Help please. I'm confused.

Hi guys, I've been browsing for a while and thought I would register. My wife and I have finally decided to go ahead and pull the trigger on buying a travel trailer. I drive an F150 and am confused about how much trailer it will handle. I scaled my pickup and with me and a full tank of gas it weighs 5460 lbs. 2980 on the steer axle and 2480 on the rear axle. Using the vin# I looked up my particular truck and this is where I get confused. This is what it says.
Gross axle weight rating. Front 3300 min. 3300 max.
Gross axle weight rating. Rear 3800 min. 3850 max.
Gross vehicle cap 6800 min. 7050 max
Gross combined weight rating capacity. 12000, 11700 lbs.  11200 min. 15000 max.
Dead weight hitch- max trailer weight 5000lbs. 5000 min. 5000 max
Dead weight hitch- max tongue weight 750 lbs. 750 min. 750 max.
Weight distributing hitch- 6400,6900 lbs. 5800 min-9500 max.
Weight distributing hitch- max tongue weight 960,1035 lbs. 870 min. 1425 max.
All these numbers are specific to my vin# (I think). Can anyone tell me what my truck is good for? It's a 2008 F150 4.6 litre XLT with the factory tow package. Adding a weight distributing hitch is no problem. Thanks in advance. Mike

What does the yellow tag on the driver's side door jam read for payload? That's the most important number.

There is a sticker with yellow trim and the only information that's looks pertinent say total weight of passengers and cargo must not exceed 1631 lbs. we are looking at a Sportsman 272 bh. It weighs 4600 lbs and the dealer says that is everything except propane bottles and hoses. I just looked at Fords towing website and it looks like the truck is good for 6400 lbs. probably never get out of Texas so overpasses are liable to be the steepest grades we will hit. Should be okay if we travel light and don't carry a bunch of water, correct?

That 1641 lbs listed on the sticker is the weight of any passengers, cargo in the back, trailer hitch, and tongue weight of the trailer. The weight given by the salesman is probably the "dry weight," which is just the empty trailer and doesn't include any cargo in the trailer. (dishes, bedding, clothes, food, contents of holding tanks, etc.

You don't say if this is a new or used model, but KZ lists one current Sportsmen 272 model on their website:

http://www.kz-rv.com/products/sportsmen-show-stopper-travel-trailers/S272BHSS.html

That one says dry weight: 4110, Unlasen Vehicle Weight of 4710, NCC (cargo weight) 1290, for a GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT of 7,000 lbs, and a DRY hitch weight of 600 lbs. (that's just less than 13% of the dry weight...acceptable) Using that same 13%, fully loaded to the 7000 lbs GVWR, you'll have about 910 lbs on the tongue. That will, of course, vary by how the trailer is loaded...and the actual final weight.

You might be able to pull it...but it's likely to be pretty close.

Yeah, I couldn't find it on their website either but the sticker on the trailer said just a little over 4600 lbs. I've told my wife we couldn't load much on it but that's the one she wants. She agreed to just load clothes and folding chairs and pick up anything else when we get where we are going. With propane it ought to be a little over 4700 lbs. Heck, I've looking for a reason to buy a new truck.

I think you'll be VERY surprised at how fast the weight adds up as "she" finds things she just can't live without...A HUGE amount of the "can't live without" stuff in our motorhome is mine...tools and misc. "junk" that I really have to reconsider since I haven't used it in two trips...
Also, consider the weight of anything in the back of the truck...tools, firewood, chairs, etc. While that won't add to your trailer weight...it DOES add to your cargo weight...and actually will affect your truck's payload more than if it was in the trailer.

2008 Ford RV and trailer Towing Guide

Page 17 lists the F-150 towing limits.  With the 4.6 engine the allowed Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR - truck and trailer together) ranges from 11,500 lbs to 12,200 lbs. depending on the truck's configuration including the rear axle ratio and wheelbase.

The other factor is the trailer frontal area.  Page 15 says the tow ratings for the F150 assume a trailer with a maximum frontal area of 60 square feet.  That's the size of a cargo or horse trailer, full height RVs have more frontal area than that, requiring more engine power to move down the road.  The power available from the 4.6 liter engine is what limits the towing capacity (identical trucks with larger engines can tow more weight).  This means if you pull at the rated maximum, you won't have any reserve power to compensate for the added wind resistance of a full height RV trailer when battling headwinds.

Weigh your truck as it will be loaded for a trip and the difference between that and the GCWR for your truck's configuration will tell you how much weight you can tow.  The figures in the Towing Guide assume an empty truck carrying only a 150 lb. driver and a tank of fuel.  Every pound above that subtracts a like amount from the allowable towing weight.

With the soft F150 suspension, a properly set up weight equalizing hitch is a must.  Otherwise your headlights will be illuminating the sky and blinding oncoming drivers as the trailer's hitch weight makes the truck squat in the rear.  Using an equalizing hitch, estimate that about half of the trailer's hitch weight will be transferred to the front axle and the remainder will rest on the rear axle when figuring out your truck's payload.

Get her the trailer that she wants.  Happy wife, happy life! If you decide the truck can't pull the trailer,  go get one that will. Then you get a new truck, and you're both happy. ;D

Yeah, I couldn't find it on their website either but the sticker on the trailer said just a little over 4600 lbs. I've told my wife we couldn't load much on it but that's the one she wants. She agreed to just load clothes and folding chairs and pick up anything else when we get where we are going. With propane it ought to be a little over 4700 lbs.

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You are dreaming. Just the propane and residual water (heater tank, bottom of fresh tank, etc) will put you over 4700. What about beverages in the fridge, clothing, pots & pans, and the myriad of other things you use every day? Trust me, you will easily hit 5500 lbs after you "load it lightly". And probably hit 6000+ after just afew trips. Gonna bring a BBQ? Lawn chairs? Maybe a fishing pole or a bike?

Heck, I've looking for a reason to buy a new truck.

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You just found one. Mama wants a comfy trailer and you need a truck that can handle it safely. 

All of the above are correct.  First, throw out everything from your first post except the scaled weight.  It is a bunch of generic nonsense aimed to confuse.

The BEST way to determine how much you can tow is find the truck GVWR label on the driver door (not the yellow one), then subtract your scaled weight.  The second best is the CCC from the yellow sticker, or 1631#.  I suspect if you subtract your weight from the CCC, the two numbers will be real close.  There is no third best way.

The CCC is exactly what it says - the most weight YOUR truck is designed to carry.  Add together the weight of all passengers, cargo in the truck, tools, firewood, etc, plus 80# for the WD hitch and the ACTUAL tongue weight of the TT.  This must be less than your CCC.

The salesman's 4600# is correct for what it weighs when it leaves his lot.  That is all most salesmen care about - you getting it off his lot.  As Gary so correctly stated, when you get ready to camp, it will be 1000# heavier!  Besides, it does not matter where something is bought, if it goes in the camper, the weight MUST be counted.

A 7,000# TT with a 820# tongue wt and 80# hitch leaves 731# for passengers and cargo.  It is probably do able, but you may not like how it tows.  Above all, keep momma happy!