Another can I tow this thread?

[Bowler304]

Another can I tow this thread?
OK, so we been looking at Travel Trailers and found one that fits our needs and layout that is "1/2 Ton" towable. My truck is a 2011 F150 Platinum, Super Crew with Ecoboost, 3.55 rear end, and a 7200 GVWR. Tow package but not Max Trailer Tow Package.

7200 GVWR - Truck Weight 6036 = 1164 lbs weight (Sticker says 1460)

Ford site shows I can tow up to 9700 lbs with truck.

Trailer Stats

2015 Crossroads Super Lite ST290QB

Dry Weight 6346 - Verified on the "cat scales"
GCWR - 7664 (Loaded) with 1300 lbs of cargo if we added all of it.
Tongue Weight - 664 lbs

They are 'throwing in' a Equalizer Hitch rated at 1400 lbs which seems like an over kill. I did the math on the site and they say it should be the 1200.

Will my truck tow it, more importantly can I stop it? Does this hitch sound like the right size? I been reading that too much sway hitch is worse then none at all. Thanks for your time.

TOTAL GCVW - 15,300
This TOTAL - 14,832 - If both the truck and trailer are full

[Coopers_dad]

Yes it can. FWIW I use 10000lb bars with my equalizer and it does a great job, I've never used larger bars so I can't comment on the result of larger bars. I would just call the manufacture directly.

Enjoy your travels you have a well match truck and trailer.

[frosty42]

You will need to scale everything once fully loaded. Just because you can does not mean you should with regards to the tow vehicle. The major components take a beating and this why most upgrade their tow vehicles so that there is a margin of safety and an increase in cargo carrying capacity.

The 1,400# bars should not be anything to worry about. Better to be a little over rather than under on tow bars.

Proper weight, proper distribution and proper towing equipment coupled with safe towing practices is what will get you there and back.

[Darrell]

Transmission cooler? How many people in the vehicle? 1300 pounds may change over time as you "add" to you camping needs collection......

[Bowler304]

I don't know if I have one with base tow package.

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[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by Coopers_dad

Yes it can. FWIW I use 10000lb bars with my equalizer and it does a great job, I've never used larger bars so I can't comment on the result of larger bars. I would just call the manufacture directly.

Enjoy your travels you have a well match truck and trailer.

Coop, hopefully you mean 1000# bars?

[PokerMunkee]

Go for it. You can always buy a new 2015 F350 PSD CC 4wd XLT for $42K

[Bowler304]

Ha, looking at. F250 PSD King Ranch Crew cab for 53k, this TT is getting expensive!

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[PokerMunkee]

Ha, it's never just the trailer...

At least wait until 2017 details come out. Appears the new 6.7 will have 500hp and 1000/tq. They look so damn cheap though at ~$50K. Don't know why anyone buys a 1/2 ton

Once I pay off my wife's new SUV, I'm buying myself a new F-350 PSD.

[anaro]

1200 bars are where you should be with that trailer. Ideal tongue weight is 13-15% of loaded tt weight. So worst case scenario will be 15% of 7664 lbs or 1150 lbs tongue weight.

On average people tend to add 1000-1500 lbs of stuff to a trailer (chairs, food, clothes, dishes, chocks, hoses, wood, etc add up fast). This will put your loaded weight at 7300-7600 lbs. So you are likely looking at a loaded tongue weight of 950 -1140 lbs.

Now the truck weight you listed above, is that scaled with family and whatever gear you plan to have in it when towing? If not then you need to subtract the weights of those items from the 1164 lb payload you listed above. If that number already includes the above then realize you will be at the top end of your trucks capabilities. That close to capacity you may want a higher end hitch like a Hensley Arrow.

If you don't have a tow package then make sure you get a heavy duty tranny cooler and a good brake controller installed. You want a proportional brake controller like a prodigy P2 or P3. You do not want a time delay controller. Also, double check your hitch ratings to make sure it can handle that weight, especially if you have an aftermarket hitch.

So in answer to your question, can you tow it? Probably yes. Will it be comfortable? Probably not. Plan to keep your trips local and out of the mountains until you can afford a truck upgrade. Or trade your eco boost on used 250 or 350. Good luck.



Oh and by the way, we started out in 2011 near capacity with an SUV. Had a bad towing experience, traded it on an f250. Had a great setup, wanted a fiver. Not enough payload in the f250 for the fiver so that got traded in on a 3500 last year. Then we got the fiver last summer. It is never just buying a trailer. You will always find a new gadget to buy or an upgrade or mod to do. Welcome to your new addiction!

[Darrell]

If you are wondering about your tow safety - that itself is a Red Flag. The answer quoted below is probably one of the best and most succinct pieces of advice on towing you can get. Opinions abound - some of them are okay - some are dangerous. Read below and heed - Tow Safely!!! No fun in the rhubarb with your trailer in front of you!!!!

Originally Posted by anaro

1200 bars are where you should be with that trailer. Ideal tongue weight is 13-15% of loaded tt weight. So worst case scenario will be 15% of 7664 lbs or 1150 lbs tongue weight.

On average people tend to add 1000-1500 lbs of stuff to a trailer (chairs, food, clothes, dishes, chocks, hoses, wood, etc add up fast). This will put your loaded weight at 7300-7600 lbs. So you are likely looking at a loaded tongue weight of 950 -1140 lbs.

Now the truck weight you listed above, is that scaled with family and whatever gear you plan to have in it when towing? If not then you need to subtract the weights of those items from the 1164 lb payload you listed above. If that number already includes the above then realize you will be at the top end of your trucks capabilities. That close to capacity you may want a higher end hitch like a Hensley Arrow.

If you don't have a tow package then make sure you get a heavy duty tranny cooler and a good brake controller installed. You want a proportional brake controller like a prodigy P2 or P3. You do not want a time delay controller. Also, double check your hitch ratings to make sure it can handle that weight, especially if you have an aftermarket hitch.

So in answer to your question, can you tow it? Probably yes. Will it be comfortable? Probably not. Plan to keep your trips local and out of the mountains until you can afford a truck upgrade. Or trade your eco boost on used 250 or 350. Good luck.



Oh and by the way, we started out in 2011 near capacity with an SUV. Had a bad towing experience, traded it on an f250. Had a great setup, wanted a fiver. Not enough payload in the f250 for the fiver so that got traded in on a 3500 last year. Then we got the fiver last summer. It is never just buying a trailer. You will always find a new gadget to buy or an upgrade or mod to do. Welcome to your new addiction!

[OhioMark]

I have a similar truck setup. All the same except it is an XLT. I tow a 2013 300BH. Dry it's 6250 listed. I've towed about 8K, no issues.

I have a ProPride WDH and use my Air Lift 59568 Ride Control Air Spring Kit to trim the ride. I can't really speak to the bars you need.


I've posted this before, but to figure out my towing needs I used this spreadsheet to take all pertinent load information into consideration.

If you want to play with the numbers, I can PM you a handy tow calculator spreadsheet or you can download it here -->www.popthetop.com/files/TowingCapacityWorksheet.xls

I bought a tongue scale and use it before every trip to keep me honest on the load. I highly recommend getting one. It adds up very, very quick when you load the trailer.


Good luck

[Bowler304]

Thanks for all the help towed it the 60 miles home yesterday and the truck was level, it never squatted and never got above 1800 RPMs even up some pretty good hills. It easily got to 70 MPH and I had to back it down several times. On some of the longer hills it would make about 10 lbs of boost, but mostly stayed at about 3 lbs so I think we will be OK. I do realize this was empty without all of our stuff, but full water, full propane, and battery.

Thanks again guys, also ran my tires at 60 PSI and Max side pressure was 6 PSI, but no issues with tire heat and not much bouncing to mention. I did feel it back there and was nervous when it would pop on turns but it was solid. The funny thing the 19' we rented I got around 9 MPG, with this trailer it got 12.1 so I can live with that, kind of confusing though. I am thinking the 19 we rented had a flat wall, this has a rounded front cap on it.

They did put the 1000 LB bars on the truck and he show me the 2.5" lift they gave me. Pretty cool to see it work?

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[anaro]

Glad it towed well empty. Let's see how it does loaded. The popping noise is normal on wdh. My reese dual cam did it all the time. It is annoying but you will get used to it. I don't even hear the other ones going through the campgrounds anymore.

[Bowler304]

Originally Posted by OhioMark

I have a similar truck setup. All the same except it is an XLT. I tow a 2013 300BH. Dry it's 6250 listed. I've towed about 8K, no issues.

I have a ProPride WDH and use my Air Lift 59568 Ride Control Air Spring Kit to trim the ride. I can't really speak to the bars you need.


I've posted this before, but to figure out my towing needs I used this spreadsheet to take all pertinent load information into consideration.

If you want to play with the numbers, I can PM you a handy tow calculator spreadsheet or you can download it here -->www.popthetop.com/files/TowingCapacityWorksheet.xls

I bought a tongue scale and use it before every trip to keep me honest on the load. I highly recommend getting one. It adds up very, very quick when you load the trailer.


Good luck

Using your spreadsheet and all, it says I am 407 lbs over!

[jakesz28]

Originally Posted by anaro

Oh and by the way, we started out in 2011 near capacity with an SUV. Had a bad towing experience, traded it on an f250. Had a great setup, wanted a fiver. Not enough payload in the f250 for the fiver so that got traded in on a 3500 last year. Then we got the fiver last summer. It is never just buying a trailer. You will always find a new gadget to buy or an upgrade or mod to do. Welcome to your new addiction!

I know how that goes. Started with a Hummer H3 and pop up, bought a Chevy 2500HD w/6.0L, then a Z1 301bh. Now I just towed a Rezerve 31bh fifth wheel, to the campsite. Now I am looking for a diesel.


LOL.

[JSMJones1]

I agree with many of the comments above. Yes technically you can tow the trailer with your truck.
I grew up on a farm pulling many types of implements with tractors and trucks and have driven "big trucks" commercially. A few things to think about in towing:
Horsepower and getting the load to move is low on the importance pole.
Overall size/weight of the tow vehicle and vehicle being pulled is important and the ability to stop is paramount!
I started out years ago with an F150 and realized quickly how "useless" it was, I worked for Cummins for about 15 years so I bought a Dodge 2500 with the Cummins, we used a slide-in camper and right away added air bags which helped a lot. The diesel truck has a "big truck" type engine brake that uses the engine compression to slow the vehicle this as the commercial says is "price-less"!
This year we upgraded all the way to a 5th wheel toy-hauler which like your setup the 2500 was marginal so I traded in on a 3500 Ram diesel with an automated air suspention system going down the road the whole rig grosses out north of 18,000 lbs and works great.
Bottom line is that swaybars, air bags or helper springs and good brakes will get you down the road safely but plan on upgrading your tow vehicle maybe not because you "have" to but because you will "want" to. Here's to many safe trips and having fun!!

[Bowler304]

Originally Posted by JSMJones1

I agree with many of the comments above. Yes technically you can tow the trailer with your truck.
I grew up on a farm pulling many types of implements with tractors and trucks and have driven "big trucks" commercially. A few things to think about in towing:
Horsepower and getting the load to move is low on the importance pole.
Overall size/weight of the tow vehicle and vehicle being pulled is important and the ability to stop is paramount!
I started out years ago with an F150 and realized quickly how "useless" it was, I worked for Cummins for about 15 years so I bought a Dodge 2500 with the Cummins, we used a slide-in camper and right away added air bags which helped a lot. The diesel truck has a "big truck" type engine brake that uses the engine compression to slow the vehicle this as the commercial says is "price-less"!
This year we upgraded all the way to a 5th wheel toy-hauler which like your setup the 2500 was marginal so I traded in on a 3500 Ram diesel with an automated air suspention system going down the road the whole rig grosses out north of 18,000 lbs and works great.
Bottom line is that swaybars, air bags or helper springs and good brakes will get you down the road safely but plan on upgrading your tow vehicle maybe not because you "have" to but because you will "want" to. Here's to many safe trips and having fun!!

So you guys are more experienced then me and I am listening, and I agree with what you are saying so an upgrade is in my future.

I am really trying to hold out for the 2017 F250 with the aluminium sheet metal and body redesign. They are adding a bunch of tow specific gadgets that would help a newbie like myself.

So since I am going to upgrade in a year, I was going to add roadmaster active suspension to get me through and the wife is just going to follow me in her explorer. I feel much better with them in another vehicle and safe. Would that help, that puts me back to below tongue weight levels. I haven't had any issues stopping the trailer, it will actually stop the truck with the factory Ford brake controller set to 5.0. The other thing is I can move the load fine, I was going up a large Hill to get on the highway and got up to 75 MPH, so had to slow back down to merge at 60.

Since loading our junk on it though we are no longer level, just a little nose heavy, moved stuff behind the axle but the same. So I either need to reset the Equalizer WDH or heavier bars or the RAS addition to give me my inch back and level trailer.

What say you experts? Was told it is too hard to set the hitch myself, take it to an expert. The active suspension is fairly easy to install.

Sorry for rambling!

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[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by Bowler304

I haven't had any issues stopping the trailer, it will actually stop the truck with the factory Ford brake controller set to 5.0. The other thing is I can move the load fine, I was going up a large Hill to get on the highway and got up to 75 MPH, so had to slow back down to merge at 60.

Since loading our junk on it though we are no longer level, just a little nose heavy, moved stuff behind the axle but the same. So I either need to reset the Equalizer WDH or heavier bars or the RAS addition to give me my inch back and level trailer.

What say you experts? Was told it is too hard to set the hitch myself, take it to an expert. The active suspension is fairly easy to install.

Sorry for rambling!

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I don't make any claim as to being an expert.
I say you have enough truck for the trailer you have.
If you can set your weight bars a little stiffer, I think you should be able to level it out.
Don't let some of these guys scare you to death.

[Bowler304]

Originally Posted by Lloyd

I don't make any claim as to being an expert.
I say you have enough truck for the trailer you have.
If you can set your weight bars a little stiffer, I think you should be able to level it out.
Don't let some of these guys scare you to death.

It is hard to think about a new truck loan, I am six payments from paying this one off! Plus my garage is only 20' deep so a F250 wont fit in the house garage, so I would need a shop or something to store it in between usage.