I need to know if there is a websie or something that explains things in common sense to me.

I have 06 SCREW with a 5.4 V8 and 3.55. I know that. Am looking for a travel trailer. Don't want to overload it.

It is Texas Edition with towing package. How much trailer can I comfortably pull w/o problems? Do I go by the GVWR of trailer or the dry weight, or the hitch weight? I do plan on getting a Weight Distrubition. I have been told the Equalizer is good. What are your opinions. Thanks in advance cause I am still a NEWBIE.

Justin

 

Hmm, I cannot think of any newbie links, but I'm sure some exist. I'll offer my opinion, though.

Keep the GVWR of the trailer under 7000 pounds and the dry weight rating under 5000 pounds and you'll be happy. 1/2 ton pickups tend to hit the GVWR of the tow vehicle before the "tow rating" or GCWR (combined wiehgt of truck and trailer and all passengers/cargo). So, even though your truck's tow ratings are in the 7600-8500 range depending on wheelbase, 2wd/4wd and wheel size, towing more than 6000 pounds wih and F-150 are about the comfortable limits for most drivers. Since you have a Screw, you probabyl have a family/friends you want to take with you as well. So, 600 pounds of passengersplus whatever camping gear you put in the bed of the truck takes away from the payload availible for trailer tounge weight. So, 15% of a 6000# trailer is 9000 pounds. Plus 600 pounds for people leaves 100-200 pounds for cargo. The truck's GVRW usually is the first limit excedded.

Keep in mind as you are shopping for a trailer, the dry weight rating is about 10-15% less than the weight of the trailer you actually take delivery of. That rating is obviously no fluids, but also no propane tanks or options on the trailer than add significant weight.

 

Try this...it makes a lot of sense..

http://www.rvtowingtips.com/

 

Thanks for the help guys. I do want a trailer, but do not want to get another truck. Yes I do have family. There is 4 of us. 2 growing boys.

Justin

 

Well from someone who tows a 7000# 30' travel travel with 5.4L 3.55 gears on a supercrew regularly, it will handle it just fine
Also I have about 650lbs of cargo and passengers.
My biggest trip was for KATRINA, I was loaded down with 2 gens in the bed, 4 adults 2 german sheppards and 5 5gal gas cans, plus the trailer talk about over loaded, but the truck shrugged it off and pulled like a pro even on the 4-6 percent grades. By no means was I going to win a race with all of this but it handled it quite spectacularly if I do say so myself. ( I do say so myself )

 

Also try www.rv.net/forums/

 

Lol, you've got like 70lbs of GVWR left over...

Personally, with a TT, I would go to about 80% of GCWR (assuming your GVWR isn't over) because of the added stress from all of that frontal area.

 

Figure about 8 - 8.5K towing capacity. Now from that sutract the weight of everything else you are carrying including people and thats what you can tow. So If you have 1000 in people and gear, then you can haul a 7K pound trailer, If 2K in "stuff" then the trailer weight must be 6K pounds and so on.

If you get a trailer 6500 pounds or lighter, shouldn't be an issue. Of course you will need a brake controller...

 

well, considering thats 3 adults and 2 german shephards I don't think its that bad.