Class VI reciever hitches are rated for 500/5000lbs. unless a wieght distribution hitch is used. None the less, anything over 7,000lbs is excesive for a f-150. The suspension wont handle it well, the brakes arent sufficient (trailer brakes are prone to fail or loose traction on slick surfaces because they "pull" on the load from the back), and the truck is not heavy enough to control the load. Unfortunately engineers and marketing consultants have teamed up to compete with a tow off war with other manufacturers. Basing pulling recomendations off the driveline is ignorant. Power and reliability is a consideration, but so is suspension, braking, and tires (yes the stock tires are underated to pull this type of load properly). In an ideal world this would probably suffice. Anybody that doesn't trailerl a load like this regularly lacks the experience to safely trailer such a heavy load, and anybody that has trailered a load like this on a regular base would recognize that they need a heavier duty truck . Drivers following too close, road conditions, climate, and human error make this world less than ideal. I am a mechanical engineering major, but I will not let some guy behind a desk tell me that I can pull more than my truck will control and stop under adverse circumstances based on gear ratios. I just have more respect for my safety and the safety of others.
Last edited by spaceman12321; 08-21-2002 at 03:17 PM.
Spaceman.....I totally agree with what you said. Please tell us what kind of RV you tow behind your F150. And if it's safe I'd like to know how you have it set up.......hitch, shocks, swaybars etc...
Just wondering....
I dont tow an RV. I tow a 16' utility trailer about 3x a week with my f150 loaded usually between 2500-3500#. The most I've towed with my f150 is about 5500#. I have electric brakes and added leaf, heavy shocks, C rated truck tires (would go D if they were metric, but are hard to find in 31's). My father has a lawn and garden nursery, and I do all the contract installation. We have an old 1 ton that I tow anything heavy with, and its their for that purpose.
You'd be surprised how much difference the trailer makes as well. The trailer was a premium and has a 2-5/16" coupler. We specifically chose that because most 2" balls are only rated for 6000#. The axle placement and alignment, along with the weight distribution of our trailer makes it pull better than any other trailer I've pulled (probably about 10 or so others).
I would say most members on here have a safe setup and feel comfertable with it. My thought is that a trailer wieghing 8,000# will have more control over the truck than the driver will. I know I wouldn't be comfertable in front of that load in a 1/2 ton, reguardless of the trucks gear ratio.
I have a 2000 F 150 7700 Ford with 373 gears K&N filter and Gibson Exh. It tows my Spinter trailer with double slideouts fine, sometimes as fast as 85 MPH, even 70 up hill, until I hit a good headwind, then it really slowsdown. The combination weighs about 12,800lbs. The tung weight is 800lbs. which is less then the three quarter ton carring capacity of my P/U.
Overall I'm very happy with combo. It's smooth and gives me great mileage year round.
Thanks for a great site to let other people share thier joy.
Jimmy_7700
Hi old Timer,
Yes, I'm sure it was 70 up hill, because I pointed it out to my wife and was surprized myself, we were coming back from Utah this past summer in Wyoming and the hills are steep and when I saw the BIG one coming I mashed the gas to get up it. This was a trick or trade off I learned from driving semi. If you don't get into it out there, sometimes down to 25mph. and that really slow when you got to get home sometime the same week.
This is not to say the one I went so fast on the down, didn't get me over 50mph on the next big one. Those mountains are tuff on a 5.4. I have traveled with my heavy trailer on a lot of Mountains going south in winter and the ones in Wyoming on rte.80 take the cake.
The fifth wheel hitch is just forward of the rearend and puts some weight on the front end and it feels as sturdy on the road as it does when w/out a trailer, maybe better.
jimmy
Sure is hard for us folks to stay on topic isn't it? This started out to be good info from Raoul and then changed into a "Pick on the Screw Owners thread" (which Raoul joined in on.....shame on you !!) and then it got back on topic again. One of the reasons that Ford sells so many trucks is that they make so many different variations for so many different applications. One is no less a truck than the other.......although the testosterone level of the owner may suggest otherwise.
I'd have to say again that what Spaceman said is correct down to the commas and periods especially since he's on topic. F150 trucks, while they are rated to pull certain amounts are really NOT meant to be towers over around 6000 lbs no matter what you do to them and no matter what the owners manual says. Even the local RV dealer says that and he'd love to sell me a 26' RV.
I think that the really important thing that Spaceman says is that which relates to SAFELY pulling a trailer under whatever conditions you might encounter on the road......safe for both the driver of the tow vehicle and those on the road around him. Just because you can get it started and it doesn't blow out the tires or destroy the suspension doesn't mean that you can stop the thing in an emergency situation. Seems to me that for every wreck you see on the side of the road there's probably one dumbass and one victim.
Originally posted by momule ...info from Raoul and then changed into a "Pick on the Screw Owners thread" (which Raoul joined in on.....shame on you !!) ...
LOL, that was four months ago but, I guess there's no statute of limitations on the messageboard. And I actually didn't join in, I started it. There is a forum here for every type truck except mine and the comment was my jealousy showing through. momule, you're older than me and I was raised to respect my elders so that's about as straight up an answer as I can give.
Steve should put the lock on them if he's going to sticky them.
He's been doing this long enough to know we can't police ourselves.
__________________
*Signature photo removed by admin*
*Tire and Wheel care is a good thing however, you were showing way too much buttcrack*
This forum is owned and operated by Internet Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation. It is not authorized or endorsed by the Ford Motor Company and is not affiliated with the Ford Motor Company or its related companies in any way. FordŽ is a registered trademark of the Ford Motor Company
I don't see mine in there
5th wheeler towing
Which rear axle?
Linear Mode
