Is it the frame design, engine, transmission, rear end, gearing, or like some huge combination of them all? What's usually the weak link in determining the actual capacity??

I want to get a trailer and the one I'm looking at is 31'. Trailer weight is right around 6,000lbs dry with a max GW of 9,900lbs. I figure I will have it around 8,000-8,500lbs when I have all my stuff in it.

As far as the truck, I'm thinking about adding a supercharger, 4.10 gears, and custom leaf springs for the rear. Is there anything else you'd do to the truck or the trans...or is this just too much trailer no matter what you do to it??? Thanks for the help guys.

 

"What Really Determines Towing Capacity??"

Stones.

and if you get that trailer, you got big ones.

 

Well, he could always get the trailer...... His stones would just have to be pretty large to actually tow it with his F150.....

What really determines your 'tow rating' is what's stamped on the sticker on the door jamb....

You have three major weight limits... GVWR, front GAWR and rear GAWR. Exceed any one of these three and that's it, you are done! Does not matter what the "tow rating" says in the manual... It's these ones that should matter the most to you..

Get your truck weighed and find how much you are carrying now. If you can get f/r axle weights, all the better!

What's left over of this weight is what PAYLOAD your truck can handle. Payload from that point on will be anything you add to the truck that was not there when you weighed it. So, any additional passengers is payload. That cooler full of beer is payload... The tongue weight of that trailer is payload....

That trailer is going to have around a #1000 tongue weight by the time you get done with it....

You can add all the power and suspension mods you want to... Ain't gonna change that sticker... Besides, can you imagine what a #8500, 31+ foot trailer is going to do with a #7000, 18 foot truck if it gets a mind to go someplace else the truck is not intending to go???

I've maxed my GVWR and rear GAWR with my little 22', #5000 travel trailer! It tows very well, but I would not be satisfied with it's performance if it was any heavier....

If you want that kind of trailer, you need the right tool for the job... Sure, you will get down the road with the F150, but it won't be any fun at all!

Good luck!

Mitch

 

It sounds like that trailer is calling "SUPER DUTY" pretty loudly.

I would consider listening to the trailer. Also, think in bed hitch and the load will be like it's not back there(5th Wheel)...when compared to a bumper pull. When tongue weights start to exceed 600#'s on a bumper pull you will get a lot of up-down flex in the vehicle ride....most start to use weight distribution bars around this weight. If you have an in-bed hitch it is a non-issue.

Additionally the axle, trans, diesel engine and suspension of the Super Duty will handle the load with ease...unlike the F-150 which all of these will be stressed.

Here's an example:
I had a customer come in this week to have a 5th wheel hitch removed from a F150 and re-installed in a new Super Duty. It was pulling the 25' travel trailer when it came in. After only driving 30 miles the rear diff cover was hot enough to burn even after the exhaust was cool to the touch. It was a smart choice to go to the Super Duty in that case.....oh yeah, they just replaced the trans in that F150 with only 60,000 miles on it.

Will your truck move that big trailer...sure...but you'll probably break something pretty quickly.....or at least make a lot wear out pre-maturely.

Keep in mind if you exceed your GCVWR, GVWR or Trailer GVWR you can look at a huge ticket if your caught at a portable weigh station. In Colorado you would be looking at multiple thousands of dollars of fines. When towing also remember to be legal you'll need safety triangles or flares as well as a 1st aid kit....these are DOT laws.

 

It comes down to engine trany and gera ratio for most of it then add in if its a 4x2 or 4x4 reg cab suppercab or suppercrew and short or long wheelbase are all the factors that determine how much you can tow with your setup.

 

The 4" lift and larger tires will hurt you towing this.

 

I've been towing this for over 3 years now with NO problems at all, but you must understand something, it's not the best thing to do. My boat is well balanced on the trailer so the tongue weight is not much. The whole rig with no gas in the boat and my family is about 9000#. My truck is supercharged and I have 4:10 gears and the class 3 towing package. I've pulled it Lake Havasu City, about a 3 hr. drive, and also to LA, took 7 hrs. This August we're going to San Diego by way of LA. The reason we're going that direction is there's alot of big hills going into San Diego. That's the downfall to pulling something so heavy with an F-150, big hills are a killer. As long as it's somewhat flat, I can maintain 65-70 mph the whole way, and the tranny temps stay cool.

 

Ford determines the three numbers on the driver's door sticker that Mitch listed based on the frame, springs, rear axle ratio and size, transmission, brakes, wheelbase, engine, tire/wheel size and weight, bearings, bushings, and more. The weak link? All are designed with similar limits. No one thing will majically increase tow ratings, although several things could improve how well a vehicle tows within those limits.

For the cost of upgrading your Screw with the thing you mentioned, you can sell your truck and buy a used Superduty w/ V10 or PSD. They'll tow that kind of wight much better stock than a Screw with those mods with better fuel mileage as well. The V10 even runs on 87 octane vs. a supercharger that will require premium. Or save some money and stick to a TT <6000 pounds loaded. Have you considered hybrid trailers?

 

Thanks APT for the input...actually thanks everyone for the info, but APT actually answered my question. My plan even before getting the trailer was to do what adt did...supercharger, 4.10 gears, new springs, and maybe some trans work if needed. I don't consider that additional cost as I enjoy pumping money into my truck like any other toy, but I appreciate the alternate view. I also don't like anything else as good as my truck and would most likely consider a more reasonable trailer instead of getting rid of my truck. We'll see. Thanks for all the input though. Nice to have some new light shined on the subject.

 

I think people read WAY too much into "towing capacities". Just tow what you feel comfortable with, and drive safe. Like Raoul says, it all depends on what you feel able to do. You can pull 20,000lbs safely with an F150 without overstressing anything on the truck. You just have to drive careful and go really slow. If you want to tow 20,000lbs fast, get a semi.

 

Pull 20k? Yes. Safely at highway speeds (even 60mph)? I doubt it. And this guy's truck is 4wd with larger/heavier tires which hurts performance towing or not.

 

Pull 20K? Yes. Safely down the highway? Yes. At 60 mph with an f-150?

 

I had to jump in here on this post even though it is a few months old.

I have a 27TT, 5050#'s dry. I estimate it is around 6-6200#'s loaded. My 04 F150 SC pulls just fine at 65-70 mph, all thanks to Troyer Performance. Stock pulled it just fine too but gas mileage was terrible. Not is not as terrible. Can get 9 average.

My tow weights are at 8900#'s stock and 8200#'s with my 20's on it. So at 6200#'s I am at 80% of the max, which is what you need to not go over on your TT. If you go look at RV.net you will see many, many threads about tow weights from many different owners. My next rig is a F250 PSD for sure. I want to be able to tow my TT with no issues on MPG and power. For now and as little as I tow (12 times per year) my F150 does great. You better get a good brake controller.

FYI, I did see a F150 this past weekend pulling a 30FT TT with a slide, they had the bed loaded down and the trailer I am sure was loaded...His rig was WAY over loaded.
My .02 worth