Make my 2020 SR5 able to pull a 5th wheel

I have a 2020 Crewmax SR5 4WD short box. Im wanting to get a 5th wheel toy hauler but I'm reading the Tundra can't handle the weight or pay load.
I was thinking about doing a 4" suspension lift and also putting in self leveling air bags. What's everyone's thoughts? Should I have gotten a different truck?

 

How much does your 5th wheel weigh and what’s it’s tongue weight? People are 50/50 on towing. Some say take it right to your max. Some say at most keep it around 500 lbs under the max at most. I am no expert by any means but dealt with this recently on another vehicle.

 

Depends on the toy hauler, really.

Your biggest problem will be the pin weight. Take a 9500lbs GTW toy hauler. Technically 9500lbs falls within the tow rating of the Tundra, BUT, a fifth wheel usually has a 20% pin load, which in the case of a 9500 lb fifth wheel is 1900lbs. That far exceeds the allowable payload of ~1200lbs for a Crewmax 4x4, and that's before you add any passengers/cargo to the truck.

Let's say you're comfortable (and legal) with a pin weight of 800-900lbs. That leaves you with a little spare payload in the truck for people and a bit of gear (assuming you put all your luggage in the trailer). With a 20% pin weight, you can only pull a fifth wheel that weighs 4000 - 4500lbs. I'm not sure there are any fifth wheel toy haulers out there that weigh that little.

You can add airbags, and it will probably help reduce sag from a higher pin weight, but you'll still technically be overloaded. I'm not sure what the legal implications are when driving an overloaded vehicle, especially if you get into an accident.

 

Also, adding a lift to a truck will negatively affect the way it handles weight.

If you really want to pull a large toy hauler on the regular, you should get an HD Diesel. A half-ton isn't really meant for the job.

 

So I'm actually just shopping for a toy hauler. I thought the Tundra could handle more weight and I looked into it to find my pay load is actually max 1580 with a tow weight of max 10,020. I should of looked before I bought but I had a 2008 Sequoia Limited that I loved. The Tundra is nearly the same as the Sequoia with a different body so I got the Tundra. The air bags I'm looking at automatically level side to side and front to back. Making for safer towing. I thought a 5th wheel would be safer and better because the weight is over the axel vs the receiver hitch. I wanted a little lift and thought about doing it right putting in stronger suspension. Sounds like I got the wrong truck.

 

welcome from the wet side of WA.

 

Yep, sounds like either a 2500 class truck is in your future or otherwise settling for a smaller trailer. Are you actually looking to haul toys or just have something comfortable to camp in? Depending on what you are looking to do, you may find something satisfactory that you can pull with the Tundra.

 

The Tundra is a great truck and has a very capable drivetrain. It can tow travel trailers with the best of the half-tons. Unfortunately, because of its low payload, it falls flat on its face when it comes to hauling fifth wheels.

There's one guy on here for sure who tows a fifth wheel with his Tundra, but I think it's a smaller, lighter weight 5th.

If you can find a conventional tow toy hauler travel trailer, that might be your best bet. Because the hitch weight is typically only 10% of the trailer, you can pull a heavier trailer. It's ironic because a 9000lbs travel trailer won't pull nearly as nicely as a 9000lb fifth wheel, regardless of the payload of the truck. Yet the former is legal, and the latter isn't.

 

Yeah Toyota don't have a 2500 or a diesel. LMAO...
Looks like I'm either getting rid of my Tundra or getting a smaller toy hauler.
I just don't get why it can't do the job.

 

It can't because you are clearly exceeding the carrying capacity of the vehicle. I would not even think about hauling a 5th wheel unless I had a 3/4 or 1 ton. Also I don't think you want to do it with the short bed.

 

Not a 5th wheel, but the previous owner of my tundra consistently towed a gooseneck trailer with it. Given our rear suspension/frame setup, I wouldn’t do it. Looking past the legalities (which should be the most important), I just don’t think it’s wise. The leaf springs were shot when I got the truck, so you will need some sort of assist system at minimum. Our frame is the rear also flexes a lot more than desired. I wouldn’t put a 5th wheel hitch on this frame, IMO.

I’ve since removed the gooseneck hitch and only tow bumper-pull. Replaced the rear leafs with some with a higher capacity and I’ve towed 8k lbs with a 800lb tongue weight comfortably.

Do what the others have said. Bigger tow rig, or smaller trailer.

 

All the info you could ever want here. https://www.tundras.com/threads/tow-ratings-guide-how-to-be-safe.39211/

Payload and tow ratings are about all aspects of the vehicle. The frame, suspension, brakes, and cooling are all part of those ratings. There isn't a way to boost you payload or tow ratings without re-engineering the truck. The one major downside to the Tundra is that you can only haul smaller trailers with it. Some still push beyond the ratings and are "fine" but it's one hell of a gamble that could cost you or others on the road.

Don't go for a 3/4 ton without doing your research either. Especially if you go diesel. Diesel engines are HEAVY and there are some 3/4 tons that don't have much better payload than a 1/2 ton as a result. You need to look at the sticker inside the driver door when you go to buy a truck. Don't go off internet max numbers. Those are always skewed by marketing and do not represent all trucks with the same name plate. Look at the actual truck and it's tags.

 

You can still get a good travel trailer or toy hauler that fits the bill... There are plenty out there that are a lot less than 10k lbs.

 

The 10K pounds is seldom the issue. It's the tongue weight that will eat your payload long before you reach the max tow rating.

 

If you decide to get a different truck Tundras have very good resale values right now so you shouldn’t lose too much in selling it. I weighed My 2019 DC empty and it only has a rated 1000 LB payload.

 

out of curiosity, did you get the pay load and tow rating #'s out of your owners manual? That's where you will find your actual cargo weight and tow capacity rating based on the vehicle ID info in the drivers door. Just wondering. My 2020 DC TRD Sport has a cargo capacity of 1320Lbs and a tow rating of 9600lbs, according to my owners manual.

 

Welcome from NY.
A fifth wheel wouldn't work or be safe with a Tundra.
Maybe get a smaller trailer or hate to say it a bigger / different truck with dual wheels.

 

Please tell me this is a troll post

 

Yeah, the OP's numbers don't sound right at all for a Crewmax 4x4. Those are DC 2wd numbers at best.

 

Not saying you should, but it seems like it’s been done.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3laoAJ3RyHk

 

You might be on to something. The absurdity factor in the OPs question is very high. Every time I see a 1/2 ton hauling a 5th wheel I’m like WTF is that guy doing? Doesn’t matter if it’s a Ford, GMC Ram...no half ton is really right for pulling a 5th wheel.

 

Exactly. Notice all these ridiculous towing questions always include “i want to lift my truck too”

 

Their is no debut that it can be done. If you research lite weight 5th wheel travel trailers a few do pop up. There is one off the top of my head is the micro Minnie Winnie dry weight is 5740 / GVWR is 7000 / hitch is 1140, and the hitch is pushing it seeing you need to add other weight to that hitch number (any other cargo and people in the truck. However, the OP is asking about a toy hauler, they are pretty heavy. However it still should not be done with a 1/2 ton truck

 

Absolutely AGREE with this. It just shouldn't be done, just not safe. They do make 5th wheels that are very light, but the pin weight / hitch weight is still high enough to max out the Tundras capacity.

 

Welcome

 

One of the best things about this forum is the fact-based arguments, not ego-filled "Tundras can do ANYTHING!" arguments. The arguments and statements focusing on safety and actual ratings are by far the best ones.

Do I think Toyotas ratings are overly conservative? Yes. But that's probably because they know that some people will purposefully or ignorantly exceed the ratings.

 

Yep, they are a little conservative. I carry 1500 lbs of feed a couple times a year plus gear and myself and the Tundra handles it fine

 

1. The 1580 pounds of payload is no where near correct for a Crewmax. Check the yellow sticker on the inside of the drivers door. It will say anywhere from 1,165 to 1,300 pounds.

2. Go to a scale and weigh your truck with a full tank of gas and you sitting in it. My platinum weighed 6,440 pounds and I only had 760 pounds of payload left.

3. By the time I threw wife, 2 kids, and luggage, let's say 300 pounds. I only had 460 pounds left for a bumper pull travel trailer. I took my coworkers single axle, 20 foot, 4,500 pound travel trailer and weighed my truck. I was over weight to tow "legally. It had hitch weight of 526 pounds lightly loaded. With my family in the truck, I could not even tow a double axle travel trailer of any sort.

4. Not saying the Tundra does not have the guts to pull something 8k plus pounds, but payload will limit you to ever getting close to the tow rating of the Tundra.

5. Look at other half tons in higher trims built similarly to Tundra. Look at Ford F-150 crews in Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and there payload is pretty close. Last time I checked it is within about 200 pounds on payload. GM and Ram are much of the same.

6. Those toy haulers have high hitch pin/tongue weight. I can almost guaranteed you will be over payload sitting still in a parking lot with you not even in the truck.

7. For the safety of those all on the road at the same time as you, please look at at least a gas 3/4 ton if you are pulling one of those toy haulers.

8. I am just having fun and kidding a little in points above, but not too much. Tundras are awesome, best half ton on the market but you are "legally" very limited in towing with a Tundra.

 

I thought a tandem axle trailer would typically have a lower tongue weight than a similar single axle.