2022 27' Globetrotter FBT

[DCOWHO]

Hey y'all,


David and Caroline based in Ontario, Canada. This is our first travel trailer ever which we plan to use to explore Northern Quebec, Labrador, NFLD, and then the east coast of the US broken up into 2 trips. We will head west after that. These are summer trips. Picked up the unit June 2022. Due to circumstances we only managed 1 weekend in Vineland, the Niagara wine region and 8 days in a small private camp in Killarney, Ontario.


But we did mess about and research a lot. We had a Hensley Hitch installed by the dealer. We have a Ford F150 which will be upgraded to the F150 Hybrid Ecoboost with the 7.2 KW onboard generator package. The Hybrid has a much larger payload capacity than the other F150s (approx 2000lbs+)and we did not want to go to a F250. Also the Hybrid gets ridiculously good mileage.



So far we have added 4 lithium batteries with solar, the Acuva UV water system, a TPMS, the App based leveller (which I love) and upgraded the spare tire and bought an additional rim with a matching tire. We also have Starlink's RV Package which was tested extensively in Killarney and worked well.



I am a gadget guy much to my wife's chagrin.


We have setup so we cook outside rain or shine, as a former wilderness camper this is not difficult.



We are propane based for griddling (Blackstone) and use a small Whisperlite stove left over from camping days to make coffee and tea in the morning and various other single burner meals.



We have already found this forum useful so decided to join and tell you all about the mistakes we make and how we fixed them! Including bending the tongue jack on day 2 of ownership.



The adventure begins.


David and Caroline

[jeffmc306]

Welcome to the Airstream Community and Forums!

Now that you've got the first "oops" out of the way with the bent tongue jack, you can enjoy the rest of your travels knowing things happen.

Sounds like you've done your homework on everything else including the lithium batteries. This is our forth year with our 27' GT and I just ordered a Battle Born GC3.

Since you're a self-admitted gadget guy, you know there's no end to upgrades, some small, some not so small. But I think that's part of the fun of owning an Airstream - making it your own and having fun doing so.

Enjoy your trailer and the many adventures you have planned!

-Jeff & Caryle

[dshiffman]

I am afraid you may have been mis-informed. If (and it is a big if), there is a hybrid F150 with that capacity, it will be a stripper XL,,long bed, Regular Cab with the Heavy Duty Payload Package. In other words, a unicorn.

A nicely equipped truck for long distance travel (which is what I think you are envisioning) will have hundreds of pounds less payload.

Please double check your sources.

Originally Posted by DCOWHO

The Hybrid has a much larger payload capacity than the other F150s (approx 2000lbs+)and we did not want to go to a F250. Also the Hybrid gets ridiculously good mileage.

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by dshiffman

A nicely equipped truck for long distance travel (which is what I think you are envisioning) will have hundreds of pounds less payload.

Please double check your sources.

Yes, depending on the trim level the F-150 PowerBoost with the 7.2kw ProPower Onboard option will come in between 1,300 and 1,700 lbs of payload.

[foobar]

Originally Posted by goldenchase

Yes, depending on the trim level the F-150 PowerBoost with the 7.2kw ProPower Onboard option will come in between 1,300 and 1,700 lbs of payload.

Yup. The numbers the original poster is quoting are the unicorn marketing max payload numbers for a stripped down F150 hybrid with zero installed options.

Nearly no one ever sees a truck in real life with anything close to those numbers.

Every single installed option subtracts from the unicorn marketing number. I.e. Moonroof, 4 wheel drive, heavy seats with massagers, lol.

The hybrid battery, inverter and dual upgraded alternators are very heavy. Every F150 hybrid I have seen in the wild has a very low payload sticker value. Like the example attached below.

A loaded 2022 Globetrotter 27fb will have a loaded tongue weight around 1100lbs (including the WD hitch weight).

So, with the example below, assuming a 150lb driver, you have 1284 - 1100 - 150 lbs = 34lbs left over for passengers and cargo in this particular hybrid F150. Ouch.

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by foobar

Yup. The numbers the original poster is quoting are the unicorn marketing max payload numbers for a stripped down F150 hybrid with zero installed options.

My Platinum PowerBoost with about every option came in at 1,317 lbs. I really wanted to get a 27' GT but after crunching the numbers the only thing that would work was a 25' GT with all propane appliances and plumbing deleted plus moving to lithium batteries further aft.

That gets me to a fully loaded tongue weight of 900 lbs and I run the F-150 with the 110 lb rear seats deleted to make room for the dog.

So it can work for a 25' with a heavily modified trailer. A mostly option free Lariat PowerBoost may work but it will be close and the truck will not be configured for a nice cross country ride.

[DCOWHO]

Originally Posted by foobar

Yup. The numbers the original poster is quoting are the unicorn marketing max payload numbers for a stripped down F150 hybrid with zero installed options.

Nearly no one ever sees a truck in real life with anything close to those numbers.

Every single installed option subtracts from the unicorn marketing number. I.e. Moonroof, 4 wheel drive, heavy seats with massagers, lol.

The hybrid battery, inverter and dual upgraded alternators are very heavy. Every F150 hybrid I have seen in the wild has a very low payload sticker value. Like the example attached below.

A loaded 2022 Globetrotter 27fb will have a loaded tongue weight around 1100lbs (including the WD hitch weight).

So, with the example below, assuming a 150lb driver, you have 1284 - 1100 - 150 lbs = 34lbs left over for passengers and cargo in this particular hybrid F150. Ouch.

Attachment 429497

Well my good friend's Limited Hybrid F150 has a payload of over 2,000lbs. He will send me a picture of his door sticker when he returns from holiday at the end of the month. He does not have the generator installed.



I went to the Ford Dealer this morning and we went on the Ford system together and configured a Platinum with the extra tow package, the extendable mirrors and the 7.2KW generator and it reduced the payload to 1830lbs. The rep is looking for a customer with the same configuration to verify this by providing a photo of a door sticker.


Our tongue weight is similar with the Hensley Hitch. 1100lbs.

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by DCOWHO

Well my good friend's Limited Hybrid F150 has a payload of over 2,000lbs. He will send me a picture of his door sticker when he returns from holiday at the end of the month. He does not have the generator installed.

Anxiously waiting to see how a Limited F-150 PowerBoost with ProPower Onboard weighs in 700lb lighter than a Platinum PowerBoost. As I recall the Limited has even more standard accessories than the Platinum. Maybe they are optioning those name plates differently in Canada. Watching the F-150 forums I don't recall any trim level PowerBoost in the US with cargo loading more than 1,700lbs.


Here is the sticker for my Platinum that goes with the door pillar cargo weight.

[AgBullet]

Welcome to the Forums! I’m sure you’ll get the TV sorted out. It sounds like you have a lovely rig. Happy trails!

[Aluminium Falcon]

Originally Posted by DCOWHO

Well my good friend's Limited Hybrid F150 has a payload of over 2,000lbs. He will send me a picture of his door sticker when he returns from holiday at the end of the month. He does not have the generator installed.



I went to the Ford Dealer this morning and we went on the Ford system together and configured a Platinum with the extra tow package, the extendable mirrors and the 7.2KW generator and it reduced the payload to 1830lbs. The rep is looking for a customer with the same configuration to verify this by providing a photo of a door sticker.


Our tongue weight is similar with the Hensley Hitch. 1100lbs.

1830 lbs is a very good payload number for a half-ton truck. You will be fine. Don’t sweat it. Payload is only one factor to consider in selecting a proper tow vehicle. Some people attribute it more importance than others. I am sure you will have a great time exploring the East coast with your new rig. Safe travels!

[DCOWHO]

Originally Posted by goldenchase

Anxiously waiting to see how a Limited F-150 PowerBoost with ProPower Onboard weighs in 700lb lighter than a Platinum PowerBoost. As I recall the Limited has even more standard accessories than the Platinum. Maybe they are optioning those name plates differently in Canada. Watching the F-150 forums I don't recall any trim level PowerBoost in the US with cargo loading more than 1,700lbs.


Here is the sticker for my Platinum that goes with the door pillar cargo weight.

Thank you very much. You just saved me $30K. You are correct.


Turns out my friend read things the wrong way and the Ford system just quotes the brochure payload value.


Back to the drawing board...this should be fun.


I have an Lariat right now with the straight 3.5L ecoboost that tows the trailer reasonable well so no rush.

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by DCOWHO

Thank you very much. You just saved me $30K. You are correct.

Glad I could help. I was in the same situation when I moved from a motor home to the world of Airstream two years ago. Lots of conflicting advice by well meaning folks making it very hard to find the truth.

I started my exploration by trying to make a 27 Globetrotter work with a loaded F-150 PowerBoost with ProPower Onboard. I found out that would not work. Then I ran the numbers on a 25' Globetrotter and the tongue weight issue was worse. I did not want to go to a 23'. So I finally settled on a highly modified 25' Globetrotter getting all the propane and batteries off the tongue weight. That worked. The 2021 F-150 PowerBoost ProPower Onboard handles the 25' "lightweight" electric Globetrotter with ease and just inside all the critical weight and balance parameters. But it was a long Winter project that began by tearing apart a brand new 2022 Globetrotter and putting it back together again.

Good luck on your search.

[DCOWHO]

I would have thought the Hybrid/tow package would have upped the payload from what I have now which is a F150 Lariat: with 1585lbs

[Bunker]

I think the general opinion at the F150 sites is that the powerboost option adds 400lb or should I say, takes away 400lbs of cargo due to battery weight, inverter/generator, wire and motor.

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by Bunker

I think the general opinion at the F150 sites is that the powerboost option adds 400lb or should I say, takes away 400lbs of cargo due to battery weight, inverter/generator, wire and motor.

Not sure if "takes away" is the right term since the 3.5L PowerBoost Hybrid has a GVWR of 7,350lbs which is at the high end of the range of GVWR's in the F-150 family.

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by DCOWHO

I would have thought the Hybrid/tow package would have upped the payload from what I have now which is a F150 Lariat: with 1585lbs.

The assumption is so sensitive to the options selected. PowerBoost F-150 tend to come with the most options. For instance the sun roof adds 100lbs, the tailgate with built in step adds 100lbs, electric running boards on and on.

Since I operate normally with only two people first thing I took out of the PowerBoost are the rear seats. Those seats weigh 110lbs alone. I operate in the Southwest US so I would like to give up the sun roof as well when I get my next PowerBoost. So depending on your wants and needs your can configure a much lighter PowerBoost as a special order. I also operate the F-150 with a BlueOx TrackPro weight distribution system instead of the top of the line Hensley Hitch, that saves another 100 lbs.

[DCOWHO]

Originally Posted by goldenchase

The assumption is so sensitive to the options selected. PowerBoost F-150 tend to come with the most options. For instance the sun roof adds 100lbs, the tailgate with built in step adds 100lbs, electric running boards on and on.

Since I operate normally with only two people first thing I took out of the PowerBoost are the rear seats. Those seats weigh 110lbs alone. I operate in the Southwest US so I would like to give up the sun roof as well when I get my next PowerBoost. So depending on your wants and needs your can configure a much lighter PowerBoost as a special order. I also operate the F-150 with a BlueOx TrackPro weight distribution system instead of the top of the line Hensley Hitch, that saves another 100 lbs.

Based on all this feedback I went hunting and found the option weights locked behind a Ford OnLine Wall. On page one halfway down in the centre there is a direct link to option weights.....grrrrrrr


https://madocumentupload.marketingas...2c57d&v5=False

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by DCOWHO

Based on all this feedback I went hunting and found the option weights locked behind a Ford OnLine Wall. On page one halfway down in the centre there is a direct link to option weights.....grrrrrrr


https://madocumentupload.marketingas...2c57d&v5=False

A cooperative Ford dealer can get it. If you succeed please post. The reality is that there are not that many really heavy options. 4X4, sunroof, tailgate, running boards.

For the 25' and 27' Globetrotter the problem using an F-150 as a TV is not so much limited cargo capacity of the truck it is an empty trailer tongue weight that comes in around 200lbs higher than optimal. In my case my 25' Globetrotter Front Bed came in as delivered and empty with a tongue weight 14.35% of the total weight of the trailer. That number should be 11% or so to allow for cargo loading of the trailer. This is way the 25' and 27' GT's wind up fully loaded at around 1,100 to 1,200 pounds.

Here are all of my modifications with weights before and after trailer conversion.

[blacklab]

goldenchase,

Have you rigged your outfit so your F-150 PowerBoost can charge your Lithiums while you are driving?

Cheers,
Bryan

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by blacklab

goldenchase,

Have you rigged your outfit so your F-150 PowerBoost can charge your Lithiums while you are driving?

Cheers,
Bryan

Yes, my FB25 Globetrotter is always fully powered by the F-150 PowerBoost 7.2kw Propower Onboard moving down the road. Keeping the trailer fully powered by the Ford generator also allows both air conditioners to be operating while the trailer is in motion.

See this post.