Tow weight

[TigerL]

I am thinking about upgrading to a Grand Rapids TT with a UVW of 8348lbs. I drive a 2009 F150 shorted crew cab with a tow rating of 9500. Equipped with tow package. Hitch says 11,500. Need some opinions, am I pushing it. Thank you in advance.

[hawkeye-08]

You should be fine, after all, it is a Ford F150.

[jaycocreek]

One of the main points is that the people who post these weight questions here do not have "boots on the ground experience".

Exactly.

My point is whenever these questions are asked you get the 13% guess/payload is more important than tow/axles are more important than payload by a few or 1000 lbs of stuff for all because that's what I have etc etc.One rarely gets I pull that trailer or a trailer of that weight with my 1/2 ton and it worked or didn't.

Back in the day these discussions were rarely had.The new guys learned by the old guys or it was passed down from actual experiences.Most informed RVers used 3/4 tons because most 1/2 tons were anemic.That is not the case anymore because some of the 1/2 tons of today surpass the 3/4 tons of back then.

The internet was not around or popular then so learning came from what I mentioned above..If you had a 3/4 ton you were just ready to go,period.No questions asked just make sure you have a tranny cooler/controller and some good 8 ply tires..And the modern 1/2 tons are the old 3/4 tons now.

My sons HD-2500 weighs 300 lbs more than my F-150 therefor there is little felt difference in towing the same load with almost identical engines horses and torque and the same set-up.

It would be nice not for the opp to get the same generic response from so many without them actually have towed with the same type set-up with a been there done that and it either sucked or worked like a charm.

But it is the net so it must be true cuzz I read it there.:B

[captnjack]

jaycocreek wrote:
This is the problem in a nut shell!

To many rely on what's read not boots on the ground experience.If a person has ability and experience with both the tow vehicle and the towed unit he is good to go..He will know what works and what does not.

Please tell me what happens when you slightly over load a tow vehicle.Do the axles break/brakes quit working/rims bend or does the frame break or bend?What does physics say will happen...

Been there done that with all makes of tow vehicles and the short answer is nothing.

I would like to see a "break Test" The point a vehicle starts to give into the forces to be because I have seen some amazing things of overloaded vehicles and there failure to break and on wash boardy roads.

Almost every answer here is a guess that includes general percentages based on an average(I assume) but one shoe doesn't fit all!Hardly any answers are from actual experiences doing what the opp asked,just guess's or opinions but not experience of the same posted and it is like a broken record..Payload-Payload-Payload forget Towing-Payload and I ask..What happens if your maxed out or slightly over that number..Again..Nothing (from experience)

The roads are full of overloaded campers and most are with 3/4 tons and up and the local RV wrecks are of the same.I am not saying it is right or wrong..Just saying, it happens a lot..

One of the main points is that the people who post these weight questions here do not have "boots on the ground experience". No one has experience with every combination of trailer and TV. Not to mention experience on the same roads as every other poster. While you may get away with overloading of a vehicle's tow rating or cargo capacity, this does not make it a good idea. We also have to remember that these ratings are based on a brand new vehicle in perfect condition. The real world actions you are so fond of take place in vehicles in lesser condition. This makes a margin for error a pretty good idea. You could tow for thousands of miles and never have to stop short. Until you do have to stop short. It will happen to everyone eventually. Doesn't matter how good you are. How will these overloaded combos react then? I'd hate to find out the hard way by using my family as guinea pigs.

[TomG2]

Most drivers will have a pleasant and safe towing experience if they stay under the ratings provided by the manufacturers. Those who choose to disregard those ratings better be darn good (and lucky). I see examples of the latter all the time as they wobble down the highway without a clue as to why their rig is so unstable. They may even think it is normal since they have never towed with a good setup.

[jaycocreek]

This is the problem in a nut shell!

To many rely on what's read not boots on the ground experience.If a person has ability and experience with both the tow vehicle and the towed unit he is good to go..He will know what works and what does not.

Please tell me what happens when you slightly over load a tow vehicle.Do the axles break/brakes quit working/rims bend or does the frame break or bend?What does physics say will happen...

Been there done that with all makes of tow vehicles and the short answer is nothing.

I would like to see a "break Test" The point a vehicle starts to give into the forces to be because I have seen some amazing things of overloaded vehicles and there failure to break and on wash boardy roads.

Almost every answer here is a guess that includes general percentages based on an average(I assume) but one shoe doesn't fit all!Hardly any answers are from actual experiences doing what the opp asked,just guess's or opinions but not experience of the same posted and it is like a broken record..Payload-Payload-Payload forget Towing-Payload and I ask..What happens if your maxed out or slightly over that number..Again..Nothing (from experience)

The roads are full of overloaded campers and most are with 3/4 tons and up and the local RV wrecks are of the same.I am not saying it is right or wrong..Just saying, it happens a lot..

[Lantley]

jaycocreek wrote:

There is no number one factor

Owe but there is..

#1-The ability and experience to tow with whatever tow vehicle or recreational vehicle to said destination!

To often these days the new RVer is jumping in to towing large units blind without any experience towing or mechanical knowledge of tow units.

While ability is is important it is not quantifiable. Towing parameters are. We can determine the towing parameters of a combo via the tow ratings and the physics these figures express.
A person can get the most out of their ability by towing a combo that is properly matched.
Ability will not overcome an improperly matched combo.
At some point there is a failure rate or breaking point of structural components that ability does not supercede.
Towing parameters express the physical forces involved in towing a trailer.There are several forces involved that can not be expressed in a single parameter/equation.Consequently there are multiple forces/factors to be considered,none of which can be ignored.
Ability is not a towing parameter. Ability does not supercede physics.

[jaycocreek]

TigerL wrote:
I am thinking about upgrading to a Grand Rapids TT with a UVW of 8348lbs. I drive a 2009 F150 shorted crew cab with a tow rating of 9500. Equipped with tow package. Hitch says 11,500. Need some opinions, am I pushing it. Thank you in advance.

If your unsure,then your pushing it.

I regularly tow a 10K wood trailer without a WD hitch with my F-150 and my sons HD-2500.It's a Chevy/Ford difference not a 1/2-3/4 ton difference!The newer so called 1/2 tons are the 3/4 tons of yesterday and do the job accordingly.

Never tow anything your unsure of or uncomfortable doing.

[2012Coleman]

OP wrote:
I am thinking about upgrading to a Grand Rapids TT with a UVW of 8348lbs.

Are you planning on towing it empty without a battery and propane? The tounge weight alone at dry weight is 1085 if using 13% to calculate. Payload or gross vechile weight is usually exceeded before tow capacity is reached.

[jaycocreek]

There is no number one factor

Owe but there is..

#1-The ability and experience to tow with whatever tow vehicle or recreational vehicle to said destination!

To often these days the new RVer is jumping in to towing large units blind without any experience towing or mechanical knowledge of tow units.

[Lantley]

jaycocreek wrote:

TigerL wrote:
1191 Max passengers and load

That actually surprises me.While our tow ratings are basically the same the payload difference is huge from your '09 and my '08.

I try to stay out of these broken record type discussions with payload as the number one factor in towing.It's not!

It's not the number one factor, however it's a factor that should not be ignored. There is no number one factor. Each parameter needs to be addressed on its own merit.

[jaycocreek]

TigerL wrote:
1191 Max passengers and load

That actually surprises me.While our tow ratings are basically the same the payload difference is huge from your '09 and my '08.

I try to stay out of these broken record type discussions with payload as the number one factor in towing.It's not!

[MitchF150]

I really don't think a full tank of gas or not is gonna make a difference if the OP is going to be overweight with a #8000 DRY weight TT.

I don't know, or care, if the payload sticker on my truck includes a full tank of fuel or not, or if I weigh #150 or not.. 😉

The end result is what the rig actually weighs when it's all hitched up and whether or not you choose to have a full tank of gas or not...

I like to leave on a destination with a full tank of gas, so that's what the rig is gonna weigh, so as long as it's within a couple hundred pounds either way, I'm good with it. But, that's just me.

Mitch

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

kaydeejay wrote:

ROBERTSUNRUS wrote:

kaydeejay wrote:

TigerL wrote:
1191 Max passengers and load

Not even close!
You will use at least 500-600# of that with occupants, full tank of fuel, WD hitch and other "stuff.
At 1191# of payload you really do have a "Half ton" (Well, just slightly more but not much!).
If you plan to do more than very short local trips a MUCH lighter trailer is needed I'm afraid. You need a LOADED hitch weight around 600#, which translates to approx a 5000# GVWR trailer.

🙂 Hi, it seems as though a full tank of gas is included and not part of the payload.

Nope, Payload is GVWR minus DRY weight, no fuel.

🙂 Hi, please do a search on "Curb Weight". Fuel included.

[rbpru]

Yup, no way to get around it, TVs will pull more than they can haul.

That is to say; before you exceed the weight that your TV can pull, you most likely exceed its max cargo capacity.