Tow Capacity of 2018/19 F-150 3.5L V6 Ecoboost
 

Hello All,

First of many posts I'm sure. I need some help from you "resident experts". I am trading in my Ford Explorer for a 2018 or 2019 F-150 3.5L V6 Ecoboost. I am also purchasing a new travel trailer (which is the reason for me ditching the Explorer). Both purchases will be within the next 3 weeks. I have narrowed down which trailer my wife and I want. I'll post a link for inquiring minds to get all the info you need. Here is my question... the numbers look like they are good to go on whether or not the truck can handle the trailer. I was hoping to get a few of you to look at the trailer and confirm? I do NOT trust the dealers (trailer and/or Ford). So what better place to go than a forum? Any and all thoughts/advice would be GREATLY appreciated. If you find that there are issues with the set up, please provide details in layman's terms.

Here is a link to the trailer:

https://www.cruiserrv.com/2018/trave...ser/sc-277bhs/

Thanks again!

As a side note, I also posted this in "general discussion". It was recommended I post over here as well.

Thats a heavy trailer with a GVWR of 9380 pounds, and that tongue weight is less than 10% of the factory unloaded weight, more realistically the weight should be closer to 863 pounds empty @13%. As it sits now, if that is the actual tongue weight, it will be a sway monster when empty.

OK take the empty weight and assume you will carry ~1500 pounds of cargo, that puts the travel weight at 8140 pounds and a tongue weight of 1058 pounds @ 13% plus 100 for the hitch, so realistically, 1160 pounds on the receiver.

You will want a truck with Max Tow, and a payload of at the very least 1800 pounds, so you want to look for an XLT.

acdii pretty much summed that up :thumbsup:

Don't most people estimate the tongue weight by using 13% of the GVWR of the trailer on the basis that the published empty weight is usually artificially low? That would put him closer to 1,200 on the hitch plus the WDH.

An XLT or an XL /w something like the STX package most likely could pull it, but no matter how you calculate it there is not a lot of wiggle room in those numbers. I think you would be a lot more comfortable in a 3/4 Ton truck if you have your heart set on that trailer.

My 2 cents.

I've got an STX 3.5eb Screw 4x4 with 1942lbs payload, so I could handle that, but not sure i'd want to. on the top end at 15% tongue weight with that GVWR puts 1400lbs on the tongue. +hitch weight, ~1500lbs. That'd leave 400lbs for my fat butt, the wife and the kid. Nope.

Not sure about in the States, but on the Ford.ca site the XLT Ecoboost F150 is only a couple thousand less MSRP than an F250 XLT with the 6.2L. If you're towing a lot and want a trailer like the one you posted I would look at that option IMO

That is a lot of trailer. Depending on your towing experience you may want to consider an F250 gasser with as much payload as you can get for a comparable price. It will serve as a more stable towing vehicle.

The F150 can do it if configured properly (Minimal options and features to get the payload up.) Even then it is a lighter vehicle and will not feel as planted or stable as a Super Duty.

I suggest a Payload in excess of 2000 pounds
XLT Max Tow and lightly optioned
XLT HDPP
F250 Gas

I'm with Terry. If you insist on a half-ton pickup to tow a 9,000-pound TT, then you cannot have an F-150 that you can easily find in stock anywhere.

In fact, I wouldn't consider towing that heavy trailer with an F-150 without HDPP and the 3.5L EcoBoost engine (which requires/includes Max Tow Pkg.). For a new F-150 with HDPP, the fanciest available is XLT 301a with the 'long" bed (6.5' bed on a SuperCrew or 8' bed on a SuperCab or regular cab.)

I wanted Lariat trim with HDPP, but Ford discontinued that option for 2019. DW wanted Lariat trim so I compromised and ordered Lariat trim, but to increase payload capacity I ordered SuperCab instead of SuperCrew and 4x2 instead of 4x4. My yellow sticker says 1906 payload, minus about 100 pounds for my Extang hard tri-fold tonneau cover, so call it 1,800 payload capacity per Ford's definition. Not enough for your trailer. So either order an F-150 with HDPP or else buy an F-250 with everything you want without needing any compromising (other than cost). For the F-150, you'll probably have to order it and wait about two months for delivery. For the F-250, with a "dealer search" your dealer can probably find exactly what you need in inventory within a few hundred miles of your location, so you can be driving it next week.

I'd just get a F250, unless you only are towing once a year. Better travel safely and more secure/confident.

The OP posted this twice and in the other thread he said he is looking at an XLT HDPP with 3.5EB, and I pointed him to another brand trailer that has the same floor plan but is only 7600 GVWR. The example I put up above is a realistic traveling scenario, I know I have about 1500 pounds in mine with a full FWT, so it is quite possible for the OP to have a similar configuration. The HDPP would haul this trailer, just not at 15% TW, but 13% it can.