Weight Thoughts

[ca443]

First let me apologize, I have been researching the heck out of towing, read the sticky and downloaded the towing guide for my TV, but still have questions.

I have a 2013 F150 3.73 Gear Ratio FX4 with Ecoboost. I do not believe I have the max tow package since I don't have the extended mirrors. I will be buying a blue ox swaypro hitch (not sure if that matters).

The door sticker says GVWR 7700 lbs max cargo 1548 lbs.

I weight about 180, Wife is 140, Two kids that will be growing, but both under 80 now, so lets just say 125. and two dogs 15lbs each. Total - 600 lbs

The TT I am looking at is 6584 lbs Dry, and says not to exceed 1079 lbs Cargo

The TT I would like to purchase is the 27DBK (Wildwood has the hitch weight at 701, I assume this goes up respectively with the weight I add inside the travel trailer itself. They also state that the Wildwood is 1/2 ton towable, and my dealer tells me I will have no problem, but I have read many of them say that regardless (Very sad). My main concern is the safety of my family and others. I would like to not ruin my vehicle in the process but safety is my main concern.

Understanding that I will be taking bottles of water, cans of soda/pop, food, bikes, fishing gear, coolers, etc. What are your thoughts? Am at at max tow limit? Am I fine? Do I need to add more information? I have never pulled a trailer bigger than a popup, so I am not sure how the break squeeze thing works, my truck does have a tow button, but I don't have any experience. Most of my camping will be within 300 miles.

[mj0528]

You'll be on the edge for sure. Take the dry + cargo and multiply times 15% for the max tongue weight. Take that and subtract from your payload and that's what your family/dogs/stuff in the back of the truck shouldn't exceed. Although a good hitch setup correctly should move 30% of the tongue weight to the travels axles so that helps. Close but doable. I'm close to the same boat as you and I've read tons about weight and payload.

[clr]

OK I will attempt to help you here with a sort of back of the envelope type estimate. TT's that are bumper pull will place between 10-15% of their weight onto the TV hitch. So you have 600 # of people and dogs. The TT you are looking at will place between 659 # to 988 pounds. So your at between 1259 pounds of dry load to 1588 pounds of dry load on your truck before you load any thing into either the truck or the TT. So if your TT places 15% of the total weight onto the truck you will be over your max CC of your truck from the start. So I would say that when you load the TT and place anything else in the truck you would be well over the CC of your truck.

[ca443]

15% on the high end or the safe end? Would your recommendation be to go with a different Travel Trailer?

[clr]

The 10% to 15% is the range that the TT mfrs use to arrive at acceptable towing performance on the road and such. So what I am saying is that the exact number is sort of built into the TT by the mfr. So you could find out what the TT tong weight is dry that would at least give you the starting point in the range. I think you will have to be very careful to not exceed the CC of your truck.

[ca443]

Thank you CLR, the model is a 2017 and 1000 cheaper than the 2018 model. The 2018 model is 5865 Dry, so I will need to do the math again and see where that takes me. Same options, but the 2017 weighs in at 6584.

[mj0528]

You'll probably wish you went with something smaller down the road I think. I don't pull my own so it's a diff situation but it also weighs like 700 lbs less and I wouldn't want more than that. Granted the 3.5 has more hp and torque but what is the issue is payload and stability. You could do it but it might be sketchy and make you pucker a bit. Short distances only (<75 miles). If I was going to buy, it would definitely weigh less than what I have. My payload is a little better than yours

[mj0528]

Originally Posted by ca443

Thank you CLR, the model is a 2017 and 1000 cheaper than the 2018 model. The 2018 model is 5865 Dry, so I will need to do the math again and see where that takes me. Same options, but the 2017 weighs in at 6584.

That's what the one I pull is. 5800 lb dry. Does well on everything except hills and you should be fine there with the 3.5 ecoboost. Mine has a little bounce but should be fixed with tires and/or air bags I'm sure

[ca443]

Why does it have to be so difficult lol, they all say 1/2 ton pullable, but I have been noticing there are not alot of 1/2 ton's pulling large trailers on the highway.

[mj0528]

Originally Posted by ca443

Why does it have to be so difficult lol, they all say 1/2 ton pullable, but I have been noticing there are not alot of 1/2 ton's pulling large trailers on the highway.

Yea, I started noticing the same thing after I started pulling this trailer. Definitely have learned a ton in my 7 months of camping and preparing! Observing is one of the things I did preparing. Once I was behind a dually pulling a pop up with my half ton pulling a 29 footer. I wondered if we should've just traded lol

[ca443]

Well the toughest thing is the dealer keeps telling me that I am fine. And that the weight distribution hitch will cut the tongue weight in half and that there is a difference between the Tow Vehicles Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) and that I really need to look at the GCWR, and I think that is actually 15,500 lbs. with the 157 Wheel Base. Is this BS or is this what I should be looking at versus the vehicle cargo capacity? Or is it an either or? So if you break one you stop versus relying only on one value. Hope that makes sense

[jeffnick]

Published specs are a great place to start. Trailer max is generally related more to tire specs than mechanical trailer limits. Tow vehicle specs are a compromise between legal, warranty and marketing. If going by the numbers makes you comfortable the folks above have offered what you need.

I have an '05 van rated to pull 9,000 lbs. There's no specs on my trailer because it's 45 years old, but the bearing size suggest 5,200 lb (tandem) axle(s) for 10,400 max load. I use the same "E" rated tires on my trailer that I do on the van - @ 3,000 lbs max load. My RV (houseboat) weighs in at close to 12,000 lbs on the trailer.

I've towed the trailer (boat) close to 30,000 miles (several trips back and forth to Lake Powell from SC) with no safety or mechanical issues except one broken original trailer spring and extremely poor performance on the ST tires - which resulted in the switch to the LT's.

Bottom line - do what makes you comfortable, but know that a little common sense and conservative driving offers some latitude.

[Zak1]

Originally Posted by ca443

First let me apologize, I have been researching the heck out of towing, read the sticky and downloaded the towing guide for my TV, but still have questions.

I have a 2013 F150 3.73 Gear Ratio FX4 with Ecoboost. I do not believe I have the max tow package since I don't have the extended mirrors. I will be buying a blue ox swaypro hitch (not sure if that matters).

The door sticker says GVWR 7700 lbs max cargo 1548 lbs.

I weight about 180, Wife is 140, Two kids that will be growing, but both under 80 now, so lets just say 125. and two dogs 15lbs each. Total - 600 lbs

The TT I am looking at is 6584 lbs Dry, and says not to exceed 1079 lbs Cargo

The TT I would like to purchase is the 27DBK (Wildwood has the hitch weight at 701, I assume this goes up respectively with the weight I add inside the travel trailer itself. They also state that the Wildwood is 1/2 ton towable, and my dealer tells me I will have no problem, but I have read many of them say that regardless (Very sad). My main concern is the safety of my family and others. I would like to not ruin my vehicle in the process but safety is my main concern.

Understanding that I will be taking bottles of water, cans of soda/pop, food, bikes, fishing gear, coolers, etc. What are your thoughts? Am at at max tow limit? Am I fine? Do I need to add more information? I have never pulled a trailer bigger than a popup, so I am not sure how the break squeeze thing works, my truck does have a tow button, but I don't have any experience. Most of my camping will be within 300 miles.

I tow tt that weighs over 8000 lbs with 2016 F150 2.7 ecoboost and Propride Hitch. You'll have no problems

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by ca443

Well the toughest thing is the dealer keeps telling me that I am fine. And that the weight distribution hitch will cut the tongue weight in half

This is BS!

A WDH doesn't lower hitch weight, it distributes it.
Doesn't help or change payload capacity.

[tuckerdog1]

Let's say you max out the load on the TT. So it now weighs 7663. If the load is distributed so it's between the 10%-15% of the total ( I went with 12% ), that puts tongue weight at 919 lbs. Then ya gotta add the weight of the WDH. Call that another 100 lbs. So your over 1,000 lbs on the hitch. add the 600 lbs for family & pets, and you're over payload before anything else is loaded in the truck.

And yes, that business about the WDH hitch halving the tongue weight is major BS.

You're gonna need more truck, less trailer, or less loaded goodies.

Tuckerdog1

[mj0528]

Originally Posted by tuckerdog1

Let's say you max out the load on the TT. So it now weighs 7663. If the load is distributed so it's between the 10%-15% of the total ( I went with 12% ), that puts tongue weight at 919 lbs. Then ya gotta add the weight of the WDH. Call that another 100 lbs. So your over 1,000 lbs on the hitch. add the 600 lbs for family & pets, and you're over payload before anything else is loaded in the truck.



And yes, that business about the WDH hitch halving the tongue weight is major BS.



You're gonna need more truck, less trailer, or less loaded goodies.



Tuckerdog1

More like 30%

[uhduh camping]

Originally Posted by ca443

Well the toughest thing is the dealer keeps telling me that I am fine. And that the weight distribution hitch will cut the tongue weight in half and that there is a difference between the Tow Vehicles Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) and that I really need to look at the GCWR, and I think that is actually 15,500 lbs. with the 157 Wheel Base. Is this BS or is this what I should be looking at versus the vehicle cargo capacity? Or is it an either or? So if you break one you stop versus relying only on one value. Hope that makes sense

Yes the GCWR is something to consider ONLY IF you are within all other ratings including CCC and axle ratingsFIRST. Somehow I doubt there is a trailer of any type that is built, that meets these specs. GCWR seems to be more a manufacturer's sales gimmick and RV salespersons are no different.

Yes you could actually pull this off but it may be "iffy". Careful loading, cautious driving, maybe airbags and LT tires on truck it could maybe.

As far 1/2 ton towable TT's go. Sure there is one model 1/2 Ton that's a two door, long box and no radio with some sort of "MAX" tow option that will tow said TT. Therefore it's considered 1/2 ton towable. Does NOT mean it can be towed by ALL 1/2 ton trucks.

[lesptr]

Keep in mind that 150 of your 180 pounds is already figured into the basic weight or curb weight of the truck. So only 30 pounds of your 180 count against the 1548 lb cargo capacity. So the 600 pounds you are figuring for you, the family, dogs, tongue weight, and other stuff is really 450 pounds. With that in mind, you may be "ok"

(I did not crunch all the numbers listed above. In my previous TT, the tongue weight was closer to 17% because every inch of storage was in front of the axles. I now have a 350 for that reason. Which also snowballed into a 5th wheel)

[great white]

Nope, curb weight (or payload capacity if you prefer) doesn't NOT include a driver. It does include a full tank of fuel though.

For example, see page 29 of the 2015 ford towing guide :

http://www.fleet.ford.ca/resources/f...Tgde_Sep30.pdf

The sae j2807 tow rating (Ie: how heavy trailer can be) does include the driver though. May include a passenger also, can't remember off the top of my head. Driver for sure though.

Thanking the driver is included in the curb weight is a common mistake.

[Restcure]

Originally Posted by ca443

First let me apologize, I have been researching the heck out of towing, read the sticky and downloaded the towing guide for my TV, but still have questions.

I have a 2013 F150 3.73 Gear Ratio FX4 with Ecoboost. I do not believe I have the max tow package since I don't have the extended mirrors...

The door sticker says GVWR 7700 lbs max cargo 1548 lbs...

The TT I am looking at is 6584 lbs Dry, and says not to exceed 1079 lbs Cargo...

ca443, don't apologize! Unlike most salespeople and a lot of the towing public, you're asking the right questions!

Our trucks are just about identical, it seems - you can see my details in the signature line below. My truck DID come with max tow but NOT with tow mirrors... apparently that's a Canadian thing. We had them installed at the time of purchase.

You've hit the nail on the head - payload is the weakest link. Our trailer's GVWR is 6570 lbs and we've weighed it; loaded for camping the GVW is 5874 lbs. The ProPride adds tongue weight and with the people and stuff we put in the truck we're at our limits.

However, WDH does redistribute SOME of the tongue weight to the trailer wheels and the front wheels of the truck and I'm comfortable with the combination.