F150 with a new Travel Trailer

twodownzero wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
"I think it'd be suicide to try to hitch these two together."

Wow! Suicide! Never really thought of it that way....Admittedly it will be slow up hill and drinking gas like an alcoholic the whole time, but "suicide" is a bit harsh.
I'd do it, but I'd prefer more power and gears than that truck provides.
The bigger question is the health of a 13 year old pickup. Short trips like the OP mentions are likely pretty benign if the truck is in decent shape, but the age, miles, condition and driver knowledge/skill/comfort level are AS important if not more than the printed recommendations for the vehicle. (Within reason of course)

No, the real question is the P-metric tires and the C clip rear axle and when they decide to exit each other. It isn't like a 3/4 or 1 ton truck where the axle itself is rated for over 10,000 lbs even though the tires are only rated for 6400. Granted a 3/4 ton truck isn't going to have the suspension to support that kind of weight regardless of tires, but at least the other hard parts are rated for way beyond the soft ones like the tires.

Once the paper mache tires either give out or start swaying, or the rear axle gives out (take your pick between the single tapered axle bearing, c clip, or worse), you have no reserve. Suicide is modest compared to coming down a mountain with all that weight riding on one tiny axle shaft per side.

Who says it has P metric tires? Truck is 13 years old. Went back and looked, OP didn't say that, however it very well could have P, XL or LT tires. Either way, even the OE P tires are very unlikely to pop unless there's something wrong with them or they hit a road hazard. Not condoning it publicly, but I've tried to kill many sets of cheap OE P rated tires on new half tons and a 44psi P truck tire does pretty well from 40 up to 55psi. Stiffens them right up for those big loads! (Seriously)
We get it, you're one of the few people that's launched an axle shaft out the side of a 1/2 ton truck. I'm sure it cost you a new drivers seat cover and pair of shorts. But the odds are also still strongly in favor of the 1,000,000s of 1/2 tons that HAVEN'T popped a c clip while towing.

Mkirsch is right. This used to be entertaining, but it get's more inane by the day.