jjl04002

Hi all,
I have a 2010 F150, 4.6L 4x4 supercab with 3.55 gears (I think XLT). I am about to pull the trigger on a trailer soon, and wanted to get some opinions. I plan on getting an 18 ft car trailer to tow my 2005 Mustang (3700 lbs). I estimate passengers (600 lbs) and tools/parts (100 lbs) in the cab. So i was running the numbers and the tow guide says, 7900 max tow weight. The GVWR seems to be about 7000 lbs which leaves 1550 lbs for payload (edit, door sticker says 1380, so we subtract 170 lbs from calc).

So doing the math:
I have 850 lbs (edit 680) of payload left after people/tools.

Car adds 10% when on the trailer - 370 lbs. Which gives me a budget of 480 lbs (edit 310) to burn. Say a WD hitch is 100 lbs, This means I can handle up to a trailer of 2100 lbs.

Currently I am looking at a steel trailer which would be around 1700 lbs, so I think the math checks out.

So my questions:

1) Is my math OK?
2) Can I really handle a steel trailer or should I spend some money and lose some weight with aluminum (1000 lbs?).
3) Will the car be "happy enough" doing 4 hour trips in the NE of the US. The worst trip would probably be into the Pocono Mts to get to the race track. I am not going to buy another truck for towing, so it is a case of either I don't tow my mustang, or I make it work. If there is something minor I could do, then I would consider that if needed.


Thanks in advance

smokeywren

The towing guide is extremely optimistic. I had that F-150 4.6L with 3.55 axle ratio, and it was not happy with a 7x14 enclosed trailer that grossed about 5,000 pounds. It was not even happy with that same trailer when empty and grossing around 2,000 pounds. I made one trip from west Texas to Phoenix and back with that trailer - loaded going and empty coming home. That trip convinced me to get rid of that weakling 4.6L.


I don't see a problem with your math. It's your assumptions that are faulty.

Every pound you can shave off the combo will add to towing enjoyment. If I had to get by with a 4.6L, I'd probably spend the money for an aluminium trailer.

If the F-150 has the Ford factory towing package, including HD transmission cooler, then only you can define "happy". I wasn't happy because the tranny downshifted for every little bump in the road. I was surprised at how many steep grades there are in southeastern Arizona that kept the tranny from upshifting to overdrive, even with an empty trailer.


Get rid on any extra weight in the rig. Leave the tools and jacks at home. Only enough gas in the Mustang to get it on and off the trailer. Be certain you have the heavy duty tranny cooler on the F-150. Without the HD tranny cooler, you'll probably be replacing the tranny/torque converter in a short time. No gas in any extra gas cans.


On the first towing trip, stop at a truck stop that has a CAT scale. Fill up with gas, then weigh the wet and loaded rig. Add the weights on the front and rear axles of the F-150 and compare to the GVWR of the truck. Compare the gross weight of the truck + trailer to the GCWR of the truck.

Sammy77

I agree with smokeywren. I would definitely want more truck for that trailer.

spotterjoe

I'd check the weight on that steel trailer. Typically, wooden 16'-18' car hauler trailers are 1700-1800 pounds. The steel bed, if solid, (all the way across) may be heavier. I'd check with the manufacturer on the actual weight. Just my $.02

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

I can't comment on the 4.6's towing capability, but Smokey addressed that real well!

But....680 lbs of payload remaining after you load up the truck....

If you load your 3700 lb car onto a 1700 lb trailer, you'll be pulling a 5400 lb load.

With the tongue weight between 10% to 15% of your trailer weight, plus a 100 lb WDH, you can figure if it will work or not.

If can load the car so you have a light 11% tongue weight (about 600 lbs), and your 100 lb WDH, you'll be right at the limit of the GVWR for your truck.

Actually, the WDH will redistribute some of the tongue weight forward to the truck's front axle and back to the trailer's axles but like Smokey said, you'll need to weigh the rig at your local CAT scales to see if you're really within the GAWRs of the truck's axles.

Also....what is the GCWR (Combined weight rating) of your truck???

If the truck's GVWR is 7000 (and it seems like you'll be right up at that limit), and your loaded trailer is 5700, then you'll need a GCWR of at least 12,700 lbs to be within the rating.

Good luck, and have fun at the track!!

.

seaeagle2

Do you have a factory tow package, if you don't have the tow package the manual states 5000 lb tow weight.

Mike Up

Not sure on car haulers but travel trailers average (with WDH weight included) about 80% of the tongue weight on the tow vehicle axles and about 20% on the trailer axles. Also with most travel trailers, I've noticed about 13% tow weight on the tongue.

The above gives me a 4800 lbs trailer based on 10% tow weight for the tongue. 4800 lbs + 3700 lbs = 8500 lbs, 10% of 8500 is 850 lbs tongue weight. 80% of that tongue weight is your 680 lbs tongue weight. Of course this is based on what I've seen with travel trailers. With a car, your tongue weight can swing wildly depending on how far forward you pull the car. I also don't know how the WDH is going to distribute the weight. It may not need to distribute as much and put more weight on the truck axles than a travel trailer.

I would buy a tongue scale and just check some of your buddies trailers with cars close to your Mustangs weight.

Also, are we talking the anemic 4.6L 2V or the High Output 4.6L 3valve engine? I had that 4.6L 3V engine in a previous Sport Trac. My total GCW was about 10,700 lbs with a tall Jayco Jay Flight Travel Trailer Wind Sail and it pulled it easily. Not sure how it would do with 14,500 lbs. I would try to stick with 12,700 lbs or a trailer weighing 3000 lbs or less (based on your truck loaded weighing 6000 lbs).

Good luck.

jjl04002

Yes I have the tow package (not the max). Comes with the 46 tube tranny cooler, 7 pin plug, etc.

jjl04002

I have the 3 valve. I wouldn't have asked if this was the 2 valve . Coincidentally it is the same engine as my mustang (except the truck lacks a supercharger). Perhaps I should use the mustang to do the pulling .

Also, I think I will pull the trigger soon, I am narrowed down to either an 18 ft or 20 ft aluminum trailer (1400 vs 1480 lbs). I think I will also get the mustang down to 3500 lbs (pull spare tires, and lighten it up a bit for the track). So in reality I will be only hauling about 5k with the trailer. Even without the tow package I would be at the limit....so I think I am feeling OK with the tow package. If push comes to shove I drive 60 on the highway. With passengers, etc I think they car would be around 11,500 lbs being conservative.

badercubed

FWIW, I had a 2010 4.6L SCAB 4x4 with just the basic factory tow package. I used to pull a 6,000lb skidsteer on a 1,800lb trailer (steel trailer w/ wood decking) roughly 150 miles probably 8-10 times a year. With an extra leaf spring and the load balanced right, the truck towed fine and was of zero concern to me. Was it to the max, yes, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.