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NoResults · 07-07-2017, 05:16 PM

Where are any of you coming up with a weight limit of 1220 lbs for the factory hook up for the hitch. I find no reference in the owners manual. I have 2016 F150 3.5 eco with a tow rating on 1957 lbs ( makes no reference to hitch weight). I am not concerned as I only tow a 23FB.

Dave

MarkFinATX · 07-07-2017, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoResults

Where are any of you coming up with a weight limit of 1220 lbs for the factory hook up for the hitch. I find no reference in the owners manual. I have 2016 F150 3.5 eco with a tow rating on 1957 lbs ( makes no reference to hitch weight). I am not concerned as I only tow a 23FB.

Dave

See the towing guidelines published by Ford.

http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/

The pillar load rating is the maximum additional weight in the truck including hitch weight. So hitch weight, plus all of the junk in the truck bed, in our case the added weight of the tonneau cover, anything in the cab, including passenger weight. Plus the weight of fuel on board. So it's easy to use up that 1957 lbs.

The towing guide is pretty easy to follow. Receiver hitch section, engine option, wheelbase (Cab and bed combo), differential ratio, 2 or 4 wheel drive. That's the maximum weight the truck PULL. I have a 2015 2 wheel drive, V-8 Supercab, short box with a 3.55 (electronic locking) rear axel. Shows 10,200 lbs. We pull a Pendleton, max weight about 7500 lbs. with a Hensley Hitch (that also weighs a bunch) and the most accurate method to determine weight per axle, hitch weight and trailer weight is a truck scale. I need to do that... but once loaded up seems like we just want to roll.

**DKB_SATX** · 07-07-2017, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoResults

Where are any of you coming up with a weight limit of 1220 lbs for the factory hook up for the hitch. I find no reference in the owners manual. I have 2016 F150 3.5 eco with a tow rating on 1957 lbs ( makes no reference to hitch weight). I am not concerned as I only tow a 23FB.

Dave

As I posted earlier in this thread, the tongue weight spec for 2016 is here:
2016 Ford towing guide.
Bottom of page 4.

1957 sounds like it might be your payload rating (the number on the yellow tag on the door pillar.) Most 3.5 Ecoboosts have tow ratings above 8k lb. Your 2016's tow rating will be listed in the same PDF I linked.

jcl · 07-07-2017, 06:13 PM

The Ford towing guide also refers to the maximum tongue weight being listed on a label on the receiver.

It is straightforward to install aftermarket receivers, so it is safer to put the capacity of the OE receiver on the receiver itself than in the manual.

uncle_bob · 07-07-2017, 06:40 PM

Hi

To back off a bit, there are several "numbers" that matter when working this all out:

1) The towing capacity number. That's going to be based on a WD or a non WD hitch. Some vehicles have the same number either way.

2) The gross combined weight number. It's the sum of everything involved. Trailer + truck + trailer contents + truck contents + hitch ... everything.

3) The max load numbers on each axle involved.

4) The payload on the truck.

5) In some cases the tongue number on the truck (this is not common).

If you are prudent, the answer is to make *all* the numbers work. You don't get to pick some and ignore others. If you wish to ignore some, you might be ok, you might not.

Bob

Bobbo · 07-07-2017, 08:28 PM

Crawl under the rear of your truck and read the label on the hitch.

ldireland · 07-07-2017, 08:41 PM

Well here goes. One contributor warned that we are out here...so here goes. Please do yourself a favor and call your insurance company and ask to speak to an adjuster...agents can't help ypu...run the numbers by him or her and ask what they will do if you are in a rear end accident where there was not enough room to get your $90,000.00 Airstream stopped in time. If he says they will cover it by all means carry on....but pray the real life scenerio never comes in to play.....they tend to sway when faced with a real life payout. Living on the edge is not fun....and there aren't any "Mods" to make it work any better. Small half ton brakes, no hold back power on the down hills, transmission heat and engine overload are just a few of the things you will need to get used to. Five to six hours of driving will seem like twelve when you are stressed to your breaking point. How do I know???? I have been right where you are and I paid a high price for trying to do something with a truck that just barely makes the limits....It is supposed to be a fun time....

**DKB_SATX** · 07-07-2017, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldireland

Well here goes. One contributor warned that we are out here...so here goes. Please do yourself a favor and call your insurance company and ask to speak to an adjuster...agents can't help ypu...run the numbers by him or her and ask what they will do if you are in a rear end accident where there was not enough room to get your $90,000.00 Airstream stopped in time. If he says they will cover it by all means carry on....but pray the real life scenerio never comes in to play.....they tend to sway when faced with a real life payout. Living on the edge is not fun....and there aren't any "Mods" to make it work any better. Small half ton brakes, no hold back power on the down hills, transmission heat and engine overload are just a few of the things you will need to get used to. Five to six hours of driving will seem like twelve when you are stressed to your breaking point. How do I know???? I have been right where you are and I paid a high price for trying to do something with a truck that just barely makes the limits....It is supposed to be a fun time....

Look, both on general principles and because I'm a moderator I generally avoid replying directly to scare-tactic comments like yours, but I must take exception here. The OP is talking about his decision between a 22' Sport and a 23' Flying Cloud. If you are unfamiliar with the capabilities of a modern half-ton truck, there's a lot of information readily available for you to study up. I hear dealerships will even let you drive one for a bit if you ask nicely.
My F150 has bigger and MUCH better brakes than the 3/4 tons of not that many years ago, discs all around and ABS. It produces more torque than a '98 7.3 Powerstroke, for example (and in fact within 40 lb-ft of the later 7.3s and more horsepower than any of them, and will outbrake those trucks all day long) but you probably wouldn't tell someone the F250 or F350 you could get that 7.3 Powerstroke in was an underpowered horror show that can't tow a trailer. A properly-equipped modern half-ton is more than capable of handling bigger trailers than the OP is considering. You may not "forget the trailer is back there" but frankly I worry about people who want to forget they're towing a trailer.

We're not discussing what to tow a 10,000 lb Classic with, so please consider the context. My comment may sound harsh, but there's a VAST gulf of meaning between "If you sell that truck you've already taken big depreciation on and buy an even more expensive bigger one, it'll be even easier to tow a little Airstream" and "You're going to have white knuckles wherever you go and your insurance company is going to cheat you if something bad happens because you were towing well within the manufacturer's recommendations for your truck but didn't go ahead and buy a one-ton."

dkottum · 07-07-2017, 10:15 PM

It's almost impossible to have a tow vehicle/hitch/travel trailer discussion in a forum setting. Warnings, numbers, threats, and everything except discussion about the qualities of tow vehicles/hitches/travel trailers that really do matter, and how they can be improved.

Here's a link to Can-Am RV and Airstream in London, Ontario who have set up thousands of vehicles of all sizes to tow travel trailers during the 40 some years of the family business. They can help you as they have helped many of us on this forum.

http://www.canamrv.ca/towing-expertise/contact/

Bar01 · 07-08-2017, 05:35 AM

Thank you everyone who has responded. I appreciate you help!

ldireland · 07-08-2017, 08:12 AM

Well Mr. Moderator, you certainly put me in my place. I am sorry for contributing a contrasting view to your forum. It will never happen again.

**DKB_SATX** · 07-08-2017, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldireland

Well Mr. Moderator, you certainly put me in my place. I am sorry for contributing a contrasting view to your forum. It will never happen again.

Please re-read what I wrote. A contrasting view (e.g. "I think a 3/4 ton would be better, they have more power and payload, I prefer a bigger truck, etc") is fine, and very different than your false suggestion that an insurance company can deny you coverage for having an accident while towing well within the manufacturer's specifications just because they think you should've bought a bigger truck. One is valid opinion, the other is not.

I do understand that some people post suggestions from time to time that it's fine to exceed manufacturer's specs, and there we get a gray area. Not a single person in this thread up to now has recommended that to the OP. As I wrote, context is important.

uncle_bob · 07-08-2017, 10:21 AM

Hi

Since we have drifted a bit, this is off topic but also on topic.

To paraphras the commercials on TV:

If your insurance company cheats you .... maybe you have the wrong company.

There are good companies and there are bad companies, just like there are good trailers and bad trailers. Sometimes the lowest price version is not the best version ....

To dig into sorting out insurance (based on multiple actual after the claim experiences with trailers) one really should head over to another thread.

Bob