How to determine hitch weight capacity

[MargaretB]

...when nothing in the door-post or the manual even mentions it?

We know the hitch-weight of our TT, but when shopping for a TV, how can you know the maximum hitch weight it can take?

There's nothing in the B-post labels about hitch weight maximum, and there's no mention of it in any of the manuals we're looking at. They all say that the hitch weight should be 10-15% of the total weight of the TT, which we already know, and we know how much our hitch weighs, but we're not finding anything about whether or not the TVs we're looking at can handle that weight.

[MitchF150]

If you put a class 5 hitch on the truck, that can handle over #2000 TW.. Doesn't mean the truck will be able to handle it.. 😉

Anyway, that's not what you are doing, so here is my take on the whole deal.. F150s from 2011-2014 (not sure on 2015's) will have one of 3 different hitches..

The first one is your basic Class 3 hitch. Has only a single #500 TW/#5000 trailer weight rating. These are put on the trucks that don't have the official "tow package".

The second one is your basic Class 4 hitch. This one will have two ratings on it. One for regular towing and the other when using a WD hitch. The WD rating is usually #1050 TW/#10500 trailer.

The last one is still a Class 4 hitch, but it's upped on it's ratings a tad because it's put on the "Max Tow" and "HD Payload" equipped trucks. (like mine) It'll have a WD rating of #1150 TW/#11500 trailer.

So, as long as you have at least the basic "tow package" on that F150, you will be fine for your trailers TW.

Does this F150 have the "big" tow mirrors on it? If so, it's likely the "Max Tow" one... If it's just the regular mirrors, it's probably only got the standard "tow package" on it.. Either way, it'll be fine for your current trailer.

Good luck!

Mitch

[stsmark]

Hi Margaret,
Third page lower right corner of the 2014 F150 Towing Guide has the info. Non W/D 5000 tow wt. 500 tongue. W/D 11300 tow wt. 1130 tongue.

Enjoy the new truck.

[brulaz]

IIRC, the Hitch Receiver rating on 2011-2014 F150s can be either 1050# with WDH or, if the truck has the MaxTow option, 1150# with WDH.
Without a WDH, they are only rated for 500#.

The 2015 F150 Hitch Receivers apparently have upped the WDH rating to 1220#.

[JIMNLIN]

MargaretB wrote:
Not one single owner's manual we've checked - on every truck we've driven - has even mentioned a hitch weight in any context. I've looked under Towing, Hitch,Tongue, Kingpin, and Weights. Nothing in any of them. Did I miss another term?

The trucks hitch weight capacity won't be in the owners manual as the manual for a F150 Ford (example) is generic for all that particular year model F150 trucks.

I don't know of any truck manufacturer that give a "hitch weight" capacity for a particular truck.....just payload capacity.

As others have said the truck maker may install a receiver type hitch with its own max capacity (load and pull) but it has nothing to do with the trucks payload.

A hitch load is just part of the load placed on the truck.

[MargaretB]

Yes, I made an error - it's a 2" Class 4 hitch. Thanks for catching that mistake.

We've been looking online for the information but haven't found it yet.

[AH64ID]

MargaretB wrote:

AH64ID wrote:
Wow... sorry OP, many people cannot read your question and answer it. At least you got plenty of answers you didn't want.

What TV are you looking at?

Some list the TW rating of the hitch on the hitch, a few photos's above, and some don't. Other places to look might be the online towing guide for the TV.

I know my OEM hitch didn't have a rating on it, but I found the Class IV receiver ratings in the owners manual and online towing guides.

So without knowing the TV you are looking at the question can't be directly answered...

We were looking at Ram 1500s and Ford F-150s yesterday and found a "new" (300 miles on the odometer) F150 Ecoboost XLT that we like. All the numbers work for us, but we didn't know where to look for the hitch ratings and it's still at the dealer's an hour away, so I've asked the salesman to take a picture of it and send it to me.

I looked for the weight ratings on a label or stamped into what we currently have but there's nothing there. It's a 4" Class 4 hitch, attached to the side frame of the vehicle.

I assume you mean a 2" Class 4 hitch, not a 4" one.

What I found on 2014 Ram 1500 was 1,045/10,450 (The Class IV on a HD is rated for 1,200/12,000). Ram recommends WDH over 5K
2014 F-150 500/5,000 no WDH or 1,130/11,300 with WDH.

But for reference here are a few places to look.

http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2014/docs/intro/towingbasics.pdf

http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/


If your looking older it could be listed in the owners manual, it is in my 2005 Dodge manual.

[MargaretB]

Not one single owner's manual we've checked - on every truck we've driven - has even mentioned a hitch weight in any context. I've looked under Towing, Hitch,Tongue, Kingpin, and Weights. Nothing in any of them. Did I miss another term?

[MargaretB]

Several people have posted images of what looks like labels. I managed to get down on the ground in our garage with a flashlight and looked for anything stamped into the hitch, but didn't find anything. We'll be sure to ask the salesman we deal with to do the same for the trucks we're looking at. Thanks for the information.

[bikendan]

as was said, the label or stamp on the hitch receiver is the rating for the receiver ALONE, not necessarily what the hitch capacity for the truck itself.
manufacturers often use the same hitch receiver, on various trucks, all which have differing hitch capacities, due to having different specs.

so, the best is to simply check the owner's manual for what the hitch capacity for that truck's specs.

[otrfun]

MargaretB wrote:

otrfun wrote:
You cannot determine how much tongue/hitch weight your truck can support without knowing the payload of your truck. Your tongue/hitch weight must be subtracted from the payload capacity of your truck.

The dealer will probably give you a hard time about it, but I'd suggest weighing your TT (axle & tongue/hitch weight--road ready with all options) before purchase. Not many people do it, but if you have any interest in protecting yourself from a costly, safety related mistake . . .

We understand what has to be subtracted from what, but our issue right now is very simple: HOW DO WE KNOW THE HITCH WEIGHT CAPACITY OF THE TRUCK?

We bought the TT four months ago and have weighed everything we could think of. The hitch, with two batteries and two propane tanks, weighs 780#s. All we need to know now, for the trucks we're looking at, is HOW DO WE KNOW THE HITCH WEIGHT CAPACITY OF THE TRUCK?

Thank you.

I can appreciate your frustration. I applaud you big-time for taking the time to actually weigh your TT. Not many folks do. However, since you had not mentioned this specifically, one can only assume you were using unloaded manufacturer's tongue/hitch weight as a real-world baseline. Again, kudos for taking the time to get a realworld number.

In any case, back to your question about the capacity of the receiver on your truck. A class IV receiver has a 2" square opening. A class V receiver has a 2 1/2" square opening. Typically (not always), maximum tongue/hitch weight for a Class IV receiver using a properly adjusted WDH is 1000-1200 lbs. and 1200-1700 lbs. for a Class V hitch using a properly adjusted WDH.

Is your receiver OEM or aftermarket? If it's OEM, your answer will come from the OEM. If it's aftermarket, your answer will have to come from the OEM and the manufacturer of your aftermarket receiver. The aftermarket receiver manufacture can brag all day long about supporting 1700 lbs.; however, doesn't mean diddly if the OEM says your truck will only support 1000 lbs. with an aftermarket receiver.

[Terryallan]

MargaretB wrote:
We haven't found mention of hitch weight ratings in the manuals of the vehicles we've been looking at. It's the first thing I check for. And none of the sales or service people we've asked has known. I guess well have to take an iPhone and crawl around under the hitch to find a label, although we haven't had much luck with that, either.

Not a label, a stamp. Same color as the hitch

[MargaretB]

We haven't found mention of hitch weight ratings in the manuals of the vehicles we've been looking at. It's the first thing I check for. And none of the sales or service people we've asked has known. I guess well have to take an iPhone and crawl around under the hitch to find a label, although we haven't had much luck with that, either.

[Terryallan]

MargaretB wrote:

otrfun wrote:
You cannot determine how much tongue/hitch weight your truck can support without knowing the payload of your truck. Your tongue/hitch weight must be subtracted from the payload capacity of your truck.

The dealer will probably give you a hard time about it, but I'd suggest weighing your TT (axle & tongue/hitch weight--road ready with all options) before purchase. Not many people do it, but if you have any interest in protecting yourself from a costly, safety related mistake . . .

We understand what has to be subtracted from what, but our issue right now is very simple: HOW DO WE KNOW THE HITCH WEIGHT CAPACITY OF THE TRUCK?

We bought the TT four months ago and have weighed everything we could think of. The hitch, with two batteries and two propane tanks, weighs 780#s. All we need to know now, for the trucks we're looking at, is HOW DO WE KNOW THE HITCH WEIGHT CAPACITY OF THE TRUCK?

Thank you.

It is stamped on the Ford hitch. One will be weight carrying, prolly 600lbs, and the other higher one will be for a WDH. Prolly 1200lbs. but it is there for you to see. That is what the hitch will carry. However. That 780lb tongue weight is at the BOTTOM of what the Ford will carry. You would have NO problems with that tongue weight with a WDH. that is as easy as it gets, and for those that don't know what Ford they are looking at. It is a XLT with a GVWR of 7800 lb. A pretty hefty GVWR to start with.

[TomG2]

As has been mentioned in your various posts about this same subject, there are multiple ratings to consider. If the hitch is designed for a maximum of 600 pounds, then that is the limit. If the available payload is 600 pounds, then that is your limit. Rear axle weights have ratings and so forth. The total combination of vehicle, hitch, and trailer must be evaluated. I would not put 800 pounds on a hitch rated for 600, some would. The weakest link is the weakest link. Period. If it is not covered in the owner's manual, and I bet it is, the hitch rating can be provided by the manufacturer.