[cookinwitdiesel]

I really hope he understands that the F-250 minimum is the best option here. Are people really that intimidated by the SD/HD trucks?!

Hi David,

The trailer brake controller would be required, my trailer is equipped with electric brakes on the 2 axles and would be needed to safely slow down the trailer (especially in "emergency stop" scenarios). You will need to have a 7-pin trailer trailer connection (brakes + lights) not the usual 4-pin (just lights). Stiffer springs and the longer wheelbase are absolutely factors in trailer towing capacity. Your biggest limitation though will be payload. This is the vertical load you can put on your truck. From what I saw online yesterday, your truck has in the neighborhood of only 1000 pounds of cargo payload rating - my Mazda CX-9 has higher to give some perspective. You can confirm this number by looking at the yellow door jam sticker inside your driver door. 1000 pounds is VERY light for a truck - the Raptor is a "de-tuned" truck in the name of its off-road performance. They were never really intended to haul anything beyond the occasional Home Depot run. If the sales rep told you otherwise, he lied. That payload rating is what you can add to the truck. The number on your door jam sticker, indicates that the truck, as it rolled off the assembly line, can have X stuff added to it. The shipping weight + payload = GVWR for your truck. Out of that payload number you have to subtract the weight of passengers, cargo, equipment added too or loaded in the truck. That would include the weight of the trailer hitch, as well as the tongue weight of the trailer it self. As those both add to the vertical load on the truck. My trailer has a hitch that is probably about 100 pounds itself and a tongue weight I measured at 950 pounds. Your Raptor would be overweight before you even sat in it. A normal F-150 could handle this on paper, I think they can be spec'd up to around 2500 pounds of payload. You still have the issue of trailer weight vs truck weight though with an F-150 vs a F250/350. An F-150 usually will top out around 5000 empty, where as an F-250 will be 7500-8000 pounds. That extra weight helps a ton when managing the trailer and making sure it stays controlled. The Super Duty trucks also have a heavier duty transmission that can handle the weight of the trailer as well as engine braking to control speed safely down hills better as well as heavier duty brakes on the 4 truck wheels which are also important for safely stopping the trailer. It can definitely be pulled by the right F-150, but it will be more stressful than an F-250.

The towing rating is really only indicative of the "horizontal" load that the truck can handle. Mainly, the ability of the truck to stop a load at speed safely - starting slow is not as much of an issue as long as your transmission can handle the load. What the truck manufacturers do not advertise, is that they get their towing ratings certified using "weight sleds" which are like a flatbed trailer with weight added to simulate a load. The reason this is a problem, is that the profile of a travel trailer is much greater than that of a weight sled and because of this, aerodynamics are important. You are pretty much driving a billboard down the road and very subject to crosswinds as well as wind and air pressure created by other passing vehicles. This manifests itself as sway which if unchecked, can lead to dangerous conditions and rolling the trailer and/or truck. The longer wheelbase as well as heavier truck GREATLY help with managing sway. You do not want "the tail wagging the dog" so to speak.

I have measured the trailer tongue weight at about 950 pounds (picture attached - was before the trailer was fully loaded) with about 6500 pounds on the trailer axles (measured at a CAT scale). Conservatively, I would call the trailer 7500 pounds minimum when loaded for a weekend trip with all tanks empty. The trailer has a GVWR of 9660 pounds.

Attached is a picture of the payload rating sticker from my truck so you know what to look for. I pull the trailer with a GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali Diesel and even my truck is close to its limits. It pulls great, but I would prefer to have some more safety margin - I am 300 under the trucks GVWR when I go on a trip.

I would have to strongly recommend you consider and look at SD/HD trucks as they are truly better suited to pulling trailers this size. That being said, it can be done with the right F-150 but I do not think your Raptor can ever be that.

I hope this helps. Please let me know any other questions you can think of.

Thanks,
Sam


<Buyer> wrote:
Thanks for the update. I've seen f-150 variants that have 11000lbs towing capacity. It looks like they have the trailer brake controller, which I can get installed. My truck has the horsepower, so is it just stiffer springs that I need after that? Or do I need the long wheelbase?

How much is your trailer weight in Real life use?