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I added a new Curt hitch to my 2015 F150 XL supercab and it looks like a well made hitch. I will need to take my new torque wrench and torque the bolts to 205 Lb Ft of torque. I have it torqued to 150 Lb Ft of torque now as my bigger torque wrench had not come in when I installed the hitch. I think that the high torque might be a bit excessive, however I will follow the manufactures recommendations.
Any of you put on a Curt hitch on a 2015 or 2016 F150? Did you follow the torque specs when you tightened it?
Going to pull a enclosed 6X10 motorcycle trailer with a single axle. Can't weigh more than 1200 pounds empty. I think my 3.5 Liter V6 NA engine and the 3.73 rear axle should work fine. Your thoughts?
Going to pull a enclosed 6X10 motorcycle trailer with a single axle. Can't weigh more than 1200 pounds empty. I think my 3.5 Liter V6 NA engine and the 3.73 rear axle should work fine. Your thoughts?
GCWR is 12,200, and tow rating is 7,100 for a 4x4. So when the F-150 weighs (12,200 - 7,100 =) 5,100 pounds, then you can pull a 7,100 pound trailer without exceeding the GCWR of your F-150.
But your wet and loaded F-150 is going to weigh a lot more than 5,100, so your max trailer weight is going to be a lot less than 7,100.
I'd venture if the wet and loaded trailer does not exceed about 5,500 pounds, then you'll not exceed the GCWR of the F-150. If your empty trailer grosses 1,200 pounds, that leaves 4,300 pounds of motorcycles and other cargo before you hit the GCWR limit.
But payload capacity is another worm in the cabbage. Tongue weight of a 5,500 pound single-axle cargo trailer @ 13% tongue weight is 715 pounds tongue weight, and because that's more than 500 pounds you must have a weight-distributing hitch that will add about a hundred pounds to your hitch weight.
With GAWR of 5,200, the trailer weight from the seller above is 1,200 pounds, exactly your limit.
Bottom line? You can tow that trailer with your F-150 without exceeding any of Ford's weight limits, but you must install a weight-distributing hitch and pay attention to the weight you haul in both the pickup and the trailer if you don't want to be overloaded.
BTW, the CAT scale is your friend. Use it.
Last edited by smokeywren; 02-16-2016 at 11:05 PM.
GCWR is 12,200, and tow rating is 7,100 for a 4x4. So when the F-150 weighs (12,200 - 7,100 =) 5,100 pounds, then you can pull a 7,100 pound trailer without exceeding the GCWR of your F-150.
But your wet and loaded F-150 is going to weigh a lot more than 5,100, so your max trailer weight is going to be a lot less than 7,100.
I'd venture if the wet and loaded trailer does not exceed about 5,500 pounds, then you'll not exceed the GCWR of the F-150. If your empty trailer grosses 1,200 pounds, that leaves 4,300 pounds of motorcycles and other cargo before you hit the GCWR limit.
But payload capacity is another worm in the cabbage. Tongue weight of a 5,500 pound single-axle cargo trailer @ 13% tongue weight is 715 pounds tongue weight, and because that's more than 500 pounds you must have a weight-distributing hitch that will add about a hundred pounds to your hitch weight.
With GAWR of 5,200, the trailer weight from the seller above is 1,200 pounds, exactly your limit.
Bottom line? You can tow that trailer with your F-150 without exceeding any of Ford's weight limits, but you must install a weight-distributing hitch and pay attention to the weight you haul in both the pickup and the trailer if you don't want to be overloaded.
BTW, the CAT scale is your friend. Use it.
Thanks for taking the time to explain the details of what my F150 can tow. With this trailer, I should never exceed a total of 1000 pounds of cargo in the trailer. It is set up for my 750 pound motorcycle and the tongue weight is pretty light, about 250 pounds, as the bike is centered and well balanced inside the trailer. I think the axle of the trailer is rated about 3000 pounds. Therefore, the most I can carry safely in the trailer is about 1800 pounds max and I will never come anywhere close to that. I use the trailer to haul a couch now and then, a few pieces of sheet rock or the motorcycle.
Thanks again for taking the time to type your reply! That was very kind and informative!
To answer your question on torque specs. If the instructions say 205FTLBS torque then I would make sure it was at 205. You may get away with less torque per bolt but what is the value of the stuff you are pulling worth? the car behind you? If and when you sell the truck will the next person expect the trailer hitch to be installed correctly or just enough to hold?
To answer your question on torque specs. If the instructions say 205FTLBS torque then I would make sure it was at 205. You may get away with less torque per bolt but what is the value of the stuff you are pulling worth? the car behind you? If and when you sell the truck will the next person expect the trailer hitch to be installed correctly or just enough to hold?
My 2 Bits.
I know and agree. That is the reason I mentioned I bought a new torque wrench, one that goes to 250 Ft Lbs of torque. The one I had when I installed the hitch went to 150 Ft Lbs of torque, so that is what the bolts are torqued to now, until the end of the week when it warms up and I can crawl under the truck and tighten the bolts to the spec noted in the directions. I have not pulled my trailer nor would I till I tighten the bolts to spec.
I just thought it was interesting on the other hitches I looked at, none of them mentioned tightening the bolts that tight. Curt must have a reason for it though.
What year is the Shelby in your sig? I had a 2012 GT500, black with white stripes that was very fast that I bought new. Sold it though and kind of miss it sometimes....
Yup it is. I have had that one for 34 years now. It is now in the middle of a restoration after a lady hit the rear end in 1993. The POS Chevy in the picture is my daughters. I used it to pull the 68 from WA to OH a few years ago. Never again will I trust a Chevy or us one to pull with.
02-16-2016, 07:03 PM
Curt Aftermarket Hitch Receiver
