Hi folks.

I just purchased a 2010 XLT SCREW with a 4.6 4X2 / .355 diff.

I am looking at buying a 8700 lb travel trailer. I am guessing that loaded up it will be close to the 9400 lb towing capacity.

Anyone towing at kind of weight ? Any gotchas ?

 

Thats too much trailer for the 4.6 IMO. The 5.4 would be a better choice. Honestly I would look at a lighter trailer

 

Check out your towing specs on page 253 of your owners manual.... If you have the 4.6 2v, with the 3.55 your GCWR is only #10,400 and MAX trailer weight is only #5400..

If you happen to have the 4.6 3v, then the numbers go up a bit, but still not enough for your ambitions!

with the 3v, your GCWR is #12900 and max trailer is # 7700..

And, these figures really only count on the best of days you can have.... Meaning, you will never really be able to truely obtain those weights AND still remain under your trucks GVWR/GAWR at the same time.....

I'd be looking at a bigger truck, or a smaller trailer...

Mitch

 

i made the mistake of buying to big a camper for my truck. dry weight on my camper is 7400 hunded, gcvw on my truck is 14500 and towing compasity is 8700. i took my truck and trailer over the scales with just me in it and the truck was on empty and it weighted 13880. i am now selling my truck and buying an excursion. dont listen to the camper sales men, they will tell you your truck will pull a 45 foot 5th wheel.

 

I have the 3V. In my manual on page 253 is talks about tires, but on page 256 it has the towing weights. For my truck it states GCWR 14900 and Max trailer of 9400 lb. Remember this is a 2010.

 

14900 seems a little high for a 4.6 with 3.55's. Also that 9400 lb's is only for a truck that has no gas in the tank, no washer fluid, no oil in the motor, no oil in the tranny, no driver. Realistically you can take 500 lb's off the top. Maybe more. Now you still have to take into account the passengers and cargo in the truck. Water, food, clothes etc in the trailer. By the time all that extra weight is added in, that trailer will not be legal behind your truck. An 8700 lb trailer is not really half ton towable. Don't listen to the salesman when they tell you your truck can pull it. They only care about making a sale. Personally I think that the salesman should be held liable for selling people trailers that are too big for their trucks.

 

I stand corrected... I indeed was looking at the 2010 manual, but looking at the incorrect cab configuration...

I was looking at the Reg Cab ratings..

How the SuperCab rates those kinds of ratings is a mystery to me. What is the GVWR for your truck? Is it #7200 or higher?

Regardless of what the 'tow ratings' are, you still can't load up the truck to the gills and still expect to be able to achieve those figures without exceeding some other rating on the truck...

I've towed #9000 before with an E250 Van with the 351 (5.8) in it and it was a struggle and not a fun tow... Granted, the 4.6 3v has more HP/TQ then that 5.8 did, but still...

Anyway, there are folks that tow that much with their F150... I wouldn't do it, but that's just me... I can't argue what the ratings say... But, I also know that the ratings are usually unattainable AND keeping the trucks other weight ratings in check...

Mitch

 

An 8700 UVWR RV will be 9500 pounds when you sign the paperwork. It will be another 750 pounds heavier with water, propane, food, clothes, and other camping gear. 1/2 ton trucks run out of payload well before GCWV or Tow rating.

Take a look at your driver's door or B- pillar sticker for Tire and Loading information. Then take off your weight, family's weight, and the weight of anything in the truck bed. RV's tow best with 10-15% of tongue weight. So, 9000 pounds is up to 1350 pounds of your payload.

IMO, half ton trucks should stick to trailers under 7500 pounds GVWR and under 6000 pounds UVWR.