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1st time F-150 owner. I’ve seen mixed posts about rear squat. My old Ram squatted bad and I needed to install a heavy duty air bag system. My new to me 16’ F-150 has the 7000# GVWR package and my payload is 1722 lbs. I have a 450lb tounge weight and my trailer does not allow for a WDH. My best guess is with the trailer I have about 200lbs additional in the bed. I won’t be able to hitch the trailer up for atleast another month. I’m well within my tow/payload ratings but I hate the look of a bad squat so if I need to order something I would rather do it now and not at the last minute. So I guess I’m just asking the internet if it thinks I’ll need something additional like air bags....
This is 525lbs - verified /w a scale - on the ball. Obviously no WDH with the boat trailer. Back end sits down right at 1.5in.
Think the bed was pretty empty when this was taken but I have towed the same setup with firewood and a Honda Generator in the bed - most likely close to the extra 200lbs you mention. I loaded the wood and other stuff as far forward in the bed as possible and didn't notice a big difference in squat.
"need" is based on whether or not you care about the cosmetics.
Agree. Turns out Ford Engineers are pretty smart though. Based on my experience if you put 500lbs on the ball, which is what the truck is rated for, it will almost exactly take the rake out of the truck and it will ride level.
Almost like they planned for that when they designed the suspension and factory rake? Weird huh?
I wish I would have taken a photo of the Ram before the air bags, a swear it dropped close to 5 inches, kinda like a really bad “Cali lean” I probably had less then 2 inches before the bump stops bottomed out.
that was back in 2012, Coincidentally thats the exact same day I learned about payload ratings and not just towing ratings lol
Last edited by SomeRandomGuy; 02-15-2019 at 02:38 PM.
When my trailer is maxed out at 5,000 lbs., it takes about 30 lbs. in the bags to get level. I could even up the load in the trailer to make that up. Many times, depending on where I unhook, I have to empty the bags to get the trailer off and leveled in its parking place.
It’ll probably be fine. I would’ve managed with the squat on mine but the porpoising was horrible. I put SumoSpring Solos on to mitigate that. No sag is a bonus.
02-15-2019, 01:24 PM
Do you think I will need air bags/timbrens
