2013 F150 Towing?

Seattle Lion wrote:

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We have about 600# truck load. Our tongue weight is ~800#. We have a WD hitch. The loaded trailer weighs ~7500 - 8000#. Even when pulling up a 6%+ grade, we have no trouble and on a 80 degree day, engine, oil, and transmission temp is normal, not a bit higher than when we drive with no trailer.

If tongue weight is so critical, why do car makers spec just max trailer weight? Also, fuel weight is not really a factor. A full tank (32 gal.) weighs 180 lbs. if we are cutting things that close, I would expect much more trouble. While I understand the calculations, I don't think we are so near an edge that we risk either damaging the truck or having an accident. There must be more to this.

The trucks can haul it, no question, especially the Ecoboost.

You're towing a 7500-8000# trailer with only 800# tongue weight. That's less than 12%, and I would be concerned about sway. A WDH with good sway control should help, but really your tongue weight should be more than 900-960#. Of course if increasing your tongue weight overloads the truck (GVWR is exceeded), then you have other issues.

Manufacturers do spec the truck's GVWR as well as Tow Capacity. But you can exceed the GVWR (and payload) without even coming close to exceeding the Tow Capacity. I don't know why this is. Some people say the manufacturer's tow capacities are too high.

There are boat trailers and low side construction trailers where you don't need a min 12% tongue weight. Min 10% is reasonable there as sway is less of a problem. I could tow a 10,000# low side rock hauler with a WDH and 1000# tongue weight and be within all Ford's specs. Might not be fun though.

At the other extreme are fifth wheels. With a recommended min of 15% pin weight, it's practically impossible for an F150 without the HD Payload package to tow one without exceeding its GVWR and rear GAWR.

Some people don't like to push the manufacturer's specs and keep everything under 80% of spec. Others say the specs are just guidelines and already have a lot of leeway built in, so you can exceed them as you please. Me, I just try not to exceed them.