I am so confused by all of this. I am looking to buy a new travel trailer. I drive a 2011 Ford F150 Supercrew V6 3.73. Per Ford the max tow weight is 5700 pounds. The trailers I'm looking at have a unloaded weight of 4500 pounds. They very in Grvw from 5800-6800. So can I get these trailers based on UVW? Or should I look at GRVW.

The limiting factor when towing with a light truck or SUV is the payload capacity. You have a sticker on the driver's door jamb that lists your payload weight. Typical loaded travel trailer has a tongue weight of 13% of the total weight. The tongue weight of the trailer + weight of weight distributing hitch + weight of cargo in truck and passengers shouldn't exceed the payload rating.

westend wrote:Don't know where you got the 5700 lb limit from. According to the Ford towing guide, it looks like 9800 lbs. You'll never tow that, though, because you'll run out of payload capacity before you reach that weight. The limiting factor when towing with a light truck or SUV is the payload capacity. You have a sticker on the driver's door jamb that lists your payload weight. Typical loaded travel trailer has a tongue weight of 13% of the total weight. The tongue weight of the trailer + weight of weight distributing hitch + weight of cargo in truck and passengers shouldn't exceed the payload rating.I doubt this is the EcoBoost...my guess is that it's the 300 hp 3.7 V6. I was looking at the same motor and model and that tow rating is about right for a 3.7 S-crew. Interesting fact is that the S-crew 3.7 has nearly 70 more HP than my old 97 5.4 F150 and it has 2500 lbs less tow rating. OP....add 1500 lbs to the dry weight and you will be "about" ready to camp. Thanks!Jeremiah

westend wrote:Don't know where you got the 5700 lb limit from. According to the Ford towing guide, it looks like 9800 lbs. That was a link to a fuse.According to Ford, the 6 Cyl. 3.73 supercrew can tow 5700 lbs.towing guide (see page 19)

the only weight figure that counts is the original dry weight, plus liquids, plus stuff. if that is under the max tow weight by an adequate amount, you are good to go.don't let a high GVWR deter you.JMHObumpy

dahkota wrote:westend wrote:Don't know where you got the 5700 lb limit from. According to the Ford towing guide, it looks like 9800 lbs. That was a link to a fuse.According to Ford, the 6 Cyl. 3.73 supercrew can tow 5700 lbs.towing guide (see page 19)Yeah, I totally botched the link and read the wrong line out of the guide. Sorry, I've edited my original post.

So Confused | Good Sam Community

Huntindog
Explorer
May 21, 2014
rbpru wrote:
Westend is correct the max towing is 9800 lbs. with a WD Hitch. It is 5800 without a WD hitch. As also stated, you will most likely run out of cargo capacity before you run out of towing capacity.

The sticker on my F-150 4x4 says Max Cargo is 1411 lbs. This is the important number!!!

The tongue weight on my 5000 lb. TT is 487 lbs. unloaded, add 1000 lbs. food water and other supplies and I now have almost 600 lbs. on the tongue figured at 10%.

Yes the WD hitch does increase the allowable tongue weight but it does not increase the Max Cargo. I add 500 lbs. for two adults and a dog and 200# for my truck cap and I have used 1300 of my 1411 max cargo. This is the dilemma that most people with kids and toys face.

Horsepower can also be a factor; my previous F-150 has a small 200 hp engine which made almost any hill a chalenge.

I hope we have informed not confused. If not ask again, understanding this stuff is important.
There must be some confusion here. The OPs F150 is not your F150. They were made in many different configurations. Your Ecoboost is one of the more stout ones. As far as I have read.... That is NOT what the OP has.
rbpru
Explorer II
May 21, 2014
APT

The point of my post was to remind the OP is you can discover all sorts on numbers but it is important to know that what your specific model vehicle can do.

Sure Ford says I can pull a 9800 # TT with a WD hitch but I can't take the wife and dog with out going over our particular vehicle's Max cargo limit.
APT
Explorer
May 14, 2014
What does rbpru's tow rating have to do with OP?

What does a 20 year old big block hp have to do with OP? That big block had 50% more peak torque at half the engine speed of modern V6s. Will any of the 2014 V4 with 6-8spd trans tow a 5000 pound loaded RV? Sure! Will the driver/owner of the truck be happy spinning at 3000rpm on flat highways and trans downshifts to 5000rpm for hills? I personally would not. OP has to decide for himself.
jerem0621
Explorer II
May 13, 2014
Bumpyroad wrote:
fatboy66 wrote:
Bumpyroad wrote:
the only weight figure that counts is the original dry weight, plus liquids, plus stuff. if that is under the max tow weight by an adequate amount, you are good to go.
don't let a high GVWR deter you.
JMHO
bumpy

That's not true at all. You have to meet the TV GVWR and the GCVWR. Both are important. Further, you should not exceed 90% of either. Max tow weight/rating means nothing.

yes, you have to stay under the rated capacities. my point is that you don't have to load a TT up to it's maximum allowable weight. if your loaded TT weighs 1,000 lbs. under the permitted weights it matters not if the hypothetical weight to which it could be loaded exceeds your maximum allowable weight. I don't understand why this concept is so hard to understand by the weight police. I think that anybody who eliminates a desired RV because of this is naive.
bumpy

I agree 100% and I also think it's naive for people to rely on just being under "ratings" and think they are fine.

This forum by and large IGNORES the #1 force impacting the ability to pull a trailer down the road. That's aerodynamics. It takes more power to pull a 4000 lb trailer that's 11 ft tall and 8 ft wide and flat on the front than a 8000 lb trailer that's 10 ft off the ground and aerodynamic (Airstreamish) on all sides.

Let's look at my little 4 banger Kia Sorento with 191 hp... I have a measly 1650 lb tow rating even though I have 90% of the power a 1995 350...

Which would tow better behind my kia? Those really short 10 ft tall trailers with conventional construction that weighs about 1500 lbs or a 3100 lb airstream? The airstream would pull much much easier due to aerodynamics.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
Bumpyroad
Explorer
May 13, 2014
fatboy66 wrote:
Bumpyroad wrote:
the only weight figure that counts is the original dry weight, plus liquids, plus stuff. if that is under the max tow weight by an adequate amount, you are good to go.
don't let a high GVWR deter you.
JMHO
bumpy

That's not true at all. You have to meet the TV GVWR and the GCVWR. Both are important. Further, you should not exceed 90% of either. Max tow weight/rating means nothing.

yes, you have to stay under the rated capacities. my point is that you don't have to load a TT up to it's maximum allowable weight. if your loaded TT weighs 1,000 lbs. under the permitted weights it matters not if the hypothetical weight to which it could be loaded exceeds your maximum allowable weight. I don't understand why this concept is so hard to understand by the weight police. I think that anybody who eliminates a desired RV because of this is naive.
bumpy
Timtation
Explorer
May 13, 2014
Buy, enjoy, ignore!
Driving safely will replace all weight police.
40 years ago you mounted a hitch to the bumper and took off.
Wise? Of course not, but there were 3/4 as many drivers on 80% as many roads with fewer lanes and the price of gas was $0.75/gal. 55 years ago gas was cheaper, campers were fewer, campers were much heavier and weight distribution hitches were in the future.
Or fret and stew and either buy a different tv or see the USA in your tv >>>
rbpru
Explorer II
May 13, 2014
Redracer,

Yup that is what the Ford towing guide shows for my 2011 F-150 4x4 with the towing options I have.

If I had their super-duper towing option they claim it would be 11,000 lbs. or so.

I believe Ford allows 10% for the tongue weight that would pretty much eat up my trucks 1411 lb. Max cargo limit.

That is why knowing these numbers is so important, the dealers can spout the figures but they really do not know how they apply in each person’s application.
myredracer
Explorer II
May 13, 2014
rbpru wrote:
Westend is correct the max towing is 9800 lbs. with a WD Hitch. It is 5800 without a WD hitch. As also stated, you will most likely run out of cargo capacity before you run out of towing capacity.

So it was 5700 lbs without a WDH... 9800 lbs with. Big difference.
jerem0621
Explorer II
May 13, 2014
jaycocreek wrote:
:B

Taken off a 34ft motorhome.

Thank you for illustrating my point!!!!

here is a video of the 3.7 Ford and the 3.6 Pentastar Ram towing a decent sized Airstream.

Those RPM's are music to my ears!!!

V6's towing Airstream
jaycocreek
Explorer II
May 12, 2014
:B

Taken off a 34ft motorhome.

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