Went to a CAT scale yesterday and this is what I learned

[kone]

Originally Posted by Normal_Dave

It gets a bit confusing on the F-150. Shopping new inventory? Ford window sticker will usually cover the optional GVWR package, and Max Trailer Tow, and/or HDPP (heavy duty payload package) and more.

SmokeyWren covered the rare, and limited choice of configurations HDPP in this other recent thread:


(2018) XL, XLT, LARIAT only
Heavy-Duty Payload Package2 (n/a with diesel): 3.73 electronic-locking rear axle, 9.75" gearset, 36-gallon fuel tank, upgraded springs, 17" silver heavy-duty steel wheels with LT245/70R17E BSW all-terrain tires on XL, and 18" silver heavy-duty aluminum wheels with LT275/65R18C OWL all-terrain tires on XLT and LARIAT

Page 30 covers the tow/payload packages for 2018.
Page 34 covers payload option breakdown.
https://www.ford.com/services/assets...-150&year=2018

If I'm understanding correctly for 2018, trucks with HDPP will be the only ones with the 7,850 GVWR, and payload varies on remaining configurations, but it means long bed only, regardless of cab choice, along with other restrictions. Looks like less trim choices for 2019.

Clear as mud...

Thanks again. Just have never seen anything between the "normal" 7050 with the Max tow and the 7850 with hdpp. I'm no expert tho.

[kone]

Originally Posted by BobChill

I'm very analytical. It's built into my personality. My trailer is currently loaded for travel less food and clothes and I wanted to see where I stand with weights so hit the cat scale yesterday for a 3 pass weigh. Very easy to do. Only tricky part was getting permission to drop my trailer in the lot for 15 mins (VERY busy truck stop). Manager had to approve it and was good to go.

Factory Stats on my Rig:

TV: 2015 RAM 4x4 Hemi Crew with 3.92 gears + tow package
Curb:5365
GVWR: 6900
Payload: 1530
GAWR: 3900 front and rear
Steer: 3105
Drive: 2260
Max Towing: 10,150 (no way to get anywhere close with a TT. Payload is doomed)

TT: 2019 Winnebago Minnie 2455BHS
Dry: 5320
Dry Hitch: 660lbs

First pass truck only w/ 4 passengers including hitch, bed cover, full tank of gas:

Steer Axle: 3320
Drive Axle: 2700
Total Weight: 6080

Second pass with TT hooked up w/ no WDH bars loaded up:

Steer: 2980
Drive: 3960 (exceeding axle weight rating by 60 lbs)
TT Axles: 4740
GCVW: 11680 (way under spec but you can already see the problems with payload and axle ratings)

Third pass with WDH bars loaded:

Steer: 3320
Drive: 3480
TT Axles: 4880
GCVWR: 11,680

I'm thrilled with the third pass. Near perfect balance on my axles and still 100lbs left in payload (or additional tongue weight). Tongue weight is 720 lbs which is very close to 13% of GVWR of my trailer. VERY happy with that as well.

What I learned about my rig:

Dry weight of trailer out of the Winnebago factory must include either the propane or battery or both. I'm shocked my trailer is only 5600 lbs. I have 2 30lb propane tanks, series 27 battery, and all the regular gear except clothes/food/odds and ends. There's a lot of stuff stored in the passthrough/cabinets etc and plenty of it has some weight to it. Short story is my trailer weight is great and better than expected.

When I load more gear I'll keep it over the axles or slightly in front. I'm no longer worried about payload/tongue weight/balance in general.

Areas of concern:

With only 100lbs left for payload it will take very little to go over that. Full tank of water alone could do it let alone all the additional gear that will accumulate over time. We'll often take 2 cars so having 4 passengers at time of weigh gives me a lot of wiggle room if we take 2 vehicles. But if we don't take 2 cars the odds of going over payload are very high for a fully loaded long trip.

Why I'm not worried about going over payload:

Controversial subject and this is just my thoughts/opinion only. I have XL load rated tires, upgraded rear springs, and I'm well below axle weight ratings. My rig tows dead straight with no sway, lumbering around, stops easily and no issues whatsoever. Another 1k lbs in the trailer or over payload by 300lbs (or whatever) won't change that (imo only). I have a rear observation camera and TPMS system on both the truck and trailer. I take safety seriously and imo (and my opinion only) I highly doubt going over payload but staying in axle ratings will change anything with wear and tear and towing experience. Liability of course is the big issue. I have a $2M umbrella policy that will cover any and all liability in the worst case scenario (confirmed with carrier). I am 100% completely comfortable with my choices. If it was only me in the truck and exceeded payload I would be trading for a 3/4 ton but that's not the case.

My rig feels very safe and stable with tons of pulling power, zero squat, and all around good ride when towing. I will never exceed axle ratings. That's a line in the sand I won't cross. Weight police on IRV2 can jump all over me for my opinions but I don't care. I've done everything in my power to ensure safety with my current rig and I'm fine with any consequences of my actions.

Final Thoughts:

The TT is the biggest I would consider towing with a half ton. It's 28' hitch to bumper and a 7k GVWR. I doubt I'll ever get over 6500lbs with the trailer but even if I do I have zero concerns. I enjoy the towing experience very much and plan to travel and explore as often as possible.

Mind telling me the approximate weight of your 4 passengers?

[jenandjon]

Weigh it again packed with everything. Including passengers. You will be surprised.

[kone]

Originally Posted by jenandjon

Weigh it again packed with everything. Including passengers. You will be surprised.

I think he did....

[BobChill]

Originally Posted by jenandjon

Weigh it again packed with everything. Including passengers. You will be surprised.

I had 4 in the cab. About 650lbs and a full tank of gas. When we take the kids we'll have 2 vehicles ( adult sized kids). Front passthrough is loaded already. Food, clothes, and extra gear will be over the axles. If it's just my wife and myself we have plenty of payload to put stuff in the bed. We're good in all scenarios.

[alb2tpa]

Originally Posted by BobChill

I'm very analytical. It's built into my personality. My trailer is currently loaded for travel less food and clothes and I wanted to see where I stand with weights so hit the cat scale yesterday for a 3 pass weigh. Very easy to do. Only tricky part was getting permission to drop my trailer in the lot for 15 mins (VERY busy truck stop). Manager had to approve it and was good to go.

Factory Stats on my Rig:

TV: 2015 RAM 4x4 Hemi Crew with 3.92 gears + tow package
Curb:5365
GVWR: 6900
Payload: 1530
GAWR: 3900 front and rear
Steer: 3105
Drive: 2260
Max Towing: 10,150 (no way to get anywhere close with a TT. Payload is doomed)

TT: 2019 Winnebago Minnie 2455BHS
Dry: 5320
Dry Hitch: 660lbs

First pass truck only w/ 4 passengers including hitch, bed cover, full tank of gas:

Steer Axle: 3320
Drive Axle: 2700
Total Weight: 6080

Second pass with TT hooked up w/ no WDH bars loaded up:

Steer: 2980
Drive: 3960 (exceeding axle weight rating by 60 lbs)
TT Axles: 4740
GCVW: 11680 (way under spec but you can already see the problems with payload and axle ratings)

Third pass with WDH bars loaded:

Steer: 3320
Drive: 3480
TT Axles: 4880
GCVWR: 11,680

I'm thrilled with the third pass. Near perfect balance on my axles and still 100lbs left in payload (or additional tongue weight). Tongue weight is 720 lbs which is very close to 13% of GVWR of my trailer. VERY happy with that as well.

What I learned about my rig:

Dry weight of trailer out of the Winnebago factory must include either the propane or battery or both. I'm shocked my trailer is only 5600 lbs. I have 2 30lb propane tanks, series 27 battery, and all the regular gear except clothes/food/odds and ends. There's a lot of stuff stored in the passthrough/cabinets etc and plenty of it has some weight to it. Short story is my trailer weight is great and better than expected.

When I load more gear I'll keep it over the axles or slightly in front. I'm no longer worried about payload/tongue weight/balance in general.

Areas of concern:

With only 100lbs left for payload it will take very little to go over that. Full tank of water alone could do it let alone all the additional gear that will accumulate over time. We'll often take 2 cars so having 4 passengers at time of weigh gives me a lot of wiggle room if we take 2 vehicles. But if we don't take 2 cars the odds of going over payload are very high for a fully loaded long trip.

Why I'm not worried about going over payload:

Controversial subject and this is just my thoughts/opinion only. I have XL load rated tires, upgraded rear springs, and I'm well below axle weight ratings. My rig tows dead straight with no sway, lumbering around, stops easily and no issues whatsoever. Another 1k lbs in the trailer or over payload by 300lbs (or whatever) won't change that (imo only). I have a rear observation camera and TPMS system on both the truck and trailer. I take safety seriously and imo (and my opinion only) I highly doubt going over payload but staying in axle ratings will change anything with wear and tear and towing experience. Liability of course is the big issue. I have a $2M umbrella policy that will cover any and all liability in the worst case scenario (confirmed with carrier). I am 100% completely comfortable with my choices. If it was only me in the truck and exceeded payload I would be trading for a 3/4 ton but that's not the case.

My rig feels very safe and stable with tons of pulling power, zero squat, and all around good ride when towing. I will never exceed axle ratings. That's a line in the sand I won't cross. Weight police on IRV2 can jump all over me for my opinions but I don't care. I've done everything in my power to ensure safety with my current rig and I'm fine with any consequences of my actions.

Final Thoughts:

The TT is the biggest I would consider towing with a half ton. It's 28' hitch to bumper and a 7k GVWR. I doubt I'll ever get over 6500lbs with the trailer but even if I do I have zero concerns. I enjoy the towing experience very much and plan to travel and explore as often as possible.

Hope all is going well with your setup. I just saw your post today. You have a small math error on your truck only weight. Should be 6020#, not 6080#. But, more importantly, at least as I understand tongue weight, you are at 920# total tongue weight. You use the hitched, no WD bars total front and rear (6940#) and subtract the truck only front and rear (6020#) leaving the 920# weight. Remember, nothing changes your tongue weight, that is why you use the hitched with no WD bars number. The bars only transfer weight to steer axle and trailer axles. Hope this helps.

[shane_the_ee]

Originally Posted by alb2tpa

But, more importantly, at least as I understand tongue weight, you are at 920# total tongue weight. You use the hitched, no WD bars total front and rear (6940#) and subtract the truck only front and rear (6020#) leaving the 920# weight.

I thought tongue weight is combined weight (truck plus trailer) minus truck weight (without trailer attached) minus trailer axles WITHOUT the WDH bars attached. I get 860 here.

[alb2tpa]

Originally Posted by shane_the_ee

I thought tongue weight is combined weight (truck plus trailer) minus truck weight (without trailer attached) minus trailer axles WITHOUT the WDH bars attached. I get 860 here.

Many have replied that you do the math as I stated. I just used the Cat Scale utility program at Towing Planner - towing capability calculators and that is how it calculated my scale weights I inputted. It's findings matched my arithmetic using the truck only axle weights and the hitched no WDH bars front and rear axle weights.

[shane_the_ee]

Originally Posted by alb2tpa

But, more importantly, at least as I understand tongue weight, you are at 920# total tongue weight.

But if I use the correct truck weight, as you did, I also get 920#.

[runamuck]

the first time I weighed my 2019 ram1500 ccsb 4x4 it was 5960# with just me and 1/2 tank of gas leaving only1140# for cargo and trailer. with wife and full fuel and 560# at hitch I dont end up with much room left for cargo.