Jackal448

Good afternoon all. I have a 2011 f150 XLT Crew Cab 4x4, 7200#GVWR with the 5.0, 3.55 axles and trailer tow package. We have purchased a 30' Puma travel trailer (33' overall) with a factory weight right at 7000#. We live in Michigan and will tow the trailer up north to our camp site this spring when it arrives which is about 240 miles from home. In the fall we will tow it to storage about 50 miles from the camp site. No mountains but gentle slopes/rises etc.


I am very close to the towing limits and was wondering if anyone has any experience with this weight on a similar truck. I would set the truck up with correct weight distribution hitch/anti sway etc. Thanks in advance.

smokeywren

Your tow rating is a max of 7,700 pounds if you have the 5.5' bed, or 7,500 pounds if you have the 6.5' bed. That means if your F-150 has nothing in it but a skinny driver, then the most weight you can pull without overheating anything in the drivetrain, and without being he slowpoke climbing grades, is 7,500 or 7,700 pounds.


If by "factory weight" you mean dry weight, then you're going to be overloaded with your F-150. And more likely you'll also exceed the 7,200 GVWR of your truck.


So you bought too much trailer for your F-150 to tow safely. Lots of folks "get by" with towing overloaded, so you won't be the long stranger out there. But realize you'll be overloaded, so drive very slowly and carefully.


The first chance you get, load the trailer and truck with everybody and everything that will be in it when towing. Drive to a truckstop that has a CAT scale, fill up with gas, and weigh the wet and loaded rig. Add the weight on the front and rear axles of the F-150 and compare to the GVWR of the F-150. Compare the total weight of truck and trailer to the 13,500 pounds GCWR of the F-150. Then drive accordingly.