I have a 5.4 with the 3.73 gears. We are picking up our new trailer this weekend. It is 33' and has a GVW of 6400. I have a Fabtech 6" suspension lift and I am getting the upgraded shocks. I was considering the airbags for the rear and upgrading my discs on my brakes to either larger or vented.

The place that we are getting the trailer from is putting on the brake controller and an equalizer hitch.

I have seen the telescoping Ford mirrors. Are those a must have or a nice to have?

I was considering getting a temp gauge for the transmission. Any other things that would be good ideas for pulling the trailer?

 

Hello sir!

If you peruse all of the recent posts similar to yours you'll notice a disturbing trend - that the trailer weights are vastly underrated and in most cases one or more of yer tuck's ratings will likely be exceeded.

You need to get the truck/trailer, then trailer alone weighed at a scale to be sure - that's the first step. The sticker on yer truck will tell you yer specific truck's actual ratings.

A 33' @ only 6400, dry & stripped most likley will be far more real-world.

A 6" lift is not gonna help. What tire size (diameter)?

How far? How often? Terrain?

Do you have the towing package? You will need a weight distributing hitch fer sure...

Like I said - refer to those other threads - there are many on this exact topic.

Good luck, sir!

MGD v4.2

 

The weight on the trailer GVW said 6390 on the door but I figure when it is all said and done it will be more like 7300. The trailer is a 29' box but the over all length is about 33'. They took a lot of weight out of the 2010 (lost about 800 lbs from the 2009).

The Ford charts said my truck can pull 9200 with that gearing and the hitch well exceeds what the trailer tongue weight says it should be. I would be careful not to load at the front of the trailer also.

I have 35" tires on the truck. I know the lift does not help. I thought air bags might be a good idea with having dirt bikes in the bed of the truck.

We will be pulling a few times a year for maybe 50-300 miles. I can't imagine trying to take this trailer over anything too rough. Maybe short stretches of dirt roads but mostly paved roads.

 

Here's but a few ...

Please wait until a few of the towing gurus get a chance to contribute, okay?

Thanks

https://www.f150online.com/forums/to...ft-towing.html


https://www.f150online.com/forums/to...d-opinion.html

https://www.f150online.com/forums/to...truck-tow.html

 

Thanks for the info MGDfan.

 

The gearing means nothing now that you have 35" tires. 3.73 gears and stock 31-32" tires is a whole different ball game than 3.73s with 35s. The extra width, height and weight of the 35s cause a lot of drag (as well as the lift). The engine/transmission has to work significantly harder to turn bigger tires especially when pulling a load. The brakes work harder as well but that isn't a big deal with a properly setup trailer brake controller.

I personally wouldn't spend a dime before re-gearing the axles. I get frustrated sometimes driving around empty with 35s and 3.73s, no way would I plan to pull a trailer that big with this setup unless it was a one time short trip. You should be throwing 4.56 gears in there.

Airbags definitely wouldn't hurt, either would a rear sway bar but it's probably not needed. My main concerns would be the gearing, then get a scangauge or something similar to monitor transmission temps. After you pull it you'll know if you want/need different shocks or anything else.

If you haven't pulled a heavy trailer, find someone to actually knows how to properly setup a trailer brake controller and weight distribution hitch, and pay attention when they show you.

 

As stated, get the unit weighed. You mention GVW of 6400#, if that is in fact the case then you should be OK but if that is the "dry" weight then you will be quite a bit higher than that....probably 1500# higher once loaded with options, propane, battery(s), water and all your stuff. This would not leave you much weight to put in the truck.

 

I'll come right out and say you will be 1000 pounds over your trucks' GVWR of 7200 pounds. That's 3/4 ton territory.

What is the trailer make/model? What does your driver's door Tire and Loading label say for your truck?

If 6400 pounds is the dry or unloaded weight rating, then You will be closer to 7500 pounds ready to camp. You will also have close to 1000 pounds on the hitch. Add your weight, any others in the truck, and whatever in in your truck bed like 2 ~400 pound bikes and you'll quickly note how over loaded your truck is. As already mentioned, Ford's design ratings are for a stock truck, not one with a 6" lift, larger/heavier tires and wheels.

Things that I recommend upgrading: 4.88:1 differentials, air bag suspension, new shocks, engine tuner to adjust for the larger tires and different gearing, towing mirrors.


You can spend a good amount of money all of that or you can find a nice 2005 F-250 V10 with similar equipment as your truck for less than $2k upgrade costs and not worry about that kind of load.

 

That #9200 "tow rating" does not necessarily apply to 'your' truck.... It applies IF it's a bone stock 'work truck' with zero options and you've done nothing to alter the drivetrain...

What's the GVWR of the trailer? This will be the most it can weigh.

How much does your truck weigh as it sits in the driveway? I'll bet it's over #6000 all by itself. With a GVWR of #7200 on your truck, you'll eat up most of that with just the tongue weight of that trailer alone.. How much stuff do you plan on loading into the truck after you hitch up?

Technically, once you reach your trucks GVWR, that's it, you're done as far as 'tow ratings' go... Meaning, if a #6000 trailer, plus whatever else you put in the truck puts it over #7200, then you are at your MAX 'tow rating' for your truck..

I exceed my trucks GVWR by several hundred pounds when I hitch up my little #5000 GVWR trailer... So, I'm technically overweight myself....

While what you have done to your truck is cool for looks and off roading, it's a complete hindrance for towing heavy.. Regardless if it's 50 miles or 5000 miles...

Mitch

 

Thanks for the input guys.

I was figuring 7500 with the trailer loaded (not full). I know I will have to pay attention to what I am putting in it and where I put it (towards the back). Luckily my bikes are factory race bikes and are under 200 lbs so that helps.

I did have the truck recalibrated for 35” tires.

I wish I could buy a 250 but I don’t see it costing less than doing upgrades on my truck for now. My truck is paid for, spotless and has some goodies on it already but I have no idea how much I could sell it for.

The trailer GVW is listed at 7800. Its shipped weight is listed at 6390.

 

Well, that just means your speedo and odo are reading correctly.. Still does nothing for how your engine and trans works with your effective gear ratio with those taller tires and stock gears.

You also don't want to put too much weight in the back... Then the trailer won't tow well. You still need to maintain a degree of tongue weight in relation to the total weight of the trailer... Minimum would be 10% on the tongue, but most trailers tow better with between 12-15% tongue weight.

Sounds like you have a toy hauler then? Those usually come with more tongue weight then this, because it's anticipated that you'll be loading your toys in the back to help offset it.. This is fine, but you still have to watch that tongue weight no matter what.

With that 6" lift, you have also raised your center of gravity on the truck and towing will emphasize that even more.

Your truck will move this trailer and you'll get to where you need to, but it might not be the most 'comfortable' tow in the world, so if you know that going in, and take it easy, then it'll work for the most part.....

Mitch

 

I agree, if you load up the back of the trailer you are going to create more problems with trailer sway.
The main numbers I would be concerned with are GCWR (gross combined, meaning everything), and axle/tire weight ratings. If you're over gross on the truck by a few hundred pounds, but under on everything else it's not a huge deal. But this is again coming back to the gearing. You will see when you hook it up, trust me. If you think that you don't need to re-gear with that kind of weight you are wrong, the truck is going to hate you.

 

Your two biggest issues are power and weight. Gears will help with power to the tune of $1200-1500 installed and weight = air bags are most cost effective solution, although they do not cover all issues with overloading your truck.

You can/will go over GVWR of your truck well before GCWR of truck/trailer. In fact with paylaod of maybe 1200 pounds, 800 pounds of which is two bikes, two 200 pound people, and some gas cans, spare parts, tools, you are over before adding 1000 pound of tongue weight. So you exceed GVWR of 7200 before adding any trailer, 1000 pounds, or 9000 pounds.

Is there any way you can find a different trailer? I'd rather you pull some select toy haulers and put the bikes inside vs. adding 800+ pounds in your truck bed to a truck that is already at GVWR with people/trailer tongue weight. Any of these KZ's interest you?

 

Well the bad news is the trailer is now ours.

The good news is I am taking your advise and looking at an F250

The other bad news is my like new truck with new tires, brakes, Navigation, DVD, Blue Tooth, etc system and all the extras is now for sale

I can't believe I am letting go of my truck.

Thanks for all the info to help me make the right decision.

 

You can pull it with your current truck, but you will quickly find out how it will perform.

Congrats on the new trailer. Good luck with the truck replacement. You may get more value for it returning your truck to stock and selling the parts than as a whole. Also, there is no reason other than availability to not get the F-350. It has helper springs for the extra payload so unloaded ride is no different than the 250.