Our family is going to purchase a new 2011 F150 4x4 SuperCrew Cab with Ecoboost and 5 1/2 foot box (FX4 Model). We are getting the max trailer tow package with the 3.73 axle ratio. The truck is going to take about 8 weeks to arrive so it is a good time to order the trailer. According to the Ford site, I believe the towing capacity is 11,300lbs.

I am worried about trailer and hitch weight. I have researched and researched and I am having a tough time getting an answer. Here is the trailer we would like to purchase (travel trailer - not 5th wheel):

Rockwood 8312SS

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr bgcolor="#eeeeff"><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" width="150">Dry Weight</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">7124lbs</td></tr><tr><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">GVWR</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">8928lbs</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#eeeeff"><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Cargo Capacity</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">1754lbs</td></tr><tr><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Hitch Weight</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">928lbs</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#eeeeff"><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Axle Weight</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">6196lbs</td></tr><tr><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Exterior Height</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">10.00'</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#eeeeff"><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Exterior Length</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">33.83'</td></tr><tr><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Exterior Width</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">8.00'</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#eeeeff"><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Interior Height</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">N/A</td></tr><tr><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Fresh Water
Black Water
Gray Water</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">37gal
38gal
38gal</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#eeeeff"><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Awning Size</td><td style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">N/A</td></tr></tbody></table>
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We are towing about 8-9 times over the 3 summer months. We are going to British Columbia so there will be some steep hills. I am hoping the new F150 will be the answer or do we need a lighter trailer? We have never towed before but anxious to start with our 2 kids (under 7).

John

 

Ford's 2011 RV & Trailer Towing guide shows the following for your truck:
I mention this as confirmation of what you have read on Ford's website. (Some folks look at maximum numbers, but do not pay attention to the fine print that says, "...with optional equipment" or some such.)

At a high-level, it appears that you have enough truck for the trailer. I would throw a few cautions out there though:

• Get your truck weighed once you get it, and subtract the vehicle weight from your GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating).
• Double check the trailer that you are looking at purchasing to determine where your water goes. The larger trailers usually hold clean water over the axles or in the rear to help counter the added weight. Either way, the added water weight will need to be accounted for in how it impacts your tongue weight and your total trailer weight.
• Make an effort to accurately guess at how much weight you will be adding to the trailer and/or the back of the truck in the form of dishes, food, supplies (cleaning, camping, etc.), and all the other items on a very long (and often growing) list of "necessities." Include this into your calculations.
• To be absolutely sure, once you have everything loaded up & ready to roll, take a quick trip back to the scales to get a weight slip of how things sit fully loaded. Here again, you may be surprised out just how quickly the weight adds up. Bounce these loaded numbers against the rear GAWR (gross axle weight rating) & GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) to make sure that you are still within reason.

Aside from that, good luck & enjoy the new truck & trailer!!

 

You will be fine. I'm also getting the ecoboost to replace an e150 van with 5.4(250hp) that I have used to tow 8300lb airstream for the past 7 years. It did a good job except the steepest hills. Then it was just slow. Still made it up and over all of them.
This time round I wanted a tranny with tow/haul mode so went for f150.
Make sure you have adequate weight distribution hitch to transfer some of the tongue weight onto front wheels of truck.
Go to a trailer forum for all the help you need with towing info.
Al

 

Well I will add this for thought. I have a 31.6 ft travel trailer with a toung weight of 980lbs the dry weight is 6800 and gross weight it 10000lbs. I never fill it with water until I get to the campground. I try and store every thing at the rear of the trailer due to the fact the axells are farther back them mOst. I alway check the trailer break befor I leave anywhere to ensure proper operation.

A few addons that helped me in the past were the fire stone ride rite air bags with the compressor kit. I could help level out the ride with it and keep the truck from bouncing around. Hope this helps

Gordon

 

I would also say that, from a the 30,000' view, you're ok. These guys gave you some good advice. Good luck and welcome to FTE.

 

I would suggest anything over 500 lbs. of tongue weight to get a weight distrubiting hitch. Adding ~ 928 lbs to your rear axle, you'll likely be over your weight rating for the that axle if not your truck payload. A WDH will redistribute some of that weight to your front axle and will make your towing experience less of a pucker factor overall.

And technically, Ford only rates their hitches at 500 lbs. of tongue weight w/o a WDH. For a 2010MY with a WDH it is 1130 lbs.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...y4TuA7NUJXsctA

 

You are going to be disappointed in your truck's ability to pull a trailer that large. The biggest issue that I see is the 10 ft trailer height. You are looking at a frontal area of about 64 ft2 which will cause considerable drag. Drag affects the truck much more than the weight of a trailer.
I am not sure about the latest Ford F150 towing capability but your trailer likely exceeds the 2009 maximum of frontal area of 60 ft2. I have a 2009 F150 with the max towing package and with the 5.4 and 3.73 gears, it has a hard time towing my enclosed car trailer which has about the same weight and frontal area as the trailer you are considering. I also had to install air bags due to the springs sagging when the trailer was attached. Pulling the tralier up a 7% grade requires me to pretty much floor it to maintain 50 - 60 mph and fuel mileage suffers accordingly averaging about 8 mpg.
You may want to consider a smaller trailer or consider changing to a F-250.

 

IF the Rockwood is too much trailer for the truck, you might check out the Tracer 3150BHD which comes about 1k lighter. We own the Lacrosse 296bhs and are looking at the same truck you are getting.

Prime Time Manufacturing, Manufacturers of travel trailers and fifth wheels

I have found this rv forum priceless - many great users with helpful answers(:
RV.Net RV and Camping Forum ? RV, Trailer, Camper, Motorhome, Camping and Campground Information

 

Plain and simple: Too much trailer and not enough truck. Consider the F250/350.

You are running border line dangerous with the combination you speak of...I would never tow with that combination especially with my family in the truck.

Trust me when I say that is too much weight for the F150 regardless of what the numbers say.

 

The trailer is within the trucks tow ability but as been mentioned several times by everyone in this post, get a capable weight distribution hitch assembly, but with dual sway control. I use the Reese #43882, weight dist. and dual sway control all in one set up and it works amazingly well, but research ones out there you may like. The tongue weight is a bit on the high side, but well within limits. Even out your cargo to keep the weight at the hitch from getting too heavy.

 

Just an added note, my TT is 10'10'' high with a loaded weight about 6600 lbs. and I carry a bed full of gear and firewood with my family of 4 and the truck is very stable. I know there are a few people here that my be scaring you a bit with their opinions but the '09 on up F 150's can handle towing better then some may realize ( I'm not trying to slight anyone's comments here, just my opinion with towing with F 150's).

 

Your fine,no matter what the negative people say.I have a 2009 scab,max tow,air bags,put LT tires on.I tow a 2010 Chaparral fifth wheel.Hitch weight is about 1450lbs,trailer dry weight is 8400lbs.I pull the trailer with no problem. at speeds of 60 -70 without a problem.Avg 9-11 mpg.( no it wont pull up hill at 70) but It does a good job.I live in Rochester NY. I been up to Whiteface mountain twice and Myrtle Beach twice and it tows fine.If you are going to tow long distances often get a diesel ,if occasional the new F150 is more than capable of towing that weight.

 

I appreciate the help from everyone (what a great forum!). We did end up buying the trailer but it does not arrive for another 6 weeks. Now, we have to buy the truck. I am learning towards a used F-250 but still have to research all the engine types and towing capacity. I imagine the engine changes from year to year. Might as well have too much power than pushing the weight limit (plus my wife likes to pack heavy and we live near the Rocky Mountains).

John