2018 F 150 Tow Vehicle ?

[Don 1972]

Hello my name is Don.
My wife and I are shopping for our first travel trailer and I don't want to push weight issue.
The truck dealer looked up my truck by vin# and he came up with the same number I did 10,500 lb towing ability . I don't want to push this and safety is first . We looked at two campers with bunks 26 ft 6694 gross weight was the fiber glass one and 33 ft 8000 was the other metal one . What is too much weight we don't need bunks but if we can safely it would be nice . The tow vehicle is a 2018 supercrew short bed f150 5.0 V-8 with 3.73 axle tow package is on the truck .
So main question is what is the weight of a camper we should be looking at . And not have to worry about not having too little truck
Thank you all for your time and thoughts . I appreciate you sharing your wisdoms with a newbie .

[BuzzWolfAR]

Your issue will not be towing ability, rather it was be weight capacity of the truck. 100 percent of the tongue weight goes against your capacity. Look at the yellow sticker on the driver's side door and it will give you ccc - cargo carrying capacity. Need to include people, fuel, cargo and tongue weight in that number.

[Don 1972]

That was after that weight he said . Total weight was 16000 something

[Don 1972]

I was mistaken I looked it actual says 1713

[Don 1972]

So now I'm more confused lol
Well not more but I don't know how to use that Information with the towing weight
Thank you I do appreciate the help

[Grand Tour]

Safety is not an all-or-nothing thing. There are degrees of safety. If you tow something that doesn't weigh very much, you may be fairly safe. If you're towing something very heavy, you're probably going to be the first one to experience a towing mishap.

For example, a coke-head car salesman, desperate for his next fix, may tell you that it's perfectly safe to tow an 8,000-pound trailer with a half-ton pickup.

And keep in mind that the trailer only weighs 8,000 pounds before you put any water or any of your own stuff into it.

But what we're talking about, is basically a game of Russian Roulette, except that it also involves the lives of everyone you share public roadways with. So the question you asked is absolutely legitimate, and a very important question for you to ask.

Half ton trucks come with light-duty P-metric passenger car tires, or at best, light-duty load range "C" tires. Go look. They have smaller brakes, smaller wheel bearings, and many of them have their rear axles held in with nothing more than a little stamped-steel C-clips. No half-ton has a full-floating rear axle.

Half-ton trucks have certainly gained more horsepower in recent years, which tends to lull people into the false idea that it's okay to tow anything that the engine can pull, but that's dangerously short-sighted.

In my opinion (and I've towed a lot), the absolute minimum for towing anything beyond a little 4x8 utility trailer full of lawn clippings, is a 3/4-ton truck with a full-floating rear axle and load range "E" tires. And not all 3/4-ton trucks have full-floating rear axles.

If I were thinking about towing an 8,000 pound trailer, there is nothing short of a dual rear wheel 1-ton dually that I would use.

Just think about your 16,000-pound road train, being more or less herded down the highway by a light-duty half-ton pickup containing your loved ones, when you lose a lightweight rear tire while surrounded by numerous other innocent motorists. At that moment, would you rather have tried to get by with a half-ton, or would you be thankful that you purchased a 1-ton dually?

[Jshopes81]

And we're off to the races!

[Steveo57]

You should do some reading here about the different ratings before making a decision. I have the same exact truck and there's no way that I would consider a 33' long 8000 pound trailer. A 26' 6700 pound trailer would be at the upper end of what I would want to pull.

Figure 12-15% of the trailer weight will be on the tongue and will reduce your cargo carrying capacity by the equivalent amount. Then subtract weight of people and other cargo in the truck and you can easily get to a point where you've exceeded your cargo carrying capacity long before you've reached your max towing capability.

[Don 1972]

From what I could find on the net fuel is considered full and all operating fluid needed to operate the vehicle is in the curb weight . So as long as pass angers and cargo in the truck with the young weight of 500lb is added up and doesent exceed the 1713 lb I'm ok ? That doesent feel right the toung weight on these traitors are closer than the total weight of the trailer differences . I am defiantly not understanding and I'm sorry I wish I did know . That's why I asked . So given the 1713 what trail or weight should I be looking at ? 10500 truck pull weight 500 lb young weight and a total cargo in truck weight is 1713.
Is that enough information to get a idea on what weight camper we should be looking at ?

[Don 1972]

I understand the weights I posted were for full tanks I don't know if that makes any differance at all . Heck I may have to keep the boat and get a tent lol

[tuffr2]

Grand Tour is mostly right IMHO. A dually truck will tow 8,000lbs better than any SRW (Single Rear Wheel) truck. I also agree that a half ton truck is not enough truck to comfortably tow a 8,000lb trailer.

But they do make 3/4 and 1 ton SRW trucks that fit into this category of needing to tow 8,000lbs.

Here is my personal opinion after towing just under 40 years. I towed with V8 powered cars, Honda Ridgeline, F-150, F-450, now F-250.

1/2 ton trucks - max length 28' max weight 6,500lbs.

3/4 ton truck- max length 34', max weight range 6,500 - 10,000 lbs.

1 ton SRW - max length 38' max weight range 10,000 to 14,000 lbs

1 ton dually - max length 42' max weight range 14,000 to 18,000 lbs.

If you want a comfortable tow and not be overly stressed the above will be an ok guideline.

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Grand Tour is mostly right IMHO. A dually truck will tow 8,000lbs better than any SRW (Single Rear Wheel) truck. I also agree that a half ton truck is not enough truck to comfortably tow a 8,000lb trailer.

But they do make 3/4 and 1 ton SRW trucks that fit into this category of needing to tow 8,000lbs.

Here is my personal opinion after towing just under 40 years. I towed with V8 powered cars, Honda Ridgeline, F-150, F-450, now F-250.

1/2 ton trucks - max length 28' max weight 6,500lbs.

3/4 ton truck- max length 34', max weight range 6,500 - 10,000 lbs.

1 ton SRW - max length 38' max weight range 10,000 to 14,000 lbs

1 ton dually - max length 42' max weight range 14,000 to 18,000 lbs.

If you want a comfortable tow and not be overly stressed the above will be an ok guideline.

I've done over 200 mph on a motorcycle, but I'm not as daring as you. I stand by my original statements.

A half-ton pickup is okay for taking the kids to the mall, commuting back and forth to work, and taking yard debris to the dump. I would not tow anything of any significant weight with a half-ton.

3/4 ton trucks with load range "E" tires, but without full-floating axles, would be okay for towing small lightweight trailers. But I would not tow something as heavy as a 3,500-pound car on an open trailer with it.

A 3/4-ton truck with load range "E" tires AND a full-floating rear axle, would be okay to tow something as heavy as a 3,500-pound car on an open trailer.

A 1-ton SRW truck (they all come with load range "E" tires and a full-floating rear axle) would be okay for towing something somewhat heavier.

A 1-ton dually would be okay for towing something heavier, possibly up to the manufacturer's tow ratings.

But as far as towing something 10,000 pounds or more, I'd absolutely be looking at a medium-duty truck like the Ford F650.

I cannot begin to tell you how many crashes I've been to, where the operator claims to have "lost control", when they were never in control to start with.

[Don 1972]

I hope this doesn't post twice . I tried it once .
This is the specks on the camper I'm asking about the truck is a 4x4 I honestly don't know if that makes any differance at all
I do appreciate everyone's time with helping me
The next step down and to be in a camper is 5500 lb and int just tiny so may have to just not get one and enjoy the boat . It does pull that fine probably better than a small squirmy yard trailer but I haven't tried that yet I'm joking
Thank you .
2019 25BRDS Specifications
Sleeps 8
Slides 1
Length 25 ft 9 in
Ext Width 8 ft
Ext Height 10 ft 11 in
Interior Color Boulder, Regal, Spokane
Exterior Color Standard, Champagne
Hitch Weight 694 lbs
Dry Weight 5170 lbs
Cargo Weight 1524 lbs
Fresh Water Capacity 43 gals
Grey Water Capacity 30 gals
Black Water Capacity 30 gals
Furnace BTU 13500 btu
Number Of Bunks 2
Refrigerator Type Double Door
Cooktop Burners 3
Shower Size 40" in
Number of Awnings 1
LP Tank Capacity 30 lbs.
Water Heater Capacity 6 gal.
Water Heater Type DSI Gas/Electric
AC BTU 13500 btu
Cargo Deck Size 0 ft
TV Info LR 32" LCD TV
Awning Info 18' Power
Number of LP Tanks 2
Shower Type Tub/Shower Combo

[cdoorider]

Originally Posted by Grand Tour

Safety is not an all-or-nothing thing. There are degrees of safety. If you tow something that doesn't weigh very much, you may be fairly safe. If you're towing something very heavy, you're probably going to be the first one to experience a towing mishap.

For example, a coke-head car salesman, desperate for his next fix, may tell you that it's perfectly safe to tow an 8,000-pound trailer with a half-ton pickup.

And keep in mind that the trailer only weighs 8,000 pounds before you put any water or any of your own stuff into it.

But what we're talking about, is basically a game of Russian Roulette, except that it also involves the lives of everyone you share public roadways with. So the question you asked is absolutely legitimate, and a very important question for you to ask.

Half ton trucks come with light-duty P-metric passenger car tires, or at best, light-duty load range "C" tires. Go look. They have smaller brakes, smaller wheel bearings, and many of them have their rear axles held in with nothing more than a little stamped-steel C-clips. No half-ton has a full-floating rear axle.

Half-ton trucks have certainly gained more horsepower in recent years, which tends to lull people into the false idea that it's okay to tow anything that the engine can pull, but that's dangerously short-sighted.

In my opinion (and I've towed a lot), the absolute minimum for towing anything beyond a little 4x8 utility trailer full of lawn clippings, is a 3/4-ton truck with a full-floating rear axle and load range "E" tires. And not all 3/4-ton trucks have full-floating rear axles.

If I were thinking about towing an 8,000 pound trailer, there is nothing short of a dual rear wheel 1-ton dually that I would use.

Just think about your 16,000-pound road train, being more or less herded down the highway by a light-duty half-ton pickup containing your loved ones, when you lose a lightweight rear tire while surrounded by numerous other innocent motorists. At that moment, would you rather have tried to get by with a half-ton, or would you be thankful that you purchased a 1-ton dually?

Are you freaking serious, you start off great but anything Lance makes can be towed by almost every half ton. I'd hardly call Lance 4x8 little lawn clippings trailer. Since I don't want to assume that worst about you I go with you posted in jest.