Towing capacity

[scolson]

I'm looking to purchase either a 5th wheeler or travel trailer and I'm not sure what the towing capacity is of my truck. Here are the specs for my truck. Thanks.

Vehicle Name Ford F-150
Body Style Crew Cab
Drivetrain Four Wheel Drive
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Front 3900 lbs
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Rear 3850 lbs
Curb Weight - Front 3214 lbs
Curb Weight - Rear 2372 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Cap 7350 lbs
Gross Combined Wt Rating 13500 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. 770 lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. 1155 lbs
Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Maximum Trailering Capacity 7700 lbs
Engine Type Regular Unleaded V-8
Displacement 5.0 L/302
Trans Type 6
Trans Description Cont. Automatic w/OD
Spring Capacity - Front 3900 lbs
Spring Capacity - Rear 3850 lbs
Axle Type - Front Independent
Axle Type - Rear Rigid Axle
Axle Capacity - Front 4050 lbs
Axle Capacity - Rear 4100 lbs
Axle Ratio 3.55
Front Tire Capacity 4050 lbs
Rear Tire Capacity 4050 lbs
Wheelbase 145 in

[goducks10]

Don't even think about a 5th wheeler with that truck. Two reasons. 1st you don't have enough payload capacity for the pin weight unless you get a pretty small 5th wheeler. 2nd is you will get more bang for the buck with a travel trailer and be under your tow and payload ratings.
Some 1/2 tons do ok towing 5th wheels but yours unfortunately is not one of them.

[BenK]

scolson wrote:
I'm looking to purchase either a 5th wheeler or travel trailer and I'm not sure what the towing capacity is of my truck. Here are the specs for my truck. Thanks.

A very good start and congrat's on gathering all this info...know
it is NOT easy to find it all

Vehicle Name Ford F-150

Important info...tells the class TV this is, though Ford and the other
OEMs has over a dozen EACH in the half ton category...gone is the
fake half ton

Body Style Crew Cab

Important info...tells that this is a heavy one (addes sheetmetal,
seats, rug, insulation, and normally loaded with options etc, etc

Drivetrain Four Wheel Drive

Important info...tells that this TV has one of the heaviest
options...4x4...the added transfer case, second drive shaft, second
diff, etc

Gross Axle Wt Rating - Front 3900 lbs

Important info, as this is the max the front axle is rated for..seems
low...see below

Gross Axle Wt Rating - Rear 3850 lbs

Important info, as this is the max the rear axle is rated for...and...where
most TVs get into weight rating trouble...seems low...see below

Curb Weight - Front 3214 lbs
Curb Weight - Rear 2372 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Cap 7350 lbs

Important...tells what the whole TV is rated for...this is NOT
the fake half ton, but a regular half ton...towards the mid end
of models offered

Gross Combined Wt Rating 13500 lbs

Important...tells what the TV & trailer & stuff is rated for

Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. 770 lbs

only important...in that it provides the basic % tongue or PIN in this
case...that can vary depending on how the trailer is optioned
and/or loaded

Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. 1155 lbs
Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Maximum Trailering Capacity 7700 lbs
Engine Type Regular Unleaded V-8
Displacement 5.0 L/302
Trans Type 6
Trans Description Cont. Automatic w/OD
Spring Capacity - Front 3900 lbs
Spring Capacity - Rear 3850 lbs
Axle Type - Front Independent
Axle Type - Rear Rigid Axle

Axle Capacity - Front 4050 lbs

Important...only because this is the second number provided by the
OP...so which one is correct for his T???

Axle Capacity - Rear 4100 lbs

Important...ditto above front axle...two numbers posted...which one
is correct???...this is the number they took the ACTUAL weight on
that axle to derive the 'payload/cargo...rating' on the door label

Axle Ratio 3.55

Important...but with today's close ratio automatics...only matters
if the automatic does not have a low 1st gear (higher numeric)

Front Tire Capacity 4050 lbs
Rear Tire Capacity 4050 lbs
Wheelbase 145 in

First, for the OP, decide if you believe in the OEM ratins or not

If not, then do whatever...but know that you have taken the OEMs
off the warranty and liability hook

If yes, then learn how the ratings systems work. Note that it is plural...

Here is the generic formula :

GCWR => TV + Trailer + Hitch system

Best to have actual weights...other wise just academic or use the
published 'MAXIMUM' weights (GVWR's) of both TV and Trailer


Most get into rear GAWR trouble and more so the lower class TV's, but
note that higher class TV's also get into ratings trouble too

[Dog_Trainer]

the payload along with the 3:55 gears will rule this truck out. Just not enough grunt in the 5.0 with this gearing to get it done.

[Dadoffourgirls]

Golden_HVAC wrote:

scolson wrote:
I'm looking to purchase either a 5th wheeler or travel trailer and I'm not sure what the towing capacity is of my truck. Here are the specs for my truck. Thanks.

Vehicle Name Ford F-150
Body Style Crew Cab
Drivetrain Four Wheel Drive
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Front 3900 lbs
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Rear 3850 lbs
Curb Weight - Front 3214 lbs
Curb Weight - Rear 2372 lbs
Total curb weight is about 5600 but with passengers? So 7350 - 5600 = 1750 cargo and passenger weight rating.


Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Cap 7350 lbs
Gross Combined Wt Rating 13500 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. 770 lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. 1155 lbs
Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Maximum Trailering Capacity 7700 lbs

Engine Type Regular Unleaded V-8
Displacement 5.0 L/302

Trans Type 6
Trans Description Cont. Automatic w/OD
Spring Capacity - Front 3900 lbs
Spring Capacity - Rear 3850 lbs
Axle Type - Front Independent
Axle Type - Rear Rigid Axle
Axle Capacity - Front 4050 lbs
Axle Capacity - Rear 4100 lbs
Axle Ratio 3.55
Front Tire Capacity 4050 lbs
Rear Tire Capacity 4050 lbs
Wheelbase 145 in

You can only carry about 1700 pounds. The hitch will be 100 pounds for a travel trailer, or around 200pounds for a fifth wheel. Take away 300# for passengers, and you can not tow much of a fifth wheel, but perhaps a 8,000 pound travel trailer.

Good luck,

Fred.

The Gross Combined is 13,500. If the truck is 5600, the heaviest trailer would have to be less than 7900. This is why the trailer rating is 7700.

If there is more than one 150lb driver, that would reduce the trailer. I suggest closer to 6000 GVW trailer.

[wandering1]

Lots of info to play with. Get the towing specs from ford and read them. It has the tow ratings for TT and fifth wheel.

[APT]

All those specs are from a brochure or web site. They are not as equipped payload. Your tow rating is over 8000 pounds, but you will likely be limited to less than that for either a TT or 5er. Open driver door and locate this sticker. Note what you for payload have where mine says 2051:



Take that number, subtract the weight of whatever else you plan to put in the cab or bed. For 5th wheel, you'll also have 150-250 pound receiver. What is left is available for TT tongue weight or 5th wheel pin weight. Let's say you have 1400 pounds of payload. You and family weigh 400 pounds, and another 200 pounds of camping gear/firewood in the bed. That leaves 800 pounds for trailer tongue weight, or 600 for 5th wheel pin weight. 800 pound loaded TW means about 6500 pound loaded TT, or 5500 pounds dry. 600 pound pin weight means this Scamp would be pushing it.

You your own real payload and estimates for people and cargo.

[blt2ski]

Lets assume 1000 lbs of payload left after loading people and gear hitch etc.

With a travel trailer and 10-15% hitch wt, max trailer, 10000 lbs with 10%

A 5w with 20-25% hw, is 5000 to as little as 4000 lbs max.

One can always tow more with a lower HW % rig than a higher one, ie TT vs 5W. Both have plus and minus's to them in all reality. Set up correctly, all will tow fine.

marty

[Golden_HVAC]

scolson wrote:
I'm looking to purchase either a 5th wheeler or travel trailer and I'm not sure what the towing capacity is of my truck. Here are the specs for my truck. Thanks.

Vehicle Name Ford F-150
Body Style Crew Cab
Drivetrain Four Wheel Drive
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Front 3900 lbs
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Rear 3850 lbs
Curb Weight - Front 3214 lbs
Curb Weight - Rear 2372 lbs
Total curb weight is about 5600 but with passengers? So 7350 - 5600 = 1750 cargo and passenger weight rating.


Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Cap 7350 lbs
Gross Combined Wt Rating 13500 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. 770 lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. 1155 lbs
Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 7700 lbs
Maximum Trailering Capacity 7700 lbs

Engine Type Regular Unleaded V-8
Displacement 5.0 L/302

Trans Type 6
Trans Description Cont. Automatic w/OD
Spring Capacity - Front 3900 lbs
Spring Capacity - Rear 3850 lbs
Axle Type - Front Independent
Axle Type - Rear Rigid Axle
Axle Capacity - Front 4050 lbs
Axle Capacity - Rear 4100 lbs
Axle Ratio 3.55
Front Tire Capacity 4050 lbs
Rear Tire Capacity 4050 lbs
Wheelbase 145 in

You can only carry about 1700 pounds. The hitch will be 100 pounds for a travel trailer, or around 200pounds for a fifth wheel. Take away 300# for passengers, and you can not tow much of a fifth wheel, but perhaps a 8,000 pound travel trailer.

Good luck,

Fred.

[bikendan]

One very important spec you didn't include is payload capacity.
Look for it on the driver's door sticker and post that number.

[JIMNLIN]

scolson wrote:
That leads back to my original question. Given the truck I have what would be the max gvwr of a 5th wheel or travel trailer I should be looking at.

Trucks don't carry weight or pull a trailer determined by the trailers length.
Your trucks rear axle/tires will carry the load. The trucks rear 3850 RAWR includes the lessor of your trucks springs/axle/tires and wheels. Your tires may be rated at 4050 lbs but OEM wheel are 2000 or 2050 lbs.
Also P tires capacity on a truck are required by fed regs for its capacity to be derated by dividing capacity by 1.1 which means a 2250 lb rated P tire is now rated at 2045 lbs.

Doing some math shows your truck has a 3850 RAWR. Your crew cab 4x4 is a heavy truck. The rear axle may weigh in the 2400-2500 lb range which leaves approx 1350-1450 lb for its total payload.
Add a 200 lb hitch and 100 lbs for stuff in the truck. Now the truck has 1000-1100 lbs capacity for a TT hitch or a wet 5th wheel pin weight.

There are small 5k-6k 5th wheel trailers out here that your truck can handle.

[phillyg]

There's a recent long thread on 1/2t and FW towing; search for it. Yes, some smaller FWs can be towed with the right 1/2t (donn0128 is incorrect; he is correct about p-rated tires). Yes, you have to be very careful to not overload the FW. Your problem is the 5.0 motor and 3.55 axle that are very limiting. I towed an 8,400lb FW for years with an '04 F150, 5.4 and 3.73 axle. No problems on the flats but I never went mountain climbing.

[campigloo]

Someone said it would only be 1400# pin weight on the truck. Go put 1400# of sand in it and see what you get. I don't think you will like the handling.

[donn0128]

Keep your search to travel trailers, and keep your search to those under 7000 GVWR and you will be OK. You might be able to up that a bit, you the higher you go the less happy you will be.
Remember, your towing rating was originally based on a base level truck with 1/4 tank of gas and a 150 pound driver.

[scolson]

That leads back to my original question. Given the truck I have what would be the max gvwr of a 5th wheel or travel trailer I should be looking at.