Confirm Towing Capacity Is OK?

My 2910 has a published tongue weight in the 600# range. I would use the bathroom scale and double check it to know for sure.

I just looked at the specs for my trailer. It shows a tongue weight of 605lbs. Does this include propane and battery? If not, I would guess that the tongue weight is closer to 650lbs. If that is the case, my cargo is at 1450 if I look at the worst case with our stuff in the bed of the truck. Does that 50lbs matter? Because worst case, I would be 50 lbs over. And I didn't mention, not that it matters, I put LT 'E range' tires on the truck just because I like the stiffer ride.

My 2910 has a tongue weight of about 820# and an axle weight of about 6200# loaded.

As mentioned, you are going to be limited by payload. The ride quality of your vehicle will diminish when pushed to it's limits. Maybe emergency handling too?

From my experience when pushing the payload of our 1/2 ton Suburban with our 2910, the rear differential temperature ran about 150F hotter than the rear differential on my Express. Ride quality is night and day between the two vehicles.

Cargo capacity usually includes a 150 lb passenger. Don't worry about how big the cushion is. The trucks are designed so that what they say it can handle is where people feel comfortable towing that amount. My friend is an engineer in the auto arena and his buddy works on Super Duties. He said that the limits are what most people would feel comfortable towing. If you have towed with it and it feels good, then you are probably ok. We have all seen old POS trucks with 3 tons of steel or rocks in the back and they still work....no I am not in support of that but some seem to think that if you go 1 lb over, the truck will disintegrate on you.

Hi,

The easy way to figure out the trailer hitch weight is to leave the trailer at home, check the weight of the truck alone. You don't have to bring the family, but if you are going to dinner . . . . You can also just estimate their weight and add that to the truck weight, subtract the "Loaded and towing" weight from your results and come up with a Guestimate of the hitch weight.

You can also use a bathroom scale. While mine will not read 600 pounds that will be on your hitch jack, it can be done with a 4X4 and some blocks. Place a 2X4 across the top of the scale. Place a 4X4 about 6" long on the ground about 12" from the hitch jack. Place the scale about 48" from the jack, and a 4X4 in between those two points. Your hitch weight will show up on the scale.

If the separation was 12" to each side, then the scale would read 1/2 the weight on it. If 12" and 24" than 1/3 the weight will be on the scale. 12 and 48" will mean that 1/6 of the weight will be on the scale, and 5/6 will be on the other 4X4 on the ground. So a weight on the scale of 120 pounds = (120X6) 720 hitch weight. If you have a 300 pound capacity scale (from a garage sale, not the nice glass top one in your bathroom) then you can move in the 4X4 to 12" and scale to 24", you will get a closer guess at the hitch weight. Take the results and X3. This will work up to 900 pounds of hitch weight with a common 300 pound dial scale. Electronic scales normally can not take a reading while you lower the jack into place, unless you can put on the weight really quickly.

Fred.

kaydeejay wrote:
What you are towing is not a problem but I do think you need to look at what you are loading on the truck.
The trailer is probably going to have around 800# tongue weight.
With you in the truck, plus DW (let's say 100#:W) and almost 200# of kids plus dog, you are close to 500#.
IF you are carrying ANOTHER 500# of "stuff" you are asking your truck to carry 1800#.
Some F-150s have a payload capacity of only 1300#, some (the HD package) can carry over 3000#.
You need to look at the "Occupant and Tire Loading Information" yellow sticker on or near your driver's door frame.
It will tell you what your truck can carry. If it's more than 1800#, you are golden. If less you are going to have to reduce the "stuff" you are putting in the back.

This. You are going to limited by what you can carry (which includes trailer tongue weight) long before you reach manufactures tow rating

Good to know. I just looked at the truck sticker says 1400#. So you are correct, we will need to reduce the amount in the rear. Actually, I shouldn't put anything back there if my trailer is indeed 800# tongue weight. I guess I do need to get that verified.

What you are towing is not a problem but I do think you need to look at what you are loading on the truck.
The trailer is probably going to have around 800# tongue weight.
With you in the truck, plus DW (let's say 100#:W) and almost 200# of kids plus dog, you are close to 500#.
IF you are carrying ANOTHER 500# of "stuff" you are asking your truck to carry 1800#.
Some F-150s have a payload capacity of only 1300#, some (the HD package) can carry over 3000#.
You need to look at the "Occupant and Tire Loading Information" yellow sticker on or near your driver's door frame.
It will tell you what your truck can carry. If it's more than 1800#, you are golden. If less you are going to have to reduce the "stuff" you are putting in the back.