NewToFordTrucks

I have never brought a truck before and just got a new F 150 XLT. The deal was too good to pass (13K off from dealer)
I may tow once a year, may be a yard or two of gravel etc (~3000lbs) or some retaining wall stuff from home depot (less than 5000lbs), otherwise this is strictly a commute vehicle. Need help identifying upper tow limit of this truck. I saw ford's site and it seems this configuration can tow upto ~8000/9000 lbs but I am not sure since I do not have a tow package.
I was looking for a 2.7 L engine but they are hard to find here (Seattle), pretty much sold out and what ever was available was more expensive.

Here's the configuration from window sticker:
- 2016 F 150 XLT SuperCrew 4X4, 145" wheel base
- 3.5L Ecoboost
- FX4 offroad
- 3.31 axle ratio
- 18" wheels
- 302A package with sports package
- 36 ga tank
- 7000# GVWR package

Yard of of gravel is like 3000 Lbs, if this truck can do 7000Lbs with a trailer then I can save myself a trip

Thanks for reading!

SixShooter14

First question, do you have a trailer hitch? or are you planning to attach to the bumper?
Second, What is your payload rating? Found on the yellow sticker by the driver's door.

Ricktwuhk

You cannot haul 3,000 pounds of gravel in the bed. Nor can you load the bed and then load the trailer. Your Payload sticker (as mentioned above) limits what you load the truck can carry both in the bed plus any weight from a trailer. It's likely around 1,400 - 1,600 pounds, maybe 1,700 if you're lucky, but I expect not. That weight, MINUS your weight and any other passengers, MINUS the weight of any modifications you make (added bedliner, mats, cooler, stuff in the bed) is what you can safely load.

As far as towing, same payload math. Without a weight distribution hitch, 5,000 pound trailer with 500 pounds on the tongue (which is more like a 3,846 pound trailer with 13% tongue weight). With a WDH, subtract 75 - 125 pounds for the WDH, then take 13% of what remains. Probably just under 8,000 pound trailer.

People buy trucks without doing the research ahead of time and then are often very surprised. Spend 1/2 day and read the threads on this section of the forum, you'll learn a lot.

11screw50

He has a 2016, his payload is likely around 1800lb, maybe higher (looks like his truck is pretty close to mine, differing in engine, gears and wheels and my payload is 1818).

Go look at the 'what is your payload' thread and look at the spreadsheet (the one in the OP sig since the link in the post doesn't seem to work). The new trucks have a lot better payload than the previous gen did (unless it is a 2.7 or 3.5NA). Need to start looking at year and engine before assuming payload is as low as previous gen was (Smokeywren makes the same assumptions).

Other than that, yeah, I agree...although if he is alone and has ~1800lb payload he is more likely to be able to do it (all in the trailer) and remain under GVWR (GCWR could be a different story though).

NewToFordTrucks

Thanks all for reply. Here's additonal info:

Payload capacity (little sticker in door): 1852 lbs
Class 4 hitch (factoryinstalled)with:
- Weight distributing: 11000 Lbs
- Weight carrying : 5000 lbs

SixShooter14

Ok, If you have a WDH then I'd say you are barely safe putting it all on a trailer and hauling it in 1 trip. So long as you're very careful with hills, curves, and stopping distance. Would be nice if you had trailer brakes as that's a good bit of weight to stop. So braking will probably be your biggest challenge.

If you don't have a WDH then you'll have to get creative.

you can put 5k in the trailer loaded properly to give you roughly 500-600# tongue weight. Your hitch is rated for a TW of 500# non-wdh I believe. So try not to go much if any over that. and a trailer with gravel should have a low CoG so it shouldn't sway too much if the TW is at 10% (500#) Hopefully your empty trailer is lightweight.

So if you want to move 6000# of gravel then you'll have 5000# in the trailer and 1000 in the truck using up about 1500-1600 of your payload rating. Leaving you with about 200#ish for you and whatever else you might have in your truck.


How far are you needing to haul it?
What is the terrain like? Any steep up or down hills? Much traffic? You'll want to take it easy with the speeding up and slowing down. Try to time it so there's minimal traffic.

I think I would go ahead and get it in 1 trip. But if you're not comfortable with it then make the extra trip.

NewToFordTrucks

-----

Thanks
I live up on a hill, (quite a bit of grade) and dump truck that I rented last year complained too much even thou it was loaded 70% to its capacity, so i think i have to play safe here.

So to confirm - even thou I don't have tow package, it is safe for me to pull 7k or 8k lbs (if i ever do, like a camper etc) with a Weight distributing hitch assuming that the trailer has a built in breaking system and i stay within the 10-15% of load on the hitch (payload)?

SixShooter14

The trailer may have brakes. But you'll have to have a Trailer Brake Controller (TBC)

Ford makes a nice Integrated TBC (ITBC) that integrates with the truck's computer and gives you a gain readout on the instrument panel. But, I have read of some errors with the early batch of these. It may be fixed by now, idk.

As far as weight. You need to be mindful of all the ratings of the truck.

GVWR (weight of LOADED truck + TW of LOADED trailer)
GAWR (front and rear)
GCWR (total ready to roll weight truck + trailer)
Tire load rating.

Your payload rating comes out of the GVWR. So at 7000# GVWR you have 1852# of weight you can add to the truck before you surpass this.
So this 1852 includes anything in or on your truck that wasn't there when it was weighed at the factory.
You (driver)
Passengers
Passengers stuff
any tools or baggage in the truck.
extra equipment (bumpers, lights, bedliners, covers, bigger tires, speakers, etc.)
the weight of a WDH
Tongue weight. (equal to roughly 13% of the trailer weight)

So step 1 is to weigh the empty truck on a CAT scale. Take this number out of the GVWR. This gives you the REAL payload you have to work with.

Load the truck with everything and everyone you would have in the truck when towing (including the WDH). Weigh again. Take this weight out of the GVWR, giving you the amount of tongue weight you can have without exceeding the GVWR. Now take this Loaded weight out of your GCWR this gives you the amount of trailer weight you can pull (assuming you support the tongue with a toad or something)

once you have the tongue weight based on a wet and loaded truck, divide it by 0.13 and that's the heaviest trailer you can tow with your truck loaded.

So, example time. JUST AN EXAMPLE. YMMV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GVWR= 7000#
GCWR = 14000#
Payload = 1850# (assuming the sticker is correct)

1850 minus
200# (driver)
120# (spouse)
80# (kid/pet)
50# (cooler of drinks)
100# (WDH)
20# (snacks, personal electronics, etc.)

available tongue weight: 1280#
1280/0.13 = max. trailer weight based on GVWR: 9850#
GCWR - GVWR = MAX trailer weight based on vehicle
14000 - 7000 = 7000#

So... In this example. You would be limited by the GCWR of your truck before you maxed the payload. This is assuming all those weights I listed are the only things in/on the truck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NewToFordTrucks

Very Helpful..thanks!
I think I got the calculation here. The number above (lets say 7000lbs) is what I can tow safely. But since I do not have the tow package (no tranny cooler/upgrade radiator), is it safe to pull this much?

SixShooter14

yes so long as it's relatively easy pulling.

BUT, WATCH YOUR TRANNY AND ENGINE TEMPS.

You should have a digital tranny temp readout in the center instrument screen. Keep it below 230. If it starts climbing over 220-225, start looking for a place to pull over to let it cool down.

And again. You really need trailer brakes and controller with anything that heavy.