Who's right?

[KenHwy61]

I am having a friendly little debate with my local Ford manager about the towing capacity of the 2014 f-150 with max tow and max payload. I read the specs as 5000 trailer/500 tongue without a W/D hitch and 11,300/1130 when a W/D hitch is used. He says its 5000/500 with a step bumper hitch and 11,300/1130 with the special max tow/ max payload receiver hitch. He says using a W/D hitch only adds further to the capacity but I don't believe this is correct.

[rana]

Actually, he is right to some small degree. The step bumper tow rating IS right about in there... 5000/500, but you're talking apples and oranges. It just so happens that the straight tow max on the hitch receiver is also 5000/500, w/o a WD hitch, so in that regard you're 'more' right than he is. ;-)

Does that make sense?

On edit: I forgot.. a WD hitch will 'NOT' add further towing capacity over your rated 11,300/1130. It's required over 5k, but you should not exceed the max rating.

[fonzie]

As Yarome said your both right to some degree. Here's rating on my bumper hitch and wd hitch.....

[KenHwy61]

The reason we are having this debate is though all the other truck specs are more than adequate to tow my 9000lb Aviator, I believe the 1400lb tongue would overload the receiver even with a W/D hitch. The manager believes that I am reading Ford's spec sheet incorrectly and the 1130 is the dead weight tongue rating for the hitch. I told him I thought I needed a class 5 hitch to carry that much tongue weight legally, which to the best of my knowledge are not available for the F150.

[vinmaker]

Why are the numbers so far off for towing capacity? I find it hard to believe that by simply using a WDH, one can more than double the towing capacity. I thought the engine, tranny, and such were major components used to determine towing capacity. Is the OP saying that his engine and tranny can tow 5,000lbs but if he uses a WDH, then the engine and tranny can tow 11,000 pounds?

ROFL. I feel all turned around in the woods here. What am I not getting?

Vin.

[KenHwy61]

By using a W/D hitch you do double your capacity. Just look at Fonzie's photo of his hitch ratings. Just don't ask me why!

[rana]

When you are doing a straight tow you are relying heavily on the rear axle, suspension, and tires of your TV. When you use a WDH hitch you are displacing weight across ALL axles (TV as well as your trailer) evenly.

So.. a rough and dirty example... say your hitch is completely up to the task, but your rear axle and suspension is only rated for 6500 pounds. Thereby limiting your tow/load capacity to the maximum rating of your rear axle. Displacing the tow weight over all axles, your rear is maybe only taking 3500 of the load.. the front axle is taking on another 3000.. the trailer axles another 3000. Get my drift?

So maybe you have a max tow capability of 12k, but that capacity is limited by the individual component characteristics of your TV and trailers suspension and tires.

[KenHwy61]

Thank you. Makes perfect sense. Moving some weight back to the front axle is a good thing. Its hard to steer if you're poppin' a wheelie!

[rana]

Originally Posted by KenHwy61

The reason we are having this debate is though all the other truck specs are more than adequate to tow my 9000lb Aviator, I believe the 1400lb tongue would overload the receiver even with a W/D hitch.

I would really take a close look at your weights. I'm sure you probably don't want to hear it, but you might be biting off a little more than an F150 can chew safely.

I'm assuming the 9000lb and 1400lb tongue weights are dry? If so, you'll most undoubtedly be well over max once you're loaded up. Just sayin...

[fonzie]

Originally Posted by Yarome

I would really take a close look at your weights. I'm sure you probably don't want to hear it, but you might be biting off a little more than an F150 can chew safely.

I'm assuming the 9000lb and 1400lb tongue weights are dry? If so, you'll most undoubtedly be well over max once you're loaded up. Just sayin...

I think he has 2500 HD chevy, he was just discussing with Ford manager...?? you know mine can pull more than yours kind of stuff...


Aviator Wright-Flyer#1908
2012 Chevy 2500HD
A dear wife
1 high-schooler
2 Boomerangers
11 more years 'til retirement

[thebrakeman]

When you are talking about WC or WD modes, you are better off talking about tongue weights than trailer weights. Because that is what a WDH does for you...distributing TW. Regardless of WD or WD, the drivetrain will not know the difference (without splitting hairs). Either way, the engine/trans/gearing is pulling XXXX lbs of weight. But Ford requires a WDH over 500 lbs TW, not because of the trailer weight, but for better stability due to the excessive TW.

[vinmaker]

Originally Posted by thebrakeman

When you are talking about WC or WD modes, you are better off talking about tongue weights than trailer weights. Because that is what a WDH does for you...distributing TW. Regardless of WD or WD, the drivetrain will not know the difference (without splitting hairs). Either way, the engine/trans/gearing is pulling XXXX lbs of weight. But Ford requires a WDH over 500 lbs TW, not because of the trailer weight, but for better stability due to the excessive TW.

That is my thinking also. It just did not make sense to me that the towing capacity could double simply by changing a hitch.

[thebrakeman]

Well, if your limit is 5000/500 without a WDH, and 10,000/1,000 with a WDH, then YES, your tow limit just doubled by adding a WDH! I'm just saying that the reason for the doubling is not because of an increase in pulling ability (5000 vs 10,000). It's a structural/stability issue (500 vs 1000).

But you can't decouple the trailer weight from the TW, because loaded TW should always be a minimum of 10% the total weight of the trailer. You would not want to tow an 8000 lbs camper with only 450 lbs of TW, and justify it because you are under 500 lbs TW.

The problem with the dealer is that they think you can pull the full MAX Tow Rating without a WDH (wrong!) and that a WDH will allow you to tow beyond the stated MAX Tow Rating (wrong!).

[KenHwy61]

That is exactly what the dealer told me. He thought using a WDH would allow you to exceed all the max ratings. He told me his "hitch guy" said you could go over the weight limit by about 20% when using a WDH. Needless to say, he could not provide any supporting factory documentation.

[fx2]

Originally Posted by KenHwy61

That is exactly what the dealer told me. He thought using a WDH would allow you to exceed all the max ratings. He told me his "hitch guy" said you could go over the weight limit by about 20% when using a WDH. Needless to say, he could not provide any supporting factory documentation.

And the factory will look for a reason to deny a claim should something go wrong.


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