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13% is your number, not Ford's number. It does by no means leave out all the 5.0 trucks. Whether you CAN do something based on the manufacturer's specifications or if you DON'T LIKE to do something based on those same specifications are two different things. Look at the rating stickers on Ford'd OEM hitches. They are based on 10% tongue weight ratings. The point is that you CAN do it based on Ford's specifications:
People often go through the process of replacing or adding (Fill-In-The-Blank) on their trucks to upgrade what they want. That really is a not much of an issue. Trouble for you might be easy-peasy for someone else.
I am specifically talking about Travel Trailers. Believe me, a TT with 13% tongue weight handles a lot better than one at 10%! A cargo trailer at 10% is no where near as troublesome in wind than a TT is. Please stick to RV Travel trailers in this thread. I have towed one at 10%, it was NOT fun and is a white knuckle drive.
If you buy a TT based on 10%, you could find yourself wishing for a bigger truck or smaller trailer and now have to deal with the added expense and wondering why you even bothered. That is what this thread is about, to let potential buyers know what they are getting into and how best to decide on a trailer that fits their truck, or how to buy a truck to match a trailer. The ideal TW is between 10 and 15 percent, so if one is going to buy, split the difference and go with 13%, that way you have room to work with.
Another thing a lot of people fail to take into account with travel trailers: Aerodynamics...
Yep, good point.
My trailer, for example, is a lightweight at less than 5k lbs gross, but being a slightly older model it's about as aerodynamic as a brick, so I really feel it at highway speeds, especially towing into a head wind.
Keep in mind that drag force increases with the square of velocity, so the faster you drive, the engine and tranny have to work exponentially harder.
Yep water weight can be significant at 8.34 pounds per gallon. For me that's 500 pounds if I go with full fresh water.
Trailer GVWR is the max amount the trailer can weigh (safely/legally?). What you choose to load in your trailer will probably differ from another person.
There are many travel trailer operators that make sure they travel with water, gray and black tanks empty (so they can haul more camping stuff).
Personally, I do a lot of dry camping requiring me to travel with tanks full fresh water on the way out grey and black on the return leg.If a significant distance and I have the ability to fill up and/or dump when I'm close to the camp site. I'll do that, but I have to be prepared and pack accordingly. For example my listed Cargo Capacity is 1,650 pounds GVWR is 10,200 pounds. If I travel with full water I have to subtract 500 pounds. If I know I can get water where I'm going, I'll put a gallon jug or 2 of fresh water in the trailer for flushing on the road. This way I can bring the bikes and kayaks and extra junk. I have weighed my rig enough times to know what combinations I can get away with, which ones are pushing it, and which ones are just too much.
"1/2 ton towable" is mostly a myth but not a complete lie, it's on you the operator to ensure your purchasing a tow vehicle/trailer combination that is safe and legal. My "1/2 ton" F-150 with HDPP can tow my "1/2 ton towable" 5er comfortably.
I'm curious, does a published trailer gross weight factor in full black, grey and fresh water tanks? This can be significant.
Yes, and if you look at the capacities tag it will state the weight of a full FWT, but not the waste tanks, and I believe that is because it is assumed they would be emptied prior to travel, which is usually the case.
One thing I left out about GVWR. Not only does one need to watch how much weight they add in inanimate objects, but also need to factor in the people that will be in it while parked, they are considered part of the cargo weight much like the passengers in the truck are.
I'm curious, does a published trailer gross weight factor in full black, grey and fresh water tanks? This can be significant.
If you mean by factoring it into the max cargo capacity number on the sticker no. In fact all of the stickers I've ever seen have a warning stating the weight of fluid in the tanks and takes away from the cargo capacity. Now I will admit I'm not concerned about full fresh water and holding tank weight. If we are camping without full hookups we only stay at parks that have campground dump stations. With the short drive at low speed to the dump station I don't see any real risk or chance of damage to the truck and even when full with our current trailer we are under its GVWR. If we boondocked in the mountains like we did when we lived out west where it could be miles to a dump station I would think differently.
As to truck capacity I don't feel every truck is able to tow well at its rated capacity. Assuming it is within all specifications it will tow at the calculated maximum without excessive wear and tear but you might be in the right hand lane going up the mountains or have trouble merging onto the freeway. With just the wife and myself mathematically we could tow over the 7600 rated capacity for our truck. However given how the our truck handles with our current trailer I wouldn't want anything much over the 5K +/- we currently tow. I know I can get up steep grades at a the posted speeds and still have enough headroom to accelerate if needed. I also know I will be able to merge at or close to traffic speed on the freeway or accelerate at a rate to safely pass on two lane roads. These aren't things the RV dealers would talk about. It was all getting me into the largest trailer they could even for the dealers that had brought up truck capacity and had some knowledge of it.
How are you arriving at that? The liquid weight is considered cargo. They only state what the FWT will weigh when full, and that is subtracted from the cargo weight. Take the trailers GVWR, subtracted the posted dry weight, and it should match the cargo capacity. The reason they only post the FWT weight is they figure the transfer of fresh to dirt if boondocking, so the weight remains basically the same as the FWT emptied and fills the black/grey. In any case, water capacity is considered cargo weight.
01-21-2019, 11:03 AM
