johngandersonjr

We currently have a 19' TT that is about 3250 lbs dry. I am pulling that with my 2017 2.7 screw 4x4 3.55 gears with no issues.

I have been reading and getting more and more confused.

We want to upgrade to a TT that is 5300-5600 LBS dry with a hitch weight of 600-750lbs. We are looking at two options.
My GVWR on my truck is 6500. I have added the brake controller and have a stock auxiliary trans cooler. I also have the class IV hitch that has a max tongue weight of 500 with just receiver and 1100 with weight distributing hitch.
Total GCWR is 12800.
My payload on the stick on the door jam is 1541.

Am I right by taking the 1541 and subtracting passengers/cargo/hitch to get left over payload for the TT? I am guessing 600 lbs of people weight and 125lbs of hitch weight. I come up with (1541-725) / .13 = 6277 lbs of trailer?

If anyone can point me in the right direction, that would be great!

John

BlackBoost

You've got it right John.
Also, anything else you've added on to your truck is also considered payload. So if you added a tonneau or something, that's payload too.
Truck should tow that weight fine. My 2.7 tows a 5k TT, my payload is 1622 lbs.

johngandersonjr

I added a tonneau and a spray in bedliner. other than that it is stock.

does the 1541 max payload take into consideration everything my truck came with?

Are you willing to share what make model TT you are pulling?

Thanks!

John

shutt40

All your figuring is right. The only thing I would say is a 5600lb dry weight trailer will weigh more than 6277 loaded. Depending on what is included in the dry weight Batteries? Propane? plus all the stuff you pack in it. You probably want to add at least 1500lbs to the dry weight.

smokeywren

Dry trailer weight and dry hitch weigh are useless andwill probably result in your being overloaded when in the middle of your third camping trip. Instead use GVWR of the trailer and 13% of the GVWR to determine wet and loaded tongue weight. If trailer GVWR is not available, then use the dry weight and add the cargo carrying capacity (CCC) to approximate GVWR.

Yes, provided you are much-better-than-average at guessing the weight of everybody an everything that will be in the pickup when towing.

At least you admit that you're guessing.

You already understand that payload capacity is you limiter as to how heavy a TT you an tow without being overloaded. To avoid guessing, you need to

1] load the pickup with everybody and everything that might be in it when towing. Don' cheat yourself. Everybody and everything. People, pets, tool box full of tools, campfire wood, toys such as bicycles or dirt bikes or quads or maybe a golf cart, grill and fuel for the grill, jack(s) and/or jack stands for changing a flat on the trailer, Jack base such as a small sheet of plywood in case you have to change the tire in a muddy ditch, portable generator?, fuel for the generator?

2] Drive to a truck stop that has a truck scale, and fill up with gas,

3] Wait until everyone is back in the pickup, then weigh the wet and loaded pickup.

4] Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded pickup from the GVWR of the pickup. The answer is the payload capacity available for hitch weight.

5] Subtract 100 pounds from the payload capacity available for hitch weight. The answer is the payload capacity available for tongue weight.

6] Divide the payload capacity available for tongue weight by 13%. The answer is the max weight of any TT you can tow without exceeding the payload capacity of your F-150.

Notice that no guessing is required. You are assuming that the average tongue weight wlll be 13% of gross trailer weight, an that tongue weight will not be enough to cause you to exceed the weight rating of your hitch or rear axle.

old_programmer

The 1541 lbs is the weight available for payload based on how the truck comes off the end of the production line with a full tank of gas. You will need to subtract the weight of the cover and bedliner as well from the payload sticker to determine available payload for the trailer tongue weight. I don't know how old your various passengers are but keep in mind that 100 lb kid could get a growth spurt and suddenly be a 190 lb defensive end so allow for an increase in weight.

I tow with a 2.7L Ecoboost and with just the wife and myself I wouldn't tow a trailer that is much more the 5.5K lbs loaded. Mathematically we could go heavier but with our trips to the mountains I feel anything more will decrease driving performance. I don't know much about your current trailer but if the weight you provided is the dry weight my guess is you are around 5K lbs loaded so are close to what I consider the practical maximum anyway.

johngandersonjr

All my trips are going to be in wisconsin with a max distance of 100-150 miles or so. for the most part, pretty much flat. I am wondering if I can get by with what I have for a few years and then upgrade? I just purchased the truck and would lose quite a bit if I traded it in. I was not planning on pulling a TT until a co-worker sold me the smaller unit. We have found that we really enjoy camping and that a larger unit would more meet our needs.

chimmike

Throw out the dry weight of the trailer. You need to be figuring on loaded weight. Which means the trailers you need to look at are trailers with a dry weight between 4000-4600lbs, or loaded weight peaking at 5500-6000lbs. Those are big TT's. Then consider the frontal area (as defined in your owners manual).

BlackBoost

Payload is everything that the truck came with, but would not include a tonneau or spray in bedliner.

My TT is a 20-foot 1988 Terry Resort, tandem axle. Old and heavy. Also has the Mach5 rooftop air conditioner which adds to the weight... Always loaded with tons of tools when we travel. It may be heavy, but it's solid and built to last