2018 F-150 hype....believe it or not?
So while looking into travel trailers, I’m also looking into the trucks to pull it. I’m applying the same rule of weights that I was applying to truck campers when I was looking into them; whatever th...
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The truck only has to carry the tongue weight of a trailer, not the entire weight as it does with a truck camper. The tongue weight of the trailer is part of the cargo of the truck.
You are likely to find that the limiting factor is the cargo capacity of the truck, rather than its tow rating. The tongue weight needs to be 10-15% of the total trailer weight, for safe towing. I pick 13% when doing calculations.
Unless you pack really heavy and travel with a full tank of water, you will have to work at it to add 2000 lb to a travel trailer. 1500 is more realistic. But to be on the super-safe side, use 2000.
So take your dry trailer weight, add 2000, multiply that by 0.13. That is the amount of weight you are putting on truck, just like it was in the bed and cab of the truck. Find the cargo capacity of the truck, subtract for passengers, maybe 200 lb of stuff, and the tongue weight you just calculated. If you get a negative number for the answer, you need more truck.
You will need a weight-distributing hitch system to put some of that tongue weight off the rear axle, and back on the front axle, so the truck drives and steers safely. This does NOT decrease the tongue weight of the trailer, it just spreads it around. It does change the amount you are loading on the hitch and rear axle.
You are likely to find that the limiting factor is the cargo capacity of the truck, rather than its tow rating. The tongue weight needs to be 10-15% of the total trailer weight, for safe towing. I pick 13% when doing calculations.
Unless you pack really heavy and travel with a full tank of water, you will have to work at it to add 2000 lb to a travel trailer. 1500 is more realistic. But to be on the super-safe side, use 2000.
So take your dry trailer weight, add 2000, multiply that by 0.13. That is the amount of weight you are putting on truck, just like it was in the bed and cab of the truck. Find the cargo capacity of the truck, subtract for passengers, maybe 200 lb of stuff, and the tongue weight you just calculated. If you get a negative number for the answer, you need more truck.
You will need a weight-distributing hitch system to put some of that tongue weight off the rear axle, and back on the front axle, so the truck drives and steers safely. This does NOT decrease the tongue weight of the trailer, it just spreads it around. It does change the amount you are loading on the hitch and rear axle.
