Big Chicken

Hello all! New to the forum and after doing a lot of research, my head is absolutely swimming with numbers and advice. I thought it might be helpful to lay out my situation and get some experts to weigh in, so here goes...

We are looking at trading in our class C and moving to a towed trailer (had considered a lite 5th wheel with a sliding hitch but am leaning against it after reading a lot of forum posts on that topic).

So I recently bought a new F150 FX4 super crew, 5.0L V8 FFV, 5.5' short bed, 145" wheel base with 3.73 e-lock rear axle. It has tow package with sway control, beefed up radiator etc. but I don't think it is the "Max Tow."

Checked the stickers and they tell me that GVWR for the truck is 7350 lbs. and GCWR is 15,100 lbs. Payload capacity is 1700 lbs and max loaded trailer weight is 9300 lbs. Tire sticker says rear GAWR is 4050 lbs.

As for the TT, I've been looking at models with a dry weight between 6000 and 7500 lbs. Specifically looking at a lite weight Keystone travel trailer like this http://www.keystone-xlite.com/index....st&model=29REV with a shipping weight of 6795 lbs and a hitch weight of 755 lbs.

If we do this, I would also put a good weight distributing hitch on the trailer as part of the package.

Not sure what else I can share aside from the fact that we tend to run dry on our typical trips (don't carry any stored water in the tank) and I'd be surprised if the total "stuff" we bring along was more than 1000 lbs (we camp light).

Sorry if you don't need all those numbers but I figured it was better to provide all the info up front.

Good choice or bad, I'm pretty much locked into the choice of tow vehicle right now as it is also my daily commuter so tell me...

Am I within a "safe" range to pull something like this with the truck I have?

eduardobibm

Without going too deep into the numbers I can just give the impression I have from my recent towing experience. I purchased my first ever TT about 6 weeks ago. It is a 2013 Freedom Express 292BHDS Liberty Edition. Dry weight is 5590, Hitch weight is 740.

My truck is a 2012 max tow, with the EB, 3.73, SCREW.

I've done about 600 towing miles thus far and feel I could have gone larger as my truck seems to tow this setup with ease. I can easily accelerate past slower traffic up grades and some times accidently find myself approaching 80 mph. I have it paired with an Equilizer E4 12k WDH hitch which does the trick nicely.

I would imagine the 5.0 would tow my setup about the same.

flixden

Big_Chicken, with a half ton and no max tow, your real limit will be the payload - and therefore tongue weight of the trailer.
The trailers you have mentioned will bring you right to the limit - maybe over. Remember that the listed weights for the trailers are dry weights, and do not include batteries, propane or any extras installed in most cases. A dry hitch weight of 755 lbs will be over 900 lbs when loaded, most likely. Look at your hitch, it will have a max tongue weight rating, probably 930 lbs with WD.
With those trailers, you would be very close to the limit, and it all depends on how much you'd be loading into the truck, and how many people (total weight) there will be.

willieboy

Nice trailer to be sure. Those V-nose trailers do make a difference when towing; you will see better mpg than most. However, they do tend to load a little tongue heavy. That trailer have a GVWR of about 8500lbs. Figure you will have a tongue weight between 12-15%, and probably closer to 15%; ~1200lbs. With WDH, approx 1/3 of the tongue weight is distributed evenly between the trailer axles and the front axle of the truck. That effectively reduces the total weight on the truck from 1200 to 1000lbs (1200*.33 = 400/2 = 200lbs moved to the trailer axles). The WDH hitch is going to weigh in around 75lbs, and all that weight will go on the truck. So, you will have ~1075lbs of payload on the truck when hitched up and the truck is full of fuel. That leaves you with ~625 lbs of payload available on the truck. That payload will be available for people and your stuff. Figure 175-200lbs average per person 9assuming a typical family and their stuff) when loading, and that will get you real close to the amount of payload you need to put on the truck. If that number is higher than your available 625, you know you have exceeded your manufacturer determined safe load.

If it is just you and your wife, I think you are in good shape with what you have.

flixden

Willie - the 1,200lbs of tongue weight in your example would be over the trucks / receivers TW rating.
I am surprised about the 1,700lbs of payload, with a screw FX4 and no max tow.

willieboy

Good point...

OP: as you can see, you will need to really be careful in how you load that trailer. You are definitely going to have to have a good hitch setup, and keep the TW closer to 10% of the load. That will be hard with a V-nose, but it is doable.

Big Chicken

Thanks to all for the quick responses. The 1700 Payload limit is straight from the truck specs/sticker and you guys are right that I will have to be very careful with the loading. This is why I have been racking my brain reading up on things because I realize I may not have much room to play with when it comes to the weights.

As an alternate TT, we were also looking at another Keystone model with a shipping weight that is 6392 lbs (about 400 lbs less than what we were considering) but the hitch weight would be 955 lbs for that model according to Keystone.

I'm not sure I understand this correctly but am I correct in thinking that a WDH reduces the actual weight on the hitch by shifting some of the weight back onto the trailer? So a manufacturer's listed hitch weight of 955 lbs would actually be less with the weight distribution hitch (or does it not work that way?)

Again... thanks for the help in understanding all of this.

opinyawn

Some tips for Newbies towing trailers

I've towed travel trailers for 45 years from small ones to very large ones so I think I understand the basics pretty well. I've been across the entire U.S. in most every state multiple times and never had an accident. Here are some tips for newbies and maybe oldies too:

(1.) I had a GM truck and put a 900 lb. tongue weight on it and bent the factory receiver with a 30' travel trailer. I had to buy the heaviest type receiver on the road to correct the situation. Don't overload the tongue weight of the receiver. Make sure it is rated to take the full tongue weight and.... it is always nice to have a little extra rating for safety.

Sway Control & Spring Bars: I prefer the older style friction sway bars because they can be adjusted to conditions and then all the resistance taken off when backing up and parking. Backing up and parking if you have to make sharp turns can be a problem when you have a soft or slippery surface if the sway system is always engaged. It can cause the trailer to resist turning and simply having the wheels slide. The older friction type sway bars do require you have a brain and adjust them to conditions and not simply depend on them adjusting themselves. On the larger trailers I would use two sway controls with one on each side of the A frame.

Spring bars[B] should not be heavier than necessary as they will hurt the ride of the rig! Heavier isn't better! Too heavy a spring bar keeps the rig from normally flexing when you hit soft dips in the road. The spring bars act as a spring as well so they can be too heavy. The spring bar just has to be heavy enough to bring the front of the trailer up to approximately level. More than that is a negative. Some RV stores will push too heavy a spring bar because that is what is in stock... or they are ignorant. Look at the "Husky" tow bar setups that match that tongue weight.

(2.) With ball and hitch types, make sure that the front of the trailer is slightly lower than the rear! Just enough that you can see it standing back at a distance. A ball & hitch setup up where the trailer is completely level or higher in the front will sway dangerously especially if you have to change lanes in a panic. A ball & hitch setup is just as safe as a 5th Wheel, but must be setup properly. A ball & hitch setup tracks closer to the path of the tow vehicle and a 5th wheel cuts in closer to the turn so they require wider turning arcs not to hit telephone posts!

Easy on the grease on the ball and other parts! Too much grease attracts dirt/sand/rocks and causes wear. Clean the grease off regularly and reapply because it will get sand in it and wear parts! I put a little on all wear areas even on the hook the chain goes on. WD 40 on springs doesn't hurt now and then.

(3.) Some tips: When backing up put one hand at the "bottom" of the steering wheel and then the direction that hand moves will be the same as the direction the rear of the trailer moves. I avoids confusion.

When pulling away the last thing you do is walk all around the trailer in a 360 degree circle. It will keep you from forgetting something safety wise, or leaving a camping chair you thought you loaded.

When unhooking a ball & hitch trailer the chains should come off last for safety so it can't roll away when un loading. You should unhook a trailer in exact reverse order of hooking it up! It will keep you out of trouble! The only exception might be putting on the safety chains if you are worried the trailer might move when hooking up.

When you put a chain link on the brackets first untwist the chain so it is straight and then hold the link you've chosen to put on the hook and let the links "before it" hang down as you put the link on the hook. It will avoid problems in the chain getting jammed up.

When backing up, parking, hooking up, etc. .... NEVER LET SOMEONE RUSH YOU.... let them wait! Nice people won't rush you and the hell with the rest! Getting someone irritated because you are taking too much time beats having an accident. DON'T LET PEOPLE RUSH YOU AND SAFETY FIRST! If you have a wife, teach her to work with you helping you back up as a team. Remember she may have to do this stuff by herself too... so teach her everything in case you get sick or hurt on a RV trip! I find having someone point the direction have have to go and showing you how close you are by holding your hands apart showing the distance is better than saying "Go to your left.... or you have plenty of room!" The problem is.... whose left do you mean.... and what does plenty of room mean??? Pointing or showing the distance with your hands is less confusing.

If you are unsure.... get out and walk the route! It can save you having to back up a long, hairy distance going someplace with no outlet.

Know EXACTLY the height of the trailer including the AC unit for going under low overpasses! In the East some can be very low.

I'd rather risk getting a ticket than always being in the extreme right lane when idiots are pulling in front of you getting on highways at 50 MPH in heavy traffic! They don't consider your stopping distances.

Watch the 18 wheelers! They usually know where to slow down to avoid tickets! Flash your high beams when they pull around you to let them know the have cleared the front of your rig and can pull in front of you safely. Many will do the same to you! Courtesy!

Remember to turn off water pumps as they may come on when water is low and you go around corners.

Be careful where you store trailers! I've seen mice completely destroy a trailer so it had to go to the junkyard!

Use GE Type 2 (Outdoor) Silicone for vents. etc. It lasts nearly forever where the RV putty dries out and then leaks down the road. Clean areas with vinegar as it makes silicone seal better. Just razor blade silicone off if necessary.

The new Sat Navigation units are nice as mine shows you how many lanes there are at interchanges so you can be ready and not miss the turn or worry about which lane you need to be in. When towing a trailer you need to think ahead because you can't just whip all over the place. Be ready for the next turn!

If you are buying a new truck, make sure it has trailer towing mirrors and built in brake controller. The Ford built in brake controllers are far smoother than after market ones.

Hope this helps newbies! Everybody is a newbie when they start! Have fun.... I sure have!

Say thank you.... this was a lot of typing! Whew! LOL!

willieboy

With WDH, approx 1/3 of the tongue weight is distributed evenly between the trailer axles and the front axle of the truck. So, (TW x 0.33)/2 = total TW transferred back to the trailer axles.

willieboy

Here is a similar floorplan, but lighter and apparently better balanced. Actually, this is likely our next Travel Trailer.

http://www.crossroadsrv.com/z-1/floo...T271BH&type=tt

It does have a small grey tank, but that is livable.

This one might fit you all well if it is just the two of you.

http://www.crossroadsrv.com/cruiser/...T28RKX&type=tt