Truck not enough payload capacity

[Tom Trostel]

The tongue weight on our 1980 17' Bigfoot is 340 lbs. measured with a Sherline at a rally. The load rating of our 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan (8 passenger) is 1490 lbs. and higher than some pickups.

[Joe Romas]

Originally Posted by Jacqueline in BC

It's actually a 2012 Tacoma. We were under the impression that the truck would have a higher payload until we read the door sticker.

It all gets down to

READ THE FINE PRINT

I have a very well equipped 2017 Sierra double cab SLT 2wd 5.3L V8 six spped transmission and it's rated payload is 1691 pounds. Not a crew cab so rear seat room is not great.

Tongue weight is 410# and the Casita is just under 3000#
On a 1600 mile trip power was not an issue and MPG was just under 17, this is a full size well equipped truck.

[Perryb67]

We have a 2015 F-150 XLT 4wd extended cab, with max towing package. The sticker on the door says 1,930 pounds. Purchased a Sherline scale and the tongue on our 2003 Bigfoot 25B25RQ weighs about 825 pounds, not counting the Blue Ox hitch (75 pounds?). We carry around 150 pounds with two trikes and a few tools in the pickup bed, and perhaps 450 pounds (including Terry and I) in the cab.

825
75
150
450
1,500

In theory we have over 400 pounds to spare.

So far we average around 11 mpg pulling the Bigfoot, but we're pulling a 6,300 pound, 8' 4" wide fiberglass camper (total camper weighed separately, full LP tanks, 1/2 full fresh, partial grey and black tanks, and all our gear).

Our 2003 Honda Odyssey pulled our 2,800+ pound 16' Scamp side bath, with trikes and other crap in the van, but only at 50 mph in mountains, and got 14-15 mpg. I felt it was at the max with the Scamp and all the gear.

Our 2008 Honda Odyssey pulled our bare bones 17' side dinette Casita (no bath, no fresh, black or grey tanks, no hot water heater, etc) that weighed around 2,300 pounds with ease, including mountains, and got 16-18 mpg. The 2003 Odyssey pulled the lighter Casita, much easier than the heavier Scamp. At one time we had both Odysseys, but sold the 2008 to purchase the F-150.

When we first purchased the F-150 the 3.5 Ecoboost got 20-22 mpg not pulling. We're now nearing 30,000 miles and get 23-25 mpg not pulling.

Do the math and give yourself room to spare.

Perry

[thrifty bill]

Yep, unfortunately you can't trust 95% of the car sales people. They will quote you what's in the brochure, which is for a bare bones stock truck with zero options. Every option comes out of the payload. In my experience, I haven't had a car salesman yet even mention payload.

My first tow experience I trusted the salesman, learned my lesson (that was expensive). Buyers like me wanted to hear "sure this truck can easily tow this trailer". So I heard what I wanted to hear and did not verify myself. And I am an engineer where it's the old saying "in god we trust everyone else needs data".

So as disappointed as I was with the car salesman I was more disappointed with myself.

Now in the world of towing, there seems to be a contest on what is the biggest trailer I can tow with my small tow vehicle. I'm on a F150 forum where you have people that put 3,000 pounds of dirt in the bed of their truck that has a 1,500 payload limit and brag about it. I've seen Honda Fits pulling Bolers and Ford Mustangs pulling large Airstreams. It works until it doesn't work.

I for one am not going to copy someone else's mistakes. It's my life, my family, my trailer and my tow vehicle. Blaming someone else for convincing me to ignore ratings does not work.