2017 F150 3.5L EcoBoost Max Trailer Tow Package

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newtrailerguy

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May 22, 2017
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I have a new truck and am looking to buy our first travel trailer.

The truck is a 2017 F150 3.5L EcoBoost w/ Max Trailer Tow Package, trailer break control and 11,700lb towing capacity with 1,737lb payload.

We want to get the Jay Flight 33RBTS linked below with UVW=8530lb, GCWR = 10,9050lb, dry hitch weight = 865lb.

https://www.jayco.com/products/travel-trailers/2017-jay-flight/33rbts/

Is this too much trailer for my truck? Does the length matter much for towing (we will be getting a 4 point WDH)?

Is this considered a 33 foot trailer, or a 37 foot trailer (i.e. do you count the box, or bumper to hitch)?

Thanks a lot!
 
I think it's too much trailer there is no room for anything else usually you want 10-20% margin between tow rating and gvwr of the trailer.
Length is measured tip to tip.
 
Its very close to your limits.....  if you.planning to tow alot then you better expext alot of ware amd tare on your truck....
 
We're in Central Ohio. We would likely take 2 trips to North Michigan per year, and 2-3 much shorter weekend trips.

I could certainly be wrong, but I can't imagine we'd be pushing the 10,9050lb GCWR on the trailer. Water tanks would be empty and not taking anything out of the ordinary (bikes being the heaviest I think).

We put a deposit on one (still at the factory) but am starting to second guess myself, mostly due to the length and partially due to the weight. Dealer said with the 4 pt WDH I shouldn't get any sway... does that sound reasonable, or is that an over sell?

The trucks wheelbase is 145.0 in, does that limit the length of TT I should be looking for? I a different dealer told me a longer trailer is actual easier to drive with, but everything else I've seen seems to say the opposite.

Thanks again!
 
I'd love to get any other feedback. Right now I am leaning towards pulling the trigger on the 33RBTS,but am still a bit gun shy.

Thanks!

 
newtrailerguy said:
I'd love to get any other feedback. Right now I am leaning towards pulling the trigger on the 33RBTS,but am still a bit gun shy.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Don't do it! You'll have over 1,100 lbs. just tongue weight without WD setup. God I bet you'd be over GCWR of of 17,000 lbs. for that F150
Why even ask the question if your so inclined?
 
First, welcome to the Forum!

NEVER believe a salesman!!  Here is why.          http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,90933.0.html

Search the Forum for WD Hitches.  Buy one from a source other than the dealer.  Get YOUR choice of hitch, not the one he makes the most profit on, and save a couple hundred $$.  They are not hard to set up, and will need to be readjusted once it is loaded for camping anyway.

You will be near your limit, but probably okay on weight.  The REAL hitch weight MUST BE at least 10% of actual loaded TT weight, so figure 900# - 1000# if you pack light.  Add the weight of passengers, bikes, and other cargo and 80# for a GOOD WD hitch, and you should still be below the 1737# payload.

Where did you get the Payload number?  There is a yellow label on the driver door latch pillar with the CCC or Payload for THAT TRUCK as it left the factory.  Any other payload source is just a guess and is almost always too high.

Another concern is the length.  That 33 ft box is a big sail that can push you all over on a windy day.  The F150 is a great light truck, but the TT weighs more than the truck.

Check the tire Load Rating.  Sometimes, these trucks will have Passenger tires for improved ride, and will not be rated to tow the load.  With a new truck, it should have tires capable of carrying the payload designated for the truck.

Why a new TT?  You can get more TT for the same money or the same one for significant savings.
New campers almost always have numerous factory "issues".  They are fixed under warranty, but this requires trips back to the dealer, and the lack of use while it is parked there.  Some dealers take weeks - or more - for simple repairs.  Gently used TT will usually have all these issues fixed, and be out of warranty, so you can choose your own repair facility / tech.
Many campers are traded within a couple years.  Common reasons are for a different floor plan, a bigger camper or sold for lack of time to use it.  This makes lots of gently used late model campers available.  It also makes a sale or trade much less expensive if you started with a used unit.
 
grashley said:
First, welcome to the Forum!

NEVER believe a salesman!!  Here is why.          http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,90933.0.html

Search the Forum for WD Hitches.  Buy one from a source other than the dealer.  Get YOUR choice of hitch, not the one he makes the most profit on, and save a couple hundred $$.  They are not hard to set up, and will need to be readjusted once it is loaded for camping anyway.

You will be near your limit, but probably okay on weight.  The REAL hitch weight MUST BE at least 10% of actual loaded TT weight, so figure 900# - 1000# if you pack light.  Add the weight of passengers, bikes, and other cargo and 80# for a GOOD WD hitch, and you should still be below the 1737# payload.

Where did you get the Payload number?  There is a yellow label on the driver door latch pillar with the CCC or Payload for THAT TRUCK as it left the factory.  Any other payload source is just a guess and is almost always too high.

Another concern is the length.  That 33 ft box is a big sail that can push you all over on a windy day.  The F150 is a great light truck, but the TT weighs more than the truck.

Check the tire Load Rating.  Sometimes, these trucks will have Passenger tires for improved ride, and will not be rated to tow the load.  With a new truck, it should have tires capable of carrying the payload designated for the truck.

Why a new TT?  You can get more TT for the same money or the same one for significant savings.
New campers almost always have numerous factory "issues".  They are fixed under warranty, but this requires trips back to the dealer, and the lack of use while it is parked there.  Some dealers take weeks - or more - for simple repairs.  Gently used TT will usually have all these issues fixed, and be out of warranty, so you can choose your own repair facility / tech.
Many campers are traded within a couple years.  Common reasons are for a different floor plan, a bigger camper or sold for lack of time to use it.  This makes lots of gently used late model campers available.  It also makes a sale or trade much less expensive if you started with a used unit.
Click to expand...
Thank you.

I'll make sure I do my homework on the hitch. The dealer described theirs as a high end 4 pt WD hitch that helps with sway--selling to to me for $305 (negotiated price down). I will find out the make/model (they said they recommend two, with that being the better one). He said with that hitch we shouldn't get any sway with that hitch assuming we don't drive poorly...does that sound like a load of BS?

1737 is on the yellow sticker.

Right now the 4 of us weigh ~475lbs, but the kids are young, so we might be pushing 700lbs in the future. I imagine bikes would go on the back of the trailer, if that makes a difference. I think we could fit all cargo in the TT (except small electronics and other things to pass time on the trip).

Does a good WD hitch increase payload (I imagine that is a stupid question and the answer is no)?

I don't think we will be loading the TT up too heavy...don't think we'll haul much if any water. I could certainly be wrong, but I would think we'd be much closer to 10k lbs than 11k lbs loaded TT weight.

Is that pushing the payload too much? Seems like I would have an OK margin on towing capacity, but might be pretty close on payload.

Does the wheel base limit the length of trailer you should pull? Mine is 145 inch
 
Wireman134 said:
Why even ask the question if your so inclined?
Click to expand...
Because I am hoping if I am making a dumb choice someone will tell me. So far (including other places as well) responses have ranged from "That won't be a problem at all" to "Yeah, you probably don't want to do that". I am new to this so looking for more experienced people's input.
 
Are deposits generally refundable? I put down a down payment over the phone without signing anything (dealer is out of town, but I had been in the trailer before).
 
You'll easily load that trailer with all the essentials to camp, that's at least 1,000 lbs. Because if you don't you'll be overloading the truck. Dry hitch weight means nothing on a travel trailer unless you a transporter. Even then it does not include battery and full propane tanks. Your looking to pull a trailer that weighs 2,000 lbs. minimum more than your tow vehicle GVWR and twice as long. Seriously consider a smaller lighter TT.
 
Thanks for the input.

Would the 31 foot White Hawk linked below be a safe option? It's 2k lbs lighter.

https://www.jayco.com/products/travel-trailers/2017-white-hawk/31bhbs/
 
Hi Newtrailerguy-

I've copied a reply I sent recently regarding my 2014 F150 with a 11,300lb towing capacity with 1,852 lb payload:
For the past year I have been towing an Artic Fox 25R with a 2014 F150 Ecoboost Supercrew w/ 3.73 rear end, max tow package. The integrated brake controller and tow/haul controls work great. The trailer totally loaded weighs in at 7880 lbs, with a trailer max at 10,000, i'm well below. The truck has exceeded my expectations towing this trailer. The power available when pulling a grade is more than ample and the engine does not howl, on a grade it loves to be around 2500 in 4th gear, you still have plenty of pedal left to pass slower vehicles when you need to and going downhill has been good as well. As far as the total length of the trailer, 28ft, this combo is about as far as I would want to push it. When you do get on the road be sure to pay attention to wind conditions, the power available in all pickups these days give some drivers the false sense that they can drive as fast as they want to because they can pull it, you can't overpower the affects of wind on a surface area. I'm using a Blue Ox sway pro hitch which has been working great so long as I turn off the F150's active anti-sway towing feature which wants to fight against the sway control of the hitch. It's my understanding that this is an issue with any sway control bars and the trucks anti-sway software.

You're getting a lot of good advise here at the Forum, continue to read up and do your homework.
Good luck,
Gary

 
A WD hitch does NOT change hitch wt or payload.  It simply redistributes that load more evenly.  Load from the rear axle of the truck is moved to the front axle and back onto the TT axles.

Use the SEARCH feature in the banner near the top of the page and enter WD Hitch.  You should find many recent posts on the topic including brand specific comments.  The price may be a fair one for a truly good hitch.

While a good WD hitch with sway control will certainly help reduce sway, a good gust of wind against that big sail may still cause some sway.

With 500# of people, 1000# hitch wt, 80# WD hitch and 20# of electronics (keep math simple), you have 1600# payload, still 137# below your max payload.  Weights are okay.  I am more concerned about overall length and the effects of wind.  The smaller TT would help both!  Just remember, Floor Plan, Floor Plan!
 
I think you will be pushing the limits of your truck.  Some dealers would not return a deposit, but if you decide for another unit in the dealer, they are willing to transfer the deposit to the new unit.
 
The plunge said:
Hi Newtrailerguy-

I've copied a reply I sent recently regarding my 2014 F150 with a 11,300lb towing capacity with 1,852 lb payload:
For the past year I have been towing an Artic Fox 25R with a 2014 F150 Ecoboost Supercrew w/ 3.73 rear end, max tow package. The integrated brake controller and tow/haul controls work great. The trailer totally loaded weighs in at 7880 lbs, with a trailer max at 10,000, i'm well below. The truck has exceeded my expectations towing this trailer. The power available when pulling a grade is more than ample and the engine does not howl, on a grade it loves to be around 2500 in 4th gear, you still have plenty of pedal left to pass slower vehicles when you need to and going downhill has been good as well. As far as the total length of the trailer, 28ft, this combo is about as far as I would want to push it. When you do get on the road be sure to pay attention to wind conditions, the power available in all pickups these days give some drivers the false sense that they can drive as fast as they want to because they can pull it, you can't overpower the affects of wind on a surface area. I'm using a Blue Ox sway pro hitch which has been working great so long as I turn off the F150's active anti-sway towing feature which wants to fight against the sway control of the hitch. It's my understanding that this is an issue with any sway control bars and the trucks anti-sway software.

You're getting a lot of good advise here at the Forum, continue to read up and do your homework.
Good luck,
Gary
Click to expand...
I'm curious to your 7,880 lb. weight. Is that axle weight only or axle and tongue weight combined (GVW). Easy to see how much weight is added to camp or full time in a TT. Your UVW is around 6,100 lbs. UVW ,dry weight means nothing. Half Ton Tow able is over used LOL. Do your homework exactly.
 
Hi Wireman-

The 7880 lbs. is the loaded axle weight of the trailer, the UVW of my trailer as equipped is 6726 lbs. The repeated advice for people to do the homework and never go by the advertised "dry weight" should always be heeded.
 
So loaded axle weight is not your total weight. Add tongue to axle weight to get your TT gross weight. Approx 10% of 7,880 lbs. is 788 lbs. (hitch weight)  = 8,668 lbs. or GVW.  87% of max per mfg's 10,000 lbs. GVWR. What a can of worms this can be...LOL. Your really pulling around at least a 8,668 lbs. trailer.
 
Hi Wireman-

Not sure if what you spelled out is correct because the way I answered your axle weight question. To re-cap and be clear: my trailers gross dry weight as equipped from the factory weighs 6726 lbs, I 've got 1154lbs of stuff in it, it now weighs 7880 lbs as weighed standing alone on the scales disconnected from the tow vehicle.
Sorry for confusing everyone.
 
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