Towing Jayco Jay Flight 26BHS Elite w/ F150

[mr47366111]

Hi - I realize towing has been beat to death over many forums but would greatly appreciate any advice. Ive researched extensively and find myself wondering if Im taking on too much for the truck. So much information online that conflicts! Short story is we are a family of 4 upgrading from a popup camper to a trailer and have our hearts set on a 26BHS

Im looking at a purchase of a 2015 Jayco Jay Flight 26BHS Elite.
- 26ft (29 with hitch and bumper)
- Dry weight 6430
- GVWR is 7750
- Tongue weight 800 lbs

Towing with a 2017 Ford F150 3.5L V6 Ecoboost.
- Axle ratio of 3.31.
- Ford specs say Max is 10K lbs for trailer, although much of what im reading says under 8K.
- It is equipped with the 53B tow package - trailer tow mode, Class IV hitch and smart connector. It does not have front stabilizer and transmission cooler. Im a but concerned Im biting off too much although the match seems to make this work. We will travel with a 4 person family in the truck (two young kids)

Ford F150 Spes
https://www.ford.com/services/assets...stalCode=54901

Questions
- Is this weight too much for the V6 echoboost? We live in Colorado.
- Should I expect the ride to absolutely suck towing this trailer?
- Other Jayco models we are looking at are more like 5800 dry weight but still go up to 7700 GVWR. While dry weight is better, Im not sure thats going to be much of a difference?
- Do I need to worry about my transmission without the Aux. Auto Trans. Oil Cooler?
- Would changing tires help with the ride on this?

[Iraqvet05]

What is your payload capacity? This should be on a decal on your drivers' door jamb.

[mr47366111]

Thanks for the reply! 1830 lbs is the payload on the sticker with the tires

[SkyBound]

You should definitely put a transmission cooler in, the biggest one you can get. You should also change your tires to LT rated Load Range E tires. You should also get some sort of rear suspension enhancement such as airbags or timbrens or roadmaster active suspension, and a properly dialled in weight distributing hitch.

That being said, I think your truck is up to the challenge. Your rear axle ratio isn't ideal for heavy towing, but I'm pretty sure you have the 10 speed tranny which partly negates that downfall by allowing the engine to remain in its peak torque range, which thankfully the EcoBoost is absolutely phenomenal for.

Visit the scales, make sure your tongue weight is not too much and not too little (12-14% of total weight is great) and make sure your hitch is adjusted properly. There are articles on this forum of how to calculate the weights you want to know based on 3 different measurements in different configurations.

I tow a 30'6" total length 7000lb loaded trailer with my truck, and it handles it very well. A very suitable match indeed, but I wouldn't go heavier or longer than what I have. It never lacks for power, but I do know it's back there. I travel with a big dog and wife and kids and gear etc... so if you are planning on having an empty truck and just the trailer, I would consider a tad larger than what I have. But realistically, with my 1700lbs of payload, I'm using every bit of it when we go camping.

Power will not be an issue even at your higher elevations due to the turbocharging, but more a question of controllability with a half ton platform. Again, a good quality hitch properly set up will make the difference of smiles or terror on the road.

Good luck and thank you for doing your research before making a big, safety dependent decision.

[Murff]

With the 1830 pound payload, minus a 15% (loaded to the max trailer) of 1,162 pounds, that leaves a total of 698 pounds for passengers and whatever else you put in the truck. Granted, this is the extreme.

You will be close to the edge of your F150s capabilities. A good WDH hitch and you should be good to go, though.

Murff

[mr47366111]

Big thank you everyone for the advice and experience! It is greatly appreciated and surely helping me make safer decisions for the family. God bless!

[curver900]

WDH with sway control... drive on!


make sure the load rating on your tires meets or exceeds your weight... which they should as the door jam says you are fine... my bet is you have LT tires... which will be fine. when you need new tires look for ones that have a higher load rating they have a better feel

[mr47366111]

Will do! Great advise. Thank you

[Tonyzsi]

I agree with just about everything Skybound said.

I have a '17 3.5 EB F150 with only 1,670 of payload. I tow a '13 Whitehawk 28DSBH. It is ~5,300 dry and maxes out at 7,500 although I estimate I'm around 6,500 fully loaded for camping. I always tow with empty tanks.
The 3.5 EB has plenty of power so that won't be any issue.
-I would agree with the recommendation of installing a trans cooler.
-I would inflate to your tires at or very close to max. The stock Dynapro ATM's that come on the F150 have a max inflation of 51 psi so I usually put them at 50 psi when towing. I'm considering upgrading to E-load rated tires later this year when I buy new tires. I'm just concerned about the ride quality since they are stiff and you loose that softer ride of the stock tires.
-I use a WDH with anti-sway and I would highly recommend using the same on your truck/trailer.
-I'm installing the Roadmaster Active Suspension tomorrow on my truck as I feel the back of the truck wiggle a little now and then. It's mostly just when the wind blows, but it gets my attention just for a second when it happens. I think the F150's rear sags a bit and is a little soft for towing heavy loads. The WDH helps some, but I would go with 1 of the 3 that that Skybound mentioned. I chose the Roadmaster AS since they're supposed to help with the ride of the truck even when empty as well as help it to handle a little better and reduce the lean of the truck in turns. I drive back roads to work and miss having a sporty car to carve up the turns.

I think your truck is more than capable of towing your current rig. I would just upgrade/add some components mentioned above to help with the longevity of the truck and to help in areas where the F150 is a little lacking when it comes to heavy duty towing.
Good luck and have fun!!