I have been trying to find out the rating of my hitch on my truck. I bought the truck with the towing package already on so the decal with the rating has long gone. It is one serious hitch and it is the full width of the truck (but I have never used it) & I am going to need to use it soon to tow a U Haul trailer. Anyone got any ideas as I obviously don't want to overload it.

 

Page 180 of the 5th printing of the owners manual lists the table for the trailer weights, if it is a factory hitch.

What you can pull depends on the cab configuration, engine, trans, rear end and if 4x2 or 4x4.

Example of delta.
Reg cab, 126" WB, 5.4, 4x2, 3.73, is 8400# trailer weight.
Reg cab, 126" WB, 5.4, 4x4, 3.73, 17" wheels is 8100# trailer weight.
Reg cab, 126" WB, 5.4, 4x4, 3.73, 18" wheels is 7600# trailer weight.

tongue weight is the 10% to 15% figure when using the receiver.

"full width of the truck" does not sound like a factory hitch.
The factory hitch is only frame to frame.

 

Look closely, I think most hitches have the ratings engraved somewhere on them in case the sticker gets worn off.

 

Also, on the F150, anything over 500/5000lbs tongue/trailer weight must be with a weight distribution hitch. The class III/IV hitches on these trucks are not rated for more than that without the WD hitch.

 

The owners manual lists those weights as the load rates for using the integrated step bumper hitch mount with a 1" shank diameter ball or if the truck is not equipped with the heavy-duty trailer towing package ( 5000# limit ).

The examples above are direct from the owners manual for a truck with the heavy-duty trailer towing package. No mention of WD hitch required to get to that weight.

 

Mine is a 2wd with 4 doors but the back two open the wrong way if that helps.

 

SuperCab cab configuration is a start.

Need:
1. Wheel Base ( short or long bed )
2. 4x2 or 4x4
3. Engine
3.1. If 5.4L if you have 17" or 18" wheels
4. Rear Axle Ratio

The trailer weight range for a SuperCab is 6000# to 9500# depending on what the answers are to the 4 questions above.

 

You will also need to find out the class of hitch (I, II, III, IV). It does not matter what the truck can handle, without knowing what class it is you cannot know the max you can tow. It should be stamped on the hitch itself. It will show the max weight with and without a WD hitch.

That is where I got the 500/5000. I know the bumper is only rated to that no matter what, although I would not tow more than about 1000lbs with the bumper. To easy to end up with a messed up bumper.

Also, with the hitch being that wide, I would question whether it is just something someone cobbled together or mounted even though it was not meant for an F150. If that is true, all numbers are suspect.

 

I think I have just answered my own question. I found like a embossed square on the rear bumper and it has some info on it.
On the left it says "Hitch type" & underneath that weight distribution and then underneath that weight carrying. Moving towards the right it then has (moving down respectively) "Max Gross Trailer Weight", 9900, 5000. Then "Max Tongue Weight" 990 & then 500. There is also "V5" stamped on it. There is another square that says "Bumper Capacity Only". Does this mean anything to anyone, its all foreign to me!!!

 

It means that without a WD hitch you are limited to 500/5000. With a WD hitch, 990/9900. However before you hit that 990/9900 you will probably be over one of your weight limitations of the vehicle, whether it is GAWR (axle rating), GVWR (total weight rating), or GCWR (total weight of combine vehicles).

weights are max tongue weight/max tow weight.

 

OMG!!! Anyone would think I was asking the meaning of life!!! (which is 42 by the way!!) is nothing simple!!! All I want to know is if my truck can tow a 5x8 U Haul & I seem to have to solve like the worlds debt problem to get my answer. I am not having a go at anyone but I have no idea whatgear ratio it has or other things. I do know it has a towing package & a transmission cooler & the hitch. Why does evrything have to be so complicated, its stressful enough moving without this as well. Thanks for the help though guys!!


Ps. All I am moving is household stuff nothing real heavy (better not mention Fort Knox)LOL!!!

 

It will tow it, just make sure that it is properly loaded so that you get about 10% of the total weight on the hitch. Otherwise it can make it unsafe. With too high or too low a tongue weight, the trailer will have a tendency to sway.
I doubt you could load up the trailer and get more than 5000 total weight, and a 5x8 trailer would not be rated any where near that.
As you did not state trailer size before, you could not get a valid answer being u-haul trailers come in all sizes.

 

If you can load a 1000lb 5x8 trailer with 4000lbs of stuff, I will be very impressed. Your truck will tow it with no issue.

 

Then you should have asked EXACTLY THAT in your FIRST post! YOU are the one making this complicated by withholding information!

Go rent the trailer. As long as you have a drawbar for the receiver, 2" ball, and a 4 pin light plug you have all you need. If you are missing any of that, U-Haul will gladly provide (sell) it to you.

 

1. You don't know if you have a long bed or short bed SuperCab ?
- Lay down in it with the gate closed, is it close to your head ( 6') or far away like the ceiling in your house ( 8' ) ?

2. You don't know if you have a 4x2 or 4x4 ?
- Look to the left of the radio, is there a coin holder or switch.
- Most of the time the sticker is still on the side of the truck, if it is a 4x4.

3. You don't know what size Engine you have ( or the wheel size if needed ) ?
- Look at the fender emblem, if it is a 5.4 it will say it, and then look at the tire size, it would show R17 or R18 in the size.

4. Rear Axle Ratio - On the door sticker, it is a 2 character code, quick search here would short what it is.
- Question #4 is the only "hard" question, and it takes looking at the door, and getting a code like B6, and looking it up in the axle ratio ref table here. All of 5 min work.

These are not meaning of life type questions..

And just like the other posts, including in post #1 that you are going to be hooking up a 5x8 U haul trailer would have been useful.

Unless you are loading it with all lead batteries or steel weight lifting equipment, you are not going to be beyond the 500#/5000# limit that is in the owners manual.