Apr 2013 "Tow Test"

[jim_summers]

Just to muddy up the water some more, here's a puzzler. Reading the Apr 2013 Trailer Life, I read a review on a 9000lb (wet/loaded weight) TT being pulled by a new F-150, V-6 turbochg'ed, 3.5 L. The F-150 had a "towing rating" of 9600 lbs. The F-150 itself weighs 6500 lbs I think. TL did not publish the GVWR. But after reading the towing advise on this website, I was surprised. It looks like to me they were probably towing within about 96% of their GVWR. The article extolled the V-6, no problems accelerating or stopping, etc. etc. No tongue droop, no swaying. Don't know what hitch they used. (a WD hitch I hope) I was surprised to see Trailer Life promoting this "perfect" towing combination. I thought from my reading that this is way too heavy a TT for this truck. Maybe there is something I missed. Any thoughts on it ? I wondered if any of this site's "experts" had seen it also. Thnx in advance.

[atreis]

For some reason (was never quite sure how) I got that magazine for a while without asking for it. It appeared to me that they never saw a product they didn't like - really not a good source for honest reviews.

[gmw_photos]

Does Ford Motor Company advertise in TL magazine ?

Does Ford want to sell lots of F150 trucks with turbocharged V6 engines ?

Does TL know which side their bread is buttered on ?

....just some idle musings here....there couldn't be any connections there..... ???

[Terryallan]

NC Hauler wrote:
Terry, I was trying to be funny about it.....but it appears I failed......I was merely stating that they would have to do more math because they would HAVE to know some numbers, then be able to do the math...I know how it works, and think it's silly, but again....my point was that they would actually have to do some math if they wanted to know how much they could tow...sorry...

Nope. My bad. I'm so dense. I missed it. Your right

[TomG2]

I am sure the various tow vehicles have some margin of safety built in. I like a little more than that, and I certainly don't care what others do. I have owned four new half ton and four new three quarter ton pickups in the last fifteen years, both Fords and Chevys. In every case, the three quarter ton models were better tow vehicles and none on the half ton pickups were overloaded.

[NC_Hauler]

TomG2 wrote:
A lot of equipment is most efficient when not straining at 100% of capacity. That's why I choose to stay 15-20% under maximum ratings. Even if a vehicle is capable of going 120 mph, I prefer to stay under that. (Damn, I am beginning to sound like my old man.)

Certainly hope one wouldn't be towing at 120 mph.....If most stay within the trucks GVWR they are WELL within specs of the truck...you don't have to be at 80% of the trucks GVWR, you still have the rear axle weight range to cover quite a bit more in most cases...So the "80% rule" isn't really needed...and I'm the weight police:)....One stays at their trucks GVWR, they're fine and most don't even pay attention to that and go by the trucks RAWR, (that's what makes me a "weight police" guy...I go by GVWR:))....

Truck shouldn't strain any more by running at it's recommended weight ranges because there is a "buffer" built into even that.....The Engineers and Manufacturers of these trucks don't want to be sued by anyone every chance they get...so there is buffer built into the trucks ratings....

[TomG2]

A lot of equipment is most efficient when not straining at 100% of capacity. That's why I choose to stay 15-20% under maximum ratings. Even if a vehicle is capable of going 120 mph, I prefer to stay under that. (Damn, I am beginning to sound like my old man.)

[NC_Hauler]

Terry, I was trying to be funny about it.....but it appears I failed......I was merely stating that they would have to do more math because they would HAVE to know some numbers, then be able to do the math...I know how it works, and think it's silly, but again....my point was that they would actually have to do some math if they wanted to know how much they could tow...sorry...

[Terryallan]

NC Hauler wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

jim summers wrote:
Correction to my first post. I said " TL did not publish the GVWR. But after reading the towing advise on this website, I was surprised. It looks like to me they were probably towing within about 96% of their GVWR."
I meant GCVWR- Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating. I'm betting this truck/trailer combo is too close to the GCVWR. Sorry-should've proof read better.

If it's not OVER, it's not too close. Good to go. Never be afraid to tow what the engineers that designed the truck say you can.
The 80% you hear so much about on here is nothing more than a myth. Something made up, so folks don't have to do math.

I agree with you, but you stated the 80% was also something made up so folks don't have to do the math....heck, they would have to do MORE math to figure out the 80% rule, (ie, taking weight, weighing, then figuring out 80% of GVWR and on..possibly harder for some to figure out):), which again, I agree with you....something that I really don't think needs to be used..

IF you look at it like the 80%ers. You can do the 80% rule with out ever leaving the house. Most use 80% of the published tow capacity. Meaning if your published tow capacity is 10000. they believe they can only use 8000 of it. That's why they use it. So they don't have to do anything else. No weighing, no GVWR. No GCVWR. just look at the owner's guide, and take off 20%. Then they just buy a trailer that has a GVW 20% less than the tow capacity of their TV. Never see a scale

[NC_Hauler]

Terryallan wrote:

jim summers wrote:
Correction to my first post. I said " TL did not publish the GVWR. But after reading the towing advise on this website, I was surprised. It looks like to me they were probably towing within about 96% of their GVWR."
I meant GCVWR- Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating. I'm betting this truck/trailer combo is too close to the GCVWR. Sorry-should've proof read better.

If it's not OVER, it's not too close. Good to go. Never be afraid to tow what the engineers that designed the truck say you can.
The 80% you hear so much about on here is nothing more than a myth. Something made up, so folks don't have to do math.

I agree with you, but you stated the 80% was also something made up so folks don't have to do the math....heck, they would have to do MORE math to figure out the 80% rule, (ie, taking weight, weighing, then figuring out 80% of GVWR and on..possibly harder for some to figure out):), which again, I agree with you....something that I really don't think needs to be used..

[Terryallan]

Bedlam wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
If it's not OVER, it's not too close. Good to go. Never be afraid to tow what the engineers that designed the truck say you can.
The 80% you hear so much about on here is nothing more than a myth. Something made up, so folks don't have to do math.

The 80% is for people that are married to woman called Lucy that likes to collect rocks along their travels.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047191/

From reading how much weight some of there guys carry. A lot of them are married to Lucy

[Bmach]

That is funny. I have not seen that movie in a very long time. But it is funny.

[Bedlam]

Terryallan wrote:
If it's not OVER, it's not too close. Good to go. Never be afraid to tow what the engineers that designed the truck say you can.
The 80% you hear so much about on here is nothing more than a myth. Something made up, so folks don't have to do math.

The 80% is for people that are married to woman called Lucy that likes to collect rocks along their travels.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047191/

[atreis]

mkirsch wrote:
The difference is that Trailer Life's tests were done with an EMPTY truck with only a 150lb driver. No passengers. No stuff. No dog. No bicycles. No firewood.

Normal people have all that stuff in the truck, adding hundreds of pounds to the truck and taking away hundreds of pounds worth of tongue weight carrying capability.

In this test, most of the truck's payload capacity was taken up by the 9000lb trailer's tongue. At 12%, the tongue is 1080lbs, and that's being optimistic. 9000lb trailers tend to have much heavier tongue weights than that.

This does not apply to all vehicles. Mine allows a bit more than 600 lbs of payload in addition to the full tongue weight.

[mkirsch]

The difference is that Trailer Life's tests were done with an EMPTY truck with only a 150lb driver. No passengers. No stuff. No dog. No bicycles. No firewood.

Normal people have all that stuff in the truck, adding hundreds of pounds to the truck and taking away hundreds of pounds worth of tongue weight carrying capability.

In this test, most of the truck's payload capacity was taken up by the 9000lb trailer's tongue. At 12%, the tongue is 1080lbs, and that's being optimistic. 9000lb trailers tend to have much heavier tongue weights than that.