2013 F150 Towing?

Seattle Lion wrote:

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We have about 600# truck load. Our tongue weight is ~800#. We have a WD hitch. The loaded trailer weighs ~7500 - 8000#. Even when pulling up a 6%+ grade, we have no trouble and on a 80 degree day, engine, oil, and transmission temp is normal, not a bit higher than when we drive with no trailer.

If tongue weight is so critical, why do car makers spec just max trailer weight? Also, fuel weight is not really a factor. A full tank (32 gal.) weighs 180 lbs. if we are cutting things that close, I would expect much more trouble. While I understand the calculations, I don't think we are so near an edge that we risk either damaging the truck or having an accident. There must be more to this.

The trucks can haul it, no question, especially the Ecoboost.

You're towing a 7500-8000# trailer with only 800# tongue weight. That's less than 12%, and I would be concerned about sway. A WDH with good sway control should help, but really your tongue weight should be more than 900-960#. Of course if increasing your tongue weight overloads the truck (GVWR is exceeded), then you have other issues.

Manufacturers do spec the truck's GVWR as well as Tow Capacity. But you can exceed the GVWR (and payload) without even coming close to exceeding the Tow Capacity. I don't know why this is. Some people say the manufacturer's tow capacities are too high.

There are boat trailers and low side construction trailers where you don't need a min 12% tongue weight. Min 10% is reasonable there as sway is less of a problem. I could tow a 10,000# low side rock hauler with a WDH and 1000# tongue weight and be within all Ford's specs. Might not be fun though.

At the other extreme are fifth wheels. With a recommended min of 15% pin weight, it's practically impossible for an F150 without the HD Payload package to tow one without exceeding its GVWR and rear GAWR.

Some people don't like to push the manufacturer's specs and keep everything under 80% of spec. Others say the specs are just guidelines and already have a lot of leeway built in, so you can exceed them as you please. Me, I just try not to exceed them.

brulaz wrote:

JoeSass wrote:
I have more info, the gears are 3.55 and the trailer weighs 6450. Depending how many go pass weight is 600-800.

Payload? Should be on the door jamb. My guess is its about 1500#, maybe less. With 700# of people and gear, that leaves 800# left for trailer tongue weight.

Some people load up their truck just as they want to travel with it. All their gear and people and full tank of gas, then weigh it. Subtract that from the GVWR (on the door jamb), and that's what's left for the loaded trailer's tongue weight.

So, say you have 800# left for tongue weight. The hitch itself will weigh 50#. And you want a trailer with a minimum of 12% tongue weight, so your Max Loaded trailer weight would be 750/0.12 = 6250#. That's *loaded* with propane, batteries, beer, food, more beer and so on. NOT the "dry" weight.

Our current trailer weighs about 1000# more than its "dry" weight. I understand that's pretty typical. So really if we just had 800# left for tongue weight, I wouldn't look at anything over 6250-1000 = 5250# dry. Close to what GoldStalker says.

But, in fact, we have a truck with over 2000# payload and over 1000# left for tongue weight. So we're looking at trailers that max about 950#/0.12 = 7916# loaded, or about 6900# dry.

A WDH will take some tongue weight off the truck, but I don't include that in my estimates just to be conservative.

If that 6450# is the dry weight of the trailer, you'll be over 7000# for sure when loaded. That will definitely put you over the payload and GVWR limits of your vehicle.

i

We have about 600# truck load. Our tongue weight is ~800#. We have a WD hitch. The loaded trailer weighs ~7500 - 8000#. Even when pulling up a 6%+ grade, we have no trouble and on a 80 degree day, engine, oil, and transmission temp is normal, not a bit higher than when we drive with no trailer.

If tongue weight is so critical, why do car makers spec just max trailer weight? Also, fuel weight is not really a factor. A full tank (32 gal.) weighs 180 lbs. if we are cutting things that close, I would expect much more trouble. While I understand the calculations, I don't think we are so near an edge that we risk either damaging the truck or having an accident. There must be more to this.

JoeSass wrote:
I have more info, the gears are 3.55 and the trailer weighs 6450. Depending how many go pass weight is 600-800.

Payload? Should be on the door jamb. My guess is its about 1500#, maybe less. With 700# of people and gear, that leaves 800# left for trailer tongue weight.

Some people load up their truck just as they want to travel with it. All their gear and people and full tank of gas, then weigh it. Subtract that from the GVWR (on the door jamb), and that's what's left for the loaded trailer's tongue weight.

So, say you have 800# left for tongue weight. The hitch itself will weigh 50#. And you want a trailer with a minimum of 12% tongue weight, so your Max Loaded trailer weight would be 750/0.12 = 6250#. That's *loaded* with propane, batteries, beer, food, more beer and so on. NOT the "dry" weight.

Our current trailer weighs about 1000# more than its "dry" weight. I understand that's pretty typical. So really if we just had 800# left for tongue weight, I wouldn't look at anything over 6250-1000 = 5250# dry. Close to what GoldStalker says.

But, in fact, we have a truck with over 2000# payload and over 1000# left for tongue weight. So we're looking at trailers that max about 950#/0.12 = 7916# loaded, or about 6900# dry.

A WDH will take some tongue weight off the truck, but I don't include that in my estimates just to be conservative.

If that 6450# is the dry weight of the trailer, you'll be over 7000# for sure when loaded. That will definitely put you over the payload and GVWR limits of your vehicle.

You cannot compare and Ecoboost with his truck, that's a whole different set up. The 3.55 will be much better then 3.15 but I still stick by my statement and wouldn't recommend a dry weight over aprox 5500lbs.

I have more info, the gears are 3.55 and the trailer weighs 6450. Depending how many go pass weight is 600-800.

I have the same truck but with a 5.5' short bed and 3.73 axle gears.

My truck pulls the camper in my signature effortlessly. The 3.55 axle will only slightly be less capable but will likely cause more heat. This likely is why the lower rating. BUT hitch rating and payload will be your limiting factors. What will you have in your truck as far as passenger weight and gear weight plus what is your tread act payload sticker rating??

I just checked our sticker (F150 super crew, ecoboost, short wheelbase) we have the standard towing package with the 3.55 rear end. Ford says we hav 9600 lb towing capacity. Our Kodiak weighs 6600 dry. I estimate we are really about 8,00 lb loaded.

This summer we crossed many mountain passes and some steep hills . No problem towing.

APT wrote:

brulaz wrote:

APT wrote:
7000 pounds dry TT is pushing the limits for the most capable half ton, of which you do not own.

Confirm you have the HD towing package, recevier, 7-pin wiring harness. Also verify your axle code/ratio on the driver's door jam is 3.55. If so, then 6k dry is a fairly good comfortable limit for most half tons including yours.

No, he doesn't have the Max Tow or HD Payload package.

For clarification, I said HD towing package- which includes the trans cooler as the primary benefit for towing any high walled RV.

The 5.0L/6-spd has plenty of power with any available axle ratio. Trans cooling and payload are limiting factors.

The FX4 F150 has the trailer package which includes coolers for oil, transmission, etc. as well as the needed heavy duty alternator and battery. It also has trailer brake controller as well as "truck apps" which includes a very informative trailer status screen.

APT wrote:

brulaz wrote:
No, he doesn't have the Max Tow or HD Payload package.

For clarification, I said HD towing package- which includes the trans cooler as the primary benefit for towing any high walled RV.
...

OK, guess you mean the F150's regular "Trailer Tow Package":

Trailer Tow Package (required for towing over 2,268 kg
(5,000 lbs.)) includes Class IV trailer hitch receiver; 7-pin
wiring harness; upgraded radiator; auxiliary transmission oil
cooler; and SelectShift Automatic transmission

which he said he does have. But it doesn't increase the payload and GVWR like the HD Payload Package does.

brulaz wrote:

APT wrote:
7000 pounds dry TT is pushing the limits for the most capable half ton, of which you do not own.

Confirm you have the HD towing package, recevier, 7-pin wiring harness. Also verify your axle code/ratio on the driver's door jam is 3.55. If so, then 6k dry is a fairly good comfortable limit for most half tons including yours.

No, he doesn't have the Max Tow or HD Payload package.

For clarification, I said HD towing package- which includes the trans cooler as the primary benefit for towing any high walled RV.

The 5.0L/6-spd has plenty of power with any available axle ratio. Trans cooling and payload are limiting factors.