Anyone towing a Rockwood 8263MBR with a 1/2 truck?

[bikendan]

Trying to find out if a well spec'd 1/2 ton is capable of towing this TT.
I have a 2014 F150 3.5 Ecoboost with the Max Tow package, SumoSprings and 1828lbs of payload capacity.

[ysidive]

With the advertise hitch weight of 1065 pounds and and an advertised UVW of over 7800 pounds I would think that this is a bit much for that truck. We all know that advertised weights are purely fictional and that the actual weights will be higher when in camping load....
I will not say you cannot or should not tow this trailer, but I would not feel comfortable with those numbers with a 1/2 ton truck..

[GolfingDave]

No but a similar truck and no passengers.
About 400 lbs more hitch weight than your current trailer. There goes your truck cargo but you can always throw more in your trailer though with its CCC rating.

Your trailer empty weight is more than my loaded weight(yours too) and I am at the max weights for my axles with a cat scale weigh. I have 1855 payload sticker. I really wanted a similar length UltraLite myself when I was touring them due to the room. Common sense won out.

Highest elevation for me so far has been Cheaha at 2400 ft. Pulled fine and came down ok but glad it was a shorter lighter trailer on the way down.

I also just drive 55 in the right lane and speed limits or less on the two lane roads.

[moose074]

I towed a similar size trailer with 4 different trucks. Started off with 2011 Ram 2500 it did great but it needed sway control. I had no legitimate reason to get rid of the truck. I got a promotion in mail to drive the new gmc heavy duty with Duramax and get $50 gift card. GMC dealership treated me great till I was honest said just getting the test drive for money. Then they couldn’t get rid of me fast enough. Made me mad so went truck shopping out of spite

I then towed it with a 2014 Tundra Limited since I already had the Equalizer 4 pt, I never tried towing without it. Honestly rear of truck was so low without it I would have been scared to try. I want to say payload was around 1200-1300. That said the Tundra did great towing and stopping the trl. Our longest trip was almost 5k on the dot but it included sightseeing without trl. It was a trip to Oregon from West Texas. Climbed almost every mountain range in the area. We went up through Nevada with the stops wife had included in the trip. We pulled the hill coming out of Susanville CA, headed north it was steep but climbed it fairly easy. Did the climb from Redding CA to Medford on I 5 with no problems. On way home detoured from Reno to Lake Tahoe. On way to White Beach AZ, the truck was still new to us so we hadn’t learned how to use or the quirks of the navigation system yet. We mistakenly took a back road I believe from Bishop California back to the road between Reno and Vegas. It was narrow steep with lots of sharp switchbacks and a few that were one lane. Tundra did great I did wish for my diesel back but it had more to do with trans shifting points more than power. No one was going to be going fast with the switchbacks especially me as I felt I had to almost put front passenger tire off the cliff to keep the rear of the trailer from rubbing rock.

December 2015 why on Christmas break while the wife and daughter were sleeping, I went to just look or try to look at Titan XD with the little Cummins. They didn’t have one on lot, I was honest with the sales guy. I loved my Tundra but mpg towing wasn’t great and a 26 gallon tank didn’t help. I wound up buying a 2014 Platnuim 3.5. for the few trips and months we had it. It performed like the Tundra but limited towing as wife decided she wanted a 5th wheel

[jimmarako]

I have a 30' Flagstaff UltrLight that has a loaded tongue weight of over 1200lbs, like closer to 1300lbs. Does your 1/2 ton have the hitch capacity for this much weight? I'm not aware of what they are limited to. My 3/4 ton is 1500lb limit. I can't imagine that a 1/2 ton would be that high.

Jim M.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by jimmarako

I have a 30' Flagstaff UltrLight that has a loaded tongue weight of over 1200lbs, like closer to 1300lbs. Does your 1/2 ton have the hitch capacity for this much weight? I'm not aware of what they are limited to. My 3/4 ton is 1500lb limit. I can't imagine that a 1/2 ton would be that high.

Jim M.

Post #1 says “1828lbs of payload capacity”.

[acadianbob]

Plenty of power but payload is an issue. I wouldn't do it.

It is no fun towing "maxed out".

[Mike134]

Have you checked out the Facebook page half ton haulers? They have plenty of folks post long and heavy that they pull with a 1/2 ton.

They also have to have the same qualifications to post as this forum requires.

Safe travels

[GolfingDave]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

Post #1 says “1828lbs of payload capacity”.

Difference between Payload and Hitch Weight. You can not put all the payload on the hitch. Even with a WDH the tongue weight is usually about twice the standard tongue weight. Roughly.

And this chart is not for all vehicles.

[jimmarako]

Originally Posted by GolfingDave

Difference between Payload and Hitch Weight. You can not put all the payload on the hitch. Even with a WDH the tongue weight is usually about twice the standard tongue weight. Roughly.

And this chart is not for all vehicles.

Attachment 284792

Yes this is what I was commenting on. I'm not a member of the weight police, but I do tend to get concerned when people exceed their hitch rating. Comes up a lot with people who own the smaller CUV/SUV vehicles with 4K - 5K tow rating. They want to tow their GeoPro something that loaded would be only 4900 lbs, but then fail to realize that their tongue weight is like 700lbs, well over their vehicles 500lb limit.

Why do I get concerned but hitch ratings? There is no backup plan. If you know your going to go over your payload you can lessen your chance for failure with better tires, air bags, differential coolers,.... But there is no band aid to improve the hitch. And again, those little CUV/SUV don't have frames so the hitch is already a weak point.

Maybe F-150's have after market hitches that are rated higher.

Jim M.

[ysidive]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

Post #1 says “1828lbs of payload capacity”.

Payload capacity does not mean that the hitch is rated for that amount.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by ysidive

Payload capacity does not mean that the hitch is rated for that amount.

Now where have I heard that?

[Sbosserman]

Originally Posted by ysidive

With the advertise hitch weight of 1065 pounds and and an advertised UVW of over 7800 pounds I would think that this is a bit much for that truck. We all know that advertised weights are purely fictional and that the actual weights will be higher when in camping load....
I will not say you cannot or should not tow this trailer, but I would not feel comfortable with those numbers with a 1/2 ton truck..

Ok, then I’ll say it…….I would NOT tow that trailer with THAT truck. Just an opinion, and I believe that was what he was asking for.

[bikendan]

Pretty sure that the hitch receiver is rated for 1,350lbs

[moose074]

On my platinum I had about 600 pounds less payload. My hitch weight was just under 900 but spare was on the tongue and fully loaded I was close to 10K. The wife thought the trl was extra storage and that cast iron was the preferred cooking pan material. Replace the trl mattress with a pillow top queen and the bedroom was in front of the trailer. At the end of the day though it’s you that needs to feel comfortable pulling the trl. If you’re not it doesn’t matter how safe it may or may not be you won’t be happy

[bikendan]

The issue is how difficult and expensive getting a 3/4 ton truck is currently.

[llr]

I was going to say no, until I looked at the specs and its listed at just under 30'. My prior TT was about the same weight but 37' long and was too much for my truck which is equipped well for towing.
You have decent payload and if that leaves enough for everything and everyone in the truck I would try it carefully, since you already have the truck. The weight is important but the length / sail area has been causing me more issues, I just upgraded to a pro pride hitch to try to combat the wind issues.

[moose074]

Originally Posted by bikendan

The issue is how difficult and expensive getting a 3/4 ton truck is currently.

No joke there just below you post is another great option give it try

[GolfingDave]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Pretty sure that the hitch receiver is rated for 1,350lbs

Fyi, the chart I posted above came out of a 2014 Ford Towing guide, I was just curious so I downloaded it. The way I read it 1130 would be max tongue weight with a wdh installed. On my 2018 they appear to up it to 1320.

Original poster can download the towing guide for his truck but I think I got the correct one.

Never noticed it before but the max tongue weights are 10% of max towing weights across the board. Anyone know why? Maybe just a CYA.

10-13 percent is usually good weight, correct?

[bikendan]

Yea, I think you are correct. Maybe I am thinking the 1350 number was for F150s with the HDDP package or for newer F150s.
It was from the F150 Forum.