Towing Capacity

RJourney1

New Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2025
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3
Location
Ohio
We currently have a 2013 F150 limited with 3.73 gearing in the rear axle and has the 3.5 EcoBoost. The GVWR says 7200 LB on the sticker and the combined weight on the yellow sticker says 1169 lbs. Are you able to help me and let me know what the weight of a travel trailer I should be looking for, that I can tow with it? We are looking at the 2025 Wildwood 27RK that has a dry weight of 6863 lbs. and hitch weight of 955 lbs.
 
We currently have a 2013 F150 limited with 3.73 gearing in the rear axle and has the 3.5 EcoBoost. The GVWR says 7200 LB on the sticker and the combined weight on the yellow sticker says 1169 lbs. Are you able to help me and let me know what the weight of a travel trailer I should be looking for, that I can tow with it? We are looking at the 2025 Wildwood 27RK that has a dry weight of 6863 lbs. and hitch weight of 955 lbs.
First, your F150 is a bling trim level, which is why your payload capacity is only 1169lbs.
Since that 1169lbs number limits you severely and that trailer's tongue weight alone will exceed that number.
That fictional dry tongue weight of 955lbs doesn't include the weights of batteries, factory options, dealer add-ons, water and trailer cargo. To get a ballpark loaded tongue weight, you use 12% of the trailer's GVWR.
Subtracting just the fictional dry tongue weight of 955, from the truck's 1169, gives you leaves you 214lbs, for you and passengers, truck cargo and about 100lbs for the WDH. So even if you have no passengers and truck cargo, that still only leaves enough for a 114lb driver.
You'll need to find a a trailer with about half the dry tongue weight amount.
All that Limited trim level bling reduces the truck's payload capacity.
My 1014 XLT 3.5 EcoBoost has 1828lbs of payload capacity.
You'll need to reduce the size of the trailer or upgrade your truck.
Nearly all 1/2 ton trucks will run out of payload capacity WAY before reaching the max towing capacity. Payload capacity is much more important than towing capacity, when it comes to towing a travel trailer.
 
Thanks for the reply but just got the truck in the summer so upgrading the truck isn't an option. What trailer weight should we be looking at then?
 
The trailer 2025 Wildwood 27RK will actually weigh close to 9766 when it is ready to camp and the tongue weight will be close to 1170......... Ignore dry weights......... other than add the ccc cargo carrying capacity to the dry weight. In this case 2892 lbs....
 
I just decoded the VIN on Ford-trucks.com and it says this Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.5000 lbs. So, it doesn't look like I am able to tow much of anything in the way of a decent travel trailer?
 
I suggest visiting this site and plug in the numbers. TowingPlanner - towing capability calculators

Remember, most of the time it is the empty weight first mentioned. This is before anything is added to the trailer. It is best using the GVRW (Gross Vehicle Rating Weight). Use 12% of that for tongue weight. Empty weight is a salesman's gimmick to say, "sure you can tow it".

Bob
 
Not seen "dead weight hitch" notations on a Ford but will assume it's the same as "weight carrying" vs "weight distribution" something that's almost required to tow a travel trailer. My Expedition SUV has a weight carrying trailer towing capacity of 6000 pounds (9200 with a WDH) so this F150 falls below that. I suspect you can tow a 9000 pound trailer with a WDH but wouldn't 'cuz that's pushing limits.

No one cares what the trailer weighs empty, at least your F150 doesn't for sure. :) The trailer you're looking for weighs just under 10,000 pounds (less the french fries and salt packets under the seats). Max towing capacity I can find for your pickup (if equipped with HD Tow) is 9,800 pounds and if further equipped with HD Cargo 11,300. As noted "bling" pickups seldom have these options. See page 15 of the Ford Towing Guide.[/urll

-- Chuck
 
As you have determined, what the F150 can pull is significantly different from what the truck can carry.
Do consider what the travel trailer weight will be at camping trip departure.

An example & my experience:
Tow vehicle 2022 F150 3.5L XLT 145 inch WB. GVWR 7050# payload 1822#(truck tare weight is 5,228#)
2024 Flagstaff Micro Lite 22FBS (same as Mini Lite 2205s) GVWR 6794#
At the campground, Shureline tonguescale weight, fresh water one third full, grey & black empty, tongue weight: 1000# (tongue weight 14.7% of GVWR; Micro / Mini Lite trailers are tongue heavy).

Sample cargo load Calculation:
tongue weight 1000# plus 100# (for theWeight Distribution Hitch, the truck carries this) plus 350# (two people) + 125# (owner added truck accessories: ie tonneau cover, bedmatt) + 150# (camping cargo, tools in truck bed) + 35# (stuff in cab,glove box, storage box, floor mats, etc)] = 1660 # cargo weight.

So: given a “ 2013 F150 limited with3.73 gearing in the rear axle and has the 3.5 EcoBoost. The GVWR says7200 LB on the sticker and the combined weight on the yellow stickersays 1169 lbs”; your truck tare weight is 6031#. All the options(mainly electric motors and glass) add up and reduce 'steal' cargo capacity.

Using the above Sample Calculation and going 'backwards', as an example: 350# people plus 125 accessories plus 150# cargo plus 35# cab stuff = 660# minus the 1169# yellow sticker number =509# maximum tongue weight

So, a “ 2013 F150 limited ... yellowsticker says 1169 lbs”: can carry most single axle trailers with a GVWR under 4,000#, Example of a Travel trailer that the 2013 Limited is capable of carrying: FlagstaffE-Pro E15TB GVWR 3907# will have a camp ready tongue weight of roughly 507#

So, Pulling is not the issue.
Braking, turning, driving in heavy traffic and or windy conditions, in other words, CONTROL is the issue.
'bikendan' is right on the 'money'
Good Luck in your search. Let us know what you decide. And remember a RV salesperson is trying to get a sale. And the RV salespeople I have met, never tow a trailer and do not own a tow vehicle.
Camp22FBS.
 

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