Hi,

I recently bought a new 2010 F-150 FX4 Super Crew with the maximum tow package to replace my 1997 F-150 XLT Super Cab with no towing package. After nearly 14 years, I never really came close to maxing the payload capacity of the old truck and only towed a light trailer one time on the bumper.

I am a towing neonate.

However, I’ve recently taken over the job of Scoutmaster of a Boy Scout troop and need to be able to tow our troop trailer (there’s a guy with a Silverado 2500HD diesel that’ll do most the towing, I’m his backup).

My worse case scenario involves hauling my self and four Boy Scouts, our personal camping gear, and the 7000 lb troop trailer for a campout… When I looked into what I needed for the new truck, I used the following estimates for this scenario:

Occupant payload = 600 lbs (estimate, myself and four boys)
Luggage payload = 250 lbs (estimate, personal gear, etc)
Truck cap = 220 lbs (supplied by vendor)
Tongue weight = 700 to 800 lbs (says the guy who tows the trailer most of the time)
Total payload = 1850 lbs.

I thought I was okay with the Super Crew (it has a 6.5 foot bed) because the brochure said it had a payload capacity of 1810 lbs and a towing capacity of 11,100 lbs (subject to change). Yeah, tight on the payload but given I was thinking this as my worse case scenario; I felt I could live within the confines of the payload capacity. A Super Duty would give me plenty more margin but I didn’t think I required a Super Duty. Certainly not the way I use the truck most of the time.

Now that I have my new truck, the Tire and Loading sticker on the B-pillar says the maximum payload is 1656 lbs.

Exactly how conservative are the Tire and Loading stickers? Will 1657 lbs break an axle? Where would 1850 lbs put me? In the not recommended, shame on me category or are you a complete fool category?

I suppose I can limit my payload to myself + three boys + camping gear + truck cap + tongue weight and get it to about 1700 lbs. Is 44 lbs over a bad thing? Should we all go to the bathroom before the trip?

Thanks,

Mark

 

Payload is determined by the trucks GVWR and subtracting what the truck weighs at the time you weigh it (no "Curb Weight" figures). I'm not sure when these new trucks are weighed to determine that 'payload' figure they put on the sticker, but it must be later down the assembly line?

You won't pop a tire or an axle by going over your GVWR by several hundred pounds, but couple that with it towing a #7000 brick might make things interesting depending on the terrain you are traveling over.. On a nice smooth hwy, you would be fine.. Take it down a logging road and things might get interesting...

I run my 1997 F150 over it's GVWR when I'm hitched up to my #5000 travel trailer and some stuff in the bed... But, all of my travels are essentially on the road and paved State Parks!

With a #7000 trailer and a cab full of people, you'll be okay on the hwy IMO.. Some dirt roads shouldn't be much of an issue either.. If you do find yourself going off road more often, I'd be getting some LT rated tires to replace the P rated ones you currently have....

Mitch

 

Thanks Mitch. Yeah, I might have to drive a dirt road to get the trailer to a campsite at Summer Camp or other campout but these roads are tight on maneuvering but not necessarily an off-road challenge otherwise. If it's been raining and the roads are muddy, they'd tell us to leave the trailer in the parking lot and carry our gear in anyway.

 

Well towed that trailer for the first time today. Seemed to handle very well but I knew it was back there. Braking was excellent.

I noticed after hooking up, the internal lights for the trailer weren't working. I'm guessing I can use the relay and fuse in the bag labeled AL3T-15A416-AA I found in the glovebox for the trailer tow battery charge fuse/relay locations 9 and 21?

They ought to put a slip of paper in the bag identifying what the fuze and relay are for.

 

Mine (2009) came with said piece of paper, one of the relays was for the brakes. Adding the relays in mine made the interior trailer lights only work with the (truck) headlights on, kind of dissapointing as they worked with the truck completely off before putting in the relays.

 

Hey Mark. I am an Asst Scoutmaster and Quartermaster for a Scout troop. We have a large troop, with two trailers, a 16ft and an 18ft. We have several dads with half ton trucks that regularly pull the 16ft trailers. I usually tow the 18ft trailer, but I have a F250 CC because I tow some much heavier trailers outside scouting.

I think you will be fine with your setup. If you can, I would put your personal gear in the trailer for some extra margin. You can also move some kids to another car. I always advise our parents who pull the trailers to:

1. Keep your speed down. Trailer tires are only rated for 65 mph. With a bunch of kids in your vehicle, and a trailer behind it, there is no reason to drive fast.
2. Check the air pressure in the truck and trailer tires to make sure they are in spec. Low tire pressures and high speeds (see above) will kill trailer tires like clockwork.

I tow thousands of miles per year and have not had a trailer tire failure since I started following these two rules.

If you are not already doing so, you definitely need to be using spring bars with a weight distributing hitch. Also, I would suggest you periodically weigh the trailer AND measure the tongue weight. The weight of our scout trailers varies alot from campout to campout. On our 16 ft trailer, the tongue weight can vary from 900 to 1200 lbs simply due to the way the trailers get loaded. Google "how to measure tongue weight" and you will find some simple ways to do it using a bathroom scale. Use the scale to adjust the payload in your trailer to truly get the tongue weight down around 10 to 12% of the overall trailer weight.

Tim

 

You should feel fortunate you've got a '10 - if it were an '09, even with max tow package (which is what I have) you'd be WAY over GVWR - and as a result illegal.

According to Ford, a lot of these "Built Ford Tough" '09 f-150's trucks can't carry much more than a station wagon - my wife's '07 Expedition has considerably higher payload capacity than the vast majority of '09 F-150's on the road! A family of four, plus gas, a bed cap, camping gear for a long weekend and technically we're illegal because we've exceeded GVWR in the F-150. Guess I'll leave the canoe at home. Or, take the wife's Expy.

Many '09 owners, especially those of the loaded up Platinums and Lariats have been surprised to learn their payload capacity is less than 1200lbs - some don't break 1,000lbs.

In all seriousness, I've driven both the Expy and F-150 extensively, and towed with both and clearly the F-150 is more capable of carrying cargo and towing (I have'09 Lariat, max tow, 5.4L, 4x4, 3:73, door sticker says 1197lb payload capacity, 350lbs less than wife's Expy). However, according to Ford's specs I'm illegal doing the camping trip in the F-150 because I have exceeded GVWR, but perfectly legal in the Expy. Come on Ford, ante up here - make it legal for me to go camping with my family in my "Built Ford Tough" truck.

I just did a road trip with the F-150 1000 miles each way for the kids spring break, loaded similar as to what you have described. I weighed it before I left, the truck loaded up with trailer attached, cargo in rear, people and full tank of gas came in at just under 7500lbs (3450lbs on front axle, just under 4000lbs on rear), pulling 30ft. camper with rear axle weight of 6600lbs (additional tongue weight on truck was 840lbs, which makes total trailer weight aprox. 7500lbs).

Pulled extremely well, handled great, passing uphill at 70-75mph without problems (running with Equalizer WD setup).

Hope this helps......

 

Yes, Ford screwed up the payload rating on the 2009's. It appears they corrected it for the 2010's although I havent studied the numbers like I did in 2009.

Some of the 2009 payload numbers were silly. You could get more payload in a Honda minivan than a Lariat or KR F150. Sheesh.

There is a very very long thread on "payload" ratings, that I started last year, for those who have never seen it.

During that time, I exchanged alot of emails with Ford engineers including Matt OLeary, the Program Manager.

Although I have no proof, I would like to think that my questions and discussions with them prompted them to reevaluate how they rated the trucks.

Tim

 

It would be nice to see them update the "stickers" for the '09's.

If they can send out recall notices, they can send out updates pilllar stickers.

 

In answer to the question, "am I using a WD hitch?" You betcha. I pulled the trailer in question using the hitch of the Asst. Scoutmaster. When I checked the setup, I found that the ball height needs to be raised about an inch to an inch and a half for me (him too really) and I can stand to take up another chain link or two on the bars vs. the Silverado 2500HD which has stiffer springs. With this less than optimal setup the trailer dropped my rear wheel wells about 1.5 inches and raised the fronts an eighth of an inch.

We'll adjust that before I try a long haul. We think we'll get it set up much better after we raise that ball and tilt it back.

I've only towed the trailer a couple times for short distances. I'm told the trailer brakes start squealing when I set the gain of the TBC around 8. I can't hear it but I don't hear squeaks of any kind anymore.

I can tell the trailer is back there when I start from a stop but braking seemed really really good. I can also feel it extert pressure on the truck when we hit bumps or potholes in the road--slight unexpected changes in inertia.

As I said, I'm a towing neonate and you can count the times I've towed a trailer on one hand.

 

I'm learning. Tweaked the WD hitch setup as mentioned above. Been measuring the height of the wheel wells to get a gauge on how good the hitch setup is (rounded to nearest eighth inch):

Front: 37.50, rear: 38.63 inches (unloaded)
Front: 37.63, rear: 37.00 inches (loaded w/original hitch setup)
Front: 37.50, rear: 37.63 inches (loaded w/ball raised, extra chain link)

With the last setup, the trailer was only 3/16 of an inch lower in the front than the back. It's a 14 foot Haulmark Transport DT2 7,000 lb trailer nearly fully loaded with about 800 lbs of tongue weight.

Still need to adjust the tilt on the ball.

It pulls real nice but I do feel changes in inertia from it. Mostly going over bumps and stuff. When it's tongue moves vertically due to terrain, I feel that sort of ripple thru the truck. I suppose when the trailer weighs almost as much as the truck, you're going to feel it no matter how well it's set up.

On they other hand, I pulled a 24 foot flatbed trailer full of hay bales. I think it was about 2000 lbs. Didn't even know it was there.

Heck, I'm even occasionally turning the steering wheel the correct direction the first time when trying to back the trailer into a parking space.

 

No matter what, everyone should use the bathroom before a trip!

 

Mark.

With those last measurements, it seems that you are pretty much 'golden' on your hitch setup IMO.. Just a tad low on the trailer tongue when all said and done is optimal IMO.

You seem to have good WD between the front and back axles by your measurements, so unless the WD bars are too close to the trailers A frame (within a couple of links), I would not fuss with it anymore? You want the bars to be basically parallel with the ground when it's all hooked up and ready to roll.

You are right in that you WILL feel #7000 of trailer behind you no matter how well setup the hitch is! Even those with the famed "Hensley Hitch" will 'feel' #7000 behind them! Especially when going over dips and such in the road... Wait until you go over a concrete hwy that's uneven on it's expansion joints!! You'll swear you are on the QE 2 in 14 foot seas going over the Atlantic!!

The main thing you want on a good hitch setup is being level and not having the front end pointing towards the sky or the rear end all squatted down like you are hauling 2 tons of dirt in the bed...

Mitch