I currently own a 2004 F-150 Supercrew with the 5.4L and the 3.73 gears. GVWR is 7,200. I am buying a Rockwood 8298SS trailer which weighs 5,900 dry, loaded I am guessing it is going to be around 7,000. By the time I load up my wife and three kids and hitch up the trailer I am pretty sure I will be close to my GVWR of 7,200.

I am wondering if I should start looking for a stronger truck but I am not sure what I should look for. I don't use my truck for a daily driver, it's main use is for towing in the summertime. In the winter it doesn't get much use unless the roads are bad and I need the 4X4.

I am thinking a F-250 supercrew with a V-10 would do the job nicely. I don't think the amount of trailer towing I do would warrant a move to a diesel.

Looking for opinions on whether my F-150 will handle this job or whether I need to go down a different road.

 

GVWR isn't the only number you should be looking at. Assuming that you have a weight distribution hitch, you don't know how much weight the trailer is placing on the truck.

Here's how I would approach it.

Find out how much the truck weighs with a full tank of gas. Add in any cargo you will be hauling in the bed while you are towing. Don't forget to add in yourself, the wife, the 2.5 kids and the dog.

Find out how much the trailer weighs empty. Usually it is placarded near the front of the trailer on a small silver sticker. Now add in the weight of the water, holding and gray water tanks when full. Remember 8 pounds per gallon so 40 gallons of water + 40 gallons of grey + 40 gallons of black = 960 pounds (I usually just round to 1000). Then add in weight for clothes, food and all of the other clutter that sneaks it's way in. Then add in another 60-70 pounds for the LP tanks. This final number MUST be less than the GVWR of the TRAILER.

Add the final weight of the truck to the final weight of the trailer. This will be close to your worst case scenario for towing. If this number is less than the truck's GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) then you might be OK.

There's actually a whole bunch weight ratings that can be checked but most of these involve spending the better part of a day at a truck scale.

Russ

 

Your trailer will probably be closer to 7500 pounds, which is withing Ford's tow ratings. You are correct that you'll probably go over GVWR of the truck first by the time you add tounge wieght, family, cargo in the bed, etc. I'd try it with this truck for a few trips to see how comfortable you are towing that much with your current truck. If you decide to upgrade, a 3/4 ton V10 is a good upgrade.

 

I dont know if your f150 is going to handle it or not but i would look into the v10s alot. I have a buddy that owns a shop and he has nothing nice to say about the v10. so if you are going to upgrade i would think long and hard.. best of luck.

 

You also need to stay within the GCWR. GCWR is listed as 15k with 17" wheel option, 14.5k with 18 wheel option. If you put on bigger tires than stock in either case, that would lower those numbers further. In any case you are at or near the max of GVWR and GCWR.

In my opinion, yes you could "probably" tow okay, but I personally feel the bigger the safety margin you have, the happier you will be with your towing. With just the trailer weight, you are getting near the limits of no margin. You would probably be better off with the 250.

 

Most likely over the limit before you even start - while lots of people will say you are good to go, you are much better off with the bigger truck.

I personally don't like the V10, not enough goodies for it. If a guy can do it, a diesel is a much better (and more expensive) choice. And the diesel, last longer and resale you lose next to nothing on it.

 

Good subject, but covered a few times. You are fine and then some! Read this one...especially the second to last post.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=298065

 

In my opinion you are right at the edge of comfortable towing and a safety margin that is different for everybody. My suggestion is to try it out with your F-150 and see how you like it. If you are going up and down steep grades all day it will probably be a real bummer. But if your are "interstating it" most days, I doubt you will have too many problems.

But to each his own and you need to see what satisfies you. You can always get a bigger truck so give her a whirl and see what happens.

 

i agree get a f-250 w/ the powerstroke!!!