Fwonfiddy

Dry 7419lb
Tongue 730lb

Truck is 2017 f150 3.5eco with trailer pack and 3.55 axle. Door sticker says no more than 1820lb payload.

I was naive when truck shopping. I presumed with the 3.5 being able tow '12k' I'd have been fine but after doing some reading it looks like there is a scientific formula as to what you should really be pulling.

robertsunrus

Hi, you need to give us more information on your truck and trailer. Your payload looks good. I always use GVWR on trailers because that is close to or what your trailer will actually be while towing.


My truck's payload is 1745 lbs. and my trailer's tongue weight is about 900 lbs. That leaves me 845 lbs. for my wife and I and whatever else we carry in the truck.


My truck's tow rating is 11,200 lbs. and my trailer's GVWR is 6,300 lbs.

Fwonfiddy

My payload is 1820lb
My hitch states weight distributing 11,000lb and tongue 1100lb.

Any other info on truck you would need? Like axles? I'm not sure what it's combined truck / trailer ability is.

Reading posts it sounds like I'd be ok on payload etc but the length at 33 or 34' would be too much for my standard supercrew truck.

atwowheelguy

First understand the difference between towing and hauling. Towing is the weight that the truck is moving. Hauling is the weight carried on the truck suspension.

There are four weight limits that should not be exceeded.
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
GAWR: Gross Axle Weight Rating
GCWR: Gross Combined Weight Rating
Receiver hitch weight rating

The weight limit that most get to first is GVWR.
GVWR - truck weight full of fuel = maximum payload, 1820 in your case
You can estimate the weight of your passengers and cargo, but the best is to weigh the truck ready for towing.

Travel trailers have a tongue weight of about 10-15% of total trailer weight, depending on a lot of factors. Some estimate it at 13%, but the only way to know for sure is to weigh it. My toy hauler tongue weight is 13.6% of the trailer weight.

My weight distribution hitch transfers 13% of the trailer tongue weight to the trailer axles. Yours may vary.

The payload available for the trailer tongue is (total payload - wt. of passengers and cargo).

Some say a conservative trailer weight estimate would be:
(1820 - wt. of passengers and cargo) ÷ 0.13 = max trailer weight
This assumes that 13% of the trailer weight is on the tongue and than no weight is transferred to the trailer axles by the weight distribution hitch.

If your trailer has 15% of the trailer weight on the tongue, the conservative estimate would be:
(1820 - wt. of passengers and cargo) ÷ 0.15 = max trailer weight

Because I have weighed mine and I know that the weight distribution hitch transfers 13% of the tongue weight to the trailer, my calculation is:
[(1607 - 357) ÷ 0.87] ÷ 0.136 = 10,565

So a trailer weighing 10,565 with 13.6% on the tongue would have a tongue weight of 1437. But the weight distribution hitch transfers 13% of that off the truck to the trailer axles. So 1437 x 0.87 = 1250

So the 1250 lbs. added to the truck by the tongue weight plus the 357 lbs. of passengers and cargo equals 1607 which is the payload of my truck. So that trailer would not OVERLOAD the GVWR of the truck. It could HAUL IT, mainly because I only have 357 lbs. of passengers and cargo on the truck.

BUT, a 10,565 lb. trailer added to the 5860 lb. truck would weigh 16,425. My GCWR is only 15,300. So THAT limit says my max trailer wt. is 15,300 - 5860 = 9440.

BUT, a 9440 lb. trailer with 13.6% on the tongue would have a tongue wt. of 1284 lbs. And my hitch receiver is only rated for 1050 lbs. So in my case, my trailer weight is limited to what the hitch receiver can handle which is 1050 ÷ 0.136 = 7720.

My trailer has a GVWR of 7765 and weighs 6620 ready to camp. The tongue weight is 900 lbs.

atwowheelguy

Why guess? Take it to the scales with the camper holding the amount of water you will usually haul and with camping gear and food and with the family and gear in the truck.

Three trips across the scales.
1. Truck and trailer all hitched up
2. Truck and trailer with the weight distribution bars removed and in the bed of the truck.
3. Truck only with the weight distribution hitch removed.

This will tell you if it is within the weight limits and also if the weight distribution hitch is properly adjusted. Only costs $15.

I have no experience with 34 ft. trailer. Mine has a 24.5' box.

Fwonfiddy

No guessing. I'm set to pick up the trailer next week but will forgo my deposit if I can't safely tow it.

I think it's pretty much 35' and right now that has me a little concerned - although I'd love he space as 30' trailers seemed a lot smaller!

I just want to be safe and legal.

smokeywren

Those are both "dry" weights. But you won't be towing a dry trailer.


With a dry weight of 7419 pounds, your wet and loaded trailer with the average weight of camping stuff, linens and other stuff in the trailer will probably gross around 8,500 pounds. With average tongue weight of 13%, that's tongue weight of 1,105 pounds.

Subtract 1104 pounds for tongue weight, plus another 100 pounds for the weight of a good WD hitch, and that leaves you with 616 pounds of payload capacity available for people and stuff. IOW, you're going to have to travel really light to keep from being overloaded.

Not really scientific, but basic junior-high math.


To be sure you won't be overloaded, load the pickup with all the people, pets, tools, and other stuff that will be in the pickup when towing. Drive to a truck stop that has a certified automated truck scale and fill up with gas. Then weigh the wet and loaded pickup. Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded pickup from the GVWR of the pickup and the answer is the MAXIMUM payload capacity available for hitch weight. If the max payload capacity available for hitch weight is less than about 1,200 pounds, then you'll probably be overloaded with that trailer.

tcp2

Other than possibly the length, I would suspect you are actually ok on the weights. My understanding is a 11k/1100lb hitch is only supplied on the Max Tow Package, so your truck is set up as well as it can be.

atwowheelguy

There are a lot of people with camper towing experience on this forum: https://forums.goodsamclub.com/index...s/forum/40.cfm

You may find someone there who has successfully towed a 34 ft. trailer with a 145 inch wheelbase truck.

The owners of Hensley Arrow or ProPride hitches say they eliminate any sway issues that might be induced by an overly long trailer.

A Rule of Thumb formula for suitable length has been passed around, reportedly by RV Consumer Group. I have seen no proof that it is effective.

Trailer Length = [(truck wheelbase inches - 110) ÷ 4]ft. + 20 ft.

F150 Supercrew 5.5 ft. bed
= [(145 - 110) ÷ 4]ft. + 20 ft.
= 8.75 ft. + 20 ft.
=28.75 ft.

My trailer is 27.5 ft.

F150 Supercrew 6.5 ft. bed,
Length = [(157 - 110) ÷ 4]ft. + 20 ft.
= 31.75 ft.

F250 crew cab 6.8 ft. bed
Length = [(160 - 110) ÷ 4]ft. + 20 ft.
= 32.5 ft.

F250 crew cab 8.2 ft. bed
Length = [(176 - 110) ÷ 4]ft. + 20 ft.
= 36.5 ft.

Fwonfiddy

Yeah I'm not sure I'd add 1000lb. There is two of us. Research I did showed an average family of 4 add 600lb of crap. I'd figure we would add 3-500lb maximum. We'd never dry camp either. And yeah it is a science - it's ridiculous the amount of acronyms and caveats setting up for towing throws at you - I was just sold a truck that could tow 11,500lb because of its ecoboost engine and that's not the case.

I don't think weight is the issue - I think we'd be with the rules but the length is a little scary given what I've read and yes - it's only what I've read as I have no first hand experience - is 30' vs 35' that big of a deal? It sounds like it even if I opt for the best 4 way sway wdh you can get.

I guess I'll start looking at shorter trailers as the concensus seems to be this one is too much for my vehicle - which sucks as it is super nice and a great walk

Thanks for all the replies - especially the guys who see this kind of post daily but still bother to help people out - it's appreciated.