Can a 2017 Ford F-150 Tow a 7,500 lb GVWR Trailer Safely

Published 11/21/2017

Products Featured in This Question

2-5/16" Hitch Ball - 1-1/4" Diameter x 2-3/4" Long Shank - Chrome - 12,000 lbs

(2635)

$24.30

2" Hitch Ball - 1-1/4" Diameter x 2-5/8" Long Shank - Chrome - 10,000

(3940)

$20.94

Question:

What is the maximum trailer weight for a 2017 f150 v-6 non turbo, 4x4 crew cab 145 WB. I have a factory tow package. Here are the specs: GVWR truck: 6,350 GCWR truck: 12,200 T. Trailer GVWR: 7500 T. Trailer Dry Wt: 5290 The above info was taken directly from the stickers on the vehicles. My calcs say I will max out at 450 lbs of cargo in the trailer. For a family of 3.5 dog included thats not much. What say you?

asked by: Phil D

Expert Reply:

As long as the weight and tongue weight of your trailer does not exceed what is posted on your 2017 Ford F-150 then you are good to go. You will just need to take your GCWR (12,200 lbs) and subtract the curb weight of your F-150 (4,051 lbs - 5,238 lbs) as well as any added weight (like luggage, people, or hitch hardware) and that will leave you with the amount of weight your trailer can be.

The GVWR of your F-150 is the max amount of weight that it alone can be loaded up with while the GCWR is the max amount of weight that it can handle when it is pulling a trailer. If you were to completely load up your F-150 to the 6,350 lb GVWR then that would leave you with 5,850 lbs for your trailer.

Once you know the curb weight of your F-150 plus the added person/cargo weight then you will just need to subtract that from GCWR (12,200 lbs) to see if you can safely tow your trailer if it is fully loaded to 7,500 lbs.

Since it looks like you will be pushing the weight rating of your F-150 though I highly recommend using a Weight Distribution (WD) system to help keep your towing rig level and fight against crosswinds and passing vehicles.

You will want to choose a WD system with a Tongue Weight (TW) range that the Total Tongue Weight (TTW) of your towing setup falls in the middle of. To find the TTW of your towing setup you will need to add the TW of your fully loaded and ready-to-go trailer along with the weight of any cargo behind the rear axle of your tow vehicle. Keep in mind that a properly loaded trailer will have a TW that is 10-15% of the loaded weight of your trailer.

A great system that you could potentially use is the Strait-Line Weight Distribution System # RP66083 which has a 8,000 Gross Trailer Weight GTW rating and a TW range of 400 lbs - 800 lbs. It comes with a shank but does not come with a hitch ball. You could use either part # A-90 for a 2" hitch ball or part # 19286 for a 2-5/16 inch hitch ball.

I have included a review video and some helpful articles for you to check out as well.