catbones

Hi, can anyone help and explain to me what the Vin lookup means?

Gross Combined Wt Rating = 12,500, 13,000 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.5,000, 4,000 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.500, 400 lbs (400.0 min/500.0max)
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.8,800, 4,000 lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.1,320, 600 lbs (600.0 min/600.0max)
Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.8,300, 4,000 lbs
Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.2,075, 1,000 lbs

Got a 2003 F150 Fx4 4x4 ... thinking of towing home a 6440lbs trailer with WT Distribution setup and all. I'm guessing that 8800lbs max / 4000lbs min, but I'm confused as other places say its 7100lbs. Suggestions?

smokeywren

Nah, need more info.


And I suspect that is not an official Ford VIN table. The Ford VIN table would know exactly which body, engine, rear axle ratio and GVWR you have.


Per the 2003 RV & Trailer Towing Guide, the only F-150 with 8,800 max TT weight is the
* regular cab
* 4x2
* with 5.4L engine,
* automatic transmission,
* 3.73 or 4.10 axle ratio,
* and 7,700 GVWR with 7,700 pound payload package group A or B


GCWR for that truck is 13,500 with 3.73 axle or 15k with 4.10, which doesn't agree with either of the GCWRs above. Without a 7,700 GVWR pkg but with 3.73 axle, the GCWR is 12,500 only for a SuperCrew.

But you say you have a 4x4, so max TT or 5er weight (tow rating) with 3.73 axle is 8,300.

Max tongue weight is probably limited by your receiver hitch, not the truck.

Tow ratings are notoriously overstated because they assume absolutely nothing in the truck but a skinny driver. If your tow rating is over 8,000 pounds, then a wet and loaded trailer weight of 6440 is about the max you want to tackle.


If that 6,440 is dry trailer weight (nothing in the trailer except factory options), then your F-150 will struggle with a wet and loaded trailer ready to go camping. If that 6,440 is the GVWR of the trailer (i.e., the max weight the TT can weigh without overloading the trailer axles and bearings), then you'll probably have enough power to PULL the trailer over hill and dale, but you'll probably be overloaded over the payload capacity by the hitch weight of the TT.


A TT that grosses 6,440 pounds will average around 13% tongue weight, or over 800 pounds. Plus add another 75 to 100 pounds for the weight of your WD hitch, so that's around 900 pounds of total hitch weight. Do you have 900 pounds of unused payload capacity before you tie onto the trailer? Only the CAT scale will know for sure.

catbones

Thank you very much for going over that with me, finally someone did. I was about to pull a trigger on a Tundra with the F150 as trade in since Tundra apparently can do 10200lbs.

Now the trailer I know is 6338 actually dry. Not sure why dealer said it was 6440. They couldn't explain it. Dealers know nothing I guess. The tongue of the trailer is 715lbs, I guessing that's without LP and WTD. So maybe 800lbs something... Unless the TT builders are BS also.

I don't think I'll be going into too many Hills around Buffalo New York area here with it... Maybe I'll have an F150 for sale before the trailer and get a F250, Tundra or newer F150.

Actually for you or anyone else, what good configuration in newer model f150 should I be looking for in trade to be safely and easily pulling max trailer wet 9500lbs... I don't think I'll ever pack it that much but you never know.

Any suggestion help of course and thank you in advance.

smokeywren

A 9.500 pound trailer needs a three-quarter-ton tow vehicle. The only F-150 that can tow a 9,500 pound trailer without being overloaded is a 2011 thru 2014 F-150 with 3.5L EcoBoost engine and the Heavy Duty Payload Package. But even with that very special and very rare F-150, you'd still have to manage the weight you haul in the truck so you don't exceed the 8,200 pounds GVWR.


9,500 pound TT will have tongue weight of about 1,200 pounds, and that's the trouble. 1,200 pounds tongue weight eats up almost all the payload capacity on most half-ton trucks, so you don't have enough payload capacity left for passengers, tools, pets, and stuff in the truck.


GM, Ram, Toyota and Nissan do not make any half-ton pickups with anywhere near the 8,200 pounds GVWR that those F-150s with the HD Payload pkg had. GM made a 1500HD several years ago, but not recently. I'm a Toy fan, but the Tundra simply doesn't have the muscle to compete with the properly-equipped F-150.


When Ford introduced the 2015 aluminum body F-150, the HD payload pkg was "delayed availability". They continued to delay until the end of the model year, so they never did make any 2015s. For 2016 they announced it again as delayed availability, and there are now a very few on the road. So you can now order a new F-150 with the HD Payload package, but you probably won't find any for sale on dealer lots. So if you want one, plan to order it and wait 6 weeks or more for delivery.


The 2011 through 2014 F-150s with HD Payload Pkg had the infamous 7-lug 17" wheels, so they were not popular. Slow sellers, so dealers didn't stock any. If you wanted one, you had to order it and wait 6 to 8 weeks for delivery. So there are not many running around, and most of the ones that are available are ex-fleet work trucks with XL trim, plastic seats and no carpet.


2016s with HD Payload Pkg with XLT or Lariat trim have regular lug pattern for 18" wheels, along with LT tires. The 7-lug 17" wheels are still part of the HD Payload pkg when you order XL trim, but with XLT and Lariat trim you can get normal-looking 18" alloy wheels.

sunofabeach

1200lbs of tongue weight is do-able with a regular max tow F150.


my XLT has 1800lbs of payload which would leave me with 600lbs left over for me, my wife and 2 young kids. everything that isn't needed by us or the kids during the drive (snacks, dvd player, etc) is in the trailer.


there is no way my family and stuff is over 600lbs.


also, being at your GVWR is fine. I would venture to say that going a little over won't hurt (based on past experience) but it's all about what you're comfortable with. know your accurate numbers and make your decision on that.

11screw50

Have to check GCVWR too... Assuming 13% tongue weight, that 1200# tongue weight is 9,230# trailer (above my max). In my case, if I'm at max trailer (9100#) and 13% tongue weight, I've got over 600# payload available too (well, over 500# once WDH is figured in). But, my truck weight 5182#+100#(WDH)+9100#(trailer) puts me right at GCVWR.

smokeywren

So you don't haul a toolbox full of tools? And you don't haul a heavy jack with plywood jackbase in case of a flat on the trailer which you must change in a muddy ditch? And you don't haul any campfire wood? No bed liner? No tonneau cover or bed topper?


If you don't haul all that stuff, then you probably will after you gain more experience in towing an RV trailer.


Been there, done that. Got the CAT scale ticket that proved my tow vehicle was overloaded.

sunofabeach

I don't have a giant tool box full of tools, I don't bring firewood, I buy it at my destination.

I have been to the CAT scales and I'm under on every rating including payload.

My trailer is about 7400lbs loaded. Tongue weight is high at 1200lbs so I added a hitch at the back and a bike rack to try and lighten the tongue a little. I also moved a bunch of stuff from my front storage to the back of the trailer.

I've been doing this long enough that a little prevention and maintenance goes a long way towards reliability. If I was to bring things "just in case", I would end up with a one ton truck and a giant toy hauler to bring all the stuff I might need.

brulaz

And rear GAWR.
I'm under payload (GVWR) and under GCWR but over the rear GAWR by 1-2% on our rig, pulling over 8000# trailer.
But that's with a 15% TW and lots of other weight in the truck.

5.0GN tow

Look guys they are all different. Mine is under but close to all the ratings when I am at max rated tow, with my GN trailer. It tows like a dream, does its job, could easily do more, and has in a pinch. It is often all about how you load the trailer, and truck to keep the load where it works best for the truck in question.