Got a question about the reciever on my truck

bigal6030

On my Ford Excursion has a class 3 rated hitch, 500 lb. tongue wt. capacity and 5000 lb. tow capacity. If you add weight distribution bars capacity doubles.

My new boat and trailer likely has a tongue Wt. at around 800 lbs. and a tow weight of around 9500 lbs. Looks like I need a class 4 hitch. Does anyone  towing a 270 know their tongue wt. and tow weight?

rowboat212

Friend, get the class 4... That's a rating you need at least 10~15% minimum buffer as a minimum.... if youre near any elevation, I'd be looking at 25~30% buffer. 

Handymans342

If you are going to spend the money on a class 4 just get a class 5. I am surprised the excursion doesnt have that already.

TikiHut2

My '04 FV270 with tri-axle trailer packed  for a weekend weighs in at 9500lbs +/-. I run my tongue wt at about 7-8% or about 750lbs. I wouldn't reccomend wt distribution bars for your boat trailer. Just get a serious hitch, good brakes, strap 'er down well and hit the road. My 2wd 6ltr Vortec 3/4 ton Sub w/xtra large trans cooler pulls like a rail at 65mph
Good luck. Mike

Black_Diamond

Just remember the airbags are for 'leveling' and better ride, they do not increase load capacity.  Weight on the axle does not change with an airbag addition.  Using a weight distribution hitch does (when used correctly) lighten the rear axle load by shifting it to the front suspension/axle.  Hitch up your trailer w/boat and head to a CAT scale, it will give you the loads per axle, try with and without the airbag inflated and it will not show a difference.  Overloading your axle will be asking for trouble in the long term.  Be safe!

Black_Diamond

Take a look at your load rating capability for your rear axle, I bet is is near 5,250#, the Excursion while big is rather load/weight limited for towing.  You might need the wt distribution bars to lighten the load on the rear axle.  A lot of this will also depend on how far you plan on trailering too.  You would have to take the truck to a scale to get the front/rear weights then you can add the tongue weight and see where you are at.  I know a 2015 version is only rated for 9,200# towing 'properly equiped'.  lol

bigal6030

Thanks for all your comments. The new hitch is ordered. I already have air bags on the rear axle. I should be ok. Still updating the trailer with new brakes and springs. Thanks again.

NRath

Reading through the archives, I want to add to this that I have a fair amount of experience with weight distribution hitch and have nothing neg to say.  In fact, they will improve the ride pretty significantly, imo.  That rear end diving feel after going over bridges and such is eliminated.  Alot of the herky jerky tugging will be gone.

That said, I've never noticed a w-d hitch on a boat trailer but admittedly haven't been looking, though I tend to notice random things like that.  Usually gawking at the boat, though!  I don't see any reason it couldn't be used.  Could be tricky mounting to an I-beam aluminum trailer.

I also agree with 212 and wouldn't use them as a crutch for capacity.  I'd def want a hitch rated for the weight.  Trailers coming loose are not a good thing!  Seen it first hand- scary!  (Fortunately not mine!)

rasbury

well,did a lot of wrestling with this myself. When I went to pick up my prize up in the Pensacola area, I had purchased a brake controller for the electric brakes the seller told me was on the trailer (trailer had surge brakes) and had also purchased a weight distribution hitch (although I had never used one, or seen one) and there was no way to hook it up. Sweet eh? The Excursion I would not describe  as a limited towing vehicle by any stretch. It was basically a 250 frame with an SUV body. The gas motors(5.4 2V) on those trucks would be a limiting factor, if you have one with a 7.3L, you can pull houses down, as well as the V10. That being said, I am towing my 270 with a 5.4l 3v 3:73 rear end F150. It pulls just fine and out of some pretty tuff ramps as well. Stopping is the trailers job not the truck. The new F150 with the V6 Ecoboost motor is rated to 11,300#. I am in Florida so I don't have any mountains to climb. If I did, I'm not sure what I would want to tow with. I would love to have a V10/250 to work with, 4x4 too but I'm not sure the extra weight of the 4x4 and distributing the torque to 4 instead of 2 wheels is needed...I would like electric brakes but I am hearing something else to go wrong....and I need that!

rasbury

and nice to see you Tiki still in the game-went to Dunedin and I'm sure  you know how that went... 

Michael T

You guys all probably know this - your vehicle's towing capacity must take into account (for legal and insurance purposes) any weight in the vehicle including passengers and gear above the vehicle's weight. A friend who owns two insurance brokerages says the first thing that he has his insurance investigators do before any claim is paid in a tow vehicle related accident is to make sure the load rating ot the tow vehicle has not been exceeded - as per what I said above and the vehicle and trailer manufacturer's recommendations. He said the insurance companies will absolutely thank you for exceeding the rated towing capacity of your vehicle, its trailer and/or their brakes, as they will owe you nothing.

rasbury

I'm sure it would pay to visit a scale and make sure your load is within manufactures specs.  I'm rated at 9500#'s and I'm sure right on the edge of the limits for sure.

Michael T

Ras, using a scale is a really smart idea. Many guys would be shocked at the result. There's no point in having insurance if it won't cover you. When I was a lot  younger my friend and I wanted to take his family boat to the cottage. The tow vehicle wasn't around. Like idiots we used an improperly rated vehicle. Ee got a fair distance before we had to make a fast stop at a highway intersection. A guy to our left at the 4 way had the right of way but the boat just pushed our car right through the stop. He was walking up to us to give us sh*t but when he saw our eye balls popping out of our faces he started laughing and said "I could see that you two fools would never stop that rig, so I let you go!" If he had taken his right of way we'd have t boned him. We slunk back home, lesson learned - luckily nothing but our pride damaged. Since then I have seen many, many bad boat/trailer/car misfortunes on the highways.

NavyCTRC

Personally, a HD pickup with a diesel is the only way to go if you are even close to 10K in towed weight.  My 300FV, with fuel, oil, misc belongings on the tri-axle trailer and I am towing very close to the 14K mark.  My 2500HD Duramax gets it done without sweating except on very steep hills.  On the highway I set the cruise control at about 62 - 64 mph.  Any faster and it feels like stopping all that weight would be **** near impossible.  I could easily tow faster, but faster isn't safer. 

Glassguy54

Also bear in mind that weight distributing hitches are incompatible with trailers that have surge brakes, as most boat trailers do.

Mike_G

What do you guys think about me towing my 2014 260 on a triple axle (electric brakes) with my new 2016 F150?  It's a Lariat Super Crew 4x4, 3.5 ecoboost with "max trailer tow" package and the "good" rear end.  It has every option though so it probably doesn't have the full 11,500lb tow rating.

I'm thinking of towing up to Charlevoix, MI (about 4 1/2 hours drive) for a week or two using my uncle's new trailer.  I wonder how the radar guided cruise control and lane keeping assist would work. lol  -=Mike G.

chamberb

Honestly, you will have no issue. There isn't a hill out there you couldn't accelerate to 70 on and still feel like there is no boat behind you. Expect about 9 mpg while towing. 

Michael T

You guys have bigger ***** than me for sure. I wouldn't be dragging any boat at 70 mph behind me LOL

chamberb

No soot clean up = more time on the water

bigal6030

I picked up an F350 dullie last August, I love the way it pulls my 270. F150's are way too small for that load unless it's a short trip. My excursion pulled the 270 ok, I just think when your pulling a 10,000lb load bigger is way better. Slow down and be safe out there.