[p]I tow with a 2013 Ford F150 Ecoboost V6. [/p][p]
(http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/xx138/1boltzfan/IMG_0210.jpg)
What are you towing? These trucks have great payload ratings for a half ton and killer mileage all around.
[quote source="/post/186/thread" timestamp="1394942177" author="@tommyc"]What are you towing? These trucks have great payload ratings for a half ton and killer mileage all around.[/quote]Actually "payload" is the weak link in my truck at only #1200. To be fair I don't have the max tow package though. I'm towing a VRV weighing #3300 dry. The thing that kills me is the tongue weight. Fully loaded with my Harley I'm at about #4800. No problem towing it, but I'm maxed out on payload.
Ah I thought most ecoboosts had a pretty high payload rating closer to 2000lb. Are you hauling something in the bed or in the cab to be over on payload? Even at 15% thatd only be about 750lbs.
[quote source="/post/201/thread" timestamp="1395006240" author="@tommyc"] Ah I thought most ecoboosts had a pretty high payload rating closer to 2000lb. Are you hauling something in the bed or in the cab to be over on payload? Even at 15% thatd only be about 750lbs.[/quote]I think some of the F150's have payload up to the 1800's, but not mine. The more options you have, that less payload rating. But, even if I can get my TW to 750, that only leaves another 450 for payload. Subtract me and my Wife and two dogs, and I'm maxed out. This is why next time I buy a toy hauler, I'll buck up and get a 3/4 or 1 ton tow vehicle.
I'm late to comment on this, but I just noticed the thread tonight. I hope someone is still interested. I have a 7x20 VRV, delivered this past winter, so I haven't actually towed it anywhere yet, but I'm a bit confused about your tongue weight issue. With one battery, two full propane tanks and the trailer empty, the tongue weight on mine is 549 pounds. Loading a motorcycle actually decreases the tongue weight because virtually all of the motorcycle storage space is at or behind the axles, so the weight of the motorcycle offsets the weight at the front of the trailer. I loaded a 750 pound sidecar rig into the VRV and ran it as close to the refrigerator as I could. That reduced the tongue weight to under 350 pounds, which is actually too little. I have been thinking that I will need to add significant weight to the front of the trailer when I load it for travel in order to get the tongue weight into the 10-15% range. I don't think filling the fresh water tank will change the tongue weight very much because the tank is located between the axles, so it should not be much of a factor.
I don't see how you could get to a tongue weight of anything like 750 pounds by loading a Harley (900 pounds or so?), unless you somehow could get it to the very front of the VRV. My experience is limited to the 7x20, but even the larger ones don't seem to differ too much in layout or dry tongue weight. I'm really interested in hearing more about this; maybe I'm missing something, which is very possible since I've never owned a trailer before.
[quote source="/post/565/thread" timestamp="1397620662" author="@rider3"]I'm late to comment on this, but I just noticed the thread tonight. I hope someone is still interested. I have a 7x20 VRV, delivered this past winter, so I haven't actually towed it anywhere yet, but I'm a bit confused about your tongue weight issue. With one battery, two full propane tanks and the trailer empty, the tongue weight on mine is 549 pounds. Loading a motorcycle actually decreases the tongue weight because virtually all of the motorcycle storage space is at or behind the axles, so the weight of the motorcycle offsets the weight at the front of the trailer. I loaded a 750 pound sidecar rig into the VRV and ran it as close to the refrigerator as I could. That reduced the tongue weight to under 350 pounds, which is actually too little. I have been thinking that I will need to add significant weight to the front of the trailer when I load it for travel in order to get the tongue weight into the 10-15% range. I don't think filling the fresh water tank will change the tongue weight very much because the tank is located between the axles, so it should not be much of a factor.
I don't see how you could get to a tongue weight of anything like 750 pounds by loading a Harley (900 pounds or so?), unless you somehow could get it to the very front of the VRV. My experience is limited to the 7x20, but even the larger ones don't seem to differ too much in layout or dry tongue weight. I'm really interested in hearing more about this; maybe I'm missing something, which is very possible since I've never owned a trailer before.[/quote][p]Sorry it took me so long to reply. I lost my old computer and forgot I even signed up for this forum. Anyway, I honestly don't know exactly what my TW is. I did weigh a bunch of times last year after buying the VRV because I was trying to tow it with a Tacoma and was concerned about why the Tacoma was so unstable. I even bought a TW scale that I really haven't used all the properly on level ground and such. I used a floor jack to raise the scale in the coupler and the TW showed at around 800# without anything in the trailer. I weighed the Tacoma without the trailer and with. The rear axle weighed 800# more after hooking up the trailer. The MFG. stated the TW dry is 630, but obviously they were wrong.[/p][p]I later ditched the Tacoma and bought the F150. With the WDH installed, I can get the TW down around 650 fully loaded with the Harley is in the VRV. Hope this helps and here is a pic from my recent tow with new Andersen no sway hitch.[/p][p]
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(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5114/13899274007_4ae38082c8_b.jpg)
(https://flic.kr/p/nbepVi)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/nbepVi) by oneboltzfan (https://www.flickr.com/people/62925555@N07/), on Flickr
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Now that just looks GREAT.