Agreed about the wear and tear being more with a maxed out truck.

Agree that more truck is safer. I like the 75-80% capacity rule. The truck is rated at 11,200 which puts you between 8400-8960 lbs. So i am under 80% and nearer to 75%. My wife and I travel with a dog and son. I'm 220 lbs (40 LBS more than standard), wife at 120, dog at 100, son is infant but we shall say 100 for growth for awhile. So that is 360 lbs +500 lbs of cargo. 2225 lb payload - 860 lbs of cargo leave 1365 lb of payload for tongue weight. Which is plenty for this hypothetical. My ideal trailer in 7500 GVWR or less. Safety comes first.

The hypothetical trailer is 8500 GVWR. Wondering if the higher payload, and increased tongue weight (making pulled trailer weigh less), will make for a better tow experience. Thanks for the reply.

 

Thanks for your opinion and experience. Makes plenty of sense. F250 are definitly work trucks. Thanks again.

 

I would never pull a tt with out at least 10%. They are designed to be pulled at that. Any less than that is asking for trouble

 

I agree, but the question is would 15% be better than 10% or does is depend on the trailer? Thus more payload available would be optimal.

 

What is this 500 lb payload you speak of?

15% of 7500 is 1125. 1365 - 1125 = 240.
You have to add the weight of the ball mount and spring bars too.
If you plan on carrying some tools, maybe some parts, a nice jack and an extra spare for the trailer you have maxed out.

I ask again - What is the obsession with the F150?
Why not go 250 or 350? Surely you're not concerned about mileage or performance.
What gives?

 

The 500 lb payload that I speak of is the 500lb payload increase of the 2012 SCrew HD Payload Package over previous SCrews. And don't call me Surely.

No obsession with the F150. This discussion is about whether the additional 500lbs of payload, by increasing the allowed weight on the trucks axles, and decreasing the load being pulled, is going to change the towing experience? Change it none at all, marginally, substanially, night and day difference?

Again this is not a discussion if the F250 is bigger and better. Of course its a better work truck.

Please take the time to read the math in my previous posts. If you can add (and of course stay under all ratings) 500 lbs to the trucks axles, thus removing 500lbs from the trailer, how much does this new distribution (1,000lbs) change the comfort of the ride?

I'm looking at the theory of added payload may increase ride comfort and safety in the new F150s over previous models. Maybe the F150 Screw 4X4 can stop just being grocery getters. As I am sure many here have went thru, my 2007 SCrew Lariat 4X4 only had 1050 lbs of payload. How is that a truck? My 2010 SCrew FX4 had 1400 lbs of payload. Still not enough to have at least 1200 lb tongue weight and have ANYTHING in the HUGE cab and 6.5ft bed. I built a 2011 SCrew 4X4 Lariat with 1800 lbs of payload and now I can see that you can build one with 2200+ of payload.

Has the F150 finally become a truck from a grocery getter or will it just hold more groceries?

What is a good weight percentage of TT to TV? For great comfort and stability should the TT not exceed the weight on the TV's axles, 110%, 125%, 150%, or maybe the TT should be 80% of the TVs weight? Thanks for the responses.

 

I'm surprised no one else is replying and I'm kind of glad that they haven't.
Some people pull crazy heavy and have the nerve to say it handles perfectly or that you can't even tell the trailers there. That is straight up BS. Some members say they have test driven a truck for a week or more at a time and towed with it too.
I understand what you are trying to find out.
IMO, this has to be your own road test to see how you feel about the ride, control, comfort and handling with different loading. My Dad tows with a 4x4 dually. He has control, comfort and excellent handling at all times in all conditions.
I'm curious about how much time and effort you are going to put into this.
Are you going to test drive a truck for weeks at a time adjusting ballast while driving solo to get different weights on the axles?
Are you going to test pull trailers with different tongue weights? Different axle spacing? Different distance from ball to axle? Tire sizes? Class 4 hitch vs class 5? spring bar loading? Different shapes of trailer bodies?
Are you going to change tire sizes on the truck during all of this? Different pressures? Different pressures front and rear? Left and right depending on load? Width? Profile? Tread designs? Mudders vs ribbed highway tires?

Trailer Life has tested a vast number of TV/trailer combos. Check it out - but - it is general information and the ride/handling/comfort are all subjective.

Someone can tell you - I can lie to you and tell you - the exact specs of my TV and the exact specs of my TT (which I do not own) the tongue weight, tires, pressures, loading, etc. I can tell you that I am comfortable towing in most every situation except on the steepest hills.
You, however, may not feel comfortable at all with that setup. In fact, you may hate it and find it impossible to believe that I really run that way.

I mentioned trailer axle spacing because some manuf. are building trailers with widely spaced axles which vastly improves ride, control and handling. That affects how you feel in the cab. You'll need to pull different trailers too. The exact same weights in the exact same locations riding on different axle spacing changes everything again.


"What is a good weight percentage of TT to TV? For great comfort and stability should the TT not exceed the weight on the TV's axles, 110%, 125%, 150%, or maybe the TT should be 80% of the TVs weight?"

That is truly impossible to know or find out.

 

Yes- they can PULL the same weights (the 2011+ F150 has an option for the same engine, 6.2L that has been in the 250), but, you will max out the F150 GAWR(rear) way before doing that on a 250. The GAWR rear is about 4050 for the 150. Assuming a trailer has 20 of its weight on the pin/ball, a 5K trailer puts 1000 lbs on the rear axel (give or take due to leverage). Given that the truck weights about 2750 filled with gas, the rear axel now has 2750 + 1000 = 3750 on it. 250/300 lbs less than the max rating. This is not an issue with the F250.

Pulling and downward force on the rear axel are 2 different things to consider. You also need to be aware of maxing out the GCWR of the truck (truck + load + occupants + treller). Again, the F150 maxes out at 17,100 or so, the F250 a bit higher.

 

1. I'm def going to put a lot of research into this and as much first hand experience as possible. Hate to buy a truck and not be happy with the performance. I have driven 3 F150's since 2004 and have fallen in love with trucks. Drove rangers before that. My towing experience is very little. A couple boats and a few trailers under 3000 lbs. Never had a problem. With my 2010 FX4 SCrew, I did pull a 5700 lbs TT for about 20 miles. The 5.4 did great with this and trailer brakes are awesome. It needed some tweaking but overall it did great.

Sold the truck three months ago, as I am leaving the country for a year and the wife didn't need the truck. I am researching because we want to get a TT when I get back (probably 5-8 times a year), which will probably weigh about 7500-8500 GVWR. Being that I like the ride of F150s, esp the new ones , and it will handle this TT like a champ.

My wife is also into horses and rodeos. So I would like to get a goose neck (for more stability) two horse trailer. Have seen some say the F150 is fine for a two horse trailer and others saying get the F250. I know, through research, that a TT and a horse trailer with one or two 1200lbs animals that could thrash around for no apparent reason, are two totally different things. A pull behind horse trailer would fare worse than a gooseneck in this situation, but previous F150's barely, if at all, had the payload available for a gooseneck with 2 horses. Now they look like they do. Trying to get as much research as I can.

2. Love Trailer LIfe...great website.

3. Appreciate the honesty.

4. I researched those too. Seems tight turning may be compromised but it puts more weight on the trailer axles. Distributed evenly. Big improvements.

5. Dang. Was hoping there was some kind of rule of thumb, like don't pull over 100% or 150% of the TV's weight fully loaded to have optimal control.

Thanks for all the responses. I am learning more and more. As you can see, I have little trailering experience.

I test drove a new diesel and love the real truck feeling but the F-150 def is smoother, but after the turbo diesel test drive, no regular gas engine will do for me now. Ecoboost or TD. Hate all the new emmisions crap though. Would love a V8 Ecoboost (which we are hearing rumblings) in the Super Duty. Also if I bumped up to a 250, I would definitely go 350. So many choices.

Is there really a need for an F350 TD when it would tow 15 or less times a year and never over 8500 lbs? Thats why I keep coming back to the F150. But I hated the payload available and always trying to play with the numbers when looking at TT's. The new HD Payload Package may be the answer, but hate to buy it and be waiting to trade it. Goes for either truck.

May go with a 08-09 F350 that has already depreciated and see how I like it, but I hear guys getting 12-14 mpg empty highway because of emissions crap plus the more expensive diesel. Lots to decide. Sorry for the long post...I just started typing and away we go.

 

I have read your threads before and love your information. Do you know what the RGAWR is for the HD Payload Package? I think it is 4250 (hope its more). If you could add 200-300lbs more weight on your trucks axles and off the trailers axles, do you think it would help control, stability, and comfort in your trailering?

After everything you have done, and I'm sure you love your truck, would you have bought the Super Duty Diesel? You have done alot of work and research and tinkering to get your setup just right, instead of buying a SD and just being another guy with a fifth wheel. Probably an experience you wouldn't trade, but just vehicle wise, should you have gone with a SD? How often do you tow? Thank you for the response.