Greeley94

Hi. We are new members to this forum. We have a 2011 f150 5.0l with a 3.55 rear axle. Over the winter we bought a 2012 heartland travel trailer 27fqbs that weights 7700lbs. The floor plan is perfect for our growing family! Our concern is that this trailer is too much for our truck. We are considering upgrading the truck to the Eco boost engine since the towing is 9100 lbs. does anyone have and suggestions or recommendations so that we don't feel so lost? Thanks

brulaz

Yup, 7700# would be close to the tow limit for the 2011 5L. Especially if that's "dry" weight. Add maybe 1200# to dry weight, especially for all the stuff a growing family needs.

But also there's how much payload your truck will need. If your 7700# trailer has the minimum recommended 12% tongue weight, that'll be 924# on your truck (actually less as your WDH will put a bit of that back on the trailer's axle, or more if that 7700# is dry weight). That may not leave much "room" for you, the family, and gear in the truck.

If you get a new F150, get as much payload as you can. Certainly get the MaxTow option, and if you can, get the HD Payload option. The Ecoboost is a fine tow engine.

11screw50

I think the 5.0 will pull it just fine however, if you have a crew cab, I suspect you will be over your payload rating. Heartland lists the tongue weight as 725 but once loaded and with lp tanks and battery up front, it will be higher.

Rule of thumb for estimating tongue weight seems to be max weight (listed by Heartland as 7700) * 0.13 which puts you right around 1,000lb.

I would suggest an EcoBoost with Max Tow.

ragerjr

What is your payload of that truck? Also are you 4x4 or 2x4, SCREW or RedCAB or SC? Do you have the tow package ( not Max Tow)? The Trailer Brake Controller unit? All this information will help to determine if your truck can handle the trailer. I have a 2010 5.4L SCAB 4x4 w/3.55 rearend. I pull a 29' 9000# fifth wheel with it and no issues.

mbopp

We looked at the 27FQBS but for the 2 of us it was too big and too heavy. Ditto on what 11screw50 says - welcome to the world of 1/2 ton towing, where you run out of payload before hitting the maximum trailer tow rating (especially with a SCREW cab.)
For that trailer, yeah, an EcoBoost with the Max tow / Max payload package would work.

ragerjr

Greeley94,
Look at the link below for the towing guide for 2011 F150. Like everyone else has said the payload is what you will run out of first.
If you feel you need a new F150 to do the job the Eco #s look good. Like Brulaz stated make sure you get the Maxtow and HD package. A 2013 XLT EB/Max Tow/HD Package/4x4/3.73 rear/SCREW/157" WB will have around 2310 pounds of payload (this information is from the Ford Build Site).

http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/g..._F150nov18.pdf

Greeley94

Thanks everyone for the great advice!!! Our 2011 is a crew cab and my little boys are now only 4 years and growing( only adding more weight down the road) The wife and I visited a dealer today and looked at the new 2013 Eco boost with the 3.73 and max towing package, thanks in part to the great advice from this forum. I think this may the way to go

tomb1269

Sounds like your heading in the right direction. Reinforce another members posting. You want to plan for max tounge weight chich based on the 7700lb GVWR and the fair standard tounge of 13% You'll need payload for 1000 lbs of tongue weight, plus the weight of the hitch, WDH tend to weight about 75 lbs in total, So that is approxamately 1100lbs just to connect the trailer. On most of the F150s the payload is 1400 to 1600lbs which would leave only 300 to 500 lbs for you the wife and growing family. With your trailer you would most likely be looking for a Truck with 1900 lbs or more of payload capacity. Of the 2013 models the EB SCREW 4x4 max tow on the 145in wheel base (5.5 ft bed)has 1900lb payload and the 157in (6.5ft bed) has an 1840 payload.

RedOne

Or consider the HD option also if ordering. EcoBoost vs 5.0L engine has nothing to do with the actual towing of your TT, both will pull it, except to get Max Tow or extra payload you have to have the Eco or 6.2L engine.

dodosmike

I was about to start a new thread about this then read about some of my issue here, so excuse the hijack, but

The little yellow sticker in the door, "tire and loading information". Does it take into account the options upon build? Ie max tow.

Current truck is a 2010 lariat, screw, 4x4, 3.55, 5.4L. shows payload at 1150lbs, gvwr 7200

New 2013 eb, 145", 4x4 FX4 max tow pkg, sticker on the door jamb says 1530. Gvwr 7650. According to the tow guide the sticker should be 1900lbs.

Is the sticker not accurate due to the addition of the max tow package?

What I'm ideally looking for is a max tow, FX4, EB, 4x4.
Payload at 1900 (5.5' box) or 1840 (6.5' box)
Gvwr 7650

Essentially the heavyset payload available short of the HD payload option, in a 4x4 screw FX4 (prefer no chrome).

Does it exist?

Current truck:


New one I'm looking at:

Payload shows light even though it has the max tow option.

Thoughts?

Dodosmike