2010 Ford F150 towing capacity

F150
1

I’m looking to buy a travel trailer and have two options: one weighs about 7467 pounds and the other 7875 pounds. I’ll probably add up to 1000 pounds of extra cargo. My truck only has a basic tow package, not the max tow package, and it includes trailer brake control.

Here are my truck specs:

  • 2010 Ford F150 FX4 Supercrew
  • 5.4L V8 engine
  • 145” wheelbase
  • 3.73 rear axle ratio with electronic lock
  • 7200-pound GVWR
  • Front axle rating: 3900 pounds
  • Rear axle rating: 4050 pounds
  • V-5 hitch type
  • Weight distribution: 1050/10500
  • Weight capacity: 500/5000
  • Tire size: P275/55R20
  • 3 leaf springs

I’ll be adding a weight distribution hitch and sway bar. With a max towing capacity of 9600 pounds, will towing up to 8900 pounds be difficult, especially through hills and mountains?

Currently, I get 10-15 mpg. What can I expect for mpg while towing this much weight at around 65 mph? I’ve heard different estimates ranging from 4-6 mpg to 8-10 mpg.

5 Likes
2

You won’t get 4-6 mpg. Haha. You’ll probably get around 10 mpg. Towing the trailer you’re considering should be fine. You won’t be winning any races, but it will handle the towing well.

3

You gave us a lot of good numbers, but we’re missing the payload capacity.

Check the sticker on your truck’s door to find its empty weight and payload capacity. I think the payload is around 1300 pounds, which is the truck with just a full tank of gas.

Your weight distribution hitch (WDH) will add about 50 to 75 pounds, so subtract that from the payload.

If you’ve added a tonneau cover, tool box, or bed liner, subtract those weights from the payload capacity as well.

Also, look under the rear bumper for the hitch rating sticker. It should show a maximum weight of 5000 pounds with a weight-carrying hitch and 10500 pounds with a WDH. The tongue weight limit will be 500 pounds without a WDH and 1050 pounds with one.

For an 8900-pound trailer with a WDH, the minimum tongue weight should be 890 pounds (10%). If you load it to the maximum allowable tongue weight of 1050 pounds, that’s about 11.8%.

If your tongue weight is around 900 pounds and your payload is around 1300 pounds (less after accounting for the WDH and other additions), you’d have about 400 pounds left for passengers, luggage, and cargo in the truck.

In short, just because the brochure says your truck can tow 9600 pounds doesn’t mean you can safely tow a 9600-pound trailer without exceeding some limits!

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4

The combined weight of occupants and cargo should not exceed 1150 pounds. Passenger weight would be 550 pounds, and the tonneau cover adds 60 pounds.

The hitch weights on the trailers are 767 and 755 pounds. Is the tongue weight included in the trailer’s total weight (e.g., 7467 + 767 = 8234 pounds)? I thought the tongue weight is the pressure the hitch puts on the truck and trailer, and it’s split between them.

The hitch rating is V-5, with a 10500-pound maximum for a weight distribution hitch and 5000 pounds without one.

With a total payload limit of 1150 pounds, would a trailer weighing around 5000 pounds be a better choice?

2 Likes
5

Just make sure your payload capacity is enough for the tongue weight, your family and pets, anything in the truck bed, and the hitch weight.

6

No, the tongue weight is included in the total trailer weight.

If the trailer weighs 7467 pounds, that’s the total weight.

If the tongue weight is 767 pounds, then the trailer itself weighs 6700 pounds (7467 - 767).

When the trailer is unhooked, the tongue jack supports the 767 pounds, and the trailer’s axles support the 6700 pounds.

When you hook up the trailer (before using the weight distribution hitch), the 767 pounds will be supported by the truck’s hitch.

The weight distribution hitch adds at least 50 pounds, so the truck’s rear end will be handling 817 pounds.

Once the weight distribution hitch is in place, it will shift some weight back to the trailer axles and some forward to the truck’s front axle.

Even with this redistribution, you’ll still have a limited amount of weight you can carry in the truck’s cab and bed.

7

One more thing to keep in mind is tire pressure. You’ll probably need to inflate your tires more to handle the extra weight and stress of towing. Even then, your tires might struggle with the heavy load. Watch out for tread cracking and damage.

8

Thanks for your feedback guys. I’ll surely take your advice into consideration.

9

We still don’t have your payload number. If your passengers and cargo weigh 1150 pounds and you add the dry tongue weight of 767 pounds, that’s a total of 1917 pounds added to your truck. Plus, the tongue weight will likely be around 850-900 pounds once the trailer is fully loaded. Check the sticker on your door to see your truck’s payload capacity.

10

I disagree with the others. You’ll be overloaded, no doubt. The key factor is the GVWR of your tow vehicle.

My 2012 SuperCrew 4x2 has a GVWR of 7,100 pounds, and it’s 200 to 300 pounds lighter than your 4x4. With just my wife, a Border Collie, and a Leer cap, my trailer, which weighs 4,780 pounds total (560 pounds tongue weight and 4,220 pounds on the trailer axles), already pushes my F-150 past its GVWR. Your 4x4 without a cap likely weighs more than my 4x2 with a cap, and you have only 100 pounds more GVWR than I do. So, your truck would be overloaded even with my trailer that weighs less than 5,000 pounds.

If you add another 3,000 pounds to make the trailer 8,000 pounds, your tongue weight will be 300 to 400 pounds more than mine. If the trailer’s gross weight reaches 9,000 pounds, the hitch weight will be 450 to 550 pounds more than mine.

In short, I’m overloaded, and you’ll be significantly overloaded with a 9,000-pound trailer.