Check my tow numbers

[OutdoorPhotogra]

Currently pull a pop-up so math has never mattered. Moved back to East Coast and rain takes all the fun away from a pop-up. I'm going to an RV Show on Saturday just to poke around. May buy in a couple months or may wait a year but need to see what I can comfortably pull. Looks like 4500lbs dry, 6500 loaded is max.

As expected, cargo weight is what is killing me. I can stay at 80% of tow rating and GVCWR but will max or close on TW with 100#'s allocated for WD hitch.

Here are the numbers. Calculations from spreadsheet I built:
2007 F-150, 5.4L V8, 3.73 LS
Tires: LT 275/65R18 E
Tow Rating: 9,000 lbs
GVWR: 7050
GCVWR: 14,500

5440 Truck w/full gas (scales)
560 4 Pax
100 Cargo:
100 WD Hitch
------
6200 Loaded Truck
850 slack for tongue weight of trailer (Hitch rated to 950 with WD Hitch)

So, at 13% for Tongue Weight:
4500# Trailer Dry: 585 TW, 10,700 Gross Combined (65%)
6500# Trailer GVWR: 845 TW, 12,700 Gross Combined (85%)

[OutdoorPhotogra]

lawrosa wrote:
best bang for the buck IMO are the jayco x213's. They also have a front bunk house same type.

Low tounge and weight. rear slide keep slide weight on axles and helps TW..

x 213
390 tw
5500 GVW.

x213

x254
455 TW
6000 GVW


x254


video...

2015 x213

Thanks. I really like the look of those. And coming from a popup, I like hearing the birds, etc. that I enjoyed from tent camping but the bed as I get older. The pain of the popup is breaking camp in the rain and setting up again at home to get it completely dry. I think the hybrid would be much easier but still a factor.

[lawrosa]

best bang for the buck IMO are the jayco x213's. They also have a front bunk house same type.

Low tounge and weight. rear slide keep slide weight on axles and helps TW..

x 213
390 tw
5500 GVW.

x213

x254
455 TW
6000 GVW


x254


video...

2015 x213

[OutdoorPhotogra]

Thanks to everyone.

The TV is what it is now because its my daily driver. I will consider bumping to a F-250 upon replacement but that's at least 2-3 years away. Part of my decision making process is can I find a TT that I can safely pull with my F-150 and be big enough to enjoy for years. In my favor, my kids are teenagers so passenger weight isn't changing.

I like the idea of staying smaller just because camping with a pop-up I've found the value of fitting in smaller campsites. The catch has been just looking online, it seems TT's jump from 5,000 #'s in small/no slide to 7,000+. I do want one slide and not sure I want to go hybrid - all questions for another thread.

Mostly I wanted to check my numbers that if I'm towing a 6500# trailer that I have a safety margin, except in TW. I'll get a weight by axle as soon as I can. The only scale close to me now doesn't have that capability and is over $20 per weight which is much higher than I've paid at other scales in the past.

Hopefully I can find a TT that has a dry weight around 5500 but GVWR of 7500 thus with 1,000 lbs of gear I'm fine today but room to grow into a 3/4 ton truck.

Looking forward to the RV show Saturday but want a realistic planning factor as I look at different models.

[lbrjet]

Should be fine with that trailer as your calculations show.

[lawrosa]

Knowing what weight is on each axle, as weighed, is important.

Yes as well as tire capacity if you really want to know your payload and max tow rate.


The axles as listed on the door jamb have nothing to do with the GVWR in regards as to what the manufacturer is stating as MAX load vehicle. GVWR minus curb weight = payload.


Thats true but again axle weights and tire rate are what rule....

[Gr8life]

OP (OutdoorPhotographer) has it right. GVWR-vehicle weight=available payload. He is about right on trailer weights also. Lots more fun to be a little under rather than overloaded.

[Dakota98]

lawrosa wrote:
Find your local cat scale... Get the truck weighed..

All other advice you get without weights is nil IMO...

cat scale locations

OP did in the original post.

Quote:
5440 Truck w/full gas (scales)

Knowing what weight is on each axle, as weighed, is important. The axles as listed on the door jamb have nothing to do with the GVWR in regards as to what the manufacturer is stating as MAX load vehicle. GVWR minus curb weight = payload.

[45Ricochet]

lawrosa wrote:
Find your local cat scale... Get the truck weighed..

All other advice you get without weights is nil IMO...

cat scale locations

Correct but any scale will give you axle weights with a bit of math.
Weight only front axle, then pull forward and weight only rear axle.
Many ways to deal with only one platform.

[wandering1]

DUH. Dont try to start with the truck and back into what you think you can tow.

1. How much does the trailer weigh? No guess work.
2. Review the truck manufacturers tow specs to pick a truck that will handle the trailer and haul the stuff you take with you. I am sure you will notice the difference in specs for the type of trailer (5th wheel or TT)that you want to tow.
3. After you figure out what you can tow then you can play with the numbers on the door frame sticker which do not tell you what you can tow.

[lawrosa]

Find your local cat scale... Get the truck weighed..

All other advice you get without weights is nil IMO...

cat scale locations

[lawrosa]

Dakota98 wrote:

lawrosa wrote:


What you need is individual axle weights from the scales. Front and rear. The compare them with the axle weights on the door tag..

Subtract the two and that's your payload left period.. Payload for TW or pin weight plus passengers, fuel and gear,

Sorry, but that is incorrect. OP has it right. Exceeding GVWR is not recommended.

Uh not as far as I know.. DOT goes buy axle weights. I drove a tractor trailer many years...Although in a commercial application there is no difference IMO with non commercial...

The weight police should have no issues if you are with in axle and tire limits..

After all the tires carry the load period...

[Dakota98]

lawrosa wrote:


What you need is individual axle weights from the scales. Front and rear. The compare them with the axle weights on the door tag..

Subtract the two and that's your payload left period.. Payload for TW or pin weight plus passengers, fuel and gear,

Sorry, but that is incorrect. OP has it right. Exceeding GVWR is not recommended.

[OutdoorPhotogra]

I'm going off GVWR. If it's 7050, I thought I couldn't go over that?

I don't have actual axle weights from scale because no scale I've ever used has provided a breakdown.

Front GAWR: 3450
Rear GAWR: 3850

[lawrosa]

cant make heads or tails of your post in regards to weights because you are going by GVW I assume...

What you need is individual axle weights from the scales. Front and rear. The compare them with the axle weights on the door tag..

Subtract the two and that's your payload left period.. Payload for TW or pin weight plus passengers, fuel and gear,,

Anything else and your just guessing.. If you want to stay under GVW thats fine but you may have a lot more capacity...

Once you get your payload info you will know exactly what you can tow...