Interpreting Trailer Specs

[Pacal]

Hey,

I'm considering a mid-sized truck, like the F-150, and a trailer but I'm having difficulty understanding the specs on the Weekend Warrior trailers.

http://www.warriormfg.com/9wide-lite.htm

Could someone clarify whether I should be looking at the GVWR on these trailers or the Axle Weight when determining what options are feasible with a F-150?

Thanks a bunch!

Also if anyone has any advice or tips on the many varieties of trailers and features or could recommend a resource that does a better job comparing brands and models, please let me know.

Pacal

[Cooper443irty]

You should be looking at the GVWR. This would correspond to the maximum trailer rating of your truck.

Even empty the trailers you are asking about are too big for any F-150. You are going to need a F-250 for most toy haulers.

[kingfish51]

Looking at the page you provided, none of those trailers are light enough for the F150. You will need to get an F250 or larger. The lightest trailer listed there was an 11,400lb GVW and a 1040lb tongue weight. The hitch for the F150 can't handle that nor can the truck.

[APT]

Toy haulers mean 3/4ton+ trucks, especially those ones. The frames are heavier than comparable RV becasue they have to hold 3000+ pounds of toys at times, so they weigh more than comparable sized RV. Then, you actually put those toys in, boom, over every rating the OEM gives for 1/2 ton trucks. Besdies, you'll want the power from a V10 or diesel for something that large and heavy.

Going to a 3/4 ton truck will mean more gas and rougher ride than 1/2 ton for all the non-towing driving. There may be some smaller options for you. Travelstar has some options as well as Rockwood Roo. These are hybrid trailers with expandable bunk ends for the beds and exterior storage of the toys.

What kind of toys do you plan to tow?

[MitchF150]

Like was already said, your F150 won't like you very much if you choose even the 'lightest' one of those trailers in your link.. I also don't think you will enjoy the towing experience you will have either..

Personally, I look at the GVWR of the trailer to determine if it's going to be a 'viable' option to tow behind my F150 or any truck for that matter.

The new F150's have higher GVWR and GCWR then my F150, but I feel the same weight restrictions apply to even F350's...

Screw what the "tow ratings" of any truck says... You won't ever be able to tow a trailer that weighs what the "tow rating" is because you will likely exceed at least one other weight rating your truck has. Those truck weight ratings are GVWR, front and rear GAWR.. GCWR is also in there, but I'll bet you exceed one of the others before you get to your GCWR anyway.. Yeah, yeah, someone will pop up and say that they are under 'all' of their trucks weight ratings and are towing at the trucks "tow rating".. Great.. I'm talking about 'in general' and NOT towing at MAX capacities..

What you need to do is get your truck weighed and if at all possible, get the front and rear axle weights. These two weights combined give you your trucks GVW. Subtract this from your trucks GVWR and that's the amount of payload you have left. Anything else that goes into or onto the truck reduces your payload amount.

Tongue weight of a TT is going to add a bunch of payload to your truck. The higher the trailers GVWR, the higher the trailers tongue weight is going to be, so that's why I go by the trailers GVWR..

My TT has a GVWR of only #5000! Thats under the 'axle weight' of the lightest TH you have listed.. My trucks "tow rating" is #7700.. Yet, my #5000 GVWR trailer puts me over my trucks GVWR when I'm all hitched up and ready to go for a long weekend..

Anyway, if you want one of those TH, you need to get a bigger truck then an F150..

Mitch

[Pacal]

Much thanks for all your input fellas.

Pacal

[sydscrew]

This is a site that I have found helpful. If you can punch in the required numbers, it will tell you whether or not your truck can do the job

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-...eight-tt.shtml

Play around with the numbers in the safety margin area to gauge whether you want to go with what is recommended or not. Notice that the site also has a calculator for 5th wheels. The site also gives calculators for liquid weight and adjusting GVW.

Good Luck