.5 ton truck hits payload restriction on 5800 lbs TT

[swj]

I have a 2018 F150 SCrew 3.5L Eco, max tow, 20 in wheels. Payload 1730 lbs. My 2017 TTrailer (Surveyor 251RKS) has a dry weight of 5800 lbs. Dealer added battery, 2 propane bottles. No food, water and or supplies in TTrailer, tanks empty. Used a trailer tongue weight scale today which shows a 1000 lbs tongue weight. Add Equalizer 12K WDH 100 lbs, 160 lbs gen/gas, me and mine weigh 350 lbs and I'm at 1610 lbs, 120 lbs under payload. Is that enough "cushion" to for the truck to tow the Trailer/safe towing/great handling.? Store everything else in the Trailer? Trailer has 2000 lbs carrying capacity. Tires are GY Endurance. Sway and handling have been a issue. Time to buy a F250?

[DieselDrax]

Under weight is under weight. See how it tows and decide for yourself if you’re happy with it.

[Lee Pedrick]

You got a good reason to tell the wife you need a 250!! Go for it! LOL!!

[bikendan]

I have a 2014 SCREW 3.5 EcoBoost with the Max Tow package. Since it's a XLT, I have a little more payload at 1828lbs.
My TT is similar size but has a Sherline scaled tongue weight of 750lbs and that's with a lot of stuff in it. But no food, water or clothes/personal stuff.
If you don't carry water and travel light, you should be fine.

[swj]

I have a 2 wheel drive XLT. Payload from door jam. Not sure what the payload difference is. I used a Sherline scaled tongue weight also. Trailer level
on Sherline, 1000 lbs tongue weight.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by swj

I have a 2 wheel drive XLT. Payload from door jam. Not sure what the payload difference is. I used a Sherline scaled tongue weight also. Trailer level
on Sherline, 1000 lbs tongue weight.

Is yours a shortbed? Mine is and it's a 4x4.

[grumpyer]

I would think with your equlizer hitch some of that tongue weight should be transitioning back onto trailer. i could be wrong!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by grumpyer

I would think with your equlizer hitch some of that tongue weight should be transitioning back onto trailer. i could be wrong!

The OP is concerned about the truck's payload capacity.
A WDH does NOT increase the tow vehicle's payload capacity. In fact, it will lower it because of its weight. It does distribute the trailer weight. It will help with squat.

[swj]

1) short bed
2) Interesting, but....
How can would you hook up to WDHitch and and the Sherline scaled tongue weight at the same time? How do you guesstimate how much the WDHitch is
throwing to to the trailer axle. That would in turn take some tongue weight off the hitch weight and give me more payload headroom?? Has anyone made multiply trips to the scales with the the WDHitch connected and the WDHitch not used/conventional ball to receiver/to trailer set up and compared the trailer axle weight?

[swj]

from an old FRforum post: It appears that the answer to my original question is the WD hitch could provide an opportunity to move approx 6% (60 lbs) of trailer tongue weight (1,000 lbs) to the truck front axle and another 20% (200 lbs) to the trailer axles.Sep 28, 2011

[babock]

For my trailer, instead of having 2 60# 6v batteries along with a 100# battery box to hold them, I opted to get 2 BattleBorn lithium batteries that weigh 30# each and move them under the bed. Removed a LOT of tongue weigh.

[babock]

Originally Posted by swj

from an old FRforum post: It appears that the answer to my original question is the WD hitch could provide an opportunity to move approx 6% (60 lbs) of trailer tongue weight (1,000 lbs) to the truck front axle and another 20% (200 lbs) to the trailer axles.Sep 28, 2011

You may have that backwards. Depending on the length of the trailer and location of the axles, more will get more put on the front axle of the tow vehicle which of course is not helping your payload.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by swj

1) short bed
2) Interesting, but....
How can would you hook up to WDHitch and and the Sherline scaled tongue weight at the same time? How do you guesstimate how much the WDHitch is
throwing to to the trailer axle. That would in turn take some tongue weight off the hitch weight and give me more payload headroom?? Has anyone made multiply trips to the scales with the the WDHitch connected and the WDHitch not used/conventional ball to receiver/to trailer set up and compared the trailer axle weight?

I used the Sherline to just weigh the tongue, without being hooked up.
The WDH manufacturer states how much it weighs. It counts against truck payload.

[Mike134]

I'd suggest load up truck and trailer including everyone that will be traveling with you, have the WDH bars attached and put it on a CAT scale. I'm guessing your GVWR for a max tow equipped 150 is 7050lbs. If your steering and drive axles add up to be less than the GVWR, your good to go. Plus will give you info how much more you can carry in the truck.

[AlaskaErik]

This example perfectly illustrates why the max tow figure is completely irrelevant. You're going to run out of payload capacity long before you run out of tow capacity. My 19 ft trailer has a tongue weight of 700 lbs unloaded, except for propane, battery and fresh water tank filled. Add in me, the wife, the black lab, two generators, the topper and all the other stuff we throw in the back of the truck, and we're over our 1572 lb payload capacity in the 2016 Silverado. The 2019 has a payload capacity of 1910 lbs and is going to get a tonneau cover. So we should be alright as far as payload is concerned. But we'll be pretty close to that 1910 lb capacity. And that's why a 7000 lb trailer is really 3/4 ton territory. It all comes down to payload capacity.

[CurtPutnam]

Listen to the experts who posted above. My thought relates to often you will tow this rig, how far, and in what kind of terrain. Being maxed out in mountains is doable but can be scary coming down. If your truck is a daily driver and you will tow long, hard and often you might strain it enough to shorten its working life. A 3/4 ton truck will cost more in mileage as a daily driver. Think it through.

[swj]

I figure I've been towing with a 2,200 lb payload, 1000 trailer tongue weigh,(on a 5,880 dry weigh trailer) 300 llb freshwater, me and mine 350llb, gen, etc., The trailer pushed the F150 around in a bad way. Should be interesting when I drain fresh waters, move items from truck to trailer and balance the load. Should get my payload down to 1500 lbs, plus , hopefully the WD hitch will push 200 llbs to the trailer axles and out of the payload calculations. Heads up to anyone with a TTrailer, buy a tongue scale weight...

[babock]

Originally Posted by swj

hopefully the WD hitch will push 200 llbs to the trailer axles and out of the payload calculations. Heads up to anyone with a TTrailer, buy a tongue scale weight...

You can hope all you want...not going to happen.

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by swj

I have a 2018 F150 SCrew 3.5L Eco, max tow, 20 in wheels. Payload 1730 lbs. My 2017 TTrailer (Surveyor 251RKS) has a dry weight of 5800 lbs. Dealer added battery, 2 propane bottles. No food, water and or supplies in TTrailer, tanks empty. Used a trailer tongue weight scale today which shows a 1000 lbs tongue weight. Add Equalizer 12K WDH 100 lbs, 160 lbs gen/gas, me and mine weigh 350 lbs and I'm at 1610 lbs, 120 lbs under payload. Is that enough "cushion" to for the truck to tow the Trailer/safe towing/great handling.? Store everything else in the Trailer? Trailer has 2000 lbs carrying capacity. Tires are GY Endurance. Sway and handling have been a issue. Time to buy a F250?

Since it's common to run out of payload way before reaching towing capacity . I would say you're ok . still under max payload and not near towing limits Go for it . If you're unhappy with the with it tows and handles then a 2500 is in order to give you peace of mind .

[babock]

Weigh everything with and without the WDH bars connected and you will see how much weight gets distributed and where.