Tundra & 5.0 question

[Super Dave]

I’m thinking of buying a 2017 5.0 Escape 5th wheel. Owner has an Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel hitch.
Will this hitch work on my 2018 Tundra with a 5-1/2 foot bed?
I’ve contacted ETI and they wouldn’t/couldn’t give any advice.
I’m a newby at 5th wheel towing. Are they easier than a bumper pull?
Any info is helpful at this point.

[iamunique127]

Hi Super Dave (that's a great name)

I've towed my 5.0TA with a Tundra CrewMax & 5.5' box since 2015 and it does perfectly fine. The new Tundras have higher payload capacities than my 2013 does. You may want to check the sticker on your door pillar to find out your payload and determine if it is OK for the kind of travelling you intend to do. Bear in mind the pin weight of a 5.0TA will likely be 700-800 lbs. There are lots of threads here on the forum discussing payload.

As far as weight goes you are likely lucky to get the Anderson hitch with the trailer. My traditional fifth wheel hitch weighs considerably more than the Anderson so it cuts into the payload more, too. The Anderson from what I understand, can also set your ball a bit further back in the box for more clearance between the trailer nose and the cab of the truck.

For the best information you may want to contact Trademasters there in Chilliwack and ask them about your specific truck and the 5.0TA. They are near the ETI factory, are well familiar with Escape trailers and have installed many hitches in trucks for 5.0TAs. They did mine and I've had no trouble whatsoever.

I haven't owned a pull behind trailer so I can't compare but my 5.0TA tows wonderfully. It's stable on the road and backing up is only limited by my abilities.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by Super Dave

I’m thinking of buying a 2017 5.0 Escape 5th wheel. Owner has an Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel hitch.
Will this hitch work on my 2018 Tundra with a 5-1/2 foot bed?
I’ve contacted ETI and they wouldn’t/couldn’t give any advice.
I’m a newby at 5th wheel towing. Are they easier than a bumper pull?
Any info is helpful at this point.

I don't have a short bed...mine is 6.5 ft but it works great with my 2018 Tundra Dbl cab 4 x4 no trouble here with payload. I also have the Andersen hitch and put in a Curt(I think) custom fit rail kit to mount it and that has worked very well.

[Al Y]

Originally Posted by Super Dave

I’m thinking of buying a 2017 5.0 Escape 5th wheel. Owner has an Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel hitch.
Will this hitch work on my 2018 Tundra with a 5-1/2 foot bed?
I’ve contacted ETI and they wouldn’t/couldn’t give any advice.
I’m a newby at 5th wheel towing. Are they easier than a bumper pull?
Any info is helpful at this point.

I believe the owner of that 2017 has also offered you (the buyer) the industry standard rails, so just make sure you source the custom brackets to mount the rails to your frame. From the queries I made to get set up for pulling a 5.0, everything suggests that with the Anderson Classic Rail Hitch, you will be fine. Just a matter of determining the orientation of your hitch and the coupler. The Anderson set up gives you quite a bit of adjustment. Good luck!

[Perry Butler]

Just got aced out of a spot at Gilbert Ray because I could not back our 25’ Bigfoot into the site, not even close. Our 5.0 would have backed in easily, with plenty of room to spare.

Luckily they have spots available for emergency purposes and the one we’re in is fantastic. They are ONLY available if you can’t get into your reserved spot. They will not open these up unless you already had a reservation.

The 5.0 is only 17’ behind your truck with four additional feet in front of the ball. And because it’s a 5th wheel, turns shorter, quicker. Many times I regret moving to the Bigfoot, but Terry loves it. I was hoping to buy an Escape 23, but they took too long deciding when it was going to production.

We also found it was a piece of cake for Terry to drive the 5.0 with our F150, but one must be much more observant when pulling the Bigfoot.

Having had a previous 5th wheel with a conventional 5th wheel hitch we loved the Andersen rail version 5th wheel hitch. A standard 5th wheel hitch can weigh from 90-200 #’s, whereas the Andersen only 45#’s, so the Andersen much easier to install/remove, AND there is room underneath the hitch to store items. The ball mount Andersen hitch takes up more space in your bed becausethe box around the hitch sticks up and gets in the way for placement of other items. That box on the ball version also takes up more space, impeding a little more storage.

Food for thought,

Perry