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Hey all, new member here. Man the past week has been brutal for me and I've been following many posts and learning more about what my F150 can/can't do but now I need some help (reassurance).
6500 GVWR Package (yellow stick in door says 696kg or 1536 lbs)
Trailer tow package
My wife and I are now looking to purchase a TT so we can take the kids camping (I'm new at this). Sadly we found and started the process of buyer a TT which we were told my F150 would tow but the sales guy was so wrong. We've since backed away from that deal and now looking at the ranges I think I can tow. So here are my questions:
1.) I know a lot goes into figuring out the tow capacity. The overall GVWR comes into play (people, kids, luggage, weight of truck...etc). What is the tow capacity I can work with here. From what I can tell the capacity is in the 7,600-8,100 range based on my setup. would never want to pull something itself that comes close to that capacity. So I'm thinking that a TT in the dry weight area of 5,000-6,000 would be acceptable for my engine/axle.
For reference, these are a couple TT's that we are interested in...would my F150 be able to handle towing these?
My payload is almost the same. For US, and only 600 lbs in the truck, we are limited to 6,100 fully loaded. So IMO if you want to stay under payload, I would want something UNDER 5k dry weight. JMO
My payload is almost the same. For US, and only 600 lbs in the truck, we are limited to 6,100 fully loaded. So IMO if you want to stay under payload, I would want something UNDER 5k dry weight. JMO
I agree, mid 4k or buy a bigger truck. Coachmen Apex brand has some nice light trailers. I pull a 235bhs, dry 4300. My payload is 2046.
The actual weight tow rating of your 2.7 is probably no higher than 7500 or 8000lbs as it is.........that's not factoring payload numbers, gear, etc.
The last 2 campers you list, Nope, wouldn't do it. First camper, figure 500lbs worth of junk in it, puts your loaded weight at 6000lbs easy. Assume tongue weight of 750lbs, that's half your payload right there, then the rest is minus passengers and truck gear...that's probably doable.
We also have a coachman apex nano, a 20 footer. It's not big, but has exactly what we need and is 2900lbs dry! hah.
The actual weight tow rating of your 2.7 is probably no higher than 7500 or 8000lbs as it is.........that's not factoring payload numbers, gear, etc.
The last 2 campers you list, Nope, wouldn't do it. First camper, figure 500lbs worth of junk in it, puts your loaded weight at 6000lbs easy. Assume tongue weight of 750lbs, that's half your payload right there, then the rest is minus passengers and truck gear...that's probably doable.
We also have a coachman apex nano, a 20 footer. It's not big, but has exactly what we need and is 2900lbs dry! hah.
Plus a 100 pounds for wdh. These listed tow numbers really dont apply to travel trailers. Without being able to adjust the tongue weight, you'd never be able to hit the max and stay within the payload rating. Common ground is to stay within 80%. My TW is prob over 700lbs with LP tanks and battery, 540 dry. Not including our crap we loaded.
1.) I know a lot goes into figuring out the tow capacity. The overall GVWR comes into play (people, kids, luggage, weight of truck...etc). What is the tow capacity I can work with here.
It's all guessing until you load the F-150 with everybody and everything that will be in it when towing, then weigh the wet and loaded F-150.
So I'm thinking that a TT in the dry weight area of 5,000-6,000 would be acceptable for my engine/axle.
If you haul any people in the cab and stuff in the bed, then 6,000 pounds WET & LOADED weight, not dry weight, will probably result in an overloaded F-150.
My F-150 has payload capacity of 1,366 pounds, but I'm overloaded with my TT that weighs only 4,870 when wet and loaded on the road. That's me, DW, a 50 pound Border Collie, a 12 pound Chihuahua, light-weight camper shell, tool box, bed rug and ProPride hitch.
For reference, these are a couple TT's that we are interested in...would my F150 be able to handle towing these?
Your wonderful EcoBoost drivetrain will probably be able to PULL the lightest of those, but you'll probably exceed the payload capacity of your F-150.
Keep shopping for something with dry weight around 4,000 pounds if you don't want to be overloaded when on the road.
Or if you want to spend the time and effort to verify what I've posted, then here's the drill:
1] Load your F-150 with everybody and everything that will be in it when towing
2] Drive to a truck stop that has a certified automated truck scale, and fill up with gas.
3] Weigh the wet and loaded F-150, with everybody in the cab.
4] Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded F-150 from the GVWR of the F-150. The answer is payload capacity available for hitch weight.
5] Subtract 100 pounds from the payload capacity available for hitch weight to get payload capacity available for tongue weight.
6] Divide the payload capacity available for tongue weight by 0.13 and the answer is the maximum WET AND LOADED TT you can tow without being overloaded.
GVWR of the trailer is the best number to use for maximum wet and loaded trailer weight. If the trailer manufacturer doesn't provide the GVWR of the trailer, then add dry weight and cargo carrying capacity (CCC) to get the approximate GVWR.
I am pulling a 22' TT at just over 5000 lbs and am at max weight on my rear axle. The truck/trailer run so good together my wife even drove a truck/trailer setup for the first time yesterday! But I'm maxed out. Not on my GCVWR, not on my "advertised" trailer weight capability by Ford....but on my legal GAWR on my rear axle. I'm quite sure smokeywren smacked his forehead a few times with me but it's worth doing what he and others are suggesting. Don't rely on Ford's advertising OR what the RV sales people tell you. Ford say I can haul a trailer weighing 7900 lbs.....I can't. I sent them an email last week to ask how I could legally do that....still no reply.
Your TV door sticker is king here.....those are the weights you MUST go by. It will be the sticker the CVSE (BC) or any other enforcement officer will go by. If I get in an accident now....I will NOT be accused of being over weight (truck/trailer wise) ...and that is a relaxing thought. lol
Just to add...I can't even pull our trailer at it's max GVWR. But that's ok.....we don't need near that load weight to go camping. I may need it though if I get my wife mad too often but then I'm screwed anyways. She'll have the truck bahahahaha
The more I study the truck and trailer set ups (on here and other travel trailer forums), the less the dry weight is even a factor. As Smokeywren said, factor the wet and loaded weight always.
Realistically, whatever trailer you're looking at, if you're planning on having some (8-10 gallons) fresh water in the tank for use on the road, 2 full propane tanks, and a battery or two, that will add another 200lbs to the tongue weight.
I don't know that there are any "rules" regarding length of trailer compared to length of truck but those trailers seem really long for the truck. Towing a 25' box that is 29'4" overall, I wouldn't want anything longer behind the truck.
08-09-2017, 11:41 AM
2015 2.7EB Towing help
