Read the Payload sticker on your door jamb. Subtract from payload the weight of you and all passengers, every mod made to the truck (tonneau cover, bed mat, floor mats, etc.), the weight of anything brought in the truck (anything passengers bring in the cab, anything you load into the bed). Then subtract the weight of the WDH, or use 100 pounds for an estimate. The result is your remaining payload. Then divide by .13 (13% average tongue weight) and the final number is the max LOADED trailer you can tow.

Discussed often.

 

 

I could type a paragraph off the top of my head, but please understand these questions are asked weekly. I've only been here a year and I grow weary...

I put the above statement/question into a Bing search; here are your results:

https://www.bing.com/search?q=differ...0E1A81C621F882

 

Weight carrying is when you hook the trailer up to the ball that's in the hitch. You have a limit of 500 pounds of tongue weight, 5,000 pound trailer, IF YOUR PAYLOAD ALLOWS THAT MUCH.

Weight distributing is when you get a weight distribution hitch in order to cross the above limits. It moves weight from the back of the truck to the front axle of the truck, and to the trailer's axle. Therefore, it allows you to tow a heavier trailer by distributing the weight. HOWEVER, it adds about 100 pounds of weight on the the ball, which comes off your payload, and it doesn't change your payload one iota.

 

 

The photo you showed is the weight limits of the receiver hitch only. But there are other weight limits that you don't want to exceed.

Ignore the gross trailer weight rating and concentrate on the tongue weight (TW) rating of the hitch. Towing a travel trailer, you will exceed the TW rating of the receiver before you get close to the gross trailer weight rating.

A weight-carrying (WC) hitch is a simple shank, ball mount and ball that plugs into the receiver. The TW is mostly carried by the rear axle of the tow vehicle. Click on the link, then scroll down to see one.
https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Bal..._~_3_Inch.aspx

A weight-distributing (WD) hitch is much more complicated and expensive. When ideally set up, it distributes about 20% to 25% of TW to the front axle of the tow vehicle, another 20% to 25% of TW to the trailer axles, leaving 50% to 60% of TW on the rear axle. Plus, good WD hitches include built-in trailer sway control. Click on the link to see a Blue Ox SwayPro WD hitch. https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Dist...x/BXW1000.html

So if you have a WD hitch with enough TW capacity to tow a trailer with 1,160 pounds TW, can you tow that trailer without being overloaded? No, probably not. Because the hitch is not the limiter as to how heavy a trailer you can tow. Payload capacity of the tow vehicle is usually the limiter, and sometimes the rear GAWR is the limiter.

So to make a long story short, you need to determine the payload capacity available for hitch weight. To do that, load the F-150 with everyone and everything that will be in it when towing. Fill up with gas, then weigh the wet and loaded F-150. Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded F-150 from the GVWR of the F-150, and the answer is the payload capacity available for hitch weight.

Divide the payload capacity available for hitch weight by 13% and the answer is the heaviest travel trailer with average TW you can tow without being overloaded.

 

One of the most misconception is that folks think that just cause you use a WD hitch, the tongue weight magically 'disappears' when in fact those are still there, just 'distributed' elsewhere along with the added weight of said WD hitch brand. That being said, the 'true' numbers will be shown when you are on a scale w/ fully loaded TV and TT. Once you get those numbers, only then you can dial in even more deep in numbers i.e. GCVW, Axel Weights, etc. Clear as mud? Not all of us are live near a scale but all in all, if you know your numbers on your truck and trailer, that is a good base to start. If said TT is heavier than 5K, get that WD hitch and get that tongue to %13 which is the 'sweet' spot. Good luck and safe travels!

 

Correct! The hitch is still carrying the total tongue weight when using a WDH. All the WDH does is to change the way the tow vehicle carries that weight to or on the ground. As mentioned already, it will be the rear GAWR that is the first limiter on many tow vehicles. Some trailers/tow vehicles don't need a WDH when over 5000 lbs, such as equipment trailers and the tow vehicle wheel base, options etc.

 

Everything you need to know, but were afraid to ask

https://www.f150forum.com/f82/number...9/#post5446734