Firedaniel

We just bought a new Rockwood Travel Trailer that weighs in right at 7850lbs and 35' long! It has a hitch weight of 1125lbs. Max weight is 9k lbs. My truck is rated at 9800lbs with the 3.55 rear end and the ecoboost. I feel it will most likely be a handful for the F150 but should be doable. My current plans are to tow with my F350 pending any mechanical issues. What would it take to get the F150 to comfortably tow this trailer?

Airbags and tires do it? seems like a lot of weight for a 1/2 ton truck

dcrabby

I wouldn't touch it with an F150 when it is loaded for use. Food, clothing, kids toys, mama's toys, your toys.

Stick to the f350 .... IMHO

atwowheelguy

You didn't state your available payload or your GVWR or axle weight limits. That information is on a sticker in the door jamb area. I have a 780 lb. tongue weight on my camper. With two people and some luggage in the truck, the rear axle weighs 3800 lbs. on a 3850 lb. rated axle. Only 50 lbs. to spare. No way I could handle a 1125+ lb. tongue weight without being overloaded.

You will reach your vehicle HAUL weight limits long before you reach its TOW limits.

Firedaniel

sounds like i should give my F350 mechanic a raise! (hey thats me lol I had originally thought the F150 could handle it if the old F350 crapped out. (6.0 diesels kinda have a reputation for doing that) I checked the sticker and it is 7100lb GVWR and 3850 rear GAWR. So how does Ford say it will tow 9800lbs? if im that overloaded

snobdds

The payload carries your pin weight. If you have the entire family with stuff in the bed and all that pin weight, technically your overloaded payload wise. You need to get your pin weight down or your payload, and I don't think the family wants to walk. So your stuck with pin weight. The only way is to get a weight distribution hitch for the truck. Now go to a scale and weigh the truck/trailer with a full tank of gas and the family. See what each axle is actually weighing and go from there. It may take adjusting the hitch a time or two to see what setting takes the most off. This way you know, there is no precise method to determine how much weight is being transferred by the hitch without weighing it.

And don't give up on the 6.0, it just needs understanding and it will treat you well. I love my bastard child 6.0.

Firedaniel

Thanks that makes since! I do use a WD hitch and may run it to a scale soon to see what it weighs in at. I baby that 6.0 but a spoiled brat you never know when she is going to do something weird lol

atwowheelguy

Your truck has several weight limits, and you will reach one limit before the others. That one becomes the limiting factor.
The weight distribution hitch will shift some weight from the rear axle to the front truck axle and to the trailer axle.
Some limits:
Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating GCVWR: The maximum total combined weight of the tow vehicle and the trailer.
Your tow rating of 9800 lbs. = GCVWR - truck weight.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating GVWR = Maximum weight of truck and all contents.

Payload = maximum weight of all passengers and cargo = GVWR - truck weight

This is on the yellow highlighted sticker on the door jamb area.



Then there is a limit on each truck axle.
Gross Axle Weight Rating GAWR



Neither axle limit should be exceeded, as well as the total truck weight rating limit GVWR. Ford says to measure the height of the front fender before hitching up and then after hitching up. Then adjust the weight distribution hitch to bring the front fender HALF WAY back to the unloaded height.

After you do all that, then head for the scales to see if all the weights are within the limits.

http://catscale.com/cat-scale-locator

acadianbob

X2. Way too much tongue weight and way too long a trailer.

brahms

Don't forget the hitch itself has a weight capacity rating, my standard towing package hitch is 1050# with a WD hitch for tongue weigh.

A7B2FX4

I believe Ford is similar to all the other truck makers in their advertising. On this forum most people think in terms of pulling a recreational trailer of some type and find the numbers just don't add up to be able to reach the advertised max weights. What is missing on all the advertising is the max weight numbers are attained with a flatbed and the weight carefully spotted on the flatbed. Check out the advertising pictures and you wont see them showing a 30' TT.
Trailer life mag just did an article on the so called half ton towable 5th wheels and pretty much agreed it was a myth.