Will my application work?

[tgreensrm]

I'm new to the RV arena. I'm narrowing my options for purchase of a travel trailer to use 2 or 3 times per year to attend hobby shows. I have a 2015 F-150 supercrew cab/short bed with tow pkg, 3.5 ecoboost. I believe the truck is rated to tow 11,700lbs. I'm looking at a 37' trailer with a dry weight of 8600 lbs. The more research I do online, the more info. I find is required. I'm having a tough time finding all the specs. I've towed many trailers in my life, most recently an enclosed car trailer. I have a Reese sway bar kit. I don't think I should have any problem. Common sense tells me all should be fine. Anyone provide any major concerns that I'm missing? Thank you!

[peoples1234]

I have a 36ft, 7300 lbs empty, probably 8700-9000 (trailer GVWR 9989 lbs) loaded up, 1000-1100lbs tongue weight travel trailer that I started towing with an Expedition EL (2017) using Blue Ox Sway Pro. After the first trip, I knew it was not going to work out.

I borrowed my fathers F150 to see if that would do better, thinking the IRS of the Expedition was the problem (along with the tires), but it really only did marginally better.

The problem isn't so much sway, but the wind just pushes the Ex and F150 around so much more than I was comfortable with while towing. Soft and squishy feeling.

I now have a F250 in the driveway. Tows 1000% better. In turns you can really tell a difference.

I think you will find that an F150 will tow it, slowly, and it won't be pleasant.

Unfortunately, I didn't find this forum until after I already purchased the Expedition and the trailer. Otherwise, I think I might have saved a boat load of money that I lost on the trade. I guess some lessons are learned hard.

[dodge_guy]

Dry weight of 8600lbs will be 9500lbs minimum!!!! Way too much for a1/2 ton. I'm towing a 35ft TT with a dry weight of 7100lbs. Loaded for a trip I'm at 9200 lbs. I wouldn't tow my trailer with anything less than a 3/4 ton truck with sufficient motor.

[drsteve]

Tow ratings are of limited use, since they do not account for the wind resistance of your RV. A 10,000 lb tall rectangular box tows very differently than, say, a 10,000 lb boat, or a flat cargo trailer. The number you will bump up against first with most 1/2 ton trucks is your payload rating.

Another knock on 1/2 tons is some come stock with semi-soft suspensions and P-rated tires (plush ride), as well as low numerical rear end ratios (better fuel economy). None of these features are tow friendly. Bottom line, know your truck's capabilities. IMHO, that's a lot of trailer, and needs a lot of truck.

[kw_00]

Not a good combo in what I'm reading. That 37 footer may weigh that dry but add everything else and your number and trucks workload will increase. The last 38 foot trailer I pulled was with a 3/4 ton deisel a few years ago. Did that once and never again, that trailer was around 10k dry and despite all hitches correctly hook up, it would push that truck... Especially with wind, other truckers ect.. No way a 1/2 ton would do this safely no matter what salesman tells u.

[mkirsch]

It will tow it but you won't like it. Maybe not at first because you won't know any better but after a while it will start to grate on you.

[Fordlover]

tgreensrm wrote:
I'm new to the RV arena. I'm narrowing my options for purchase of a travel trailer to use 2 or 3 times per year to attend hobby shows. I have a 2015 F-150 supercrew cab/short bed with tow pkg, 3.5 ecoboost. I believe the truck is rated to tow 11,700lbs. I'm looking at a 37' trailer with a dry weight of 8600 lbs. The more research I do online, the more info. I find is required. I'm having a tough time finding all the specs. I've towed many trailers in my life, most recently an enclosed car trailer. I have a Reese sway bar kit. I don't think I should have any problem. Common sense tells me all should be fine. Anyone provide any major concerns that I'm missing? Thank you!

I think you need to reevaluate your tow rating, make sure what your rating is: 2015 Towing guide Ford F-150

I'd be more concerned with payload, as 8,600 dry brochure weight can be 9K by the time it hits the dealer lot, and 9,500 (very conservatively) ready for a trip. That means a tongue weight of 1,300 to 1,500 with weight distributing hitch and you could be at or over the payload capacity of your F-150, before people get in the truck and that is with an empty bed.

And this is all best case. I'd be looking for a smaller trailer, or a bigger truck.

[goducks10]

Do you have 17" wheels on your truck. If not then no. If so then maybe. With a Hensley Arrow or Pro Pride WDH then maybe. Me personally and after towing a smaller 9000lb 5th wheel with a 3/4 ton truck there's no way I'd tow that big of a trailer with a 1/2 ton. IF you have the Heavy Duty Payload option (17" wheels) then you are with in the weight limits of your truck. If you have just the Max Tow option (18" wheels) then no you won't be able to tow that TT. You'll exceed the payload rating for that truck.
The F150 with the Heavy Duty Payload option can tow it and be withing all weight parameters.

[fx2tom]

I've done a 35.5ft traler with a 1/2 ton (two different half tons). Both had the Max Tow packages with the 3.5 ecoboost. First had 3.73 rear end, second was 3.55. The trucks were purchased specifically to tow the weight. Definitely need more information on your truck and its payload.

edited to add - my DRY weight was 7290, scaled weight to camp (water tanks empty) was right at 8,200, less than your dry weight.

[otrfun]

Your F150 may have a 11,700 lb. tow capacity---if it's configured exactly right. The tow capacity is NOT based on just the engine, make, and model of truck. You must have a specific set of optional equipment to get that high of tow capacity. Very few F150's have the exact set of required options to actually obtain this high of tow capacity.

For instance, what is your rear-end ratio? The rear-end ratio can have a massive effect on tow capacity. Too high (or too low numerically) of a rear-end ratio can reduce your tow capacity up to 30-40 percent, down to 7500-8500 lbs.

But, all said and done, all this talk about tow capacity is pretty much a moot point with a 1/2-ton truck. The question is, already posed a number of times in this thread, do you have enough payload to support passengers, gear, and tongue/hitch weight? 1/2-ton trucks typically run out payload way before they run out of tow capacity.

Lastly, regardless how much HP, torque, and/or tow capacity a truck has, you can't defy the law of physics in terms of handling. 1/2-ton trucks weigh around 5,000-5,500 lbs. 3/4-ton/1-ton SRW trucks weigh around 8,000 lbs. That 2,500 - 3,000 lb. difference in weight makes all the difference in the world in terms of stability and handling---especially when you start towing trailers that weigh 8,000 lbs. or more.

You'll notice there are no manufacturer's ratings for handling. Obviously, handling and stability is very subjective. However, for those of us who have had the opportunity to tow a 8,000 - 10,000 lb. trailer with a 1/2-ton . . . then turn around and tow the same 8,000 - 10,000 lb. trailer with a 3/4-ton/1-ton SRW truck, will tell you the difference in stability and handling (between the two trucks) is startling.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

[agesilaus]

When you calculate your payload, take the number on the door post and subtract from that anything that is carried in the truck, passengers, dogs, luggage--everything. The final number is the payload you have left for the trailer. Oh yes and you'll need to subtract the weight of a weight-distributing hitch to that which will be around 75 pounds plus or minus. You will need one of those.

[coolmom42]

krobbe wrote:
When determining if a truck can tow something, start with the most limiting factor and go from there. In many cases with 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks, that is usualy payload. The trailer you're descibing will have a loaded up tongue weight of 1200 to 1600 lbs. This weight goes against the trucks payload capacity, rear axle rating and receiver rating. You'll find the payload capacity on the drivers door tire sticker and the receiver capacity on the receiver itself.

Excellent advice.

Tow ratings have no direct relation to cargo capacity. The truck mfr does not know what you are towing. Something like a boat trailer or utility trailer puts far less cargo load on the truck than a RV travel trailer.

I agree with others that is a lot of trailer for occasional use, and is going to limit your potential parking spots.

[bid_time]

Start your research HERE, you will get straight information without all the "negative nellys" that have opinions but are short on facts based upon real world information on your particular vehicle.

[alexleblanc]

i'll tell you my story in pictures...

7700GVWR F150, 5600lb dry RV, weighed around 7000lbs the last time i was through the scales with it. Towed wonderfully.


Same truck, new 8600LB "dry" 32ft TT - did one trip.


Decided the F150 was way over its head and did the smart thing.


Moral of the story is while your truck may "pull" it, you won't enjoy it as the truck is simply too light and too soft and light duty to handle it. Waste no time on that magical tow rating they publish, our tall solid sided RV's don't tow like 10k LBS worth of flat payload on a flatbed trailer.

[DutchmenSport]

See my signature block below. It tells the whole story.