Proper Tongue Weight and How to Measure It

[baktasht]

Just my two cents… when I ordered my truck I was really surprised to see that (back in 2019, who knows now) it was only a few hundred dollars, literally $200 to go from a 3/4 to a 1 ton or F250 to F350. It’s really nice to not have to worry about payload When we pack up for a week at the lake :0). 700-800 lbs of tongue weight and 200-300 lbs of gear plus basically four adults it adds up quick and before you know it your over grossed. Just saying if your gonna upgrade go all the way.

If anyone is interested here is a really good YouTube about payload and towing capacity.

https://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/

My uncle also buys F350s for the same reason. He told me the only real difference is the frame, which would explain the small difference in price.

I also have a story. When the half ton Dodge diesels came out I was very interested in purchasing one. When our local dealer finally got one in it was parked next to a medium optioned 3/4 ton Cummins. After looking that loaded up 1/2 over for quite sometime I thought maybe I would just see how it compared to the 3/4, the list prices were within 1k. At this point I was just dumb founded, why would I (or anyone) spend 1k more for a pickup that I literally could haul less than the cheaper pickup, it even had less overall power too. After some more research (finding the 1/2 ton oil changes at the time were $100) I never did buy either diesel, most of it due to that initial sticker shock.

It's hard to beat the inline 6 cummins in those Rams. If someone made one of those tied to an Allison transmission that would be my favorite setup

[Snowman8]

The more tongue weight, the better.
When you start messing with trailer weight, you get that uneasy and dangerous squirmy feeling.

I fully agree!

[Snowman8]

Just my two cents… when I ordered my truck I was really surprised to see that (back in 2019, who knows now) it was only a few hundred dollars, literally $200 to go from a 3/4 to a 1 ton or F250 to F350. It’s really nice to not have to worry about payload When we pack up for a week at the lake :0). 700-800 lbs of tongue weight and 200-300 lbs of gear plus basically four adults it adds up quick and before you know it your over grossed. Just saying if your gonna upgrade go all the way.

If anyone is interested here is a really good YouTube about payload and towing capacity.

https://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/

You are correct. I don’t think that most people realize a 3/4 ton doesn’t have much more payload capacity than a half ton truck. Especially if the 3/4 ton has diesel engine. My wife’s F150 has a payload of just over 1600lbs, most 3/4 tons are around 2300-2500lbs, some can be slightly higher depending on options. My F350 single rear wheel has a payload of over 4600lbs. As dst said the cost isn’t much different from a 3/4 to a 1 ton but you get twice the truck is you have big trailers. I pull our 7000lb R5 with our F150 with ease and the 1 ton pulls my 15,000 lb skid loader trailer with ease with thousands of pounds of tools in the box of the truck. A 3/4 ton would be way over payload!

[Snowman73]

Just my two cents… when I ordered my truck I was really surprised to see that (back in 2019, who knows now) it was only a few hundred dollars, literally $200 to go from a 3/4 to a 1 ton or F250 to F350. It’s really nice to not have to worry about payload When we pack up for a week at the lake :0). 700-800 lbs of tongue weight and 200-300 lbs of gear plus basically four adults it adds up quick and before you know it your over grossed. Just saying if your gonna upgrade go all the way.

If anyone is interested here is a really good YouTube about payload and towing capacity.

https://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/

You are correct. I don’t think that most people realize a 3/4 ton doesn’t have much more payload capacity than a half ton truck. Especially if the 3/4 ton has diesel engine. My wife’s F150 has a payload of just over 1600lbs, most 3/4 tons are around 2300-2500lbs, some can be slightly higher depending on options. My F350 single rear wheel has a payload of over 4600lbs. As dst said the cost isn’t much different from a 3/4 to a 1 ton but you get twice the truck is you have big trailers. I pull our 7000lb R5 with our F150 with ease and the 1 ton pulls my 15,000 lb skid loader trailer with ease with thousands of pounds of tools in the box of the truck. A 3/4 ton would be way over payload!

Sounds like I should be just fine with the F150 w/ max tow hooked up to the R5 for my one time every other year trip to Table Rock.

[Big Block Power]

Just my two cents… when I ordered my truck I was really surprised to see that (back in 2019, who knows now) it was only a few hundred dollars, literally $200 to go from a 3/4 to a 1 ton or F250 to F350. It’s really nice to not have to worry about payload When we pack up for a week at the lake :0). 700-800 lbs of tongue weight and 200-300 lbs of gear plus basically four adults it adds up quick and before you know it your over grossed. Just saying if your gonna upgrade go all the way.

If anyone is interested here is a really good YouTube about payload and towing capacity.

https://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/

You are correct. I don’t think that most people realize a 3/4 ton doesn’t have much more payload capacity than a half ton truck. Especially if the 3/4 ton has diesel engine. My wife’s F150 has a payload of just over 1600lbs, most 3/4 tons are around 2300-2500lbs, some can be slightly higher depending on options. My F350 single rear wheel has a payload of over 4600lbs. As dst said the cost isn’t much different from a 3/4 to a 1 ton but you get twice the truck is you have big trailers. I pull our 7000lb R5 with our F150 with ease and the 1 ton pulls my 15,000 lb skid loader trailer with ease with thousands of pounds of tools in the box of the truck. A 3/4 ton would be way over payload!

Sounds like I should be just fine with the F150 w/ max tow hooked up to the R5 for my one time every other year trip to Table Rock.

Yes and your 1 time should be in June

[Snowman73]

You are correct. I don’t think that most people realize a 3/4 ton doesn’t have much more payload capacity than a half ton truck. Especially if the 3/4 ton has diesel engine. My wife’s F150 has a payload of just over 1600lbs, most 3/4 tons are around 2300-2500lbs, some can be slightly higher depending on options. My F350 single rear wheel has a payload of over 4600lbs. As dst said the cost isn’t much different from a 3/4 to a 1 ton but you get twice the truck is you have big trailers. I pull our 7000lb R5 with our F150 with ease and the 1 ton pulls my 15,000 lb skid loader trailer with ease with thousands of pounds of tools in the box of the truck. A 3/4 ton would be way over payload!

Sounds like I should be just fine with the F150 w/ max tow hooked up to the R5 for my one time every other year trip to Table Rock.

Yes and your 1 time should be in June

I wish I could change it to see you!

[bruceb58]

If someone made one of those tied to an Allison transmission that would be my favorite setup

Of course the new 10 speed Allison transmissions are just Ford/GM joint ventures with Ford being the prime contractor. Basically, the only difference between what gets put in the Ford or GM is the valve body and the case for bolting up to the different engines.

[TwoDuckDad]

The more tongue weight, the better.
When you start messing with trailer weight, you get that uneasy and dangerous squirmy feeling.

that is ridiculous...and dead wrong. 10-15% of the gross trailer weight should be on the tongue. (Gross means the trailer and everything on/in it)

[bruceb58]

that is rediculous...and dead wrong. 10-15% of the gross trailer weight should be on the tongue. (Gross means the trailer and everything on/in it)

Tandem axle boat trailers can actually get by with less than 10%. Since the majority of weight of a boat is in the rear, the axles are further rearward vs a travel trailer or utility trailer. Because of that, the center of pressure is still forward of the axles which allows you to have less tongue weight.

My boat is 6500# with 600# of tongue and that is completely empty of gear and no fuel.

Even EZ loader says 5% to 10%

http://www.ezloader.com/images/20160907 ... dd56bd.pdf

Capture5.JPG

[jhnmdahl]

That's what I've often seen too for tongue weight/trailer weight ratios: 5-10% for tandem axles, and 10-15% for single axles. If you're around 10%, you're unlikely to have a problem.

I've coincidentally seen a lot of hitches rated for 10:1 ratios too, such as 6000 lb trailer weight, 600 lb tongue weight.

John

[sailor55330]

Unrelated, but related-

If you are using WDH with your boat trailer, be cautious if it's a swing tongue. Many boat trailer manufacturers and WDH manufacturers will state upfront that a swing tongue is not designed for the stresses of a WDH.


I towed my R3 just over 1100 miles with my Toyota Sequoia- The truck was pretty empty and the boat was as well, but it did fine (with the exception of a few construction areas that really sucked and I39 in Illinois). Your F150 will handle the R5 for the occasional tow---just be cautious and smart.

[Snowman8]

Well if EZ Loader recommends 5-10% that would explain why my R5 would wag like a dogs tail on my first trailer. Now with the new Loadmaster and extra tongue weight its steady as a rock at any speed with our F150. An R5 is well within the limits of any half ton truck if setup correctly.

[Big Block Power]

Well if EZ Loader recommends 5-10% that would explain why my R5 would wag like a dogs tail on my first trailer. Now with the new Loadmaster and extra tongue weight its steady as a rock at any speed with our F150. An R5 is well within the limits of any half ton truck if setup correctly.

Na it's Bu's fault for making the heavy pig

[Snowman8]

Well if EZ Loader recommends 5-10% that would explain why my R5 would wag like a dogs tail on my first trailer. Now with the new Loadmaster and extra tongue weight its steady as a rock at any speed with our F150. An R5 is well within the limits of any half ton truck if setup correctly.

Na it's Bu's fault for making the heavy pig

Pretty sure my 2014 was before Bu but I guess they could still be blamed...

[Big Block Power]

Well if EZ Loader recommends 5-10% that would explain why my R5 would wag like a dogs tail on my first trailer. Now with the new Loadmaster and extra tongue weight its steady as a rock at any speed with our F150. An R5 is well within the limits of any half ton truck if setup correctly.

Na it's Bu's fault for making the heavy pig

Pretty sure my 2014 was before Bu but I guess they could still be blamed...

We blame Bu for all failures!