I bought a new toy hauler after buying my F150 3.5l ecoboost, with max tow package. Now come to find out, the dealer and the manual indicates I can tow a trailer that weighs 12,700 lbs, and GCWR of 18.400 lbs.

What the dealership and the advertisements do not tell you is that there is only a max tow hitch rating of 500 lbs.There is no possible way a trailer weighing 12,700 will have a tongue weight of 500 lbs. 10% of the trailer weight of my toy hauler is 950 lbs. So how do they expect anyone to be able to tow 12,700 lbs with a max hitch rating of 500 lbs.

Has anyone else been dealing with this issue? So now I have a trailer that I cannot tow with my F150. I have to buy a bigger truck because they failed to let me know that little bit (BIG) of information when I bought my truck.

 

Just for example. My cousin has pulled his 5x6 john deere round Baler with his f150 numerous times. It's over 4,000 lbs payload. His truck has airbags. Never an issue towing it but I don't recommend it to anyone. Your not going to break your reciever off with that weight. Use a good WDH and you probably will want to install airbags

 

I think you are the perfect candidate for someone who should buy the largest truck possible...wow.

You didn't do any research, so you should just buy the huge truck and call it a day...lol.

Sometimes I think guys are like my distracted driving girlfriend, in that they buy trucks because they think they are cute, and that's why she loves trucks...it's cute...WTH!!

My girlfriend would have done the same thing you did, and then complain to me about it...you made a very "Blonde" decision 😂😂

 

500lb is without weight distribution. You are good for 1220lb or 1320lb with weight distribution, depending on your tow package (normal vs max)

 

The 500 pound max tongue weight is for a weight carrying hitch. If it's a new F-150 with max tow, the tongue weight limit with a weight distributing hitch is 1,320 pounds (craw under and read the hitch sticker). The tongue weight on my smallish travel trailer is 900-1,000 pounds depending on how I load it. And I've gone to the 1,320 tongue weight limit on other trailers with no issues.

You didn't mention the empty and loaded weights of your toy hauler as well as the length. I assume 950 is the unloaded hitch weight so expect that to go up if you have propane and batteries on the front (usually not counted in the brochure tongue weight). However, if you put a heavy toy in the garage in the back that tongue weight may go down.

So get a weight distributing hitch. If it's a long trailer (30+ feet) get one with better sway control (Anderson, proride etc.), makes sure the tongue weight is at least 10% and go to the scales and make sure you're within all weight ratings. If you have any problems, post your weights (Front truck axle, rear truck axle, trailer axles and tongue weight) and someone here will be able to tell you what's wrong with the set-up.

But before all that, let us know the length and weight of that toy hauler. If it's 40ft and 12,000 pounds... yes, you should probably shop for a new truck.

 

Sounds like you need to do some reading about weight distributing hitches, and tow loads in general. It will be time well spent

 

a toy hauler.....to be towed by an F150.
I'm betting you'll be blowing thru payload before even putting toys in that bad boy.

 

[QUOTE=Maury82;6381475]I think you are the perfect candidate for someone who should buy the largest truck possible...wow.

You didn't do any research, so you should just buy the huge truck and call it a day...lol.

Sometimes I think guys are like my distracted driving girlfriend, in that they buy trucks because they think they are cute, and that's why she loves trucks...it's cute...WTH!!

My girlfriend would have done the same thing you did, and then complain to me about it...you made a very "Blonde" decision 😂😂[/QUOT


I know I didn't catch that part about the hitch weight, that is not the point. The point I am making is how can Ford say that this truck will tow a trailer 12,700 lbs, when the max hitch weight is 500 lbs. There is no way a trailer weighing 12,700 lbs would only have a tongue weight of 500 lbs. I am new at this, but I do know when something is not right in a case like this. A tongue weight is usually between 10% and 15% of the trailer's GVWR. That would mean that this truck would really only tow 5,000l lbs. That is a far cry from the 12,700 lbs they say this truck will pull. the GCWR they say is 18,400 lbs. I don't think so.

 

[QUOTE=gwyatt1;6381647]500lbs is the max hitch weight WITHOUT a WDH. If you get a WDH, you can have a hitch weight up to 1320 (depending on what your hitch receiver sticker says). Once again, look at your sticker, see what it says.

Also, depending on the truck you got, you might also hit a payload issue. Research.

 

Trailer pulling 101 for new guys:
Ford sells a truck with the high GCWR and it will be have no options. And the truck will have to be equipped to meet the hitch requirements meaning a WDH. The weight distribution hitch specs are clearly written on the hitch sticker and with the WDH the hitch weight goes way above 500.
Then you still must meet the GVWR for the truck which usually means no load in the bed and no passengers.
Home work is required to spec the truck for your needs. And it has been that way for many many years for all brands of trucks.

Quoting:
I know I didn't catch that part about the hitch weight, that is not the point. The point I am making is how can Ford say that this truck will tow a trailer 12,700 lbs, when the max hitch weight is 500 lbs. There is no way a trailer weighing 12,700 lbs would only have a tongue weight of 500 lbs. I am new at this, but I do know when something is not right in a case like this. A tongue weight is usually between 10% and 15% of the trailer's GVWR. That would mean that this truck would really only tow 5,000l lbs. That is a far cry from the 12,700 lbs they say this truck will pull. the GCWR they say is 18,400 lbs. I don't think so.[/QUOTE]