Not another "Can I tow this thread"!

[Fatboy8]

Hey there.

The family is interested in getting a TT. I think I really like the Jay Flight SLX 8 224BHW. I bought a 2001 F-150 a few years ago to help us tent camping because we were running out of space in our forester with the dog, kid, bikes, and other stuff.

So... Need to know if our TV will handle this TT. Here's the numbers:

TV:
2001 F-150 Screw Lariat 4x4 5.4L 3.55 axle, trailer towing group class III
GVWR: 6750
Max tow: 7100
GCWR: 12,500
Payload: 1640
FGAWR: 3600
RGAWR: 3800

TT (from Jayco's website):
UVW: 4510
GVWR: 6000
Dry tongue: 435

I took the truck to the CAT scales with the family and a full tank of gas, but not the 60 pound poodle. Those numbers are:

Steer Axle: 3500
Drive Axle: 2700
Gross: 6200

The truck has a Leer shell on it with thule bars. I also weighed it with a ball hitch in it (just the usual one to pull my light pram). The shell was probably put on when the truck was originally bought in 2002, and I suspect it's heavy. Easily 200 lbs. Didn't want to take it off because I really don't want to put it back on afterwards. I have an email into Leer to try to get a weight on the thing.

What say you? Am I going to be able to pull that 224BHW with it? Does anybody own the 224BHW Rocky Mtn Edition and can tell me what they're tongue weight usually is?

We live in Western Washington. There's mountains, but we don't usually camp over the passes, but I suspect we'd want to with the TT.

Thanks for any help. A new TV isn't in the cards right now, and I'm not sure a smaller TT will meet our small needs, which are a walk around queen, bunks, and an outdoor kitchen.

Thanks for any help. Really like the forum and hope I can contribute as an owner soon!

[AndyO]

Absent actual scale numbers for the TT, use the 6000# number and 10-15% tongue weight Which would be 750-900#. Add a WDH, your family, the topper, dog, bikes etc my first guess is not what you want to hear, but probably already know, that you are very likely to be quite a bit over the payload of that particular truck. The payload number is what is going to limit you, IMHO.

[Midnightmoon]

First and foremost, I appreciate you coming here with this question having already weighed your tow vehicle. That is often the first thing that we suggest when someone asks these questions.

Looking at your CAT scale numbers, you only have 550# of available payload based on your tow vehicle GVWR. However, you appear to have 1100# of available rear axle capacity and 100# front. There is no doubt that you will end up at or over your vehicle GVWR but most likely will fall well within the rated axle capacity of your tow vehicle once you add that 750# + tongue weight.

[curver900]

if it is a fiberglass topper it will be in the 250-300lb range.. take it off and you will have that back for your payload...

[Colorado]

If you prefer a top for the back look into a SOFTOPPER. They’re like a soft top on a Jeep.

[Fatboy8]

Thanks everybody for chiming in. Appreciate the comments.

As I'm sure everybody has found out that is trying to use an existing tow vehicle, that payload number, and other numbers, diminish quickly once you start doing some real world calculations. Like you, I'd guess a whole lot of people towing TTs around are overloaded!

@Midnightmoon, what's the stats on your 22BHM when you're camping? I think the worst part of this whole thing has been how little any of the numbers provide by vehicle or RV manufacturers really translate to real world. Why bother publishing the UVW and the dry tongue weight if those numbers don't have any real meaning?

@Curver900, I hope you're right. If the topper weighs in that vicinity I'll feel a lot more comfortable and I"ll tow with it off. If I can enlist a friend I may pull it off this weekend and reweigh.

Might have extra incentive to put myself on a diet to gain a bit more payload as well!

Thanks again everybody, appreciate the responses and welcome any more!

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Fatboy8

@Midnightmoon, what's the stats on your 22BHM when you're camping? I think the worst part of this whole thing has been how little any of the numbers provide by vehicle or RV manufacturers really translate to real world. Why bother publishing the UVW and the dry tongue weight if those numbers don't have any real meaning?

As loaded for camp, I am almost exactly 5500# and 800# tongue weight via CAT scale. That includes a full fresh tank of water, full water heater, approx 10 gal in the black tank and the grey tank empty. That weight also includes our trailer tongue mount bike rack.

[colby]

Originally Posted by Fatboy8

Might have extra incentive to put myself on a diet to gain a bit more payload as well!

I hear ya!

[Fatboy8]

Thought I would give an update on this:

Family and I went out yesterday and looked at some TTs. I think the choice was always between an Apex Nano 208BHS and the Jay Fight 224BHW. They Apex dealer didn't have any 208BHS on the lot (of course), but they had something similar enough that we could get a feel for it. We then went to the Jayco dealer who also didn't have much on the lot but did have a sold 224BHW that they were prepping for delivery that we got to look at. Wife and kid loved the layout, which is good, because I think that's the one I was leaning towards anyways.

So, to the truck question. The sales rep at the dealer said he had my same truck that he sold not too long ago and he towed something heavier with it. Seemed believable in that he was honest that "it towed it. it wasn't ideal, but it did it". So, I think I could pull the thing assuming we stay on this side of the mountains and our campsites or under a few hours away.

However, I was discussing my hesitation with the wife about towing it with our current rig and she offered that she would be happy to drive a new tow rig as a daily driver and we could dump her Forester. Currently, our F-150 is strictly a camping / fishing rig that tows my little 10 ft pram.

So, we're in negotiations now with a dealer that has a '12 F-150 XLT with 115k on the clock. The VIN decoder spits out this info:

4WD SuperCrew 6-1/2 Ft Box XL w/HD Payload Pkg
Ecoboost 3.5L with 3.73 rearend
Payload sticker reads 2158 lbs.

I"m guessing this rig won't have any issue towing this trailer we're looking at, or even something a little larger?

Thanks again for your help. You all are a great resource.

[AndyO]

Of those numbers are accurate, and I have no reason to doubt them, it would seem like a great fit. I had a 2013 F150 3.5 Ecoboost and it pulled my old, much heavier TT well, and within the limits as well. I still recommend getting exact scale numbers, just for peace of mind. Good luck, and good on the DW for taking one for the team. Lol.

[Fatboy8]

We'll get everything on the scale once we have it all. Hard to get things to the scale when we don't own it yet!

But, the payload number is from the door sticker. And the GVW of the 224BHW that we looked at yesterday was 4640. I feel confident this should be a good match.

Thanks!

[AndyO]

For sure, that's what I meant, lol. I should have been clearer.

[Fatboy8]

Originally Posted by AndyO

Good luck, and good on the DW for taking one for the team. Lol.

Also, not sure she's taking one for the team here. She's going from a '14 Forester to a '12 F-150. Seems like a slight upgrade. Her office is only a couple of miles from the house and has easy parking. My work sometimes takes me to downtown Seattle and I definitely don't want to try to park a truck that size down there, so I'll stick with my CX-5. We use my CX-5 for any road trips as it is.

[Murff]

The 2012 F150 you are looking at should pull most anything!

Here is the 2012 F150 Truck Brochure with stats on page 33.

Btw, welcome to the JOF from Seatac!

Murff

P.S. If the F150 you are looking at is red and north of Seattle, it has been in an accident of some sort according to a Carfax,

[Fatboy8]

It's white in Lakewood.

[Fatboy8]

Do you have easy (free) access to carfax reports?

[Murff]

Carfax.com

Great search for used vehicles and free reports!

Murff

[Randel J]

We have a 2019 Jayco SLX 6 264BHW and tow it with our 2001 F150 with 5.4L V8. I bought the truck brand new in August 2000, so this year it will be 20 years old with 192,000 miles and it still tows our trailer just fine.

[Fatboy8]

Well, that's good news you're towing it with the basically the same vehicle as me, especially since my wife didn't like the truck we looked at.

I'm still on the search for a newer TV, but I think I might be okay for the time being if we get stuck pulling it with our '01 Screw.

Can't believe that trucks with F-150s with 120,000 miles are still selling for near $20k.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Fatboy8

We'll get everything on the scale once we have it all......snip

Once you do, the following JOF thread may be helpful:

CAT Scale how-to:

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...v-tt-3871.html

Bob