Hey guys,

first time here. Recently picked up an 07 Lariat crew 4x4 5.4

we purchased a 16ft Travel Trailer (3500 loaded) I know this truck is capable of towing it but I would like to know what my truck’s actual towing limits are. I used the “vin decoder” on this website to look this up but I want to make sure I have this correct. This is the information I’m assuming has my answer?

• WT DISTRIBUTING HITCH - MAX TRAILER WT.8200, 9200, 6100, 8200, 9200, 6600 lbs 6000.0 min 9200.0 max
  

• AXLE RATIO (:1) - FRONT3.73, 3.55 3.55 min 3.73 max
  

is this telling me my weight limit is 8200lbs and I have 3.73s?

 

You have an axle code on the sticker on the drivers door jamb. Find it then do a google search to determine the axle ratio. Then you can determine tow rating. You also have a payload and a GVWR posted on the door jamb. This is usually what limits towing. Most trucks will easily PULL the weight of the trailer. The payload and GVWR determines how much weight your trucks suspension is rated for. Most of the time the tongue weight of trailers will max out the suspension before you get a trailer too heavy to pull.

But even if you have 3.55 gears you should be able to easily handle 3500 lbs. Probably close to double that.

 

The easy way ignoring the tow guide...

Load your truck to the equivalent to what you will have when towing plus about 100lb for a weight distributing hitch and go to the scales.
Take this real number and subtract from your stickers GVWR and you have actual payload remaining, which also tells you how much actual tongue weight your truck can handle without exceeding GVWR.
10%-15% of your trailer weight is appropriate tongue weight.
Just keep trailer actual tongue weight at or below your measured payload remaining and you are good. Result of doing this is that your truck will remain under you GVWR when towing.
Advertised tow rating is essentially useless beyond manufacturer ***** measuring, advertising, and arguing on internet forums.

 

Bump. Just picked up this beauty (2021 Crownline 265 SS Surf). The tongue weight seems high to me. I’m at 850 with gear already loaded in the front, but I suspect that’s less than 100 pounds. The dry weight of the boat and trailer is 7650, which means it’s probably set up at around 10% tongue weight. I’m sure Crownline engineers are way smarter then me, but 10% seems high. I’m a little nervous about that much weight on the ball. So far, it’s a small sample size, but the truck seems to handle it just fine. Truck and trailer are sitting level. I took the rig to the scale and I’m well within limits on the rear GAWR and GCWR. Now, I’m probably touching the upper limits of my payload of 1575 with passengers and gear. Thoughts?

 

2017 3.5 eb with my new Tige Z1 in tow. Dry weight 4860 before trailer. Tows like a dream. I also just set up back up assist for my wife to be more confident on the launch ramp. What an awesome feature. Can't believe I never used it on my last truck with the travel trailer we had.

 

Not enough motor...

There's nothing wrong with a 10-12% tongue, it can only improve the stability of the tow.

Few trailers are boat specific until you get into bespoke territory. You trailer is likely also used with outboards, which would push the tongue weight down. You don't want to get too light a tongue when pulling boats that weigh as much as the tow vehicle, so there is a lower limit that affects the final tongue weight off each boat style that gets used on that trailer layout.

 

Well, the towing guide will point you in the right direction. Google 2017 F150 towing guide, scroll down till you find your truck. The maximum recommended towing capacity assumes you have the 53A towing package. However, the recommended towing capacity is a useless number, you will be limited by payload.

Any F150 can pull 3500 lbs. The least capable is rated to pull 5,000 lbs.

No, a boat trailer should only put 8% tongue weight on the tow vehicle. So the tongue weight of your 7650 lbs load should be a bit over 600 lbs.

Actually, stern drives(inboard outboards) weigh significantly more than outboards. So much more infact that a 200 hp outboard will easily outrun the same exact boat that has a 5.7L Mercruiser stern drive.

In any case, the trailer should be set up to apply 8% tongue weight regardless of powerplant.

 

Where the weight sits is as important than how much exists. We're talking about weight impacting a trailer tongue, not how fast the boat goes, right. The 5.7 is slower because you only get an additional 125hp for the additional 300lb penalty. A penalty that sits inside the boat. Shifting weight forward, toward the tongue.

 

The point wasnt about the speed of the boat....

And that's why boat trailers can be adjusted. In any case I can think of, and with all the boats I have owned, the trailer gets set up for the boat so it doesn't put too little or too much tongue weight, and in any case should be 8%. There is a certain amount that the boat can be shifted forward or back.