Yinger

Hey everyone,

Sorry if this topic has been beaten to death, but I can't seem to wrap my mind around it.

Just picked up a 2014 3.5 ecoboost 4x4 supercrew XLT with tow package 3.55 gearing. I believe it's rated for 7200lbs. It will be my daily, but I'd like to be able to trailer my track car to the racetracks on weekends. The trailer will weigh around 1500 lbs and my track car is around 3900 lbs. will my truck be able handle this haul?

Thanks in advance!

*edit - after more research, i'm beginning to think i got the wrong truck... i don't think i have the max tow package and now worried that the truck won't be able to do what i originally purchased it for.

ecobeest

What does your payload sticker say?

Beachums

As long as the hitch is properly set up..... As long as the car is properly loaded to ensure weight distribution..... As long as you know (not guess) what the weights truly are you should have not problem towing. You are very close to maximum towing limits without a WDH. If given the choice, I would go with a WDH anyway. It will help widen your margins.
With a half ton truck without a WDH, I think your expectations should be reasonable has to how far and how fast you do tow.

Ricktwuhk

This^^^ and the one before it... ^^^

Yinger

My payload is a whopping 1287! Very low.

I was up all night researching, but it seems like a WDH is the way to go just to be on the safe side. Since it will be an open car hauler, is it still necessary to get one with sway control?

I'm assuming the tongue will weigh about 500 to 600 lbs with the wdh with the hitch itself being around 100. That would only leave me with about 500lbs for myself, extra set of wheels, and gas cans?

Thanks for the feedback.

old_programmer

Here's my take of sway control. I don't need a WDH to tow my travel trailer as it is well under the 500/5000 lb weight limits. My previous TV did need a WDH to tow the trailer so I had an Equal-i-zer hitch for it. I decided to go ahead and reuse it with my F-150 due to its great sway control. Even if I didn't have the WDH I would have bought some friction bars. It is always better to prevent sway IMO and if it turns out I never needed it to begin with how will I know?

dlbb

https://media.ford.com/content/fordm...F150_Specs.pdf

take a look at that pdf and find your truck.

7200 looks more like the gvw of the truck and 9200 towing capacity. unles you have the long bed. then 9100 max.

Ricktwuhk

Yes. Exactly. With your payload, your truck is very low in towing ability.

1287 minus you minus wdh minus wheels minus gas cans, then divide by .13, that is your max LOADED trailer. Simple math, likely 5,500 pounds or so.

Yinger

Thanks!

I'm assuming if i put the gas cans in the trunk of my track car, I can reduce the weight to the payload since tongue weight will be 10% of the overall weight being towed.

so if I add 5 x 5 gallon jugs of gas to the trunk of the track car, that's freeing up 157.5 lbs of payload weight, but add about 16 lbs of tongue so effectively, i can add another 140lbs to the payload. am i doing the math right?

WXman

1287 payload? I didn't think that was possible on a F-150. I have the same truck with the 5.0 and my payload is hundreds more.