New travel trailer

[Krock7360]

Picking up my new TT Thursday. 34 foot tongue to rear. 7400 lbs unloaded (includes 2 tanks and battery) GVWR 8995 lbs, hitch 750 lbs. my payload is 1486 but Ford said I can add 300 lbs for 2 passengers And it won’t count against my payload. 3.5 eco boost max tow Platinum

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[UGADawg96]

Check the paperwork that came with the TT for the actual tongue weight if that number is from the website. Our actual tongue weight was 150lbs more than what they published on the GD site for our Imagine.

 

[EatDirtFartDust]

Picking up my new TT Thursday. 34 foot tongue to rear. 7400 lbs unloaded (includes 2 tanks and battery) GVWR 8995 lbs, hitch 750 lbs. my payload is 1486 but Ford said I can add 300 lbs for 2 passengers And it won’t count against my payload. 3.5 eco boost max tow Platinum

I’ve towed my 10k lb travel trailer with a 5.0 that was rated for 11,200. It was breathing heavy, but it towed for 12 hours straight without overheating the engine or the trans.
We both have a 3.5 eco with max tow which means we’re rated for 13,800. So you’re good to go.
My tongue weight is 1k lbs. I have a good load leveling hitch and the truck squats even. Every time I stopped for gas (8mpg average) I had some old codger tell me how surprised they were that I was “towing that big ol thing with a half-ton truck”

 

[EatDirtFartDust]

BTW, I have a Primetime Lacrosse, and from that angle, it looks identical to yours. I bet they were built in the same factory. Is that a Forest River brand?

 

[UGADawg96]

BTW, I have a Primetime Lacrosse, and from that angle, it looks identical to yours. I bet they were built in the same factory. Is that a Forest River brand?

It looks like the 2970rl to me.

https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2022/travel-trailer/imagine/floorplans/2970rl

 

[minirx7]

Going to chime in as a new RV owner that did ALOT of homework. You have WAY too much trailer for your F150. It is one the reasons why i opted to get a Lariait and the 3.5L with NO sunroof, power tailgate etc to get my payload up to 1729lbs while still having some of the frills.

So here is the thing.
1. Length wise, the sweet spot would be less than 30 feet. Your trailer is way too long for a 1/2 ton, and if you are in the wind, you are going to get pushed around. My RV is 30' and i had a bit of wind sway but controllable with my WDH Equializer. You are going to FEEL that 4 feet extra length.

2. FORD is wrong. 300lbs is not part of the payload calc. That means your payload less passengers is 300lbs or 1186lbs remaining.
3. Here lies the issue, with a length of 34' and a unloaded weight of 7400lbs, you need to maintain a min of 12-14% hitch weight to keep things stable. When i tow my RV fully unloaded, it does NOT drive as stable as when i have some more weight added to the tongue (by adding cargo ot the front of the trailer).
4. Some suggest putting cargo ot the rear of the trailer since this has less of an impact to hitch weight. This is very dangerous as this upsets the balance and will have major trailer sway.

5. I would say wiht that size of trailer your probably going to add about 1000lbs or more of cargo weight (unless you dirve around iwth no water/waste in the tanks). Your hitch weight will definitely jack up higher than the factory tag (which i blieve also excludes the battery and the propane tanks).

I drove my RV in August ( brand new truck and new RV) for 5000kms accross canada and learned alot about how the truck behaves and with different weights. Not to sound negative, but i would never tow your trailer with a top of the line F150 or any F150, unless you have the one special unicorn F150 with the HD frame and payload matching a 3/4 ton.

EDIT: Forgot to add you should weight your RV and truck together with your WDH. I was already very close to my rear axle's limit and i do have max tow package. Not sure on the rules in the US, but if you get into an accident towing overloaded you may not be covered in insurance.

 

[EatDirtFartDust]

It looks like the 2970rl to me.

https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2022/travel-trailer/imagine/floorplans/2970rl

Oh yeah, the slide out masks the length.
So his trailer is lighter and shorter than mine (not bragging) and you have a truck that is much more capable than the last truck I used to tow, so aside from tractor trailers blowing on the trailer and causing your steering wheel to pull, you have nothing to worry about. Haul away!

 

[Sundancer330]

Picking up my new TT Thursday. 34 foot tongue to rear. 7400 lbs unloaded (includes 2 tanks and battery) GVWR 8995 lbs, hitch 750 lbs. my payload is 1486 but Ford said I can add 300 lbs for 2 passengers And it won’t count against my payload. 3.5 eco boost max tow Platinum

Sounds like a salesman who doesnt know what he is talking about if he thinks you can add 300# to payload to cover people. Payload is everything that goes on or in the truck, so its tongue weight, hitch weight, and everything else you put in the bed or in the cab. Most people run out of payload long before GVWR. You need to hit the Cat Scales to get the real weights, dont believe the sticker on the trailer as they are always low. If you are over the payload rating this can be very dangerous to you and your family.

 

[NVanRVer]

Going to chime in as a new RV owner that did ALOT of homework. You have WAY too much trailer for your F150. It is one the reasons why i opted to get a Lariait and the 3.5L with NO sunroof, power tailgate etc to get my payload up to 1729lbs while still having some of the frills.

What he said! Unless you travel completely dry, and you don't have 3 kids and a dog (like I do). Even then, my trailer 6200 lbs dry, 7600 lbs loaded (scaled) has a 1050 lb tongue. Add in the WDH, the 5 of us, some bikes and other junk in the bed and we are around 150lbs under the max paylod of my HDPP - which happens to be 2536 lbs! You have 1000lbs less payload than me.

Anyway, maybe if you are extremely careful, and it's just two people, you may get away with it. Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[Vulnox]

Yeah, Payload DOES NOT include a driver and/or passenger, only tow rating includes a 150lb passenger.

You are so far over weight and more importantly length, you are going to be miserable. A friend of mine has an Imagine 30 foot and he has had a hell of a time getting it to tow comfortably, and he says it is white knuckle if a semi passes or there is any side wind.

You are going to be way over payload too, like hilariously over. 1400lb payload is without driver or passenger, so if you each weigh 150, you are already down to 1100 for payload. Add the tongue weight and the hitch itself, and you are out of payload, and that is with a dry trailer and no luggage.

Plus 34 feet of trailer on a light duty truck, you are very likely to encounter a tail wagging the dog situation.

TTs are long boxes of aerodynamic disaster. You absolutely can't compare it to tow rating. You can easily tow 12k lbs of flat trailer with building supplies, but that is very different than even 8000lbs of a giant box.

I really hope you reconsider this, it is way too much trailer. Both friends of mine with slightly shorter TTs (the Imagine I mentioned and another with a Jayco 30 foot) have said it is just too sketchy. The Jayco owner already moved to an HD truck and he said it was the best thing he could have done. The Imagine owner is going to move after he gets some time out of his current '21 Limited.

 

[Krock7360]

BTW, I have a Primetime Lacrosse, and from that angle, it looks identical to yours. I bet they were built in the same factory. Is that a Forest River brand?

Grand Design imagine 2970rl

 

[don.mullins]

Yeah, Payload DOES NOT include a driver and/or passenger, only tow rating includes a 150lb passenger.

You are so far over weight and more importantly length, you are going to be miserable. A friend of mine has an Imagine 30 foot and he has had a hell of a time getting it to tow comfortably, and he says it is white knuckle if a semi passes or there is any side wind.

You are going to be way over payload too, like hilariously over. 1400lb payload is without driver or passenger, so if you each weigh 150, you are already down to 1100 for payload. Add the tongue weight and the hitch itself, and you are out of payload, and that is with a dry trailer and no luggage.

Plus 34 feet of trailer on a light duty truck, you are very likely to encounter a tail wagging the dog situation.

TTs are long boxes of aerodynamic disaster. You absolutely can't compare it to tow rating. You can easily tow 12k lbs of flat trailer with building supplies, but that is very different than even 8000lbs of a giant box.

I really hope you reconsider this, it is way too much trailer. Both friends of mine with slightly shorter TTs (the Imagine I mentioned and another with a Jayco 30 foot) have said it is just too sketchy. The Jayco owner already moved to an HD truck and he said it was the best thing he could have done. The Imagine owner is going to move after he gets some time out of his current '21 Limited.

Your friends could also consider a Pro Pride 3P hitch, if all the other numbers are within their truck’s limits.

I have a 3P and pull a 7580# 30’ TT with a 720# tongue weight. I had sway issues with my old F250 as well as my F150 due to the light tongue (and I believe close axles also contributed), but the hitch has made towing stress free.

 

[don.mullins]

Going to chime in as a new RV owner that did ALOT of homework. You have WAY too much trailer for your F150. It is one the reasons why i opted to get a Lariait and the 3.5L with NO sunroof, power tailgate etc to get my payload up to 1729lbs while still having some of the frills.

So here is the thing.
1. Length wise, the sweet spot would be less than 30 feet. Your trailer is way too long for a 1/2 ton, and if you are in the wind, you are going to get pushed around. My RV is 30' and i had a bit of wind sway but controllable with my WDH Equializer. You are going to FEEL that 4 feet extra length.

2. FORD is wrong. 300lbs is not part of the payload calc. That means your payload less passengers is 300lbs or 1186lbs remaining.
3. Here lies the issue, with a length of 34' and a unloaded weight of 7400lbs, you need to maintain a min of 12-14% hitch weight to keep things stable. When i tow my RV fully unloaded, it does NOT drive as stable as when i have some more weight added to the tongue (by adding cargo ot the front of the trailer).
4. Some suggest putting cargo ot the rear of the trailer since this has less of an impact to hitch weight. This is very dangerous as this upsets the balance and will have major trailer sway.

5. I would say wiht that size of trailer your probably going to add about 1000lbs or more of cargo weight (unless you dirve around iwth no water/waste in the tanks). Your hitch weight will definitely jack up higher than the factory tag (which i blieve also excludes the battery and the propane tanks).

I drove my RV in August ( brand new truck and new RV) for 5000kms accross canada and learned alot about how the truck behaves and with different weights. Not to sound negative, but i would never tow your trailer with a top of the line F150 or any F150, unless you have the one special unicorn F150 with the HD frame and payload matching a 3/4 ton.

EDIT: Forgot to add you should weight your RV and truck together with your WDH. I was already very close to my rear axle's limit and i do have max tow package. Not sure on the rules in the US, but if you get into an accident towing overloaded you may not be covered in insurance.

Did you look into the Pro Pride 3P hitch?

 

[minirx7]

Sounds like a salesman who doesnt know what he is talking about if he thinks you can add 300# to payload to cover people. Payload is everything that goes on or in the truck, so its tongue weight, hitch weight, and everything else you put in the bed or in the cab. Most people run out of payload long before GVWR. You need to hit the Cat Scales to get the real weights, dont believe the sticker on the trailer as they are always low. If you are over the payload rating this can be very dangerous to you and your family.

It is without question he is over. I

Did you look into the Pro Pride 3P hitch?

To be honest, i am okay with the equalizer for now.. I put on 5000kms in 2 weeks driving accross canada and for the most part it was fine. My first outing i was WHITE KNUCKLING IT but alter found out that it was the TRUCKS FAULT!!

you need to disable the trailersway and voila truck drives perfectly, no more white knuckle. In fact i was able to use lane keep assist MOST of the times (some times it kept bouncing back and forth) which really made the 5000km drive super easy!

But honestly this is veyr borderline. I am well aware that my trailer is the LIMITs for this truck.. There is NO WAY the OP's truck with a 1400lb payload with 34' lenght and dry weight of 7400lbs is going to be EVEN SAFE.

 

[don.mullins]

To be honest, i am okay with the equalizer for now.. I put on 5000kms in 2 weeks driving accross canada and for the most part it was fine. My first outing i was WHITE KNUCKLING IT but alter found out that it was the TRUCKS FAULT!!

you need to disable the trailersway and voila truck drives perfectly, no more white knuckle. In fact i was able to use lane keep assist MOST of the times (some times it kept bouncing back and forth) which really made the 5000km drive super easy.

Yes, lane assist (on Fords at least) will induce trailer sway by over correcting and creating oscillation.

My original TV was an ‘02 F250. This particular TT swayed with the 3/4 ton before I got the Pro Pride. Now I use a Powerboost and can run 70MPH one handed.

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