Interpreting Manufacturers specs.

rbpru wrote:
I was reviewing the Ford towing specs for my 2011 F-150.

With the factory installed hitch it is rated at 5000 lbs. towing capacity and 500 lbs. tongue weight. With WD hitch the tongue weight increases to 1130 lbs. and the towing capacity increases to 11,300 lbs.

So it would appear that the addition of the torsion bars redistributes the weight, in effect stiffening the trucks suspension and increasing the maximum cargo rating by 630 lbs. :)

The 11,300 lbs. is a bit bogus as it appears to be based on the tongue weight being 10% of the trailer weight. :h Other sections of the same towing specs, limit the max trailer weight to 9800 lbs. Even the 9800 lbs. is moot because my trailer’s max weight GVWR is 7700 lbs.

My point is it is easy to see how a person can be easily misled or confused by the information at hand; even if it comes from the manufacturer. Heck even my interpretation could be wrong. :W

Ford publishes their towing specs for "all" types of trailers all of us may use out here in the real world (not just RVs)......and not just for RV folks pulling their RVs around a few times a summer. Towing specs are what they are.