marshallr

The tongue weights you listed aren't realistic. A 9000 lb trailer will have a tongue weight of at least 1,000 lbs up to 1,200 lbs, not 780. A 7400 lb trailer will have a tongue weight of 750-1000 lbs, not 580. They may be showing the tongue weight of an empty trailer. It won't be empty when you tow it.

My 2014 XLT has a payload of 1700 lbs. With 1000 lbs of tongue weight that leaves me about 700 lbs for passengers and cargo inside my truck. A realistic number if I'm careful. Many of the higher priced steel trucks only have about 1200 lbs payload though. The aluminum body trucks may well make this work. Just pay attention to the payload on the truck before buying.

For my uses I like the 5.0 better and I think it will pull what you want to pull. Especially the 7400 lb trailer. But pulling that much weight, especially at altitude is where the 3.5 has the edge.

raisin

I've pulled lots in the mountains with my '14 5.0 3.73 6 speed. Trailer 6k. Like the 5.0 for this weight but any more I would need 3.5 eco.

Apples

Yes, if you're going to be towing either trailer (and the lighter trailer will wind up weighing, loaded, closer to 8000 lbs... and "just under" 9000 lbs empty, when loaded, will just be too much. You may at that point be over an F150's GCWR.

And, if you're going to tow that HEAVY at altitudes above 5000' then you want the turbochargers. Hate to say it, but, yea. Some here still don't think a moderately-loaded 5.0 will pull, but it will... just not max GCWR and at those altitudes.

Please tell us why an F250 won't work for you, because that's more than likely what you're going to need.

Cmd1v3r

Wow! Thank all of you for all of the good and useful information. Thought I had thought all of this through pretty well, but based on the responses, I have more homework to do, and really need to reevaluate my choices. Never occurred to me that tongue weights would be listed as "dry" weights right next to the GVWR, and seems as though I knew a while back that 13% was used as a good average for tongue weight, but guess it slipped my mind.

So one follow up question (and this may be a dumb one), the Ford specs I've seen for payload indicate 2000lbs (give or take, can't recall the exact number off of the top of my head) for a 4x4 Supercrew 3.5 Eco SB 3.55 max tow. I don't recall the chart indicating a particular trim package. So a particular trim package (as mentioned here, the Platinum) is going to have less payload than say an XL due to the addition of options in the package? I guess that makes sense, but never really occurred to me. Also will a full gas tank, oil, tranny fluid take away from the payload, or is that already factored in?

chimmike

Payload does not get reduced by fluids, only by passengers and gear. The payload ratings will be listed for each particular trim level (it gets reduced the higher you go due to those creature comforts those prissy fellas with the plattys can't live without between their visits to the dermatologist and their mani/pedi appointments)

Apples

^ ^ ^ Funny stuff. Better get your flame suit ready! Hee.




You are correct. I'll use my 4 X 2 XLT Super Crew 5.0 as an example. On the driver door jamb are two labels; one is the Tire and Loading Information label which states, "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed: 977 kg or 2156 lbs".

My truck is equipped with a 6800# Payload Package. It's GVWR is 6800 lbs. I keep a fair amount of gear in my truck; offroad recovery equipment, camping gear, water, spare clothes, etc. With a full tank of fuel and my 200 lb carcass behind the wheel, my truck weighs 5400 lbs.

When I subtract 5400 lbs from my 6800 lb GVWR I'm left with a new Cargo and Occupant limit of 1400 lbs. When I will tow, I have to subtract everything from that remaining 1400 lbs: weight of any load-leveling hitch hardware, trailer tongue weight, and any additional gear thrown into the truck.

You might want to look online for the model year F150 you're thinking of; for it's digital version of it's Owners Manual. In it is a Towing section which lists all of the different configurations of the F150 with the resulting Gross Combined Weight Ratings.




I'm fairly certain that engine oil, coolant and trans fluid are included in the truck's curb weight figure... but I can't tell you at which fuel level. If how much fuel you carry becomes a tipping point regarding GVWR or GCWR, you may need a bigger truck. Good luck with your decision.

acdii

Rule of thumb when looking for an F150 to tow heavy with, XLT with a 6.5' bed is the logical choice as they give the most payload with the most options. They may not have the fancy stuff like dual climate, heated and cooled seats, 10 way power seats, center console shift, power running boards, LED headlights, Adaptive Cruise and Collision warning, Lane keep assist,or Auto park, but will still have heated seats, auto climate, and power seats/mirrors. Leather can be added aftermarket too. Be careful adding or modifying it though, as it all takes away from payload, at which point, you may as well just get a Lariat.

What you can tow with an XLT like this are 5th wheel trailers because they will have the payload. A Lariat model, unless its a 500a HDPP wont have the payload for a 5th, but a 501a max tow may have the payload to pull that 7400 GVWR with reserve.

I have a 502a with just enough payload to pull a 7100 GVWR, which wet and loaded comes in at 6300# and a 680# TW. The 2014 handled it perfectly, haven't pulled it with the 16 yet, which has 100 more pounds of payload than the 14 RWD 501a. Taking a trip next weekend for its maiden voyage.

BTW who said it that a 7400 GVWR trailer would be over 8K loaded and wet? That is a way overloaded trailer! If loaded properly it should be under GVWR, if it is over, you are packing way too much S***! That dry TW is based on as it leaves the line, before options are installed. It is just a baseline weighting, you have to weigh it after it is completed to get the true dry TW, then pack carefully to balance the load and keep the TW low enough to pull, but not tail heavy to cause sway.

montanaman

You guys are overthinking this.

Back in 1979 we pulled these things with 154hp 351M engines, 3 sp FMX trans and 3.73 gearing.

They got 10mpg and were floorboarded on hills, unless you wanted to slow down all the way up.

Either the eco, or the V8 will walk away with your camper, with either a 3.55 or 3.73 gear.

The eco has more low-end and mid range torque, but will need a little more gas to accomplish it.

It isn't rocket science !

Apples

Hahaha... yes indeed. And now that seems like the stone age.

montanaman

My dad had one of the first diesel pickups known to mankind - a '79 I think with a 6.2 diesel, that wouldn't even get out of its own way for power, but it would pull 22 mpg.

It blew up, literally a rod through the block at 45,000 miles, and he put a 455 OLDS motor in it, and after they put a new carburetor on it would burn the rubber off the tires, which me and my baby brother did more than once.

After the body basically rusted off from the road salt, it got parked behind a barn, and then hauled off for scrap several years later.

He upgraded to a 3rd-hand International pickup, with a 304 in it, and it was a 10mpg wonder, and I left home before he got rid of it, I'm not sure whatever happened to that thing - spinner on the steering wheel and everything.

He would be astounded at how our pickups actually run now and what they'll do, but he died in 2010.