Towing Advice on Travel Trailer
08-23-2012, 03:34 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Towing Advice on Travel Trailer
I have seen a number of threads on towing capacity, but I'm looking specifically for someone with experience towing a 34' travel trailer, weighing 5,540 pounds (dry and otherwise empty) with a 2011 F150 SCrew (4x4) with the EcoBoost engine, 3.55 gears, and the tow package rating of 9,700. It is understood that it will require a WD hitch and possibly air bags to handle the roughly 750 lb hitch weight.
I've pulled travel trailers and fifth-wheel trailers for over 40 years, but nothing this big with an half-ton truck.
Any comments are welcome and thanks in advance...
I've pulled travel trailers and fifth-wheel trailers for over 40 years, but nothing this big with an half-ton truck.
Any comments are welcome and thanks in advance...
08-23-2012, 05:52 PM
#2
Senior Member
Originally Posted by KenMO
I have seen a number of threads on towing capacity, but I'm looking specifically for someone with experience towing a 34' travel trailer, weighing 5,540 pounds (dry and otherwise empty) with a 2011 F150 SCrew (4x4) with the EcoBoost engine, 3.55 gears, and the tow package rating of 9,700. It is understood that it will require a WD hitch and possibly air bags to handle the roughly 750 lb hitch weight.
I've pulled travel trailers and fifth-wheel trailers for over 40 years, but nothing this big with an half-ton truck.
Any comments are welcome and thanks in advance...
I've pulled travel trailers and fifth-wheel trailers for over 40 years, but nothing this big with an half-ton truck.
Any comments are welcome and thanks in advance...
08-23-2012, 08:37 PM
#4
Senior Member
Empty, lightweight build, it is close. It is probably a 31' box, 34' bow to stern.
WDH setup properly, good trailer brakes (adjusted properly) and a good brake controller (assuming you don't have the OEM) should be all that is necessary. Airbags will help you keep it from bouncing as much on the bumps, but will not likely be needed if you are using a properly setup WDH. Equal-I-Zer brand is great and fairly decent cost.
WDH setup properly, good trailer brakes (adjusted properly) and a good brake controller (assuming you don't have the OEM) should be all that is necessary. Airbags will help you keep it from bouncing as much on the bumps, but will not likely be needed if you are using a properly setup WDH. Equal-I-Zer brand is great and fairly decent cost.
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KenMO (08-23-2012)
08-23-2012, 08:52 PM
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
It's a Keystone Passport 3100RK. The length and weight as listed by Keystone is actually 33'9" and the weight is 5540. As with most manufacturers, they probably fudge the specs just a little. Sorta like the horsepower and torque ratings on the ECB.....
08-23-2012, 09:47 PM
#6
I have a 2012 FX2 Screw EB with 3.55's.
I also have a 30' TT 5900# dry, 7200# loaded (scaled).
Tongue weight is 1000#.
Be sure to check your cargo/payload.
My truck tows this trailer with no trouble.
No bags required
WD hitch and sway bar.
Put yours on a scale loaded - never guess at loaded weight.
Then tow away and have fun.
I also have a 30' TT 5900# dry, 7200# loaded (scaled).
Tongue weight is 1000#.
Be sure to check your cargo/payload.
My truck tows this trailer with no trouble.
No bags required
WD hitch and sway bar.
Put yours on a scale loaded - never guess at loaded weight.
Then tow away and have fun.
Last edited by humblerb; 08-23-2012 at 09:49 PM.
08-24-2012, 08:09 AM
#7
Senior Member
Air conditioner, awning, spare tire, and so on. And then there's your own stuff. You can easily exceed the base weight by 1000-1500#Much safer to use the TT's GVWR as your guide.
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macka (08-24-2012)
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08-24-2012, 10:50 AM
#8
[QUOTE=brulaz;1982037] You can easily exceed the base weight by 1000-1500#
QUOTE]
I would modify this statement to say you will (most likely) exceed the base weight by 1000-1500#. Put mine on a scale on the way home from a camping trip (loaded for camping) and I am 1300# heavier than the dry weight (5900# - 7200#).
QUOTE]
I would modify this statement to say you will (most likely) exceed the base weight by 1000-1500#. Put mine on a scale on the way home from a camping trip (loaded for camping) and I am 1300# heavier than the dry weight (5900# - 7200#).
08-24-2012, 12:40 PM
#9
Grumpy Old Man
GVWR is 7400, with dry hitch weight about 11 percent of dry trailer weight. So your expected wet and loaded hitch weight is at least 814 pounds, and I would count on 900 pounds.
With your "tow rating" of up to 9,700 pounds, and the max trailer weight of 7,400 pounds, you won't have any trouble pulling the weight. But with a family in the SuperCrew and some tools in the toolbox, you might have trouble with overloading the F-150 over the GVWR of the F-150.
So load the truck up with family, tools, coolers, pets, WD hitch shank and ball mount, and whatever else might be on/in the truck when towing, not including a trailer. Go to a truckstop that has a CAT scale, fill up with gasoline, and then weigh the wet and loaded tow vehicle, including the driver and passengers inside the pickup. Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded tow vehicle from the GVWR of the tow vehicle. If the answer is less than 900, expect to be overloaded when on the road with your wet and loaded TT.
My F-150 EcoBoost with GVWR of 7,100 pounds is overloaded over the GVWR of the truck by 100 pounds when towing my 19.6 box length TT. If your truck doesn't have either the max tow pkg or the HD payload pkg, you probably have about the same net payload I have.
With your "tow rating" of up to 9,700 pounds, and the max trailer weight of 7,400 pounds, you won't have any trouble pulling the weight. But with a family in the SuperCrew and some tools in the toolbox, you might have trouble with overloading the F-150 over the GVWR of the F-150.
So load the truck up with family, tools, coolers, pets, WD hitch shank and ball mount, and whatever else might be on/in the truck when towing, not including a trailer. Go to a truckstop that has a CAT scale, fill up with gasoline, and then weigh the wet and loaded tow vehicle, including the driver and passengers inside the pickup. Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded tow vehicle from the GVWR of the tow vehicle. If the answer is less than 900, expect to be overloaded when on the road with your wet and loaded TT.
My F-150 EcoBoost with GVWR of 7,100 pounds is overloaded over the GVWR of the truck by 100 pounds when towing my 19.6 box length TT. If your truck doesn't have either the max tow pkg or the HD payload pkg, you probably have about the same net payload I have.
Last edited by smokeywren; 08-24-2012 at 12:45 PM.
08-24-2012, 09:52 PM
#10
Senior Member
GVWR is 7400, with dry hitch weight about 11 percent of dry trailer weight. So your expected wet and loaded hitch weight is at least 814 pounds, and I would count on 900 pounds.
With your "tow rating" of up to 9,700 pounds, and the max trailer weight of 7,400 pounds, you won't have any trouble pulling the weight. But with a family in the SuperCrew and some tools in the toolbox, you might have trouble with overloading the F-150 over the GVWR of the F-150.
So load the truck up with family, tools, coolers, pets, WD hitch shank and ball mount, and whatever else might be on/in the truck when towing, not including a trailer. Go to a truckstop that has a CAT scale, fill up with gasoline, and then weigh the wet and loaded tow vehicle, including the driver and passengers inside the pickup. Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded tow vehicle from the GVWR of the tow vehicle. If the answer is less than 900, expect to be overloaded when on the road with your wet and loaded TT.
My F-150 EcoBoost with GVWR of 7,100 pounds is overloaded over the GVWR of the truck by 100 pounds when towing my 19.6 box length TT. If your truck doesn't have either the max tow pkg or the HD payload pkg, you probably have about the same net payload I have.
With your "tow rating" of up to 9,700 pounds, and the max trailer weight of 7,400 pounds, you won't have any trouble pulling the weight. But with a family in the SuperCrew and some tools in the toolbox, you might have trouble with overloading the F-150 over the GVWR of the F-150.
So load the truck up with family, tools, coolers, pets, WD hitch shank and ball mount, and whatever else might be on/in the truck when towing, not including a trailer. Go to a truckstop that has a CAT scale, fill up with gasoline, and then weigh the wet and loaded tow vehicle, including the driver and passengers inside the pickup. Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded tow vehicle from the GVWR of the tow vehicle. If the answer is less than 900, expect to be overloaded when on the road with your wet and loaded TT.
My F-150 EcoBoost with GVWR of 7,100 pounds is overloaded over the GVWR of the truck by 100 pounds when towing my 19.6 box length TT. If your truck doesn't have either the max tow pkg or the HD payload pkg, you probably have about the same net payload I have.