Making sense of Tow #'s
Looking at buying my first truck and need some help with Towing. We're planning to get an RV in a year or 2 and I want it to do it right the first time! Looking at a 2011 F150 Supercrew Ecoboost w...
Forum Discussion
The F150 EB has a reputation as a strong TV. But it’s still a ½ ton. If I were considering as massive a TT as you are I’d be inclined to go with a heavier built ¾ ton, too. Just because the TT falls within the TV rating doesn’t mean you’ll enjoy pulling it. Most especially if you want to do any mountain driving.
From reading these posts for a long time my impression is people who pull near their max don’t like the experience and most often upgrade the TV or sometimes go to a smaller TT. Then again, one frequent poster, Skip, has an EB and pulls a 30’ plus TT and is perfectly happy with it. Maybe he’ll chip in with some firsthand info.
Then, too, don’t overlook where you want to go. If you stay in tame areas and like commercial parks it shouldn’t be a problem. But the size can be very restrictive for a lot of campgrounds and more scenic roads and areas and you’ll likely have to make reservations to ensure you have a site. Plus you’ll need to be careful where you gas up or pull off because of the difficulty of maneuvering tight areas.
I wouldn’t go with a 10% HW, you’ll likely be closer to the 15%. In lieu of having some real world numbers I’d use the GVWR of the TT for your calculations. Too, I would ignore the effect of the WD hitch to squeeze in under the ratings. Others may disagree, but that always struck me as bordering on an act of desperation.
From reading these posts for a long time my impression is people who pull near their max don’t like the experience and most often upgrade the TV or sometimes go to a smaller TT. Then again, one frequent poster, Skip, has an EB and pulls a 30’ plus TT and is perfectly happy with it. Maybe he’ll chip in with some firsthand info.
Then, too, don’t overlook where you want to go. If you stay in tame areas and like commercial parks it shouldn’t be a problem. But the size can be very restrictive for a lot of campgrounds and more scenic roads and areas and you’ll likely have to make reservations to ensure you have a site. Plus you’ll need to be careful where you gas up or pull off because of the difficulty of maneuvering tight areas.
I wouldn’t go with a 10% HW, you’ll likely be closer to the 15%. In lieu of having some real world numbers I’d use the GVWR of the TT for your calculations. Too, I would ignore the effect of the WD hitch to squeeze in under the ratings. Others may disagree, but that always struck me as bordering on an act of desperation.
