Can my F150 Handle Towing This Travel Trailer?

[maxis1230]

We are new to the travel trailer world, and I wanted to see if anyone else is running a similar setup successfully or if we are under specced? We are in PA and won't be traveling more than 5-6hrs and nothing out west.

Looking to purchase a Flagstaff Classic 826MBR with the following specs:
Hitch Weight: 1065
Length: 29' 11"
UVW: 7809
CCC: 2056
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/flagstaff-classic-travel-trailers/826MBR/8029

Truck Specs
2022 F150 3.5L Eco-Boost 5.5' bed with Max Tow Package
GVWR: 7050
GCWR: 19400
Max payload: 1697
Max Tongue Load: 1390
Max Trailer Rating: 1374

The sticker on the hitch itself says:
Weigh Distributing:
Max Gross Trlr Weight: 14000lb
Max Tongue Weight: 1400lb

These specs were pulled from ford site which assumes you have 300lb of occupants. We are under that, but if you factor in the bed cover, we are probably right there so these numbers are correct.

We were looking at the Stabilizer E2 10k hitch as part of this.

Sponsored

 

[Ricksc]

Usually trailer weights list dry weight. No propane, water. Then add your belongings

 

[t5brick]

You’ll probably be ok until you start adding weight to the trailer. Be careful or the tongue weight will get you.

 

[notabot]

I'd say no. Post up a picture of the yellow sticker in the drivers door jam...

 

[discothan]

On paper your F150 will tow this, but you won't be able to carry much more payload in the truck. Don't forget to add a WDH weight to help with sway of this 30' trailer.

Have you towed before?

You or your SO might to be white-knuckling running up and down any significant grading and your MPG will drop to single digits if you plan to sustain 70+ mph.

GL with your purchase and enjoy your time out there camping.

 

[maxis1230]

I'd say no. Post up a picture of the yellow sticker in the drivers door jam...

Here's the door sticker.

 

[maxis1230]

On paper your F150 will tow this, but you won't be able to carry much more payload in the truck. Don't forget to add a WDH weight to help with sway of this 30' trailer.

Have you towed before?

You or your SO might to be white-knuckling running up and down any significant grading and your MPG will drop to single digits if you plan to sustain 70+ mph.

GL with your purchase and enjoy your time out there camping.

We don't plan to take a ton with us as we aren't going to stay places more than a few days. Not avid campers, this is more of a hotel room on wheels for us. I have towed larger dual axel utility trailers before. We take things slow so if I can't go 70 the whole time, not a big deal, lol. The dealer quoted us an equalizer e2 wdh.

 

[Aron]

I wouldn't, personally.

It looks like you might be right at the line in terms of payload, once you add trailer things like the battery, propane, clothes, water, food, etc, and the 50-100lb weight distribution hitch.

It looks to me like it would likely be a very uncomfortable towing experience, even if you can manage to balance everything perfectly and squeeze in under all of the various ratings (payload, 12-15% of trailer weight on the hitch, axle ratings, combined vehicle weight ratings, etc.). You wouldn't have a lot of buffer on many of those rating limits, so you would probably be more restricted than you think in terms of what you can actually bring. At least, that was my experience when I first purchased a trailer that looked like it came in JUUUUST under the rating limits; I thought that I could squeak by...instead, I bought a more capable truck a few years later.

If it's just two people--and you already have the truck--if it were me, I would focus on a smaller trailer. Something in the 5000-6000lb unloaded vehicle weight range; probably more like 24' in length rather than 29'.

 

[12Lariat21]

We are new to the travel trailer world, and I wanted to see if anyone else is running a similar setup successfully or if we are under specced? We are in PA and won't be traveling more than 5-6hrs and nothing out west.

Looking to purchase a Flagstaff Classic 826MBR with the following specs:
Hitch Weight: 1065
Length: 29' 11"
UVW: 7809
CCC: 2056
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/flagstaff-classic-travel-trailers/826MBR/8029

Truck Specs
2022 F150 3.5L Eco-Boost 5.5' bed with Max Tow Package
GVWR: 7050
GCWR: 19400
Max payload: 1697
Max Tongue Load: 1390
Max Trailer Rating: 1374

The sticker on the hitch itself says:
Weigh Distributing:
Max Gross Trlr Weight: 14000lb
Max Tongue Weight: 1400lb

These specs were pulled from ford site which assumes you have 300lb of occupants. We are under that, but if you factor in the bed cover, we are probably right there so these numbers are correct.

We were looking at the Stabilizer E2 10k hitch as part of this.

Yeah that's a heavy pig there. Beyond your WDH, you'll want to upgrade to LT tires (load range D or E) not that you need them, but they add a lot of stability to the truck compared to a SL rated tire. You may also want to get either the Road Active suspension system, or maybe air bag helpers.

Personally I would say if your an occasional camper it'll be fine, but if you are planning on camping a lot/towing this around a lot...you'd be happier towing it with a F250...

I have the 23BHHL Heritage Glenn camper https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/heritage-glen-travel-trailers/23BHHL/8405 , about 2,000lbs less GVWR than yours and it is about all I would want to tow with an F150. For me the tires were the greatest impact in improving the towing 'feel' of my truck.

 

[{tpc}]

To the OP: I tow a 25RBHL with mine and have no issues. I say no issues in that I have figured out how to pack my gear in a way to lighten the tongue to acceptable levels, and leave my truck and bed empty. But mine is quite a bit lighter than yours though it is longer. I also have about 200 more lbs of payload.

So I looked yours up. The way it is configured it seems as if you don't have a lot of front storage towards the tongue. That's good, since you would need to keep stuff out of that area. What is bad about that, is there is nothing to allow you to take weight out of that area. So if its heavy from the get go, its going to be hard to solve.

So its not a completely crazy thought. But it requires you to be mindful. You can't just jam pack it. you have to think cheap bagged camping chairs, not full frame recliners. You cant just fill the bed with wood from home (which your not supposed to anyway lol). Stuff like that.

What I would do is buy yourself a sherline tongue scale and a 4x4 about 16-18 inches long. Go out to the trailer your looking at, and carefully put it on the tongue scale. Mine came with a short rod that screws into the scale so you can put it right up where the ball goes, I put the wood underneath to the ground, just make sure the wood is square on the ends. All you need to do after that is just get the trailer off the tongue jack so its on the scale. Now you have the tongue weight.

From there you can look up how much your hitch weighs and add that. Now subtract from the payload and see what you have left. Then if you decide you have enough payload left over, you just have to be mindful what goes in the pantry, ohc, fridge, and the two exterior storage areas up front. The rest of your storage looks to be behind or over the axles, so it shouldn't affect TW as much.

 

[{tpc}]

FWIW, I am on stock tires with mine (though if I keep the truck I'll probably change to LT if I can find a good price), and I always drive 68 mph. Save for an occasional pass here or there.

 

[Cobraman428]

FYI, manufacturers hitch weight is always low.. Take the max weight of your Travel Trailer 9865# x 15% = 1480# tongue payload. This is a fully load trailer running at 15% tongue weight. A WDS will help move some weight to the trailer. But now you have add people, cargo etc. to the truck which counts as payload. You may be over your GVWR.

 

[Chili]

I don't think you have max tow, you probably have standard towing. I have standard towing and my XLT still has 1937lbs of payload on my 3.5, 5'5 bed.

You would want max tow and the longer wheelbase / bed for that camper.

 

[CND Supercrew]

So you have 1697 payload, this is how your numbers work.
1697 minus any cargo you add into the truck. This includes you, passengers, cargo, and hitch. Plus the tongue weight of the trailer.
Take your trailers GVWR, multiple that by 0.13 will give you your max tongue weight.
You will be very close to the trucks max capacity for sure, even without a loaded trailer. From my experience in towing over the years (50000 kms) I would invest in a good sway control hitch!!
Looking at the spec again, that trailer is too heavy for your truck! I'm guessing that trailer is close to 10k GVWR, that is 3/4 ton territory now...
Equal-i-zer

 

[maxis1230]

I don't think you have max tow, you probably have standard towing. I have standard towing and my XLT still has 1937lbs of payload on my 3.5, 5'5 bed.

You would want max tow and the longer wheelbase / bed for that camper.

That is strange, maybe the moonroof and such adds weight?

Sponsored