OK, I've been following some of the threads on camper towing with the f-150 supercrew. I'm looking to upgrade my pop up camper to a fully enclosed camping trailer. I was told that I could pull a fifth wheel with my truck, but after reading the threads here, I don't think so!! I know it's been done, but too many extras to add to my truck. I do not camp that often to warrant the extra money. Soooo.... my question is, what do you all recommend to be the be the max size(weight) for pull trailer and my f150?? It's an 05 FX4. I want to do this safely and efficiently. Thanks!

 

If it's a 5.4L with 3.73s, you can tow around 8000# with stock sized tires without too much trouble. The truck is very happy at around 6000-7000#, but you can hit 8k without too much trouble. This is assuming you don't have 800# of people in the cab and 500#+ of gear in the bed, though

 

Look for trailers with unloaded (or dry) weight ratings under 5000 pounds. By the time you add trailer options, dishes, food, clothes, water, and other camping gear, you'll be at 6500 pounds.

This is how I arrive at 5k limit, much to RV salespeoples' dismay. Figure 1400 pounds of available payload for the average F-150. Take off 500 pounds for the family (you, wife, kids, dog, etc). Take off another 200 pounds for whatever you put in the bed of your truck (bikes, firewood, misc camping gear). That leaves 700 pounds of tongue weight available before your truck reaches GVWR. Most bumper pull trailers tow best with 10-15% of the trailer weight on the tongue. Even if you find one that has a light 10% of 6500 pounds weekend ready, that barely keep you legal.

Adjust your numbers accordingly, but it's easy to exceed the truck's GVWR/payload well before (even half) Ford's advertised tow ratings.

Fortunately, there are a lot of good lite weight RVs out there. Look for brands that claim superlite or ultralite, which still is no guarantee they are light enough to pull with a 1/2 ton. KZ Spree, Fleetwood Rockwood, Surveyor, and many others out there.

 

Thanks guys, this gives me a lot to start out with. Makes more sense to me now.

Thanks!