TOWING 5er W/EMPTY OR LOADED BED

[Larry-P]

I normally tow our Monty with basicly an empty truck bed.
Question is would it be okay to put light things like coolers, leveling blocks, etc if they are strapped down.

Like to know what some of you consider safe & normal.

Thanks, Larry-P

[8.1al]

Can't think of any reason you couldn't

[simonsrf]

quote:Originally posted by 8.1al

Can't think of any reason you couldn't

X2

[Rondo]

If you only saw what most of us carry in the TV bed you would more than likely just walk off shaking your head. I carry my short step ladder back there, the two Honda generators and fuel can/s, leveling blocks, four rubber mats for around the steps on the Monte and three breakdown boxes that work as carrying boxes when towing and not towing. We also carry our "natural chalks" made out of some tree stumps cut up a few years back! In other words as has been said previously X3!

[mhs4771]

Just make sure anything you put there is fastened down. The wind currents created in the bed while towing can suck some pretty big things out. I had an empty blue tote in the back and had to stop and resecure it as it was floating up bumping the king pin box.

[bncinwv]

As mentioned, as long as the light objects are strapped down. There is a bunch of turbulence in the bed of the truck when underway. We have had many items blowing around, including our fire bowl lid. It can tend to get interesting when you glance out the rear-view and see things in mid-air that are supposed to be riding in the bed. I would tell you what all we carry back there, but someone would probably add up the weights!
Bingo

[bigskyjimmy]

I put my Vespa back there and it has not flown out yet

[BB_TX]

I carry two and sometimes three 26" bikes, a tool box, a folding ramp for the dog, and an assortment of other things from time to time. Sometimes a little firewood. Would feel naked with an empty bed!

[Bigsky3625RE]

Most of the time our bed is empty. When we first got the 5ver I had two large dog kennels towards the front of the bed.

We now keep them just inside the door to the 5er. It was a pain to dry them off before moving them in.

We travel pretty light though. One or two coolers with food, several suitcases and maybe a little wine or beer......and scotch.

[grayghost03]

Just make sure nothing hangs on your emergency brake cable while traveling or turning. Couple of good solutions for keeping this from happening on the forum.

[steelpony5555]

Yep my bed is usually full too, got my Champion generator with a 5 gal. gas can, and then depending on where we are goin it can have 2 15 gal water tanks, or my smoker, or fire wood, or even a Rascal motorized wheel chair. Just a little tricky hooking up sometimes lol lol....

[DQDick]

Two honda generators, a cross bed tool box, 5 gal gas can, two small propane tanks, a step stool and two rugs for in front of the steps are in the back when we're towing. All items are secured to a frame I built. That said, making sure the emergency brake cable and the umbilical cord don't get snagged on something is something to seriously worry about. You can guess how I know.

[DonandJudy_12]

We have a lot of "stuff" in our truck box- We have a flow through tailgate which seems to ease the airflow through the box- We carry our "blue boy", our Dish platform, our articulating ladder, our 5th wheel tripod, an aluminum tool box, plus milk crates full of various lenghths of plywood leveling blocks- I guess you get the picture- JMHO- Don

[Art-n-Marge]

I used to have a 4 section BakFlip folded back three sections to expose the hitch but cover the front of the long bed. In front of the hitch I carry two EU2000s, a 2 gallon fuel can, a couple propane bottles, a pancake compressor all of them chained together and locked to the truck bed. I put a canopy on one side of the hitch. Then at the back I carry dog pens, sometimes firewood and a satellite dish platform (the sat dish and tripod are in the rig) and even occassionally a couple of bicycles (quick release wheels are in the crew cab backseat. This is chained and locked as well.

Now, I removed the cover and use a large low profile locking tool box where I still keep all the items from the front of the bed. Most everything fits and there's still some room between the box and the fifth wheel hitch.

I've been to the scales and all passes the ratings with plenty of margin. I do like to lash things down and ensure clearance from the hitch handle, the cord and the breakaway cable. At every stop I check the bed items so nothing shifted and before we get underway to check nothing has been messed with.

I don't have a rear hitch or bumper on the Monty and have toyed with the idea of a front hitch or a TV roof hitch (I have the bars and rails just not the roof mounts), but I'd like to find a better solution for the bicycles especially since I rushed the packing once and one of the handlebars got tweaked by the trailer on one trip. I watch for this now, but I want not to have to worry about it. I use the stock tailgate.

As long as you can secure things in the bed, there's nothing wrong with using it unless you have to be careful with weight ratings.

[1retired06]

Just keep in mind your pin and overall weights. We also pull a fair amount in the bed.

[subra1228]

We keep wood (leveling and firewood) in the bed and our bicycles in the bed when we tow - never a problem.

[mont]

I was in a hurry one trip put garbage bag full of dirty clothes in bed the last I seen them was out my mirror on I 75 bras socks underware pants and shirts hope someone put them to good use

[clarkandsheila]

The bed of our truck is pretty full. I use several large Rubbermaid or Sterlite bins to hold all the blocking of various types. Keeps it organized.
However, I bungee the lids down or they will disappear. I forgot a bungee one time and saw a lid go flying but couldn't stop to retrieve it.
Heavier, compact stuff is ok on its own .