Hi Dave,

So far, you're certainly headed down the correct path. One thing that many of us have seen is substantially more tongue weight than the suggested 10% on our trailers. You might want to calculate using 13-14%.

I'd also suggest you purchase a tongue weight scale to use when you're loading the trailer. Several of us use a 2000# Sherline scale which you can purchase on Amazon. This will allow you to place cargo in the trailer that will add or subtract tongue weight as needed.

Next, you need to look at all your hitch components to see if they are rated high enough. For example, the hitch ball, truck hitch, etc. will all have their own rating. On most Fords, the hitch ratings are actually shown on a sticker that affixed to the hitch.

Another item to look at is the tire ratings for your truck. Hopefully, that XLT has truck tires and not passenger tires.

Jim

DaveKiwi

The 850# tongue weight you have listed is dry weight from the factory. The GVWR of 8995 could possibly calculate to 900 or 1000# of tongue weight. The tongue weight listed is with out 2 propane cylinders as well as the battery , which are both mounted on the tongue of the TT. Also anything you add to the TT will also increase the tongue weight, water , clothes , food, etc.
The other factor , in my opinion , is the overall length of more than 35 feet. In a 1/2 ton truck of any brand you will definitely feel the trailer swaying in any kind of cross wind or vehicles passing , big trucks will not be fun at all. One of our previous TT's , 31 feet long , I towed with a 1/2 ton truck. This was mostly local and a few trips on the highway's at 65 mph. None of the highway trips were fun at all.
Just 2 cents worth.

Brian

DaveKiwi

The first place that you are going to run into a problem is your calculated hitch weight. Storage space on most TTs plus propane and batteries are well forward on the trailer and will bring your tongue weight closer to 15% than 10%. This is heading towards a 1200 lb tongue weight which is the limit of the Class IV hitch on all half tons.

From your numbers, you do not have the HDPP (heavy duty payload package) F150 which is the configuration best suited for heavy trailer towing. HDPP includes things like LT (truck) tires running at 60 psi, additional rear leaf springs, a bigger rear axle with 3.73 ratio and suspension tuned to match all this together. The single best improvement that you could make to your truck would be to replace the passenger car tires with LT tires.

The turbocharged Ecoboost has more than enough power to haul your GCW at highway speed at any elevation. If you dial back your transmission top gears so that you are running at about 2000 RPM at highway speed, there will be a lot less downshifting and the engine will be happier. (2000 RPM is into the boosted torque range where the engine has most power).

You can run these trucks at their spec limits, they are validated for this. I have been doing this for years.

Over to the TT guys for recommendations on sway control hitches . . . (my 5th wheel doesn't have this problem )

Rob

Below is info I've posted before but it may be new to you. I hope you take a moment to review it.

-Howard

----------------------------

IMPORTANT PLANNING INFORMATION
The hitch (or pin) weights on Grand Design RVs as listed on their website (under Specifications) is usually less than what you'll experience in the real-world. The UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight) is usually less, too.

For planning purposes, use 15% of a bumper-pull trailer's GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) as a worst-case scenario for hitch weight. For a 5th Wheel use 25% to determine worst-case pin weight. (These numbers are from the towingplanner.com website referenced below.) The actual weight of your trailer's hitch or pin will probably be less, but if your truck can handle the worst-case scenario everything else on your tow vehicle should be within specifications (but always double-check).

VIDEOS
Keep Your Daydream's video on the topic (link originally provided by GDRV-Emily )



From the RV Safety website: https://rvacademy.com/my-class/match...ks-to-trailers

WEBSITES
http://towingplanner.com/

https://www.huskytow.com/towing-calculator/

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-tow-vehicle-sizing.shtml

https://catscale.com/ All you ever wanted to know about CAT scales

www.fifthwheelst.com This website has a lot of information. There are many references to the app RV Tow Check (not free).

CALCULATORS
The attached worksheet from Ford shows how to determine what you need.
Ford Towing Capability Calculator.pdf

Keep Your Daydream's spreadsheet: http://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/

APPS
https://rvtowcheck.com/ (This is not free.)

HITCH RATINGS: See post https://gdrvowners.com/forum/referen...-hitch-ratings

Thanks everyone and Howard, yes I'd been through several of the things you posted already. I'm getting overwhelmed with all the info some of which isn't consistent and I don't really trust my own judgement since I'm so new to this.

My problem is I now own both the camper and the truck (both Ford & Windish told me I would be fine...of course they did) so I'm trying to figure out if I will be safe enough to go for it in a week from now with what I have. Yeah I should have done more thorough homework but I didn't know what I didn't know and was relying on what I was being told.

I have young kids so I can't afford to do anything dangerous. So I'd love to know what you would all do if you were in my situation?
I'm trying to get straight answers from both Windish and Ford but I think I'd rather get answers from people who've been there done that.

Since a rig this large will have a profound influence on a light weight half ton truck, the ProPride hitch may be your best bet. As stated, your hitch weight fully loaded may easily end up being at 15% of GVW of the trailer. Also good catch on the 850lb empty tongue weight.

With this hitch and loading very light you may be able to manage the limits on your hitch and the payload of the truck. Weighing the truck and trailer and again with both hitched at the CAT scale will confirm where you are.

Jim

Thanks Jim. Ford's website says the 3.5l v6 ecoboost, which is what I have, has a maximum payload of 3230 and maximum towing weight of 13200. So perhaps I am calculating the payload incorrectly - I thought it was the GVWR (7000) - curb weight (5200) = 1800. If I calculate the tongue weight using your formula it's 1275 (8500 x 15%). Then add the 750 for the passengers, cargo etc I'm only at 2000 which is way under the max that Ford claims.

Which numbers should I be using? Am I missing something here? I was totally sold on the towing weight and didn't know any of this other stuff until yesterday.

What are the risks? Am I going to blow out tires, get too much sway or destroy my engine? As Rob commented above, it has plenty of power so that isn't the issue. Its the other things I don't know that I'm worried about.

DaveKiwi

On the drivers door post there will be a sticker that says "cargo weight shall not exceed ……….". Whatever this number is is the amount that you can add to the truck. Adding to the truck means anything added after you took delivery from the dealer , if you bought it new. If there are any items added that would not be stock from the factory those items will count against the cargo capacity.
We are not trying to persuade you to do what we want we just want you to be safe and some have had experiences like you getting info from an auto dealer or even a RV dealer.

Brian

I completely understand the frustration. I spent a considerable amount of time researching and still got it wrong. Many of the individuals here on this forum probably remember when I traded in my brand new F-250 <sniff> to buy a used F-350 DRW. Why did I do it? Because I learned after buying the truck that the numbers in the brochures don't match reality. The 250 simply wasn't enough truck for what I wanted to do.

Taking a long trip as the maiden voyage--that's "eatin' the elephant in one sitting". So I'll start, and (hopefully) the forum members can add, subtract, or reorder as they see things. In the end, you'll have to make the call for what is safe for you and your family.

In order of priority (but they are all important!):
1) Hitch Weight: It must be right! (10-15% is the "normal" range. The percentage is derived from the total weight of the loaded camper, so it can change.) A tongue weight scale is a sound investment. If you haven't seen it, this thread has a lot of info: https://gdrvowners.com/towing-and-hi...g-helpful-info

You're probably already aware, but just in case here's a good demo on why hitch weight must be right:



2) Sway Control / Weight Distribution Hitch: Guest 's recommendation is sound. Be prepared for quite the shock to your wallet, though. Pro Pride (similar to the "Hensley") is very proud of their hitches. Several of us use Blue Ox hitches and they work fine, but the chain connections are lousy. I bought Lippert's Straptek to complement the Blue Ox and now I'm happy with the setup. Pro Pride is definitely the best if you're willing to "pay to play". Here's a thread on the Straptek: https://gdrvowners.com/towing-and-hi...st-impressions

3) Total Weight/Payload: Closely connected to the Hitch Weight. It is imperative to know your numbers and be able to interpret them. Almost without exception, if your payload numbers are good then everything else will likely be OK, too. I've made at least a dozen trips across a CAT scale in the last two years. The Weigh My Truck app is a huge time-saver. https://weighmytruck.com/

4) Tires: As TucsonJim mentioned in his post--what tires are on your truck? The stiffness of the sidewall can make a significant difference. (This is from reading the testimony of others, not from personal experience.)

5) Air Pressure: Have a good gauge and compressor. For the first year I checked air pressures every...single...time prior to departure. I still check them very frequently and monitor the TPMS throughout the day (all the tires on the truck and trailer are monitored).

6) Hitch / Ball / Shank Ratings: Do you know all of the components have the rating for the max weight they can carry? Everything is stamped, has a sticker, or is referenced in an owner's manual.

7) Having it all work together: Might be a bit overwhelming, but here's another thread that may be of interest https://gdrvowners.com/towing-and-hi...wing-a-315rlts

Last suggestion: Give yourself permission to turn around and head home if the setup feels unsafe once you're on the road.

Howard

Brian, it says 1805 lbs. Does that include the tongue weight?

Brian's not online so I'll answer for him: yes. Tongue weight is carried by the truck, so the hitch weight is subtracted from what you can carry in the truck.

Also--forum use hints: use QUOTE when responding (like I just did) or use the tag feature. To tag someone, use the @ followed by their forum name, like this: Country Campers

Howard

With that payload, by the time you are done with tongue weight and the weight of a heavy duty hitch (I agree this size trailer on this size truck you want a ProPride or Hensley), you’ll have probably 4-500 pounds left for passengers and cargo in the truck. On top of all this as Rob suggested I’d immediately replace your tires with LT tires.

My father in law tows a SOB trailer that’s about that's lighter and shorter than that with a Ecoboost f150 without the HDPP and he’s not super happy with the handling. He’s debating whether to put the money into a heavy duty hitch and tires and air bags or move up to a Super Duty.

It is unfortunate that all the truck manufacturers prominently advertise "maximum possible" numbers like this. A 3230 lb payload is theoretically possible in the lightest possible (regular cab no options) F150 with the Ecoboost and HDPP suspension and tires. You have to find and read the really fine print to realize that the "average" truck has no where near this capability.

1800 lb payload is about average for all F150s like yours. With HDPP, payload would be about 2500 lbs (or about the same as a 3/4 ton). But, the empty half ton will weigh 700 to 1000 lbs less than the empty 3/4 ton, depending on whether the 3/4 ton has a gasoline or a diesel powertrain. This weight of the truck vs weight of the trailer is an important factor for a "bumper pull" configuration. Less so, for a 5th wheel connection.

In my case, I get away with running at the spec limits because A) my F150 is a steel body 2014 weighing 700 lbs more than a current aluminium body F150 and B) my trailer is a 5th wheel connection. I do this so that my non-towing "daily driver" (75% of the miles on the truck which is less than most) is an Ecoboost F150 and not a diesel F250. Just a personal choice.

Rob

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the input. I have a Equalizer Sway control hitch: https://www.etrailer.com/p-EQ37121ET...&hhmodel=F-150. Thoughts on this? I realize its not one of the models quoted but the RV dealer told me this was suitable for the model of camper I bought and they installed it to ensure good weight distribution.

I'm learning there's much more to this than I imagined 2 days ago but I'm leaving in a week and I have the equipment I have so upgrades are going to have to wait and I will see how it goes, white knuckles and all. I've been in some F150 owner groups and they have quite a different perspective - the majority of them say they have no issues towing a rig my size.

So we will see, only one way to find out, right?