The age old "How much can I tow question".

[move on]

Originally Posted by Kurtsara

So this can't be done?

Yes. It can be done. But at what speed? If you want to go at highway speeds of 80 mph, the fastest legal speed for trailer tow in the US, then no.

[Kurtsara]

Originally Posted by move on

Yes. It can be done. But at what speed? If you want to go at highway speeds of 80 mph, the fastest legal speed for trailer tow in the US, then no.

Just because the speed limit is 80 does not mean you have to do 80.

[Billett Bee]

Originally Posted by Kurtsara

Just because the speed limit is 80 does not mean you have to do 80.

Well I ain't gonna lie. I run 75-80 all the time. My wife says we pass more people with our home than pass us because I never leave the lt ln. I've also been that guy hauling ALL that weight and length behind me. I've been called Lots of nasty names for being that kind of driver. I know what I'm doing and I hope anyone who pulls out in front of me does to. I make no apologies for knowing what I'm doing.

[Howard Burger]

LI,
You posed a good question, and gave us some good data. Here's my 2 bits worth.

We have the same truck as you do, same engine and trailering package. Our TT base weight is (rounded) 5400#. Max gross weight is 7500#. We typically run it at around 6100#, length is 25 ft tip to tail.

We run around 1600# of cab occupancy (two adults, big dog) and cargo (inlcudes fiberglass bed cover, TT tongue wt. and hitch wt.). I calculate we have about 400# we can add to the truck load to max out. For some folks it isn't enough, but stated payload per Ford is 2030#.

We use an Equalizer WDH 10,000/1000 which has sway control. Max comfortable speed for us is around 63 mph. It is a little squirrely in a quartering tailwind above 20 mph.

We've got 10,000 miles on it on major 4-lane highways, two lane highways, the Alcan, and on Alaskan roads (which aren't all the greatest in places).

Meeting and being passed by big truck rigs and in crosswinds up to around 25 mph. No problems with control.

Do your weight and balance calcs using the Ford specs and remember when you're towing that speed isn't your friend, if in doubt SLOW DOWN and the heck with what anybody else thinks. Safe travels.

[LIseverewx]

Thanks AK Howard. Appreciate the insight.

[SlowJoe]

Towing performance depends much more on weight location than on overall weight. My 2001 Suburban is rated to tow 12K and I pulled a double axle deck-over trailer loaded with steel beams once that weighed right at 13K. It pulled really well and had no handling issues at highway speeds. I recently pulled a batch of steel which weighed about 800lbs from the supply house with a light weight single axle trailer that weighs about 1000 lbs, so under 2k total weight. The steel sections were 20' long and slid way up onto the tongue to limit rear overhang to about 6'. However, the tongue weight was so light that the trailer started to develop sway if I got over 65 or so. It was surprising how much the light load affected the Suburban. These were both loads with very low centers of gravity, so something high like a TT would be much worse. A 7K load of steel with a 2' center of gravity is a much different animal than a 7K TT with a 6' COG. Vehicle ratings don't necessarily indicate how a trailer will preform behind a given vehicle and proper tongue weight is absolutely critical. It is also important to keep in mind that what may work out ok in perfect conditions goes out the window quickly when conditions become less optimal.



It would be ideal if you were able to test tow a few trailers to see how they preformed with your truck. Good luck!

[gvines]

Real world experience. Have 2016 F150 ecoboost with 7000#GVW 6 speed that we have used to tow our 2018 Lance 2285 TT, 27 ft overall, with a GVW of 6400#. We have both full time and travel experience for 3 years with the setup. Tow from the Olympic Peninsula, WA to Tucson, AZ each winter, both quick trips and leisurely wanders, as well as many excursions in the PNW and Arizona from our bases.

We carry kayaks, four bicycles, and other toys and equipment. The F150 does a terrific job with the trailer. No problems maintaining 60-65 mph interstate speeds without any sway or push from larger vehicles. Climbs both interstate and secondary grades with ease at the speed limit. 1800 miles on the north-south journey yields 12+ mpg for the entire trip. Truck is our daily driver, purchased one year old, and we have put 70k miles on it in four years.

We use an Anderson WD hitch, which is light, and has proved to be excellent for our combination. The truck and trailer handle extremely well, no problems with going forward, backing, or stopping safely.

I would recommend it to you for this type of trailer.

Gary Vines

[rloewenhagen]

Originally Posted by AK_Howard

LI,
You posed a good question, and gave us some good data. Here's my 2 bits worth.

We have the same truck as you do, same engine and trailering package. Our TT base weight is (rounded) 5400#. Max gross weight is 7500#. We typically run it at around 6100#, length is 25 ft tip to tail.

We run around 1600# of cab occupancy (two adults, big dog) and cargo (inlcudes fiberglass bed cover, TT tongue wt. and hitch wt.). I calculate we have about 400# we can add to the truck load to max out. For some folks it isn't enough, but stated payload per Ford is 2030#.

We use an Equalizer WDH 10,000/1000 which has sway control. Max comfortable speed for us is around 63 mph. It is a little squirrely in a quartering tailwind above 20 mph.

We've got 10,000 miles on it on major 4-lane highways, two lane highways, the Alcan, and on Alaskan roads (which aren't all the greatest in places).

Meeting and being passed by big truck rigs and in crosswinds up to around 25 mph. No problems with control.

Do your weight and balance calcs using the Ford specs and remember when you're towing that speed isn't your friend, if in doubt SLOW DOWN and the heck with what anybody else thinks. Safe travels.

Dead on Perfect advice. Experience shows... this guy knows what he's talking about. I've seen a lot of "wind" on this thread... this is NOT 'wind'.

[cavie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RbqPaqtpuI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwFLOBrADBs

[PLDieter]

Originally Posted by LIseverewx

Hi guys,

Really am learning a lot of this forum. I have a Ford F150 3.5L Ecoboost 10 speed transmission truck that will be my TV. I have already downsized my expectations of what I can safely tow. Just to give some details on truck setup...

3.55 electronic lock rear axle
7,000# gvwr package
Max trailer tow package
145" wheel base

sticker on doors says combined weight of occupants and cargo not to exceed 1,638 lbs.


What would you guys say max GVWR and length for my travel trailer? It would really help me narrow down my TT decision. I'd like to know what my options are for length and weight for biggest I could safely tow and take it from there.

I was looking at some Jayco models like the X23E and X213. Can I safely tow something a little longer and heavier than these? Is a Jayco Jay Feather 22RB or a Jayco White Hawk 24MBH too much trailer?

Most camping will be local within 20-40 miles away. Further trips would be less frequent and probably 150-300 miles away in North East part of US.



Thank you so much everyone!

Ford says "The 3.5L EcoBoost® towing capacity is 13,200 lbs.," That's a whole lot of trailer! Yes, you do need to figure tongue weight, but that can be compensated for in some ways. That 1,628 number has more to do with how much cargo/tongue weight your truck can handle, NOT the towing capacity.


13.2K could mean a 40' fifth wheel or travel trailer.

[PLDieter]

Originally Posted by Dave Pelletier

I'd echo TXiceman's comments; for a rough idea compare the proposed trailers tongue weight at 12% of GVWR against the payload and what you expect to haul. Actual measurement on a scale will be the only way to know 100%.

1638 of payload minus 738 lbs (12% of 6,150 for the X23E) leaves you with about 900 lbs for passenger, gear and anything else you put in the truck....not too bad though the 27' overall length is getting up there...the X213 looks like a bitter better fit to me; my "line in the sand" for half tons, is around 6,000 lbs and 25' in length......many people go well above this, of course, but at some point it's just not enough truck.

2 cents,
Dave

I tow a 34' Winnebago Voyage with my Toyota Tundra, and it breezes up the mountain. It's supposedly a 1/2 ton, but it also has the factory tow package and gearbox. I did eventually add an air suspension, just to be nice to my leaf springs. Not all half ton trucks are created equal!

[Collyn]

Originally Posted by ardvark16

No. A heavier trailer at a shorter length does not mean you can tow more. Weight is the primary number you need to look at, whereas length can be much more subjective to what you’re comfortable with. Your truck will be fine with both of those trailers as far as your capacity goes. The only issue you might run into is with how many people you are bringing with you. There is no rule of thumb for your truck needing to outweigh your trailer. Ignore that advice. That actually makes zero sense. Filter some of the advice on this forum as many people are great but some post just to post something. I have an imagine 21BHE that I towed with a Ram 1500 and switched to a 2500. Careful with the x213. I was told directly by a person who works for a company that rhymes with Jayco that they are prone to leaks and issues with the slide having such a far extension.

This and other posts reflects the accepted thinking in this area until recently. It almost totally overlooks the overriding issue of Moments along a Beam.

Tradespeople (in Australia at least) routinely tow short but heavily laden trailers with no sway problems behind single and dual cab tow vehicles that weigh much the same.

Sway problems are all but unknown with our vast number of camper trailers.

The main limitation if towing with a light vehicle is trailer length - and where weight is distributed over that length.

This has been known and described in paper after paper since the late 1970.
Does it really need 50 years to be taken seriously?

Collyn

(ex automobile research engineer)

[picker]

Doesn't matter what we say here.


THIS is all that counts:



https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/content...50_r3_Nov8.pdf

[Billett Bee]

Originally Posted by PLDieter

Ford says "The 3.5L EcoBoost® towing capacity is 13,200 lbs.," That's a whole lot of trailer! Yes, you do need to figure tongue weight, but that can be compensated for in some ways. That 1,628 number has more to do with how much cargo/tongue weight your truck can handle, NOT the towing capacity.


13.2K could mean a 40' fifth wheel or travel trailer.

Good luck finding s 40' fiver that only weighs 13.2k, maybe on the light 2 axle version and completely empty from factory with no belongings or tanks filled. 40' fiver normally closer to 17-20k with loaded.