Can i tow a surveyor sport 295

[Katgar05]

Looking for friendly advice. I currently have a 2012 Ford F-150 Lariat 4X4 Super Crew Cab 145" wheelbase. I do not have the max tow package, just the standard tow package. Ford says I can tow 9600 lbs. My door sticker says my max payload should not exceed 1140 lbs The Surveyor Sport 295's dry weight is 5644 lbs and dry hitch weight is 575 lbs. In the TV would be myself, wife, and 2 sons (age 4 and 6). Can I tow this safely? Thanks in advance for the help.

Gary

[Dave_Monica]

The limiting factor on your truck will be the payload capacity...with that F150 optioned out like a Lariat, there's not much payload left. That factory payload number is with full fuel and a 150# driver...add passengers and any gear, that payload will shrink fast. You could estimate what the extra weight would be and subtract that from 1140 lb. The other way is to weigh the truck loaded with paseengers and gear and subtract that number from the GVWR listed on the door jam (probably 7100 lbs).

The Surveyor Sport 295 has a dry weight of 5644 lbs and a GVWR of 7575 lbs. Tongue weights range from 10 to 15% of the total camper weight. Realistically, that camper loaded will be around 7000 lbs and a tongue between 700 - 1050 lbs. I think you most likely be exceeding your truck's GVWR with this camper.

Too bad it doesn't have the max towing option as the truck's GVWR would be 7600 lbs and this camper would just be at it's limit.

Dave

[Dave_Monica]

I'll bump this thread up for you to get more opinions. It's pretty easy to get lost with the number of posts on here each day.

Dave

[Katgar05]

Thanks, Dave appreciate the feedback and help.

Gary

[lbrjet]

I have been pondering your situation and it is tough one. A couple of items to consider is adding about 75lbs for your WDH and that 15-25% of the tongue weight will be transferred to the trailer axles and won't be counted against your payload. Your TW will likely be in the 800lb range. If you load very little (or no) weight in the truck bed you may be able to make it work, but will certainly be right on the edge of truck's GVWR.

[Twisty]

In my owners manual, the driver is part of the payload.
Read your manual. I'm pretty sure yours is the same.

[Dave_Monica]

Originally Posted by Twisty

In my owners manual, the driver is part of the payload.
Read your manual. I'm pretty sure yours is the same.

As I already mentioned a 150 lb driver is excluded from 1140 lb payload capacity. If there's been any dealer added equipment such as running boards, tonneau cover, etc., the payload number is even lower.

Dave

Edit: This is why I mentioned that weighing the truck loaded with fuel, passengers and gear is the only way to determine available payload and $10 well spent at a CAT scale. You could get the front and rear axles weights at the same time and compare them to the FAWR/RAWR for the truck.

[Twisty]

You wrote;
"That factory payload number is with full fuel and a 150# driver"
To me that means you would start subtracting from the payload rating after the 150 lb driver is in the truck.
As you know, reading the manual is the best thing to do.

[acadianbob]

Originally Posted by Katgar05

The Surveyor Sport 295's dry weight is 5644 lbs and dry hitch weight is 575 lbs.

Your "wet and loaded" tongue weight is going to be about 650 to 700 lbs. That leaves you about 500 pounds to work with roughly. 250 pounds after wife and 2 kids? Throw in the hitch. Not a lot left over for stuff in the bed; e.g. generator, tools, bikes, cooler, etc

That being said, it is almost beyond belief that an F150 is at its limit with a Surveyor 295. . . . . So much depends on the configuration of the truck. My FX4 with Max Tow is theoretically 2,000 pounds payload. BUT, my truck weighs 6,030 after add-ons (side steps, sliding box lid, etc) so my ACTUAL payload is 1,700 (7,700 GVW rating). If you have some add-ons, this will further reduce your payload. Amazing isn't it?

[TNCampingDad]

KATGAR05, I am looking at the same camper and have run the weights and limits on this camper with my truck. I also have a 2012 Lariat ecoboost with regular tow. I have also taken my truck and weighed it at a CAT scale full of fuel. It weighed in at 6060lbs. If you subtract that from the 7200lbs GVWR you get the exact payload listed on the door sticker 1140lbs. Now the dry tongue weight of the sp295 is 575lbs and with the trailer properly loaded it should be no more than 675lbs. I have two kids and a wife that weigh a total 240lbs. All of my gear will be loaded in the camper and not in my truck. Besides we only do weekend camping and do not pack very much. This leaves me under all the limits of my truck.

7200lbs GVWR
6060lbs Acutal truck weight with full gas tank
--------------------------
1140 Payload limit
675 loaded hitch weight
--------------------------
465lbs cargo/passengers

You CAN tow this trailer with proper loading and weight distribution.

[lbrjet]

Add 60lbs propane and a 50lb battery and you are over your theoretical 675lb TW before you load anything into the trailer. Propane and battery are not included in dry TW's. This floor plan has almost all of the storage space in the front of the trailer which is going to add to the TW, which is not a bad thing. Considering this is why my guess is more in the 800lb range. Since approx 20% of the TW is moved to the trailer axles figure 640lbs added to the payload, plus of course about 75lbs for your WDH. That leaves just over 400lbs for passengers and gear. At the limit for truck, yes. Doable, yes. Just don't plan on loading much in the bed of the truck.

[TNCampingDad]

yes Ibrjet if you add those numbers without any consideration for how all the weight is distributed it would put the TW over 675lb. Not all the weight is distributed straight to the tongue. And the further back you pack to weight than smaller the pertcentage goes towards the tongue weight and once you get past the axles with added weight than you start subtracting from the tongue weight. Like I said with proper loading and weight distribution this camper will be within the trucks tow and payload limits. In orther words use common sense when packing your TT. Don't throw everything plus the kitchen sink into that front compartment on the TT. If you don't understand this trying loading your trailer and go weigh it at a CAT scale and then redistribute the weight by moving some to the rear of the camper and re-weigh the trailer. you will find the weight on your truck's rear axle has dropped. But you must keep your TW within 10% to 15% of your TT's weight.

[Dave_Monica]

Something to consider...

With a camper length of 34', I don't think that you'd want to towing it with only 10% tongue weight. A higher % would definitely help towing characteristics in terms of sway.

Dave

[TNCampingDad]

Dave_Monica
I agree with considering putting more than 10% on the hitch. And you may want to get a quality WDH with sway control. I am considering the Reese straight line with dual cams.

[lbrjet]

TN, the propane and battery are right on the tongue, no way around it. Load the typical 1000lbs in traveling weight in the trailer, take a low estimate of 10% of that added to the tongue and you are now at 775. Only way to know for sure is to buy the trailer, load it up and go weigh it.

[Dave_Monica]

Originally Posted by TNCampingDad

Dave_Monica
I agree with considering putting more than 10% on the hitch. And you may want to get a quality WDH with sway control. I am considering the Reese straight line with dual cams.

I'm suggesting a tongue weight of 13 - 14% along with a good W/D hitch with integrated sway control...hitches like Reese dual cam or Equal-i-zer. I still believe that the loaded weight of the camper to be near 7000 lbs...that means a tongue weight of 910 - 980 lbs.

I don't see how the truck's GVWR won't be exceeded and perhaps at or near the RAWR of the truck also.

Dave

[lbrjet]

My TW is 1050(sherline scaled) and trailer is 8400(cat scaled). 12.5% and that works well for me. For my own understanding of my particular trailer's characteristics I played around with loadings in the trailer and measuring TW and it didn't change as much as I thought it would. For example my fresh water tank is at the very rear on my trailer. Putting in 300 lbs of water only took 40 lbs off the TW. I was expecting at least a 100lbs. That was good news for me because I want more TW, not less. Moving stuff around inside didn't make a difference at all, like 10lbs, mainly because there isn't really that much you can shift around.

[Katgar05]

Thanks for all of the inputs and opinions so far. It's hard for me to understand and realize how I will go from a dry hitch weight of 575 lbs to over 900 lbs loaded. How does Ford ever expect someone to tow anywhere near 9600 lbs with such low payload capacity?

[Terier]

From what I have read on RV forums Ford is not alone when it comes to low payload capacity. It's an eye opener for sure.

[lbrjet]

Marketing, tow ratings are based on a flatbed trailer with weights on them. I don't think you will be over 800, no matter how you load that thing.