F150 tow

[Mrbillsa]

This is my 1st post pls be patient with a newbie. My wife and I make a 900 mile 1 way trip to visit kids a couple of times a year. Been using Airbnb but last couple of times it wasn't such a great experience. We are thinking about a TT, but really don't want the expense of a TT and a better TV. Currently have 09 F150 Screw with 6.5' box FX4 3.73 elec lock rear end, 5.4 v8. I am thinking it should pull a 4k dry wt TT ok. Probably be 6k by the time we get everything in truck and TT. Any advice is appreciated. Thinking about a Jayco x213. Thanks.

[coolbreeze01]

Tow with whatever you have. I don't like Fords because they sold me a POS years ago.
Some love them.

[Terryallan]

Mrbillsa wrote:
Thanks for all your feedback. The max payload is 1275#. A load distributing hitch won't change that number, right? What about air bags? And what about tires? The tires on it say they are rated to 2600#. No tow package. Tires are P.

2600lb tires are not the problem. that is really pretty good. After all that is 10,400lbs. your truck will NEVER weigh that much.
Now the tow package, or actually, lack of tow package is the problem, but can be added.
As for the 1275 payload. You can live with that as well. You just won't be able to carry much in the truck. After the TT is hooked you will have around 500lb left for you and DW. So easily doable. But you gonna need the tow package / trans cooler, power steering cooler, and brake controller. All easily added.

[T-tom]

Find a place where you can rent a trailer a lot cheaper than owning one.

[theoldwizard1]

Terryallan wrote:
As long as it has the towing package. That trailer is right in the trucks wheelhouse. It will do GREAT towing a TT like that.

More specifically, the HD Trailer Tow Package !

It included a HD radiator and an auxiliary transmission cooler. These CAN be added.

[Mrbillsa]

Thanks for all your feedback. The max payload is 1275#. A load distributing hitch won't change that number, right? What about air bags? And what about tires? The tires on it say they are rated to 2600#. No tow package. Tires are P.

[WNYBob]

If you have "P" tires you might have to upgrade to "E" rated, to give you stiffer sidewalls and less sway.

[Terryallan]

As long as it has the towing package. That trailer is right in the trucks wheelhouse. It will do GREAT towing a TT like that.
5.4, and 3.73 gears. Ye Ha! A towing machine. No question about it. Couldn't ask for better.

[Old-Biscuit]

Should be doable

Open drivers door and see what Cargo Carrying Capacity (Payload) rating is ...~1500# or so????

That is number you subtract your weight above 150#, all occupants weight, all stuff in truck cab (door pockets, seat pockets, console, in floor/under seats, in bags/back packs etc), anything in truck bed, weight of hitch shank/ball.

What is left over is amount of tongue weight you can carry.
6000# trailer.....12% for tongue weight-----720# (almost half of that 1500# payload)
So add up the cumulative weights and then subtract from the trucks listed payload.......how much is left for tongue weight????

And remember until 2013 when SAE J2807 Standards were adopted 'MAX TOW Ratings' were just a magical mfg. marketing tool and had little to do with REAL WORLD towing capabilities.
Based on MAX TOW.....tow vehicles run out of payload, RAWR/REAR Tire Load Ratings and GVWR LONG before ever reaching that magical max tow rating published number

Use REAL numbers........ones that are listed on door jamb stickers and ones from weight scales (something everyone considering towing should do...weigh their vehicle)

SAE J2807 Info

[WildPlumYonder]

Scroll down about 17 pages and this will give you MAX tow ratings with various configurations for that year of F150.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/09RVTTguide.pdf

Our 2015 F-150 is rated for 8,200 lb, we tow a 4,800lb dry trailer (under 6,000 lb, incl hitch weight, with all of our junk in it). We do have a weight distributing hitch and an antisway. Fully loaded we are also about 700 lbs under the GVWR for the truck axles.

[Jebby14]

you should be fine as long as you setup your hitch properly. keep in mind though if the only purpose of the trailer is to visit the kids a few times a year it will not likely be worth the investment. can rent a lot of hotel rooms for the cost of a trailer plus maintenance (never ending repairs plus tires and brakes and bearings and sealant and winterizing ect ect) and the extra gas to pull it 900 miles.

[1stgenfarmboy]

5-7k Lb TT will be fine behind your truck with Load equilizer and sway control.


Oh.... and welcome to the forum, some good "opinions" here but you can't do to much research.