And what, pray tell, is their definition of a "truck"?

 

Hi all

Wow, thank you all so much for the advice and valuable inputs! I learned a lot and didn't know different states may have a code on WDH.
Safety comes before anything for my family and others around me, that's why I've been researching into this and asking for inputs from more experienced. My friends say I don't really need a SD to tow 7k trailers, but I firmly believe in "better safe than sorry".
To answer, my friends have recommended based on their experiences that I rent trailers from rvesy and outdoorsy. That's where I plan on renting from and since I'll be dealing with private owners, I do not think they'd have any hard requirements for WDH, etc. But it was a good point. I will be sure to ask if I can use my own WDH.
Initially I was almost set on BW tow and stow for ease of use and its ability to tow almost any trailers but after reading discussions here and researching, I may start out with equalizer (if the trailer owner doesn't object). It seems still not as involved when putting on and it'll provide the safety net I'd need.
I can't wait to start getting real practice in and learning!

 

The biggest issue with towing is ensuring you are within limits. Manufacturers LOVE to hype how capable their trucks are. After all, we've seen a toyota haul a space shuttle across a bridge...OMG, so strong!!!!

But let's face it, those tow limits are designed with a scrawny 150 lb driver, no passengers, no luggage, no dogs, no kids, a 30 dollar draw bar and ball from the home despot, (I tease them, but I actually can find decent stuff there if you look carefully) etc.

The first, and often the biggest...restriction people face when attempting to "tow within limits" is the the hitch. Many hitches have a max tongue weight of 500 lbs for weight carrying, and probably 1100-1500 with a weight distributing hitch. This means that often times, you are already facing severe limitations if you are not using a WDH.
From the ford site
https://www.vdm.ford.com/content/dam...g-Guide_v2.pdf
Note, they specifically state that with an F150 you should not tow more than 5000 lbs without using a WDH. (meaning your 7k trailers would need a WDH with a 150)
Then there is the "safety factor" that many people will cite, saying you should never tow heavier than 70-80 percent of the rated tow capacity
That means for a 2026 F150, for a big tow engine (3.5L Ecoboost non hybrid) that puts your max at 10,125 lbs. For one the less capable engines, you might be looking at as little as 6,150 assuming a .75 percent factor. Clearly, depending on the engine you get, a 150 is not the ideal vehicle to pull a 7k trailer, no matter what your friends say.
That assumes you keep all your other gear in check as well.
Max payload is 2440 lbs excluding the driver with the 3.5, down to 1740 with some other engine options.
assuming a 10 percent hitch weight (and it could be as high as 15 percent), that means that 7k trailer has 700-1050 lbs you need to subtract.., leaving 1740...of course, minus the options you took on the truck that added weight, You also need to worry about axle and (possibly) tire ratings as well

The 250 is a better overall truck for towing, but even then you need to look at your max tow weight. When you head out with 5 big adults in the truck because it's a family vacation. There is a fat golden retriever laying under the seat, your daughter has decided to emulate princess Vespa and can't leave without her industrial hair dryer (those who know, know), and your son decided he needed to bring every piece of sporting gear he owns "just in case" a baseball game breaks out, or volleyball, or horseshoes, or golf (and you bring your bag too) etc...your payload can go down really quick. There are also other things such as ensuring that you get the 250 properly equipped. There are some packages such as (IIRC), that increase the rating of the rear axle, which might come into play.

Good luck to you and have fun

 

Please note, a WDH DOES NOT REMOVE WEIGHT FROM THE HITCH. What it does is MOVE THAT WEIGHT from the rear axle to the front axle.

 

^ This...
We rented a TT for the first couple years to make sure it was what we wanted. Each time the trailer came with some type of WDH that was compatible with the trailer. Eventually, we bought our own TT and an Equal-i-zer WDH. I found that none of the rented hitches were better or worse than the Equal-i-zer when towing with an F-150, but upgrading to the F-250 made a night-and-day difference.

 

I am not saying it does. I am merely saying that some trucks have 2 ratings for their flat tow hitches. One with a WDH, the other without. On the F150, there is a limit of 500 lbs for weight carrying (non WDH), The same was true for my 2011 F350. This is merely pointing out that for the size of the trailer the OP wanted to haul, the F150 is inadequate without a WHD, and even with a WDH, there will be significant problems staying within the specified towing limits. The F250 is the smarter choice.

 

I did think it was possible (mostly from reputation) that you knew that. But I felt it could easily be misunderstood by those with less experience/knowledge.

 

LOL

Look, I know I have a reputation as the "no fun police". A long time ago, my job was auditing companies to ensure they were complying with federal requirements. I get it. Honestly, being called the No fun police is a lot better than the almost daily death threats I got from the people I had been friends with, just for doing that job. I've not worn my wedding ring in over 20 years because I don't want those people going after family even though I have not done that work in over 15 years.

That said, the biggest reason I hope to educate people on towing limits is that my brother and my father are/were two of the biggest violators out there when it came to how much they towed vs the vehicles they actually towed with...and so was I until one day I was hit at a red light because the vehicle that was behind me was overweight and did not/could not stop in time. My back STILL hurts 24 years later. My only regret is that I did not go after them for any money for my injury...just damage to my car and my medical bills, because I still have to see a chiro every so often and that's a lot of out of pocket. Sad thing is, I still didn't completely understand, it took the next item to help me put it together (I am a bit slow at times)

Then one day I needed to go buy some dirt to put in the berry garden my wife wanted. I went down the the local big box and got myself 40 bags of dirt, threw it in my full sized SUV and drove back to my house. Once I got back, I realized that I could have hurt someone just as bad as I had been hurt because that truck was WAY over the max cargo load...I had thrown in 2000 lb of dirt into my Yukon without even thinking about it (1600 lb cargo capacity. and yes, I also realize it would have been cheaper to have 3 yards delivered) Worse, because my route takes me through a lot of farm land with acreage sold on both sides for houses, some kid or pet could have run out onto the road and even though I was running the speed limit, I might not have been able to stop in time. That's when I realized I needed to know what the limits were on my vehicle and I was just shocked at just how easily it was to drop from the "rated" 13000 lbs of towing capacity, to around 9k because of cargo, dogs, the truck cap my wife wanted, our dogs (retrievers), etc.

Anyway, thank you and keep on truckin...

 

First thing a truck owner should do is run across a set of certified scales and find out what your truck weighs with a full tank of fuel and loaded as you would load it when towing.

Look at your trucks limits and figure out what you can tow. Pay close attention to your front and rear axle rating. My F250 6.7 was 150 # from the weight limit on the front axle.

As far as the hitch, buy a used hitch off Marketplace for $200-ish or buy a new one for $600+. They both do the same thing. I would avoid no-name brands you have never heard of.