cmoshea

Hi Everyone, like the title says I am looking for some help. I need to rent a 12" chipper to take care of the small trees/limbs after cleaning up some land. The rental place is concerned about me towing their chipper with my F150 because the chipper weights 5,000 lbs.

I have a '12 FX4 SuperCab with 3.73 gears and tow package (not max tow) but from what I have read/found with the specs I have a max towing capacity of ~9,500 lbs.

I told them this information and they stated that I must have some "super suspension"

I have towed on several occasions with this truck mainly 6x12 dual axle enclosed trailers with only break a way brakes. I had no issues or concerns when doing this.

Also the rental place is under 20 miles each way and its all 30 - 40 mph roads.

Looking for any suggestions or advice. Thanks, Chris

SkiSmuggs

Show them the yellow door sticker. You are towing it, not carrying it in the bed of your truck.

beakie

unless the tires are at the very back of the trailer, the tongue weight should NOT be a problem, and the total weight of the trailer is NOT a problem.

as stated above, show them the door sticker, and/or ask to talk to someone who knows what they are talking about.

Boulevard

Ask to speak to the manager/owner.

Mechanik

What Beakie said. Ask how many years of automotive engineering school they went to in order to work in a rental yard. Well, OK, that's probably a bad idea. Seriously, you're probably getting near, but well within, your limits.

I once had a wood lot try to tell me that a cord of wood was too heavy for the bed. Told him it weighed less than my mother-in-law and her dog, so load it up or I'll leave. Turns out he wanted to deliver it for me. "I'm not supposed to do this, but I can borrow the big truck after work tonight".

Steve Osborne

you could tow 5000 with a 5cyl canyon...try another rental place...

seaeagle2

Are you sure you need one that big? When I was in college I worked for the State DNR and we used one of the big old school units with a ford straight six. A few years ago I rented a vermeer that was powered by a Kohler VTwin, it was a lot smaller, but I towed it with my 4.0L V6 Ranger, and it chipped all the stuff I had which was the brush pile the loggers left behind after hauling 12 loads of Hem/Fir off our property.

superdave150

Maybe they're trying to be helpful and keep you from getting in over your head. Maybe they're trying to make a buck on service/delivery fees. Maybe they're simply ignorant.

Whichever the case, tell 'em the truck is strong enough to haul Al Borland's mother, so surely it is strong enough to haul their dinky trailer a few miles. So bring on whatever paperwork they got and let's git 'er done.

Really though, your truck can handle it!!! Just beware the tongue weight, and the effect it will have on steering & braking when the leverage of the weight in back lightens the weight in the front.

graywolf

I tow a 9000 lb 33 ft travel trailer with my 2008 SuperCrew 4x4 with the 5.4 engine, 3.73 differential and I hardly know it is back there. But my RV does have electric brakes; you would be using all braking from the truck I presume. But regardless, you have nothing to fear.
The rental dude must be confusing payload with towing limit. Best wishes.

TLB4

BS, you cannot tell me a trailer weighing almost double your truck is "barely noticeable". Especially with a 5.4L 3V gas engine. That's getting up near the max towing that truck can physically do. Not to mention way past the legal towing weight of that truck.