Recommended Weight Distribution and Air Bags for Towing 8,300 GVWR Trailer with 2018 Ford F-150

Question:

Hello I do not have a GCVW sticker on my door panel but have attached the 2 stickers that are there. We are looking at pulling a Sporttrek Touring STT302VRB with a GWVR of 8300 lbs and tongue weight of 1020 lbs. Fords website shows a maximum loaded trailer weight of 9100 pounds with the 2018 F-150 Supercrew with 157 wheelbase. Dont know if this is too heavy a trailer for this vehicle and will jump to a F-250 if needed. If the 150 is adequate which load balancing hitch would you recommend and would rear air bags help the ride. Thank you in advance

asked by: Richard M

Expert Reply:

I checked with the Ford towing guide and it does look like a 2018 Ford F-150 4WD 5.0L with the V8 has a towing capacity of at least 9,100 lbs. Since the max weight capacity of your Sporttrek Touring STT302VRB travel trailer is 8,300 lbs the F-150 can definitely handle the weight.

You are on the right track of wanting to use a weight distribution (WD) system and possibly some suspension enhancement as well. While a WD system alone can typically handle the loading and sway, it doesn't ever hurt to add some suspension enhancement in the mix.

For your application I recommend using the Reese Strait-Line System # RP66084 because it uses a dual-cam sway control that is one of the leading designs on the market. It works to stop sway before it starts instead of correcting it after it begins which is what most other WD systems do. This has a tongue weight (TW) range of 600 lbs - 1,200 lbs which is right in the sweet spot for your trailer, but I do recommend using a TW scale like part # e99044 to ensure your loaded trailer TW is within 10-15% of the weight of the loaded trailer (for a properly loaded trailer).

This system comes with an adjustable shank so the only other thing you need is a hitch ball like the 2" # A-90 or the 2-5/16" # 19286.

Like I said above, air bags aren't necessarily needed since you'll be using a WD system, but it wouldn't hurt to add them, especially if you plan on using your F-150 for a lot of towing and hauling. If you'd like to add a kit then I recommend the Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs # F2582 along with the Air Command I # F2158 compressor kit that allows you to adjust and monitor your air bag pressure without leaving the cab of your pickup.

Attached are some installation videos that you can check out.