dblackston

I have a 2007 f150 5.4 triton 3.73 gear, tow package. can my truck pull a camper which is 32ft with a gvwr of 7771lbs. I am using weight distribution bars as well. The truck says its gvwr is 7200lbs I moved it about 14miles with over drive off and got out and the truck tranny smelled hot.

130428

I'm no expert (there is a whole towing section for that, just sayin') but simple math shows that 7771 - 7200 = no.

Boulevard

Being 500lbs overweight is not going to cause your transmission to overheat in 14 miles. Get under your hood and start looking for coolers other than the radiator. If you can't find any than you have found your problem.


Most transmission coolers are built into the radiator but this type of cooler is not good enough for towing and that is why every tow package from here to eternity includes a transmission cooler that is external to the radiator and usually sits in front of it. The bigger the cooler the more it cools so if you do end up buying one than get a big one.

wrvond

Maybe.
Without knowing more about your truck, I can't really tell you. However, if you look at the Ford Towing Guide, it will explain what the maximum safe towing capacity of your truck is. I think you'll find you will run out of tongue weight capacity before you run out of towing capacity.
Here's the link:
http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/

smokeywren

Apples and ranges. The 7,771 is the max weight of the trailer on the trailer suspension and tongue. The 7,200 is the max weight on the two truck axles, including the tongue weight of the trailer.


First, you need the actual weight of the wet and loaded F-150, before you tie onto the trailer. Then GVWR of the F-150 minus the actual weight of the wet and loaded F-150 tells you the max tongue weight you can have without being overloaded.


Then you need the actual tongue weight of the wet and loaded trailer. The actual weight of the tow vehicle plus the tongue weight of the trailer should not exceed the GVWR of the tow vehicle.


You can determine the tongue weight of the wet and loaded trailer with a tongue weight scale.
http://www.etrailer.com/Tools/Sherline/5780.html


Or you can use a CAT scale to weigh the rig twice, once with the wet and loaded trailer tied on (but without the WD spring bars attached), and once with just the tow vehicle without the trailer. Subtract the weight of the pickup without the trailer from the weight on the two truck axles when the trailer is tied on. The answer is tongue weight.

Ford also publishes a "tow rating" and a "payload capacity rating", but those are not very useful. Both are overstated because they do not include the people, tools, fluids, campfire wood and other items you will have in your wet and loaded F-150.

For estimating tongue weight of a trailer, use 15% of the GVWR of the trailer. If the GVWR is not easily available, then assume that GVWR = dry weight plus cargo carrying capacity (CCC) of the trailer.