My truck is a 2002 F150 5.4 supercab with 3.55 gears.

I have airbags, HUGE tranny cooler and 'C' load tires.
Additionally, Im using a Class 3 Reese weight distributing hitch with dual cam style sway control and a Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller.

According to my manual, my truck can handle 8000 or 8300, I dont know what the difference is to get the extra 300, it doesnt say, whatever.

My trailer is tandem axle and weighs 5200 dry for a total loaded weight of right about 7000lbs.

~~~~Am I running safe?

 

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so how are ya going to stop it?. do you have trailer brakes?

there's no doubt you can get it moving and I wouldn't expect anything negative with your setup.

"D" load range tires might be better, but not absolutly neccesary. If you plan on towing it a lot, then maybe helper springs or air bags. Again, not really needed, but would help. You didn't say if the hitch was aftermarket or factory towing package. the towing pakage adds stiffer shocks. and if you just have the plain factory shocks (non-towing package) then I'd at least add a good set of aftermerket shocks. they will probably give the biggest bang for the buck as far as towing safety goes (reduce or eliminate sway).

but none of this matters if you can't stop. the brakes on you truck will have a hard time stopping that much weight on their own.

 

I guess I should have read your post a second time

you'll be fine

 

Lol, thanks muddy


My tow package is all aftermarket so I guess I need to change the shocks too. Thanks

 

You really should get your truck weighed with how it sits now. When those ‘max’ trailer weights are listed it’s based off of a zero optioned truck with a single #150 person. Every single pound you add in options, cargo, passengers, you have to subtract from that ‘max’ weight.

What’s your GVWR and GCWR? I’ll guess you have a GCWR (that’s the total combined weight of your truck and trailer) of around #13,000. Subtract that #8000 max trailer weight, and your truck can only weigh #5000. That also needs to include the tongue weight of the trailer, because that gets applied to the GVW of the truck. It’s usually a minimum of 10% of the total trailer weight.

In your case, if your trailer weighs #7000, fully loaded, then your truck can only weigh #6000 when all hitched up. Or around #5100 loaded up and all your stuff and passengers by itself. (you'll probably have over #800 in tongue weight with that size TT)

In my case, my truck weighs #5500 with me, the wife, full tank of gas, some tools and some firewood in the back. My TT only weighs #4500 fully loaded, but when I hitch it up, the tongue weight brings my GVW to #6230 (as weighed on a CAT scale). My tongue weight is around 12% of my trailer weight.

That’s only #20 under my GVWR of #6250. My GCWR is over #12,000 but since I’m already maxed out on my GVWR I really can’t go any heavier of a TT.

Yes, your truck will be able to physically tow that much. Just remember to allow three times the distance to stop, even with trailer brakes, and don’t expect to be in OD either…… Hills will bog you down pretty good too.

Check your weights and as long as you don’t exceed them, you should be OK. IMO, you will probably be over your GVWR. I know I would not want to tow that much trailer with my truck.

Good Luck and happy camping!

 

Thanks Mitch, great post

I do happen to have a truck scale available to me and I'll weight my whole package asap.

regarding tongue weight: I can adjust the TW to be whatever I want with the distribution bars right? So I just want to keep my truck about level, but not too light??


(As you can tell, Im new to this heavy towing, Im used to a boat that is right about 5000 Fully loaded. All I have to do is hook it on, attach safety chains and lights and it tows like a dream. But boats are alot more streamlined and situated perfectly on their trailer... )

 

No problem. The only way to adjust for the physical weight of the tongue is to adjust how the trailer is loaded. More stuff up front, the more the tongue weighs. Load more in back (behind the axles) then the tongue weighs less.

All the WD does is take what tongue weight there is and distribute it to the front of the truck, which also helps level out the rig too. It puts weight back on the front wheels so that steering and general control is better then just having all the weight on the rear wheels.

Having the rear air bags will help in leveling, but you still want the rear to drop a couple inches BEFORE putting on the WD bars. This is so you do transfer some weight up front.

Hope this helps some. There's a ton of other stuff to consider too, but this will get you started!

 

Thanks again, that makes sence