I see all the "warnings" regarding my F150 Lariat and it's hitch. I believe that with the tow package and the Class IV ...I still have to use a WDH to be able to tow my equipment trailer of 750/7000 lbs . This confuses me. I am set so perfectly and within ALL my weight limits . The truck handles perfectly as well.

The front of my truck only rises 3/8" at the wheel wheel. Both trailer and truck sit nice and level.....why do I need a WDH? Because that little sticker on the hitch says so? I don't need weight distribution.

My question is this. Is my receiver not capable of handling the 750 lb tongue weight ...my truck can.

 

You have to go by what the sticker on the hitch says, regardless of what class it is, to be SAFE.

 

I use a WD hitch for my #650 TW travel trailer... It's GVWR is only #5000 and weighs every bit of that, if not maybe a tad over...

You don't give any info on what F150 you have.. My 97 F150 had the "tow package" and a "class iv" hitch and it was rated at 500/5000 without WD. 1000/10,000 with WD.

My 13 F150 that has the "max tow" option, the hitch ratings are still 500/5000 without WD, but 1150/11,500 with WD... Go figure.. Just happens to be the max "tow rating" the truck has..

Anyway, at the end of the day, no one says you have to use WD or not... The sticker says what it says and YOU either follow it's figures or not..

Good luck!

Mitch

 

Here is my truck and trailer.....yea...hitched. I spent all morning at the truck scale checking every different weight I could. I move the tractor.....get off....for tongue weight. Vehicle only, hitch only....trailer entirely....and no matter how I figure, I am as safe and under max weights on all aspects. Except for ONE. The carry weight of the receiver. Yup, I can get a WDH, but it would be just window dressing. I have everything nice and level also.

I have researched like a fiend this week on this as I DO want to drive safe. The CVSE, RCMP and the Ford Dealer have all physically viewed my setup and stated I'm towing legally and safe without a WDH . It's not a requirement for the CVSE and the RCMP. I then went to the Ford Dealer and had them bring up my build sheet. This truck was ordered with a Max Tow Package.....I saw it right there...in black and white...errr..pixels. Parts manager said your good to go. Class IV hitch. All three of them actually pointed the one line that is on my sticker:

"Ratings may vary with vehicle equipment"

I just want to know if my receiver will break off with a 750/5200 lb tow.

 

No, the receiver is a class 4 - good for at least 1000/10000. The WDH spec is for the truck - to avoid overloading the rear axle. If you aren't over rear GAWR you are fine.

 

The WDH reduces the rear axle load by spreading it to the front. This can be more important when you are on the road at speed and going over dips in the road. I would want sway control too.

 

This is my thinking also sir. I'm under all my weights...GAWR'S, GVWR, GCVWR and payload ratings on both the truck and trailer. My truck can handle the setup easy, one of the main reasons is the type of trailer and how I can load it. Much different than our TT which I do use a WDH for. I have zero sway on the rig at 60 mph , even if I try to slightly induce it. The anti sway system on the truck......the low center/centrally located CG and the tandem axles on the trailer all attribute to that. For me it all comes down to this dang label on the hitch.

I'm rarely at highway speeds though...and if I am....it's for 1/2 hour max per work day. I'm "retired" but bought this setup as a paying hobby (to satisfy the boss) and for me to have my tractor around when I need it. I'm not done researching or asking questions on this though. I am going to the Ford Dealer today to see if I can get the build sheet printed or sent to me.

 

Now, if you were to start loading heavy stuff in the truck bed when towing that rig, I would probably use the WDH just to reduce the load on the rear axle.

 

My truck carries me and maybe a bottle of water...that's it. lol I'm 175 honest pounds

Something that bugs me too is many tell me a Max Tow Package was not available with a 5.0 l engine. In my research I have only found one reference to a 2014 F150 Lariat where they did order the Max Tow Package with the 5.0 L engine. I do know that the V6 engine required the Max Tow Package to hit some of the towing numbers they advertise. Would this be the only reason that Ford stated that the Max Tow Package is only available with the V6 Ecoboost ....because it's only required with that engine for towing capacity? Do I make any sense? lol Doesn't mean a F150 can't come equipped with a Max Tow Package.....

Yea...my mind is going on me I think............lol

 

http://prodcontent.s3.amazonaws.com/...wGuide2014.pdf

Max Tow with the 5.0 on a 4wd Screw short bed came with 3.73 gears and is rated to 9300#. Max Tow on a 3.5 EB same configuration came with 3.73 or 4.10 gears and is rated to 11200#.

 

Kind of struck me strange reading that link.

In the towing selector, with the F150 4WD LB.....to attain that rating of 9300 lbs , Heavy duty payload package is required. My truck.....is rated to pull 7600 lbs , no heavy duty payload package required. No mention either of a Max Tow Package required either. This again, tells me that the Max Tow components came on the 2014 F150's with the 5.0 l engines as no where does it say it's required....even for the 9300 lbs.

Dang it! The deeper I go into this, the more questions I have! lol I thought researching was supposed to make things clearer! lol

 

Just attained a copy of my build sheet from the parts department of my local Ford Dealer. Veeeerrryyyyy interesting!

How , or what is involved with the line stating:

"WITH HEAVY DUTY TRAILER TOWING".

 

You may be misreading the chart on that link. You have a 2014 SuperCrew 4x4 with 5.0, right? 5.5' or 6.5' bed?

With 5.5' bed:
F-150 SuperCrew Cab SB 4WD 5.0L V-8 7,700 (h)
F-150 SuperCrew Cab SB 4WD 5.0L V-8 9,300 (i)

With 6.5' bed:
F-150 SuperCrew Cab Std Bed 4WD 5.0L V-8 7,500 (h)
F-150 SuperCrew Cab Std Bed 4WD 5.0L V-8 9,100 (i)
F-150 SuperCrew Cab Std Bed 4WD 5.0L V-8 9,200 (i)*

(h) = 3.55 gears
(i) = 3.73 gears
(*) = HD Payload package (VERY rare on a SuperCrew, most were on standard cab and Supercab with 8' bed - however, there's a possibility you have that)
(t) = "Max Tow" package, apparently not available with the 5.0.

What gears do you have? Post the AXLE code from your door jamb sticker. Also, please post the GVWR and payload rating, that will help sort this out better.

 

Here's the official Ford pub:

https://www.ford.com/resources/ford/...F150_Sep11.pdf

Looks like the only difference between "heavy duty towing" and "max tow" is an upgraded rear bumper and factory brake controller.

This sheet gives you payload information:

https://media.ford.com/content/fordm...F150_Specs.pdf

Do you have a factory brake controller?

 

Hitch classes:

Generally, a class 3 hitch is good to 500/500, 1000/10000 with WD.
Generally, a class 4 hitch is good to 1000/10000, 1200/12000 or more with WD.

What does your sticker say?