Ford Transit Hitch capacity

[dave neiser]

2024 Ford Transit 250 w/Eco-boost and 2024 Surveyor 202RBLE All the numbers work except....
Van loaded for camping with firewood, generator, tool box, etc. Truck only at Cat Scale: 3,500 front, 2,780 rear, 6280 total, 9,100 allowed by the sticker. With trailer attached: 3260 front, 3760 rear, 4920 trailer, 11940 total, 12,600 allowed on the sticker. Van has trailer package and factory brake controller. Recent 500 mile trip, trailer towed fine, brakes evenly and very little sway in 30mph gusts, no sway for passing trucks. However, 980 pounds on the hitch and 2 inches squat and 240 pounds off of the front has me awake at night. That's 20% tongue weight. 15% would be 750 pounds hitch weight, closer to the hitch capacity and less squat, I hope. I'm way below the sticker of truck carrying weight or trailer cargo weight. I always travel with all tanks empty. This brings up the often discussed WDH on a transit, or how to get weight off the tongue and onto the trailer axels.
Any thoughts or experience with a transit with a WDH ?

 

[bikendan]

Moved thread from the Welcome Mat section to the Towing, Tow Vehicles and Hitches sub-forum since the OP's post is strictly about towing/tow vehicles/hitches and is not an introduction post.

 

[bikendan]

You haven't posted the payload capacity number for your Transit. It's on the driver's door Tires and Loading yellow sticker. It'll say "Occupants and cargo should not exceed xxxxlbs".
That number is more important than the Towing capacity number since nearly all tow vehicles will run out of payload WAY before reaching the max towing capacity.

You clearly are over the max hitch capacity.

 

[dave neiser]

This is a Transit Cargo Van with the uni-body frame. The sub-frame only goes to the front shackles of the rear leaf springs. The 'Occupants and cargo should not exceed' number is 3420. Twice that of most pickup trucks. I am not close to that with two people, full gas, and usual camping stuff. I wasn't worried about that at all. I was asking about how to get weight off of the hitch and onto the trailer axels. There are many threads about using a WDH on a Transit On this truck the hitch is attached to the subframe with 6 bolts per side. 4 are horizontal through the box frame and 2 are vertical into something. I am asking for opinions on how to get weight off of the hitch, or the potential complications of too much torque on the subframe to get weight to the front axel. Thanks

 

[D W]

A WDH can always help. Question is: What class receiver do you have, and is it rated for a WDH?

 

[dave neiser]

The hitch is the factory hitch in the "Heavy Duty Tow Package". There is not a "Not Heavy Duty Package". All of the numbers worked when I bought this van and trailer. I am underweight on everything. Total combined weight, tow weight, truck weight, payload, total axels and individual axels. All of the information on the trailer listed the usual 10% number. My question is how to get weight onto the trailer and off of the hitch. Right now I'm at 20% of trailer height on the hitch. 250 pounds off the hitch would get me to 15%. Short of cutting and re-welding the springs to move the axels forward of carrying 300 pounds of water in my black tank, any ideas ? Also, is there any way I could have known this, or did Forest River engineer this to some formula. The trailer is not loaded heavy. Just two or three days of cloths in front of the axels and food behind the axels. Maybe three hundred pounds.

 

[dave neiser]

Forgot to mention this: The info tag on the hitch is a QR code about one inch square. My phone will not recognize it as a code. Shifting through the ever accurate internet, I think 750 is the factory limit.

 

[Chuck_S]

Owners manual of my Expedition with the Class 4 (HD Tow Option) trailer hitch shows 6000 pounds weight carrying and 9200 pounds weight distributing max towing capacities. Should be something in your manual as well.

I use a WDH to put weight back on the front (steering) axle. Can't think of a single reason to not use a WDH when towing loads that require HD tow.

-- Chuck

 

[Bob K4TAX]

There should be a sticker or label on the vehicle hitch showing the WDH rating of the receiver. In your case, I'd say that a WDH, properly setup and adjusted, will restore some weight to the front wheels and likewise add some weight to the trailer wheels. Also, consider moving some items in the trailer to behind the trailer axles in order to lighten tongue weight.

Bob