Sven Hartmann

Hello,

I've looked and searched all over this towing forum and there is great info here, and probably what I need as well. My brain is just fried and I don't know what 1+1 is at them moment.
I have a 2016 2.7 Ecoboost 4x2 with the trailer tow package.

GVWR is 6250
Payload is 1490
Suspension is stock
I have retrofitted a OEM brake controller inside the truck and enabled via FORScan


I'm looking in to purchasing a Forst River vibe TT, im looking at the three models below:
24BH:
UVW: 5573
GVWR ~ 7800

26BH:
UVW: 6053
GVWR: ~7800

28BH:
UVW: 6638
GVWR ~9800

I'm assuming the 28BH would only be possible if I towed it bone dry and unloaded if at all.


If neither of these trailers work, what should I be looking for?
Goal is not to operate the Truck at max constantly as to not cause damage.

Thank you very much for your input!

marshallr

Maybe the smaller 2. You're tow rating is 8200 lbs if I'm looking at things right. But your payload is the problem. Looking at the smallest trailer the unloaded weight is 5573 lbs with 7800 max weight. Packing conservatively it'll weigh over 6000 lbs. Figure 13% for tongue weight + 100 lbs for a weight distribution hitch and you have 880 lbs on the hitch. Subtracting that from your 1490 payload leaves you 610 lbs for passengers and cargo in the truck. I weigh 220, my wife 140. With us sitting in the cab we'd have only 250 lbs left over for gear in the truck. And that is loading the trailer pretty light. That would be possible for me, but I'd have to pack carefully. If you and any passengers you plan to carry are smaller, then it works better for you than me.

Technically all of them are possible. If you could keep the heavier trailer to 7000 lbs loaded you'd have about 400 lbs left over for passengers and gear. With my wife and I in the cab there wouldn't be room for anything else. I couldn't even put one of the grand kids in there with us and be within specs. You need to determine how much weight you need to carry in the truck. and do the math. If I owned that truck I'd be looking at something with a GVWR closer to 6000 lbs and try to keep the loaded weight to 5500 or so.

Sven Hartmann

Thank you for the reply. My main concern is how the truck will do. I think you're right and technically it could pull all of these and i'd be able to stay within payload limits, at least on the first two for sure.
I'm looking at a few more lighter trailers with a UVW sub 5k, that should probably allow the truck to operate without having to do so near max consistently.

Thank you!

spammagnet

If you're at the margin of tow/payload capacity and consider ways to improve it, know that after-market add-ons like airbags, active suspension and better shocks will improve handling but won't increase the capacity. Stay within your specs.

acdii

Go for the 24BH and travel light and you won't have any issues. Reason I say this is because it is the lightest of them all with the most cargo capacity. I was in a similar situation, 2014 4x2 with 1470 payload. After doing all the math I figured a 7600 GVWR trailer was the most it could handle, so thats what I shopped for.

The 14 had something like 7050 GVWR, and it weighed just under 6K with me in it. Figuring 920 pounds on the ball divided by .13 it came to just over 7K for GVWR. The trailer I found has a 7600 GVWR but a CCC of 2560 pounds. Fully loaded I average around 1500 pounds cargo and water, so sitting between 6500 and 6700 ready to travel.

With the entire family in the truck though, the truck was over GVWR and GRAWR, so we took two vehicles for anything not within an hour drive. Now I have an 18 Platinum with 1557 payload and a Blue Ox WDH, and with the new hitch the weight is properly distributed, where it wasn't on the 14, wrong hitch, didn't realize it. I can now travel with the whole family and stay just under GVWR.

So if you go for the lightest trailer and plan to travel light, and use a GOOD WDH like Blue Ox, you should be perfectly fine with that truck.

Mark_e_ski

Do you have to disable the electronic trailer sway control every time you start the truck or does it not give you any issues?

I am purchasing my first TT, a 29 ft 2019 Keystone RV Springdale 260BH, with a dry weight of 5240 lbs and a dry hitch weight of 510 lbs. I have a 2018 XLT 302A Fx4 with added brake controller and 1523 lbs of payload.

The reason I ask is because one dealer told me not to use the equalizer 4 point friction WD hitch I was looking at as it would counteract the trucks electronic trailer sway control and make the situation worse so I would have to disable it every time. The dealer I am purchasing from didn't seems to know what I was talking about when I told them and wants me to buy the blue ox. I'm just really confused on which WD hitch I should buy to work best with my setup as I have never towed a trailer like this before and am a little nervous about getting the right setup. Sorry if I hijacked this thread, and thanks in advance.

acdii

I have not heard of anyone needing to disable the sway control for the Equilizer, only the Blue Ox, which I have and had to disable after the truck acted a bit strange with passing trucks. You set up the trailer in the truck and disable it there. Once disabled it is always disabled until you re-enable it. Don't disable it unless the truck acts strangely when towing. It the truck feels like it is shaking it's butt like a stripper, then disable it. Not everyone has this happen with the BO.

I have not used the Equilizer, so can't say anything other than they are noisy and a bit more complicated to set up. The BO is an easy setup, get the ball height right the first time, which is pretty simple, and with the proper bars it is just a matter of getting the correct link which takes minutes and a tape measure on the front fender.


Also, ignore dry weights and empty tongue weights, they are there for shipping purposes only and have zero meaning to an end user. Focus on the GVWR and cargo capacity. Plan on 1500 pounds of cargo with a full water tank and go from there. So assuming that is a true dry weight, plan on 6700 pounds traveling weight or 871 pounds tongue weight. You will need 1000 pound bars at the minimum. Also keep in mind that any weight behind the rear axle is also added into the weight of the spring bars.

13XLTEco

I have a Husky centerline which should be the same as the equalizer and I need to disable the TSC each time I hitch up my camper. Tows easier and uses less gas. Resets when ignition is turned off.

kehyler

OP, your payload sticker showed the payload after it rolled out of the factory floor. Have you added and significant permanent weight to your truck? When you tow, how much temporary weight will you add to the truck? In your estimate, include everything that was not in truck when it rolled off the factory floor.

Sven Hartmann

Thank you everyone for your responses.
I just towed a 4.2k Coleman for the holiday. Truck didn't flinch at all. That trailer was too small though.

I will add active suspension and airbags to the truck.
Does anybody have a recommendation for a decent size travel trailer with a slide out and bunk beds?

Preferably at or below 5.2k dry. If that even exists.

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies.