Hello everyone,

I just purchased a 2017 F150 V8 3.31 axle, and I'm trying to determine my GCWR. The printed manual lists two potential values for my GCWR - 13,000 and 14,200. The lower number says that it requires the "sports package". I'm reasonably sure I don't have that. Oddly enough, the online manual lists the same numbers, but instead says the 13,000 number requires the special edition package. Pretty sure I don't have that either! The 2017 towing guide also says special edition package, so I'm lead to believe the printed manual has an error.

Would someone mind double checking if I have this right? I should have a GCWR of 14,200 which would give me max loaded trailer weight of 9,100 lbs.

Thanks in advance.

Online manual

2017 Towing Guide

 

Have a look in the door jamb. There's a yellow and white sticker that shows your payload and tire info, then a white sticker that shows your GVWR and individual axle ratings.

 

I took pictures the other day. How do you figure out GCWR from GVWR and axle ratings?

 

You don't, but they help determine the max trailer weight you can tow.
all the ratings go into that.
GCWR
GVWR
GAWR
hitch sticker
tires
etc.

As for your GCWR, you are looking at the right numbers. But as you stated, you don't know which to use. You might check in the glove box or in the manual pouch in the truck for the window sticker. I save mine there in the manual pouch.

Or you could run your VIN online and find the sticker that way. There used to be a couple websites listed here that did that. I'm sorry, I don't have the links. They may not work for a '17, idk. But I got a pdf sticker from the website for my 2016.

Another option is to post a few pics of the truck and we can probably tell which trim package it has (or more importantly, doesn't have)

 

I tried a few of the VIN lookup sites that I saw, but most didn't work, and the one that did had bad info. I have an XLT with the Trailer Tow Package (53A I believe, since it has the backup assist and integrated brake controller). Here's a few pics:

 

ok, I'd say you do NOT have a sport or special edition package, based on the wheels and chrome bumper and it looks like a lack of center console.

So, you're probably limited by mostly tongue weight on the hitch. At least as far as travel trailers or cargo trailers.

Most travel trailers run around 13% tongue weight. This is generally the happy spot. That means if your TT is optimally loaded then the max trailer weight is about 8400# (1100/13%=8461) If you tow a boat or a trailer with a front axle like a farm bale trailer, then you may have a lower percentage TW, say 5-8% for a boat. This would give you a higher trailer weight. But you still must not exceed the other ratings. You will need a WDH to reach these numbers

Your payload number is pretty good, so unless you have more than 1000# of people and stuff in the truck, you should be Ok.

Your truck should weigh approx. 4689# with a full tank of fuel but nothing else in it. Therefore a 14200# GCWR gives you a max pull rating of 9511# (But of course driver weight would reduce that as well as anything else in/on the truck)


As always, guessing weights is rarely accurate, so if you really want to tow the max you can. Several visits to a set of CAT scales are needed to verify truck, trailer, cargo weights and how they're distributed.

 

Tongue weight is what matters. I have yet to see a truck that can tow its GCWR without running out of payload first.

When shopping for a trailer, don't look at the trailer's weight. Find out what the tongue weight is. The trailer saleman will say "This trailer only weighs XXXX lbs so your truck will easily tow it" IGNORE THAT.

If you're looking for a trailer that's over 5000 lbs, you'll need a WDH as SixShooter mentioned.

Take your payload, subtract weight of the humans and all cargo (and WDH if needed) and also subtract any extras you have on your truck like tonneau cover etc. The number you have left is the max tongue weight of a trailer you can tow. It doesn't really matter what the trailer actually weighs because it will be below your GCWR, guaranteed.

 

A 10000# boat is only going to have a TW of about 800# (8%)...Hell, even at 10% that's only 1000# on the tongue. That's below the hitch rating and is probably not going to go over the 2100# payload sticker. And yet it would put him over GCWR.

 

True, however, when people say "trailer" it's a TT or cargo trailer. When people are looking weight limits for boats, they say boats... But that is a good point. My 7500lb boat has less tongue weight than my 5000lb TT. Their weight is all boat motor behind the axle(s)...

 

Thanks for the replies, and the good info. Having known none of this 2 weeks ago, I've been digging in and learning all the values and math. I don't wanna be "that guy" - flipped over on the highway because I didn't know my numbers. Glad you guys confirmed what I was thinking.

For reference, we're looking to get a travel trailer somewhere in the neighborhood of 5500 lbs unloaded, maybe 25-27 feet long. My loose numbers:

5500 lbs TT
1000 lbs gear in the TT (I've heard thats what most people travel with, although that seems like way more gear than I can even fathom)
6500 * .13 = 845 lbs to expect for the tongue
+100 lbs for weight distributing hitch
hitch weight = 945 lbs
Since I have a rating of 1100 lbs on my hitch receiver, I'm good there

600 lbs (approx weight of passengers)
100 lbs of misc. gear in the truck
+ 945 hitch weight
= 1645 lbs...well below my payload rating of 2,111 lbs.

Does all this seem like good estimates?