CatonsvilleFred wrote:
Really good insight. I've talked to some other folks via PM and other forums who believe that the weight limit is without a WD hitch and that a WD hitch effectively increases it; though no one knows by exactly how much.
Since Nissan recommends a WDH when towing over 5000#, I'm guessing the 870# tongue weight assumes the use of a WDH.
The table below gives the percentage increase reflected in Ford's Weight Carrying versus Weight Distributing numbers for 2014.
The Navigator L gains the least, the Explorer gains the most, and all of the F-series trucks are in between. The median value is 200%.
Based on these numbers, I find it very difficult to establish any correlation between TV parameters and gain in allowable tongue weight.
Column 1 = Max tongue weight for "weight carrying"
Column 2 = Max tongue weight for "weight distributing"
600 _870 145% Navigator L
600 _890 148% Expedition EL
600 _920 153% Expedition/Navigator
850 1400 165% F-250/350 SRW 6.7
850 1500 176% F-350 DRW 6.2
500 1000 200% E-Series Van/Wagon
600 1250 208% F-250/350 SRW
850 1850 218% F-350 DRW 6.7
200 _450 225% Flex/MKT
500 1130 226% F-150
200 _500 250% Explorer
Since this is the same hitch they're putting on the cargo van and they list the cargo van at a 950 lb. tongue, I'm going to assume that the hitch is rated for at least this much as long as I get all other axles/ratios/gross weights in line. That will be more than enough for what we want to pull (an ultra-light bunk house).
I think it's entirely possible that the only reason the cargo van and passenger van have different tongue weights is because they have different "towing capacity" and the tongue weight simply is taken as 10% of towing capacity.
I think your assumption about the receiver is a safe assumption.
Ron
