Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Half ton trucks like an F150 are very car-like, basically an SUV with an open back end. They spend most of their life as a daily driver rather than a hauler, so the suspension is relatively soft for better comfort. That makes them more susceptible to crosswinds and/or getting jerked around by the trailer when conditions are poor or the highway is challenging.
As has been mentioned, the 11,000 lb max tow rating is validated with a utility trailer, heavy but low. RV travel trailers are tall, slab sided, and have a huge frontal area, all of which add tremendously to the workload on the truck. And the faster you drive, the worse it gets. So yes, you can tow a heavy trailer, but you probably do NOT want to tow a long & heavy RV travel trailer frequently or long distances. That would be continually "pushing the envelope", stressful on both you and the truck.
I found specs for a 2016 Heartland Pioneer DS10, which is probably near identical to the 2017. Looks like it runs about 9000 lbs fully loaded, so very likely close to the truck's limit anyway. That 11,000 lb rating is for an empty truck, but you will have kids, dogs and the usual collection of "stuff" in the truck and that eats into the available tow capability. The 11,000 also is for the base trim level without options, so the more typical upscale trims generally have less remaining tow capacity because of the weight of the trim & options.
The available tow capacity is the difference between the truck GCWR (Gross COMBINED Weight Rating) and the actual loaded weight of the truck when towing. The GCWR is fixed for the configuration of the truck, so the heavier the truck gets, the lower the available tow weight. You should put everybody in the truck and drive it to a scale to see what is will likely weigh during travel. Then add the weight of a good WD hitch, probably around 100-125 lbs. From that, you can determine the realistic max tow.
You also need to measure Payload (Cargo Capacity). Again, everything you carry in/on the truck is "cargo", including the trailer hitch. Then see if there is enough cargo capacity left for the trailer tongue weight, which will be 10%-12% of the loaded trailer weight. For planning purposes, assume the trailer GVWR is what it will weight while you are driving. In other words, about 9000 lbs.
As has been mentioned, the 11,000 lb max tow rating is validated with a utility trailer, heavy but low. RV travel trailers are tall, slab sided, and have a huge frontal area, all of which add tremendously to the workload on the truck. And the faster you drive, the worse it gets. So yes, you can tow a heavy trailer, but you probably do NOT want to tow a long & heavy RV travel trailer frequently or long distances. That would be continually "pushing the envelope", stressful on both you and the truck.
I found specs for a 2016 Heartland Pioneer DS10, which is probably near identical to the 2017. Looks like it runs about 9000 lbs fully loaded, so very likely close to the truck's limit anyway. That 11,000 lb rating is for an empty truck, but you will have kids, dogs and the usual collection of "stuff" in the truck and that eats into the available tow capability. The 11,000 also is for the base trim level without options, so the more typical upscale trims generally have less remaining tow capacity because of the weight of the trim & options.
The available tow capacity is the difference between the truck GCWR (Gross COMBINED Weight Rating) and the actual loaded weight of the truck when towing. The GCWR is fixed for the configuration of the truck, so the heavier the truck gets, the lower the available tow weight. You should put everybody in the truck and drive it to a scale to see what is will likely weigh during travel. Then add the weight of a good WD hitch, probably around 100-125 lbs. From that, you can determine the realistic max tow.
You also need to measure Payload (Cargo Capacity). Again, everything you carry in/on the truck is "cargo", including the trailer hitch. Then see if there is enough cargo capacity left for the trailer tongue weight, which will be 10%-12% of the loaded trailer weight. For planning purposes, assume the trailer GVWR is what it will weight while you are driving. In other words, about 9000 lbs.