I have a 2022 F150 STX 4X4 with small v6 and tow8ng package. The book says my towing capacity is 10,100. I need to pull a 8000 lb skid steer on a 16 ft trailer about 500 miles from Tennessee to Louisiana. With your towing experience, would you advise it??

 

Can you be more specific about your truck? I assume the small v6 is the 2.7L ecoboost? If so, only the version of that truck equipped with the "2.7 payload package" is rated to tow ~10000 lbs. Without this option but the regular tow package option the 2.7L ecoboost is rated to tow in the ~7500lbs range. If however you have the 3.5L ecoboost and tow package then indeed you're rated for ~10000lbs. Also can you confirm the trailer has electric brakes and your truck has a trailer brake controller (TBC)?

Assuming you have a TBC, a 3.5 eco, and your payload sticker is 1500+, you can tow that combo. It wouldn't be great but if it's just a one-time thing and you're careful it should be okay. If you have TBC + 2.7eco with tow package only, you will be overweight for the GCWR of this truck. It could still do it but you're more over the margins.

 

I wouldn't tow that.

If the skid steer is 8000, I would assume the trailer is going to be over 2000, plus any other cargo you may have. That puts you above the safe limits for the truck. If it was a quick run in town, OK, but no way would I pull that 500 miles.

 

An equipment trailer for an 8k Skid steer is going to run close to 3k on its own. It needs to have a GVWR of 14k. a 10k equipment trailer doesn't have the muscle for the job.

A Small V6 could easily mean the the puny 3.3. But hopefully more.

I long ago have said as have others that 8,000lbs is the max trailer weight any of us should tow. regardless of engine, payload package or max tow.

So no. DO NOT do this.

 

Yessir. I do have the 2.7 with the 10,100 package with TCM and built in sway control. And this would be a 1 time haul.

 

What does your door sticker say your payload number is?

I don’t think I’d tow that 20 miles, let alone 500.

You need to rent or find someone with a super duty to move that.

 

I mean, it's not really worse than a 8000lbs travel trailer with far more frontal area for wind resistance and surface area for cross draft sway. And it's not over the mountains or bad weather but a relatively flat drive from TN to LA. You definitely won't harm the truck if you're light on the acceleration. You'd potentially get into trouble if you have to make a sudden stop or sudden correction from some other vehicle failing to spot you during a lane change, etc. IMO, if you stay at most 65 sticking to the right lane and driving defensively you should be fine for this one-time. A drive like this will be safer than one in a superduty pulling the same load at 75mph and behaving like they can do anything.

Best advice I can give is do a test drive first. Start on local roads, work up to 55mph road, then a test on the interstate. Use that to inform whether the 500 miles is feasible and safe.

 

I’ve towed a similar load like this before with my ‘14 but I have the 5.0 and 6R80. The setup was a 8,000lb Trackhoe on a 20ft 2,000lb trailer. Payload didn’t matter as much with this load as I could control the tongue weight from where I had the Trackhoe positioned over the trailer axles. While my truck pulled this setup with no problems I also only had to go about 10 miles out and there’s a major difference between that and 500 miles.
One of the biggest questions is the condition of the trailer? How old are the tires? Valve stems? When was the last time the trailer brakes have been serviced? Condition of the trailers wiring?

Personally I’d probably wouldn’t be to worried about doing this but I would definitely make a check list, go over the truck and trailer, and do whatever maintenance that needs to be done.

 

2480 lbs.

 

Just hazarding a guess, but I would guestimate that you'll be really close to the GCVWR for your pickup if not a bit over. Unless you have a weight distributing hitch, you'll need to be VERY careful about tongue weight. The receiver of these pickups are only rated for 500 lbs tongue weight WITHOUT using a WDH. There's a towing guide published by Ford that lists the GCVWR for our pickups and this is listed by your engine, wheelbase, cab size, and 4x4 status. Your door placard has your pickup's GVWR and your payload. Once you know your GCVWR (not listed on the placard of your pickup) and you know the actual weight of what you're towing, add the weight of your pickup and that towed load together and see just how close you are to the GCVWR.

These pickups are stupid powerful... but their brakes and suspension aren't as good. Frankly I'd be concerned that while you'd probably PULL the load without much of an issue, it's the STOPPING of the load that might be an issue and will be more so the heavier your combination is.

My own pickup is a 3.5 and I've got a 16,900 GCVWR. I'd be concerned about towing something that heavy... but I have a smaller available payload than you do as my pickup likely has a higher curb weight than you do... stuff to consider!!