2011 Ford F150 and Travel Trailer

Every situation is different, and we can make all the assumptions we want, but the fact of the matter is the OP needs to get weighed properly to determine exactly where his weights are. Guessing can get us somewhat close some of the time, but a proper weighing is in order. Then he can figure out what he needs to do to get safe, if anything.

I have a similar truck (sig below), and a lighter trailer. I have all the power I could ever need, and good brakes, but towing it across Kansas on I-70 a few weeks ago in that wind was white-knuckle all day long. Piece of cake in the Rockies to almost 11000 feet, and everywhere else, but that crosswind blew me all over the place. That day I sure wished I had my SuperDuty back.

Hybridhunter wrote:
How about you toss 13% out the window? Your assumptions are muddying the discussion. And going 70 mph, wow, that sure is wild.(eyes rolling....) I imagine i would have found out the hard way with nearly 20000 miles on the tires, always going 70. Same with the truck.
Tongue weight can be managed, at 11.5% from the OEM, keeping that around there can yield a safe, nice towing combo. End of story.
And todays F150 is a different truck than even 5 years ago, it's no miracle truck, but it is fine at 100% GVWR.
One obviously does not shoot for 13% tongue weight, just because you day so, if it overloads their truck. I should not have to even post that.

To the OP, can you weigh it? Tweak the WDH to get your axle weights under and see what is what. Your setup can be managed to be legal and safe based on tongue weight, passenger load, and WDH settings. Only you can decide if it tows to your satisfaction and works for you.

As I often note...opinions and YMMV, alas facts do not. You did not address my question, ST tires? which are rated for a max of 65 mph and found on most TT's. Towing a TT without a WDH in the mountains at 70 (OK boys and girls what is wrong with this picture?). Nothing wrong with running at any trucks GVWR, it is not ideal but certainly can be done but the OP's numbers put him hundreds of pounds over GVWR which is neither safe, smart or legal. Sounds like you may have been there but details on your rig are glaringly absent.

Now we do agree on a trip to the scales, not just for the OP but for all of us....been there done that a couple of times.

With a 30'+ TT, especially one pulled by a half ton, anything less than 13% TW IS a potential sway problem, sorry if that upsets you but facts are like that sometimes. If 13% TW overloads the truck you do not have enough truck. Exceeding your RAWR not only is a very bad idea but voids your warranty (but then I should not have to post that). :R

lbrjet wrote:
1/3 of the TW does not get transferred to the trailer, show me your weight tickets. Typically it is more like 15-20%. There are numerous examples of three scale weightings on this forum and I have never seen 1/3. It is usually less than 20%.

For comparison, my WDh transfers 180lbs to the trailer axle. The tongue weight is 780lbs. That's about 23% if my math is right... But that's not a significant value to focus on as it's not tongue weight that is being transferred, it's weight from the rear axle. The two are not the same...

First pass: WDH Activated
Steer Axle: 4340
Rear Axle: 4280
Trailer: 5560
Gross Combined: 14180

Second pass: Spring Bars removed
Steer Axle: 3980
Rear axle: 4820
Trailer Axle: 5380
Gross Combined: 14180

Third Pass: Tow vehicle only
Steer Axle: 4380
Rear Axle: 3720
Gross Combined: 8020

I'll save you the math since my spreadsheet already did it all for me:
Weight Distributing Hitch Effect
Weight levered off the rear axle: 540
Weight transferred to the steer axle: 360
Weight transferred to trailer axle: 180

By my calculations, that's exactly a 1/3 - 2/3 distribution of the weight it levers off.

And point to note: That's NOT the same thing as distributing 1/3 of the tongue weight...

780lbs of tongue weight transfers an additional 320lbs off the front axle to the rear axle, increasing the rear axle load by 1100lbs. The WDH transfers 540lbs off the rear axle, and distributes 1/3 of that to the trailer, and 2/3 of that to the front axle.

Make sense?

lbrjet wrote:
1/3 of the TW does not get transferred to the trailer, show me your weight tickets. Typically it is more like 15-20%. There are numerous examples of three scale weightings on this forum and I have never seen 1/3. It is usually less than 20%.

It's a function of geometry. If the distance from the ball to the trailer axles is twice as long as the wheelbase of the tow vehicle, it will result in approximately a 1/3 - 2/3 proportioning of the weight that the hitch removes from the rear of the tow vehicle.

I'd show you my numbers, but can't get to to the spreadsheet from my phone. With our Super Duty and a 30 foot travel trailer, the weight distribution works out to almost exactly 1/3 put back on the trailer. I'd be happy to show you the numbers when I can get back to a proper computer.

1/3 of the TW does not get transferred to the trailer, show me your weight tickets. Typically it is more like 15-20%. There are numerous examples of three scale weightings on this forum and I have never seen 1/3. It is usually less than 20%.

How about you toss 13% out the window? Your assumptions are muddying the discussion. And going 70 mph, wow, that sure is wild.(eyes rolling....) I imagine i would have found out the hard way with nearly 20000 miles on the tires, always going 70. Same with the truck.
Tongue weight can be managed, at 11.5% from the OEM, keeping that around there can yield a safe, nice towing combo. End of story.
And todays F150 is a different truck than even 5 years ago, it's no miracle truck, but it is fine at 100% GVWR.
One obviously does not shoot for 13% tongue weight, just because you day so, if it overloads their truck. I should not have to even post that.

To the OP, can you weigh it? Tweak the WDH to get your axle weights under and see what is what. Your setup can be managed to be legal and safe based on tongue weight, passenger load, and WDH settings. Only you can decide if it tows to your satisfaction and works for you.

Hybridhunter wrote:

Desert Captain wrote:


"IF" the OP only loads 1100# into the trailer and most folks with a trailer that size load considerably more (we would routinely load 1200# into a 22' TT),... then he will have 1138# of TW (based upon 13% which is considered about right).

Your 13% rule of thumb is a poor way to figure things out. The OP's trailer is listed as 865# tongue weigh, which is a plenty safe 11.5%. Assuming he adds 1000# and loads it correctly, that should increase the tongue wight by 115# to 970#. So call it 800 on the hitch, plus a WDH at 65#. (That is the true weigh of a WDH with bars).

Desert Captain wrote:
"IF" that WDH transfers 20% of that weight back to the trailers axels (a very big IF), then he has 911# of TW + another 100 for the WDH + 800# of passengers he now has 1800#+ with only 1400# of payload. Do the math, he is at least, bare minimum, 400# (about 30%) over his payload and probably much more than that.

The above numbers assume minimal loading, empty tanks all around but that is just not how it works in the real world. Dump stations can be out of order or just backed up to the point that waiting an hour isn't an option so now add another 600 to 700# to the equation. Often you are probably headed downhill, now at 500 to 600# over your TV's GVWR....can you say white knuckle ride?

You are assuming much, when I travel, it's DW and I, at 320# total. So the OP has around 550# for his truck. As for a white knuckle ride, I just got back from a long trip towing across the Rockies, and when we got back, I decided to check all my weights. It turned out I was at 1000% GVWR, 300# over my rear GAWR, and 1000# under my GCWR. We travelled 70mph, had ZERO handling issues, and it towed perfectly fine. I have since moved things around and added a WDH, now my rig sits around 100% RAWR, 98% GVWR. It is s smaller setup, but there is NO WAY that anyone driving it would even suspect it is over 80% over any of it's ratings. One must look at the big picture, the F150 is a solid platform, with tough components that are used at much higher ratings with just spring changes.

Desert Captain wrote:
The OP gave us his numbers and asked for input and he can take or leave it but the numbers do not change. Nothing "Whacko" about the the TW numbers quoted here. The best advice here has been load it up and get to the scales and the numbers will be glaringly apparent but the bottom line is that to run hundreds of pounds in excess of your trucks rated GVWR is foolish, dangerous and illegal. :S

The tongue weight is listed as 865# or 11.5%
I have done spreadsheets when setting up 2 WDH's. When weight is restored to the front axle, approximately 1/3 of that weight is sent rearward, and ends up back on the trailer.

Proper setup and WDH is far more important than being 50# over GVWR.
And for the average family that is occasionally RV'ing, a properly sized TV is better than overkill.

It really depends on what the OP puts in the truck, he mentions just him and his wife, which would be 100% okay, but also mentions 800#'s of passengers, which is ABSOLUTELY not okay.

OK lets look at your numbers and his....

13% is considered the ideal TW for TT's, toy haulers actually need more due to the extra weight located farther back. A large trailer like the OP's with anything less than 13% pulled by a half ton is to invite serious sway issues. You cannot change the applicable physics just to justify your serious overloading/under trucking.

You tow at 70 mph (ST tires?), 300# over your GAWR in the mountains with no WDH? :S
That sounds like the definition of "White Knuckle Ride" to me. :E

Congratulations on adding the hitch and BTW most of them weigh more than 65#, closer to 100# is normal for a properly sized WDH. Having driven and towed with two F-150's over the last 15 years I am very familiar with their capabilities and restrictions. Mine had 1426# of Payload which kept me safely within it's limits pulling a 22' 5K# TT. Anything much larger would have put me over GVWR.

The OP's TW was never 865#, so called "Dry" TW's are the biggest lie in the industry. If the OP takes the advice offered here (several times), loads the rig and goes to the scales the problems with his combo will be clear. I hope he does so and reports back. Trailers do not get lighter with use, most folks have far more weight than they realize and as I pointed out that weight can easily go up in real world use.

You state that it depends what he puts in his truck but he already told you 800# (+ the TW and the WDH) puts him well over the trucks GVWR, and probably, like you, well over his GAWR as well. :C

Desert Captain wrote:


"IF" the OP only loads 1100# into the trailer and most folks with a trailer that size load considerably more (we would routinely load 1200# into a 22' TT),... then he will have 1138# of TW (based upon 13% which is considered about right).

Your 13% rule of thumb is a poor way to figure things out. The OP's trailer is listed as 865# tongue weigh, which is a plenty safe 11.5%. Assuming he adds 1000# and loads it correctly, that should increase the tongue wight by 115# to 970#. So call it 800 on the hitch, plus a WDH at 65#. (That is the true weigh of a WDH with bars).

Desert Captain wrote:
"IF" that WDH transfers 20% of that weight back to the trailers axels (a very big IF), then he has 911# of TW + another 100 for the WDH + 800# of passengers he now has 1800#+ with only 1400# of payload. Do the math, he is at least, bare minimum, 400# (about 30%) over his payload and probably much more than that.

The above numbers assume minimal loading, empty tanks all around but that is just not how it works in the real world. Dump stations can be out of order or just backed up to the point that waiting an hour isn't an option so now add another 600 to 700# to the equation. Often you are probably headed downhill, now at 500 to 600# over your TV's GVWR....can you say white knuckle ride?

You are assuming much, when I travel, it's DW and I, at 320# total. So the OP has around 550# for his truck. As for a white knuckle ride, I just got back from a long trip towing across the Rockies, and when we got back, I decided to check all my weights. It turned out I was at 1000% GVWR, 300# over my rear GAWR, and 1000# under my GCWR. We travelled 70mph, had ZERO handling issues, and it towed perfectly fine. I have since moved things around and added a WDH, now my rig sits around 100% RAWR, 98% GVWR. It is s smaller setup, but there is NO WAY that anyone driving it would even suspect it is over 80% over any of it's ratings. One must look at the big picture, the F150 is a solid platform, with tough components that are used at much higher ratings with just spring changes.

Desert Captain wrote:
The OP gave us his numbers and asked for input and he can take or leave it but the numbers do not change. Nothing "Whacko" about the the TW numbers quoted here. The best advice here has been load it up and get to the scales and the numbers will be glaringly apparent but the bottom line is that to run hundreds of pounds in excess of your trucks rated GVWR is foolish, dangerous and illegal. :S

The tongue weight is listed as 865# or 11.5%
I have done spreadsheets when setting up 2 WDH's. When weight is restored to the front axle, approximately 1/3 of that weight is sent rearward, and ends up back on the trailer.

Proper setup and WDH is far more important than being 50# over GVWR.
And for the average family that is occasionally RV'ing, a properly sized TV is better than overkill.

It really depends on what the OP puts in the truck, he mentions just him and his wife, which would be 100% okay, but also mentions 800#'s of passengers, which is ABSOLUTELY not okay.

Your tongue weight is going to be over 1K and this goes against your truck's payload. I think that this is the piece you are misunderstanding.