I have a 2010 F150 SuperCrew with a rated tow capacity of #9500 pounds and a hitch weight of #1050 (with weight distribution). My question is, how close to the rated limits of my truck should I pull at on a four to five times per year basis? I can borrow a 32 foot trailer that has a dry weight of #8300 and a hitch weight of #1055 (I know, #5 over my hitch limit). The trailer itself will be right at the #9500 mark when loaded and the hitch weight will be near the same. Would I or should I pull this trailer on two or three hour trips multiple times per year? I have the full tow package on my truck including transmission cooling and a transmission temp gauge. I know what my gut tells me, but I'm wondering if anyone else has tried, or know someone who has tried this.

Thanks

 

I pull 5000lb camper behind 02 Supercrew with around 800 on the hitch. I usually have the truck bed full of fire wood, chairs etc too. I had to install air bags and heavy shocks to help with the front end feeling light. 32' seems like a lot of trailer for an f150. For long trips of multiple hours I would look at an f-250 just for a heavier suspension for safety reasons.

 

Your hitch weight will increase as weight is added to the trailer. You are already over your hitch capabilities and will be even more so ready to camp.

 

I say you can use the truck right up to any of it's ratings on a regular basis. But hitting the tow rating with anything besides a boat is difficult to do before hitting some other rating first.

You'll have closer to 1300 pounds on the hitch, well beyond what the receiver is rated for. Also, yourself, a full tank of fuel and the hitch will probably put the truck over its payload/GVWR. Do you plan on carrying anything in the bed or other people in the cab?

Under 6k pounds unloaded is reasonable for most half tons, a family, and minimal items in the bed.

 

I wouldn't tow any 9500# trailer with any 1/2 ton truck unless it's for very short distances and low speeds.

 

I do it twice a year, low speeds, short distances without problems. I pull a 30ft Searay Weekender 10k, on a 2k trailer. The truck pulls it just fine. As for hour long trips, Id be a little worried. We have the only country where we baby our trucks and dont overload the **** out of them. Uncle Sam sent me all over the world and you wouldnt believe how they overload trucks overseas. Short distances youd be fine.

 

This is NOT a boat. Boats tow very easy with their areodynamic profile and low hitch weight. A travel trailer is the hardest trailer to pull with their sail like front profile, tall side profile, and heavy hitch weights.

I would NOT try to pull this trailer. That's just asking for problems. Your hitch weight will most likely be 1300 lbs when loaded. This is a trailer for a stout F250 or a F350. This is not 1/2 ton towable!

See this post.

 

Hello I am very new at this site and have curiously been reading many threads on trailer towing. I own a 2006 F150 King Ranch 4 door crew cab, short bed,4 speed, with factory tow package, 5.4, 3.73 LS, 20" wheels.

I am looking to purchase a Tango 256RKS TT, rated at 29', hitch Wt. 520 lbs, dry wt. 5,500 lbs, GVWR 7,400 lbs. Allegedly 1/2 ton towable.

The trucks owners manual "tires, wheels & loading" chart rates my truck max trailer Wt. @ 8700 ponds. The hitch is rated at 990 lbs with weight distributing, 500 without.

Please advice - Thanks in advance EdK

 

No problem, Zed - that should be within the safe capabilities of the truck. You will need a WD hitch and a brake controller.

 

While I'm sure you'll be right at the truck's GVWR with a 6500pound TT ready to camp, the truck will do fine.

 

Roger that, glc & APT,
I can sleep better now, I was actually looking to buy a new F150 EB. They sure are sweet!
I forgot to mention my KR is a 4X4, will that matter?
Zed

 

The 4X4 will matter as it takes about 400 lbs off of the payload, which is the limiting factor on a 1/2 ton truck.

The best thing to do is find your trucks actual payload which is stated on the tire loading sticker on the trucks door jam. Your KR is probably pretty heavy offering only about 1200 lbs. Then you must subtract the weight of any added accessory as a tonneau cover, bedliner, side steps, hitch, etc. After subtracting those weights, then the final payload you came up with, you'll need to subtract the weight of all passengers, the driver, and any tools or other stuff you want in the truck. After you subtract all that, that is what's left for tongue weight.

The best guess on tongue weight is to take the campers actual weight. Once again on the sticker siting the cargo capacity (payload) of the trailer. Previously these stickers use to be one of the interior cabinet doors, inside. Now these are being put on the outside of the trailer. Take the campers GVWR and subtract that payload number to get the weight of the trailer. An average loaded trailer, with only the essentials, not excess, is usually around another 1100 to 1200 lbs. So add that 1200 lbs to your unloaded weight you just got. Once you get that loaded trailer weight guess, multiply it by an average tongue weight of 13% (.13) to get your tongue weight guess.

Now that you have an estimated tonque weight, take 80% of that and that is the weight that would go onto your truck's payload after using a weight distribution hitch. Your truck should have enough payload to cover this. If it does not, the trailer is to heavy and you can either get a smaller trailer or a F250. Unfortunately, you can only guess until you have bought both the tow vehicle and the camper and have them both fully loaded before you'll actually be able to weigh them at the scales to get the accurate weight of everything.

See how I done the calculations here. In my calculations I didn't use 80% for the tongue weight that's put on the trucks payload with a weight distribution hitch. The 80% is a bit more concervative and easier to calculate. What I did was take 100 lbs of WDH weight, add it to the 13% tongue weight, divide by 3 for all the axle sets, truck and trailer, then take 2/3rd of that, which will actually go towards the trucks payload. Weight distribution hitch theoritically will put equal weight on all the axles, hense why I took 2/3rds. But it's all a guess until you actually weigh it. 80% works out to add more to the trucks payload so it's more conservative making you a bit on the safer side.

If you do order a new truck, you could get a truck with the Max Tow package, but it's a bit deceiving in the way the payload is done. With this package, your axle ratings will likely be your limiting rating, and not your payload so keep a close eye on your Gross Axle Weights. The best thing to do if you don't need a Crew Cab like me, is to get an Extended Cab with the Heavy Duty Suspension package and the Max Tow Package. Then you will have nearly the same towing capability as a F250 and will have the same if not more, payload.

Good luck

 

ZedK is correct in his statement: "weigh the vehicle(Gross Vehicle Weight)"+"Total Trailer Weight"= GCW(Gross Combined Weight), it's worth the small investment. And compare that data with your Ford "Owner's Guide". This is my first time posting on this site. Sounds like most entries are seeking accurate Data on towing. That's a sound bite of judgment.

I've got a 2006 F150XLT Screw, 5.4L,3.55LS - Factory towing pkg. (Class III hitch, 500#-5000#tow Hitch). I'm going to upgrade this to the HD Towing pkg by tracking down an OEM Class IV hitch and Upgrading the Rear Axle Ratio to 3.73. This should allow me to tow a trailer with "tractor 6,000+trailor 2,000", according to Owner's Guide with tire size and wheel base (total weight=9,500lb) with the Upgades. If I had a long haul with this load, I'd differently consider F250 or 350 for this and larger payloads. (Just short distance and short duration.)

I'm just saying weigh your loads and tow conservatively, I've been to countries in three other continents and seen how other cultures treat their trucks. I'm just thinking of others when I load up my tractor to help a friend mow a field.
One last thing may God give us the wisdom to think of our fellow man. Be blessed, be safe, and be a blessing to others. Simper Fi

 

Sorry ZedK, I ment to salute Mike Up.
The Owner's Guide (manual) towing capacities are based on: Engine displacement / Rear Gear Ratio / Wheelbase / (sub note: And the rating of the Receiver Hitch).

2006 F-150 XLT, 5.4L, 3.55LS gear, 138 wheel base, I’m in the process of Upgrading the Factory Class III to a Curt Class IV receiver hitch, and this fall I’ll upgrade the 3.55 gear to a 4.10 (part coast @ $560.00 + labor). I don’t have the correct tooling to mesh the gears correctly, so I’ll take the gear swop job to the Certified guys to can track the gear mesh.
And the Hitch Upgrade: My old welding / metal work skills well come into play as soon as Curt can get the Class IV 14360 shipped hear. Ford make the factory hitch also do double duty and serve as Step Bumper mount. So I’ll be cutting the original hitch and turn it into a Step Bumper mounting bracket, and mount the Curt under that.

Will hope everyone’s towing chores are safe ones.

Help a friend or stranger, Be a blessing to your fellow man, and give God the Thanks.
Semper Fi,
106rr, 06XLT

 

106, just buy any aftermarket OEM class 4 receiver and skip the gears. If you don't like how well it performs, get 4.10 gears, not 3.73. Not much difference between 3.55 and 3.73 to justify the cost.