Good luck everyone. Looks like I’m getting a Super Duty instead of a Lightning.

[Easycamper]

Well I’ve decided to go a different direction. My wife and I have decided we need a bigger fifth wheel to manage camping with our teenager and special-needs preschooler. So it’s out with the Lightning idea and in with an F-350. We’ll be upsizing from our current 25-ft fiver to a 27 or 28 footer with ~11,000-lb GVWR. That’s just a bit too much for the Lightning I think.

I’m going to hang onto the Lightning reservation for now just in case something changes.

Sponsored

 

[RickLightning]

A bit too much?

Lightning cannot tow a fifth wheel.

Nearly all F-150s are incapable of towing a fifth wheel.

 

[Sam James]

Well I’ve decided to go a different direction. My wife and I have decided we need a bigger fifth wheel to manage camping with our teenager and special-needs preschooler. So it’s out with the Lightning idea and in with an F-350. We’ll be upsizing from our current 25-ft fiver to a 27 or 28 footer with ~11,000-lb GVWR. That’s just a bit too much for the Lightning I think.

I’m going to hang onto the Lightning reservation for now just in case something changes.

Hope you have some fun adventures with your kids! Looking forward to when Ford has an EV that works for everyone.

 

[Wolf Man]

Fun Fact: When the guy brought my F150 to me last year from IA it was in an enclosed trailer that also had a 4 wheeler in the very front (to deliver elsewhere in town) and he was pulling it with a Dodge 3500. A 5th wheeler probably weighs more but still thought it was kinda awesome that a pickup truck was pulling another truck. I didn't think to ask him what hitch he was using or anything else he may have done to his truck but I was impressed none the less.

 

[Regular150]

A bit too much?

Lightning cannot tow a fifth wheel.

Nearly all F-150s are incapable of towing a fifth wheel.

https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2021/fifth-wheel/reflection-150-series

Very nice Fifth Wheel that isn't at OPs size he's looking for, but nearly all F150s including the Lightning can tow. My brother has a 35' Grand Design he pulls with his Power stroke 250 and it's beautiful. It's a 2015 so it's before Winnebago bought GD out, but the fit and finish is amazing. At the time, Grand Design was the fastest growing RV manufacturer and their warranty follow up was incredible. I think your overall experience from efficiency and power is definitely what the F250 or SRW 350 would provide.

 

[Easycamper]

A bit too much?

Lightning cannot tow a fifth wheel.

Nearly all F-150s are incapable of towing a fifth wheel.

Been towing it for 7 years with my 2015 (2080-lb payload). Towed another with a Ram 1500 for 15 years before that. Not all fifth wheels are the same.

 

[TRP]

A bit too much?

Lightning cannot tow a fifth wheel.

Nearly all F-150s are incapable of towing a fifth wheel.

Clearly you are misinformed, my friend. There are plenty of 5ver campers that are advertised as F150 Friendly.

We have a 2018 F150 that we tow a gooseneck horse trailer with. Gooseneck vs 5th wheel hitch is pretty much semantics. They both mount in the center of the bed above the axle.

Whether the Lightning will be able to tow in this manner depends on the aftermarket getting their hands on one. I've talked to B&W hitch and they said they can't determine fitment until they see one.

 

[RickLightning]

Yes, there are 5th wheels "advertised" as F-150 friendly. Which of those don't exceed the payload or rear axle rating of average F-150s?

A payload of 2,080 on an F-150 is not normal, or average. It's rare. How many trailer dealers go through the payload and rear axle numbers, with scales, to show that it can be towed safely, especially once loaded?

It is very unlikely that an F-150 Lightning is going to have the available payload, after passengers are loaded, to tow a 5th wheel without exceeding payload or rear axle capacity. That's assuming you can safely mount the hitch in the bed with the battery packs.

 

[TRP]

I'm just saying it can and is being done much more often than you think. It all comes back to the truck owner to make sure they are within their capabilities.

 

[RickLightning]

I'm just saying it can and is being done much more often than you think. It all comes back to the truck owner to make sure they are within their capabilities.

True. And the majority of truck owners that tow NEVER check to see if they are within their capabilities, never hit a scale to verify, etc. Majority meaning more than half. Many truck owners are very responsible, don't trust the truck or trailer dealer, and are very safe. But most are either clueless or don't give a rat's ass.

 

[Easycamper]

True. And the majority of truck owners that tow NEVER check to see if they are within their capabilities, never hit a scale to verify, etc. Majority meaning more than half. Many truck owners are very responsible, don't trust the truck or trailer dealer, and are very safe. But most are either clueless or don't give a rat's ass.

Agreed there are a lot of people exceeding ratings, including many 3/4-ton diesels. The bottom line is that RVing is generally very safe. If it weren’t the government and insurance companies would have found a way to make us pay more for doing it.

 

[Ruination]

https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2021/fifth-wheel/reflection-150-series

Very nice Fifth Wheel that isn't at OPs size he's looking for, but nearly all F150s including the Lightning can tow. My brother has a 35' Grand Design he pulls with his Power stroke 250 and it's beautiful. It's a 2015 so it's before Winnebago bought GD out, but the fit and finish is amazing. At the time, Grand Design was the fastest growing RV manufacturer and their warranty follow up was incredible. I think your overall experience from efficiency and power is definitely what the F250 or SRW 350 would provide.

 

[REDHORSECA]

That's assuming you can safely mount the hitch in the bed with the battery packs.

FYI -
The Lightning SR & ER battery packs (they both share the exact same battery case size/shape) reside under the passenger cab. The battery pack does not extend under the bed of the truck.

Only the rear emotor resides under the bed of the truck.

 

[TRP]

FYI -
The Lightning SR & ER battery packs (they both share the exact same battery case size/shape) reside under the passenger cab. The battery pack does not extend under the bed of the truck.

Only the rear emotor resides under the bed of the truck.

And based on this pic I believe it's possible to mount a gooseneck hitch on it. The base plate mounts to the frame rails and the ball extends into the bed. As long as the motor sits below the top of the frame rails, and the shock mounts don't interfere, it can be done.............IMHO

Someone just needs to get their truck to B&W Hitch

 

[REDHORSECA]

Here is the rear emotor by itself:

But there are additional electronics/ cooling that mount on top of it.

Parts of it sit above the frame rails.