

First of all we're talking about a ESCAPE 5.0, not a sticky 5th wheeler. A 5.0 is narrower than a sticky. Second, it's the size of the bed and correct pin setup that's important, not the wheelbase when it comes to hitting the cab. Third, hitting the cab is an operator error, so that person should have learned how tight their 5th wheel could turn BEFORE going to a campground.

I"ll have all the room in the truck I'll need and because of the 5.0's size and hitch position, many here are using short bed trucks, something I wouldn't do with a sticky 5th wheeler.

Perry

[Tim L]

Thanks Bob,
So the extra bed length is in front of the axle. I am guessing your patriot hitch is permanently installed?

[Chotch]

On F150 the distance from axle to tailgate is the same regardless of the bed length. Not sure if this is true for other brands.

[emers382]

Originally Posted by Tim L

Thanks Bob,
So the extra bed length is in front of the axle. I am guessing your patriot hitch is permanently installed?

I have the Patriot as well and although heavy the hitch does come out in two pieces which I can handle unloading. That just leaves the rails. I usually only remove the hitch if we're not camping for four months or so to enable using the whole bed.

[SWCO]

Originally Posted by Tim L

My truck is a Tundra regular cab with 8'1" bed. I use the truck all the time so I plan on using the Anderson Ultimate hitch connected to hidden gooseneck connection. I have no experience with fifth wheel trailers.

My question is I assume the gooseneck hitch must be installed in a specific location in the bed, which I assume is close to the axle. I am just wondering about clearance between the rear of the truck bed and the 5.0. As I look at photos of shorter bed trucks it does not appear there is a lot of space between the back of truck and the 5.0, so I seems like the longer bed would hit the trailer. Is this correct? If so what is a solution?

Thanks for any information or clarification.
Tim

Years ago I installed a B&W turnover ball gooseneck hitch in the bed of our 2003 Dodge SRW 3500 (8' bed) following B&W's location instructions. The truck part of the Andersen Ultimate hitch is installed overt this bed-mounted turnover ball hitch when towing our 5.0 TA. The trailer part of the Andersen Ultimate is installed towards the rear of the trailer...making the trailer very close to tail gate of the truck, but it has never hit the truck. It does make it impossible to fully open the trailer's front storage compartment doors when hitched up. An Escape tech recommended the trailer adapter be installed this way, he indicated that if it was oriented to towards the front of the trailer (giving more clearance between the truck tailgate and the trailer body), the back of the Escape hitch assembly (black plate steel sides with holes to adjust height) might hit the inside of the truck bed when backed at a sharp angle.

I have not made the measurements needed to determine if this would be a problem with our truck. Presumably, Escape has a lot of experience with this and apparently it has been a problem on some set ups.

[padlin]

Originally Posted by Tim L

Thanks Bob,
So the extra bed length is in front of the axle. I am guessing your patriot hitch is permanently installed?

Sort of, all hitches can be removed that I know of, just takes some ommph.


I remove mine a lot.

[frank_a]

You folks towing a 5.0 with a late model F150 Crew cab with a 5.5' bed, and the Andersen Ultimate, how far back is the center of the ball in the bed from the tailgate?

Thanks,

Frank

[steve dunham]

140.5” wheelbase ( minimum)

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by frank_a

You folks towing a 5.0 with a late model F150 Crew cab with a 5.5' bed, and the Andersen Ultimate, how far back is the center of the ball in the bed from the tailgate?

Thanks,

Frank

Hi: frank_a... We don't have an Anderson Ultimate, but we do have a short box pickup. We moved from a Nissan Frontier w/ 6' 1" bed & 139"wb. to a Ram 1500 EcoD w/5' 7" bed & 140" wb. There was enough adjustment in the hitch and trailer pin box to be able to use the same hitch in both trucks. I'm happy with the diesels 10 mpg increase in fuel milage too. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[cpaharley2008]

Frank, see here for free hitch- http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f3...tml#post267172