99TexFan

I'm shopping travel trailers, and have tried research and understand if my truck can pull this specific trailer I have found, and really like. I have a 2013 FX2 SuperCrew, 5.0L, 3.55 . The trailer is a Avenger ATI 27DBS.

The sticker on my truck door says 7100lb GVWR & 1446lb Combined cargo.
The trailer specs are 6568lb dry weight & 721lb hitch weight.

When looking at the ford towing manual, it says I can tow 8000lbs maximum trailer weight, and the GVCW is 13,400. However, when I try putting these numbers into some online calculators, I get different results, and stuff just doesn't add up.

I want to hear from others with these trucks on if it will be possible to tow this trailer without breaking my truck or killing myself.

I do plan on getting my weight distribution hitch. I've also towed a 3000lbs trailer with this truck no problem, but this new one is considerably larger, so I have my concerns.

Thank you!

Ricktwuhk

If you read the existing threads in this section, they explain very clearly the math involved.

1,446 Payload

Subtract weight of yourself and all passengers
Subtract weight of everything you've added to the truck (tonneau cover, bed mat, heavy floor mats...)
Subtract the weight distribution hitch
Subtract any cargo or pets you bring in the truck

Divide result by 13% for avg tongue weight and that is the weight of the LOADED trailer.

Example:

1,446 Payload
200 You
120 Wife
100 2 kids or kid and a dog
50 cooler
100 tonneau cover and bed mat
100 WDH

That leave 776. 776 / .13 = 5,969 LOADED trailer.

Therefore, your trailer would be over that BEFORE YOU LOAD IT.

So no, you can't use that trailer.

99TexFan

So given your calculation examples, I wouldn't want to tow anything more than 6,354lbs. But, I also need to account for the "stuff" we load in the trailer. Correct?

Just trying to wrap my head around all this.

I think I am coming to the sad realization that I can't pull a very large travel trailer with my new truck .

Ricktwuhk

Basically a 5,000 pound trailer in the example would allow you room to load.

I redid the math because I was off. 5,969 loaded.

Many buy 4,500 or so dry weight.

atwowheelguy

It can be confusing until you get familiar with the terminology. There are two limits, what the truck can "tow" and what it can "haul". What it can tow, defined by GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating, total of the trailer and the truck), is limited by engine, transmission, brakes, cooling system. What it can haul, defined by GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating), REAR GAWR (Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating), and FRONT GAWR (Front Gross Axle Weight Rating) is limited by tires, springs, bearings, frame and other chassis parts.

In most cases, the truck will run out of GVWR (what it can haul) before it runs out of GCVWR (what it can tow). In my case, my rig is at
84% of the GCVWR,
97% of GVWR and
99% of Rear GAWR.
That's why most here will tell you to ignore the "tow rating" and look at the weight on the truck. That's passengers, cargo in the truck and the tongue weight of the trailer. A good rule of thumb for estimating is that about 13% of the camper weight will be on the tongue. My toy hauler with two motorcycles behind the trailer axles and no water in it has 11.6% of the total loaded trailer weight on the tongue.

My camper had a brochure weight of 4650, a yellow sticker factory weight of 5025, and a ready to travel weight of 6740. The tongue weight on this 4650 "dry weight" camper is 780.

99TexFan

I'm starting to understand thanks to the reply's. However, I do have some questions about this final comment you made. These trailer manufacturers surly don't make it easy to understand the weight of the trailer. Im guessing the 5025 weight you listed, is the dry weight + options, and the 6740 is with the addition of all the stuff you load it with.

My main question though is, isn't 780 TW a little high for a 4650 dry weight trailer? Can it be assumed that once you load the trailer to 6740, that the TW is much much higher?

Ricktwuhk

The 780 is the actual tongue weight of the 6,740 pound loaded trailer. 6,740 x .116 = 781.84.

Note his Payload is 1,607. Yours is 1,446. At 13% tongue weight, that extra 161 pounds allows him 1,238 additional pounds of trailer (161/.13).

Unfortunately most people buy their truck and/or trailer before learning of the limitations. You've only done the truck part, so you can figure things out and buy what you can safely tow.

To tow the max with an F-150, one needs a heavy-duty package, which was not produced in 2015 and as of yet has not shipped in 2016. It's expected those will surpass 2,000 pounds of payload.

smokeywren

Nobody tows a dry trailer, so ignore dry weight and dry tongue weight. Use GVWR of the trailer as your estimated weight of the wet and loaded trailer.


A wet and loaded TT that grosses 6,740 pounds, and with the average tongue weight of 13% of gross trailer weight, will have 876 pounds of tongue weight. If you figure on less than 876 pounds of tongue weight, you'll be wrong.

schmenke

I disagree to a certain extent. The trailer GVWR, if I'm not mistaken, assumes full water tanks, which no one ever tows with. A typical 30 gallon full fresh water tank weighs 250lbs, so you could reasonably deduct this from the GVWR.

Ricktwuhk

I believe ATwoWheelGuy stated his actual tongue weight.