Why is F-150 tongue weight capacity so low?
11-22-2018, 12:24 PM
#11
Senior Member
To be honest my boat trailer is a nightmare, it has about 80lb of tw currently due to it needing to move forward a few inches. It's fine if the drive is off but ready to go its way light. I have less than a mile drive at 25mph to the launch so I haven't dinked with it yet.
11-22-2018, 09:20 PM
#12
Senior Member
Heck my 1 ton dually had a 500 pound tounge weight limit for no weight distribution.
That said, my boat has a tongue of 550. The dually never even dropped a 1/16 of an inch with the boat hooked up. Hook the boat to my F-150 and it squats the rear a couple inches.
Thats the difference between a 4K payload and a 1700 payload.
Main reason on ratings, is look at the hitches, not the receiver, most are 500/5000 Tongue/trailer unless they are WD hitches
That said, my boat has a tongue of 550. The dually never even dropped a 1/16 of an inch with the boat hooked up. Hook the boat to my F-150 and it squats the rear a couple inches.
Thats the difference between a 4K payload and a 1700 payload.
Main reason on ratings, is look at the hitches, not the receiver, most are 500/5000 Tongue/trailer unless they are WD hitches
11-22-2018, 10:18 PM
#13
I agree based on other trucks and even small SUV's the 500/5000 limit seems low for the F150 platform. It's one of those things where it is what it is and is most likely driven by multiple factors. Part of it has to do with Ford establishing a single rating for the F150 platform regardless of cab or box configuration. I also tend to think the demands of ride quality from people who seldom use their truck as a truck has resulted in a suspension designed with ride quality as a primary goal with weight carrying capacity being the compromise.
I also think that while ford is very optimistic with their overall towing capacity numbers they are a bit conservative when rating the truck to only handle 500lbs on the ball. I regularly tow our boat which scales at 550 on the ball and 6800 total weight with no problems.
I also think that while ford is very optimistic with their overall towing capacity numbers they are a bit conservative when rating the truck to only handle 500lbs on the ball. I regularly tow our boat which scales at 550 on the ball and 6800 total weight with no problems.
Can only imagine the confusion if tongue weights varied by trim.
11-22-2018, 10:19 PM
#14
