Travel Trailer Towing Questions
 

I'm looking for a little advice and help. We are planning to purchase our first travel trailer (RV) and want to know what is a safe weight to tow. The original unit I was considering has a dry weight of 4,910lbs with a carrying capacity of 1,635lbs equaling a total potential weight of 6,545lbs at a 28ft length. The unit we are now considering is a little bigger at 5,995lbs dry weight and carrying capacity of 1,805lbs equaling a total potential weight of 7,800lbs at 30ft in length.

I have a 2011 Platinum SCrew 4x4, 5.0 engine, 3.73 gears that ford website says is equipped for 9,300lbs of towing. The total of 7,800lbs is well within that limit and probably won't weight that much with the tanks empty. What does everyone think, is this a safe weight to tow "regularly?" Oh, the hitch weight is 610lbs and I will be installing a weight distribution hitch. Any advice, suggestions or recommendations is very much appreciated!

What do you consider "regularly"? I pull a 5700 pound dry weight, 7700 GVWR 30' TT several time a summer with my 05 supercrew and it pulls it very well so I would suspect that your newer truck would pull that just as well or better. Although that weight is within the limits of the truck its still not something I would want to subject the truck to every weekend. Also once you hang almost 700 pounds off your bumper, even with the WDH you need to keep in mind that takes away from your trucks payload which can easily be eaten up with a load of firewood, coolers, grills ect. I was looking for used to keep it in my budget when I bought our TT so I had to get an older camper but If I was buying new I would have opted for a lighter pull.

We won't pull every weekend but likely once a month. My wife has 4 day weekend every 3rd week so that's likely how often, while maybe nit as frequently during winter but we do enjoy the mountains so...

Just don't want to overdo it and kill my truck!

Your good to go with w a WDH you will be well within the the safe tow rating of your truck be sure you have a proper working trailer brake set up and as a personal thing I like to keep my towing speed to 65 MPH or less. watch your temps and fluids. I also recomend full synthetic lube in the engine and differential. Enjoy:)

It sounds like you already did the appropriate homework. You are correct in going by the combined weights of the trailer (dry weight and load cap.). Many people make the mistake of just going by dry weight. When we bought our travel trailer (27'), the dealer looked up my truck as equipped to find the tow capacity. This info is also in the trucks owners manual.

As long as you are not towing too close to the trucks capacity (and it doesn't seem like you are) you should be fine. Your gears are already low enough. Your truck should be able to tow much more frequently than once a month anyway. not sure if you mentioned having a tow package... that get you a trans cooler also.

Just stay below your tow capacity, set your distribution hitch and sway bar properly, and you will be in good shape for any weekend excursion. Good luck.

Both will be fine. Make sure that the WD you get will include built in sway control. Like an Equalizer or Reese DC. You trucks built in sway controll feature does nothing untill your in trouble. A good WD with built in sway will keep your TT more in line with the truck, like when passing or getting passed by semis or in windy conditions. Also at 7800lbs that TT will have a tongue weight of 780lbs min to 1170lbs max. The best is somewhere in between like 975lbs. I tow a 7200lb TT and the hitch weight is 850-900lbs. Those brochure weights don't include the battery or full propane tanks. Plus the WD hitch will add another 100+ or -lbs to the tongue. Also they don't include the gear you put in the front cargo bay. Check you drivers door yellow sticker for you max cargo load rating. Also as a general rule you could figure about 1000lbs of gear added to the TT. And those dry brochure weights are usually 200+lbs low. So you'll need to add a little for that. Good luck with your trailer hunting.

I have been told the equalizer wd hitch is the way to go so that's what I'm planning on getting. And yes my Platinum come equipped with towing package and integrated trailer brake controller. I think I'm gonna be fine with the 7,800 because that is total gross weight loaded out which I probably will never be. I have been talking with folks we know about RV'ing and many never even tow with anything in their tanks...some "rough it" without full hookups and have to tow very short distances with fresh tank full and then grey and black to dump but just short hauls.

The unit we are looking at is a Keystone Outback 274RB. It has the floor plan we like and features we think suit us best while remaining light enough to pull comfortably with my F150.

Your limiting factor is going to be payload. Check your F150 door sticker. That number includes all your options, a full tank of gas, and 150 lbs for the driver. Your hitch weight of 610 lbs will have to be subtracted from that number. What is left is what you can load in the truck minus any options/aftermarket stuff installed after delivery. I'm guessing that your hitch weight of 610 lbs is about 50-60% of your payload on the door sticker. Not much left for passengers and stuff in the truck.

upgraded to a reese dual cam e/q last summer, made a big difference in sway control and handling. trailer weighs @ 6500 lbs. loaded plus what ever i load in the box. my tow rating is for over 11000 lbs, would never get that close to that nuimber ! i have the max t/t package as well as a set of firestone air bags... happy rv'ing !:thumbsup:

Check out the Husky Centreline hitch. That's what I use and like it so far. Built in sway control that dosen't rely on friction. No bolts to make Sure are torqued right for sway to work.

Just a thought. I am by no means an expert on this stuff.

Reese dual cam fore as well. As mentioned above, payload is going to be your limiting factor...

I have the Keystone Cougar 29rbk...
With those weights and lengths you will be fine... just be sure to get a good weight distributing hitch and make sure it is ((installed properly)). Just because the dealer does it doesn't mean they did it right. Also be sure they measure the actual tongue weight of the TT before you buy your WDH. The manufacture had a 835# tongue wt on mine but when I had the dealer weigh it, it came in at just under 1,200#.

I was going to get an "Equal-i-zer" brand WDH but changed my mind when I came across the Blue-Ox Sway-Pro brand... much better in my opinion. I see a lot of Equalizers that are rusted out but mine has a nice finish to it with no rust. I would still consider the Equal-i-zer to be my #2 choice.

Another question...

Does this make sense, am I figuring correctly...the tongue weight on the travel trailer is 610lbs so I need at the bare minimum a 600lb rated wd hitch right?

But now once I have some stuff on the trailer itself and in the front pass thru storage area this increases my tongue weight, right? So I would then need the next step up 1,000lb wd hitch, right?

But what if I wanted to haul say a 4-Wheeler in the bed of my truck, or firewood, or coolers, or whatever, sites it make sense to get a 1,200lb rated hitch so I'll have the extra tongue weight capacity?

I'm strongly considering the Equalizer 1,200lb tongue weight / 12,000lb trailer weight hitch. Is my training right our I am I completely misunderstanding the way the weight distribution works?

If your tongue weight (TW) is 610# then you are more than likely going to be around 850-900# TW loaded. that being said I would too, consider the 1200# WDH... but for sure no less than the 1000# WDH.
are you sticking with equal-i-zer? give them a call, i did and they were very helpful and will be able to ensure you get the proper set-up.
As for the items in the back of your truck you'll want to look into add-a-leafs, air-bags, or super-springs. The WDH wont do much for your truck loaded cargo.
I have a set of 1000# add-a-leaf springs on mine but it was mostly to compensate offset of the front leveling kit. all three options have worked well for others but the add-a-leafs will stiffen the ride a bit.

Also for your hitch, unless the dealer is cutting a good deal. look on streetsideauto.com. I got my Blue-Ox swaypro from them for $555 after coupon code. My trailer dealer priced the same unit for $200 more, so it may be worth the time to look. If you haven't sealed the deal with the dealer yet, you may be able to get them to throw it in as a deal sweetener.

You need to get away from the brochure weights, the are always low. Easiest way to figure weights is to just add a couple 100 lbs to the dry weight. Then figure about 1000's for normal loading. More if you have kids. So on a 6000lb dry brochure weight TT, your looking at 7200lbs. 10% is min on tongue weight. 12%-13% is better. So at 7200lbs your looking at 864lbs @12%. If your going to add a 4wheeler to your truck you really need a 3/4ton. You won't have enough cargo capacity. If you adding just firewood or whatever then yes figure some xtra for WD spring bars. I run 1400lb bars with a tongue weight of 850-900lbs. My truck has 1857lbs for cargo rating. I've got a canopy and other stuff in the back. I also have SuperSprings installed. I originaly had 1000lb bars and even with the SS's I had a hard time getting weight transfered. Jumped to 1400lb bars and now have everything dialed in. I run the 1400lb bars at maybe 3/4 load. 1200lb would be cranked tight and would result in a stiff ride.

I think you might be pushing it putting a 4wheeler in the back as well but it may be close. people are talking payload which does have to be a concern but most all of your stuff will go into the travel trailer or outside storage areas on the unit so for the most part it is you and your family. The units you described should tow well

Thanks for the help everyone. Talked with the dealer and a buddy and decided to go with the 1.4k/14k equalizer.

I've been considering adding airbags to the back so I can lower the back and get the leveled look rather than raising the front. Traveling a lot and parking in parking garages lately have deterred me from lifting the truck at all. The airbags will provide the level look but still provide functionality of hauling. Plus now it helps tremendously if we do decide to haul a 4Wheeler or side by side while towing our new tt.

I think the stock setup and the 1.4k wd hitch will work fine for just a golf cart though. Now to figure out how to haul a jet ski with a tt!