Towing Capacity - How We Chose Our RV's Tow Vehicle

In Episode 94 of Luv Subbin, we build upon Episode 21 in which we bought our new tow vehicle. We go into much more depth regarding tow capacity, tongue weight, GVWR, GCWR, and other parameters.
MUSIC BY: www.epidemicsound.com/
Luv Subbin Main Theme: "Dreamcatcher 4" by Bjorn Skogsberg
Background: "Something More" by Sacramento Horizon
GEAR USED TO CREATE THIS EPISODE:
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We may earn a small commission for a purchase made using the links below with no extra cost to you.
Gimbal Stabilizer: www.zhiyun-tecch.com/smoothQ
Camera: Canon EOS M6
iPhone X and iPhone 8
GoPro Hero3 Black
Camera Microphone: Comica CVM-V30 LITE
amzn.to/3h17W0t
Microphone Muffasaurus: Comica CVM-MF2 Prefessional Windscreen Muff
amzn.to/31JEqFQ
Lower Microphone Bracket: PT-5 Camera Bracket
amzn.to/31IFlXe
Voiceover Microphone: Fifine Metal Condenser USB Mic
amzn.to/31G6FFA
Voiceover Mic Filter: Aokeo Professional Mic Pop Filter
amzn.to/33NTnJB
Lighting: Viltrox VL-162T Professional LED Light
amzn.to/2XSRAzf
Bendy Tripod: Joby Gorillapod 1K Compact Tripod
amzn.to/3agUP8B
Big Tripod: Amazon Basics Tripod
amzn.to/2DHX88T
Editing Software: Adobe Premiere Elements 2018
Green Screen: 2 yards of green fabric from Walmart
COMMUNITY:
New England Airstream Club: newengland.wbcci.net/
Wally Byam Airstream Club: wbcci.org/
SOCIAL MEDIA:
/ luvsubbin
/ luvsubbin
/ luvsubbin
/ luvsubbin
For business opportunities or other inquiries, please contact us at:
Email:
[e-mail]
United States Post Office:
Luv Subbin
P.O. Box 815
Bennington, Vermont 05201
#towvehicle #luvsubbin #rvhowto
This video was produced by Luv Subbin L.L.C. No part of this video may reproduced, transmitted or stored, using any form or means, except as permitted by the U.S. Copyright Act or by permission of Luv Subbin L.L.C.
Our videos are intended for entertainment purposes and to convey our content and information so people can do research and make their own personal decisions. We are not liable to those that choose to use this video’s content or information.

[@mikemadden865]

Holy Cow! Airstream, tow vehicle, and a road bike! That’s a trifecta! Great video!

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching! That's my triathlon bike. We take Brompton folding bikes with the Airstream.

[@marklopez7419]

It's nice to hear an Artillery guy speak on numbers! Great job! I remember going through all this when my wife and I purchased our first Airstream. We are currently living overseas and are RV homeless now, but we will start this journey again when we return to the US. Being a retired Army Engineer and SOF Engineer, I always like videos with numbers. Really appreciate your videos!

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks so much for watching! I am indeed a numbers guy and we pride ourselves in making videos that deal with numbers and facts versus opinons. Hope to see you down the road once you return stateside.

[@discoveringlockenest8420]

Thank you for this video. I did watch the first one a few months back and this one was extremely informative. I did learn a couple of important terms/technical clarity. 🤙

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching and we're glad you found it informative.

[@rw7600]

Great video! Yes, all of us are passionate about our tow vehicles. Love the math/numbers!

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching! Granted, some of my math was not that complex but I enjoy crunching the numbers.

[@bigtrucklittlerv7969]

The "Stuff" in you say includes tongue weight. and WD hitch. A typical WD hitch with bars weighs 70-100lbs.

[@paulhunter9613]

And other “stuff” that people don’t include with the payload is like a thick rubber bed mat, about 65lbs and even the interior full floor mats, another 22 lbs. it all adds up ..

[@trevorclapham5571]

I believe he just put the vehicle on a scale so there was no guessing and subtracted the difference from the manufacturer gvwr

[@zhenka01]

Great video guys!

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching!

[@Maricelsadventure77]

Very informative vid and very helpful thank you. So yea me and hubby is considering one day to get an RV as well and be like on the road and just enjoy life. Keep safe lovely couple and lets stay in touch.

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching and the nice comment. Let me know if you have any questions and we hope to see you down the road someday.

[@stephenabm7779]

Good video and appreciate the information.

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching! BTW, love the logo! As my brother would say "King of Battle"!

[@stephenabm7779]

@@LuvSubbin I saw crossed cannons and thought you were probably a retired Army field artillery officer. Anyway, you do good work and appreciate the education involving RV's. :)

[@Ahmad-yw5hl]

I love you guys. You are an amazing and beautiful couple. God bless you

[@LuvSubbin]

Thank you so much for the nice comment! We have fun making our videos and always appreciate it when others enjoy them as well.

[@bradwilliams3606]

Nice job Sarge. I did quite a bit of research regarding the tow vehicle as well. Ended up with the Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition, primarily due to reliability. I realize Toyota lags on engine and trans tech, but that 5.7 liter with six speeds is a tried and true combo. Love the road bike. I have a Cannondale Synapse and CAAD9. Looking forward to biking skyline drive, Cade’s Cove and OBX.

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching. The great part about doing this kind of research is having the confidence when you buy your tow vehicle that you got the right one. The Tundra is a great truck.

[@paulhunter9613]

And I’ll bet you wish you didn’t buy that tundra now with gas over$5 gal. Empty the truck gets rotten gas mpg and when towing gets abysmal mpg

[@MajTom-wd2yt]

It's good the take into consideration the GAWR and tire load rating. If you are within the axle and tire load ratings, you won't have any 'payload' concerns. Payload is just a sticker on the door jam, actual numbers are what's most important.

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching. I find how all the numbers interact fascinating...

[@sherylshupel]

I went through a similar process. We have a 25 Flying Cloud, and we tend bring a lit of stuff with us. I wanted to be super secure that I would not run out of payload capacity, so that was my key priority. I knew almost any of the F-Series Fords would be able to tow my Airstream, and it was the F-350 that won out. I actually had a F150 before I understood about payload---after weighing the truck and Airstream, I realized I was over payload capacity--- Didn't want that to happen again! I also decided on a diesel for another bucket of reasons. I agree with Cindy the super duty is taller, and it makes it feel bigger. But in the end, I got the truck that met my requirements, and I know that it will be able to more than safely carry as much as I want, and safely tow my Airstream. Thanks for sharing your process and your math!

[@edwarddougherty221]

Sheryl Shupel we also tow a 25ft AS and are considering moving to the F250 diesel for added tow and payload capacity. An added benefit is the engine exhaust assisted braking helpful for downhill runs.

[@sherylshupel]

@@edwarddougherty221 I found for the added suspension, and payload capacity, the jump to F350 diesel made sense for us. There is not a big price differential between them, but depending on trim level and features, you can gain a lot of payload capacity, and that's the one area I didn't want to be close to maxing out. I love the engine exhaust braking--- I also love the adaptive cruise control---good luck with your search :)

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching and the nice comment. There's so many factors that go into choosing a tow vehicle. I guess what's important is that we each find a perfect match. Sounds like you got the perfect one as well.

[@LuvSubbin]

Good point on the engine exhaust. We find that the 10 speed transmission in Tow/Haul mode has wonderful programming to manage the engine during decents. With my 2001 I had to shift into manual mode - not so with the 2018.

[@rolandsorensen9628]

I love your videos and being a heavy duty vehicle engineer through my career, have a point to ponder. I assume you bought your F150 with 4 wheel drive although you didn't mention it anywhere. I lived in the Berkshires and know what the winter and mud season can bring in that part of the country. An added point on truck axle ratio: The high numerical ratio for start-ability is really looking at 2 wheel drive trucks. In a 4 wheel drive with a 2 speed transfer case you have another gear ratio of maybe 2.69:1 in low range which takes your 3.31 axle ratio and makes it an overall 8.9:1 ratio. If you are pulling your trailer and find yourself stopped on a super steep grade and have trouble starting up, you can always shift into low range on the transfer case to get you back to a more level surface.

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks so much for watching and the very interesting information. Yes, our truck is a 4X4. I was very much unaware of the ratio changes with the 4X4 engaged. I will remember your tip if ever we have problems on a steep hill.

[@joaquinsolis7071]

Loves me sum math

[@stevemuise6315]

I also have the 5.0 and it does a great job towing our 25 ft airstream. Your truck has more payload than ours though. 1861 pounds.

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching. I did forget to mention that the 2,097 lb. payload was the Heavy Duty Payload option.

[@davidmatt904]

I would not count on the manual for hitch weight limits but the actual hitch to be sure get under your truck look up at the hitch should see two sets of numbers one for carrying weight one for distribution weight. I use the carrying weight rating of 5000 # towing 500 # tongue. My trailer is 3500 # loaded out and 410 # tongue weight ( I actually have weighed it). That being said I don't tow with a weight distribution hitch not required for safe towing in my situation . Once again love your videos , safe towing see on the road.

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching! Even though I inspect the hitch before towing, I never really noticed the sticker. For my F-150 it says a carrying weight of 11,400 lbs. and 1,160 lbs. hitch weight. Thanks for pointing this out.

[@michellewright3934]

Your video is so helpful! Do you have the max towing package or the standard towing package?

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching. We have the standard towing package but added the heavy duty tow mirrors and heavy duty payload capacity (and deleted the Trailer Back Up Assist). The only thing I probably should have gotten from the max package is the 34 gallon fuel tank...

[@BillUtah]

Excellent video! A couple of questions. Is your truck a short or long bed? Also have you monitored the transmission temps while towing? And what speeds do you tow at? And of course, what gas mileage do you get when towing? I totally agree with the gas vs diesel plus the diesel trucks have serious emissions issues down the road. And the best thing is that since you have a half ton 4x4 you don’t get all the “features “ of bump steer and death wobble that plague Ford trucks as they get older. And I agree with the normal simple engine of a v8 vs the direct injection, twin turbo and intercooled v6. Your v8 will be a much simpler setup over the years. I ended up with a Chevy Silverado 2500hd 4x4 with the 6.0 l gas. The only thing that I wished it had would be more gears in the transmission. I think that could get me a mpg or two? Thanks for the content! Bill

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching! My truck is the short bed version. With the SuperCab versus the CrewCab the bed size is still sufficiently large. The transmission temperature runs about 196 F highway when not towing and stays a steady 204 F when towing. The warmest it's ever gotten was 215 F going up the steep hill to Fancy Gap, Virginia (which was still in the "middle" range on the needle gauge). My F-150 does have the transmission oil cooler. Towing, I get about 11.5 - 11.9 mpg. Sounds like you have a great tow vehicle as well. The only thing I wish I had on my truck was the extended range fuel tank (34 gallon versus 24).

[@bigtrucklittlerv7969]

@@LuvSubbin My trans temp runs around 150 F towing the flats no head wind. Stay well bellow 200 F with head wind or 6% grades. Your Ford won't last long running with factory cooler and those temps.

[@LuvSubbin]

@@bigtrucklittlerv7969 Thanks for watching. So, with no trailer or anything in the truck on level ground the transmission temperature runs around 196 F. Do you really think an 8 degree increase (4%) when towing will cause my Ford to fail early? It does have the transmission oil cooler so I'm not sure what else I can do to shave off 8 degrees. In fact, the needle on the analog gauge didn't even hit the mid-point at 215 F. I would think that if 200 F was bad Ford would re-calibrate things...

[@rogersmith4962]

My truck is a 2018 F-150 XL with a regular cab, 2.7 EcoBoost, 3.55 axel, and tow package. The curb weight is 4436 lbs, GVWR is 6210 lbs., the payload rating is 1644 lbs. and the max. towing capacity is 7500 lbs. I was somewhat surprised to learn your truck weighs roughly 800 lbs. more, has roughly 400 lbs. more max. payload, and can tow 1500 lbs. more. Am I right to assume the longer wheelbase and heavier frame accounts for much of the higher capacities? I am the original owner and have logged 43,000 troublefree miles on the odometer. To date, my overall average mileage is just under 22 mpg (40 percent towing a variety of trailers weighing between 1500 and 4000 lbs.). The truck gets 26 mpg when empty at 65 mph. I really enjoy the EcoBoost engine!

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching! Isn't it amazing how every little detail of a truck changes its towing capacity? I did forget to mention that the 2,097 lbs. payload was the Heavy Duty Payload option for the F-150.

[@clintstinytrailerconversio5560]

Did you calculate weights with WDH adjusted or weighing the WDH hardware, but no tension on the bars? Thanks, Clint

[@LuvSubbin]

When I weigh the rig, I do so with the weight distribution attached and adjusted. Because I have the hitch weight measured with a Sherline scale and the loaded truck weighed empty on our town's scale, I already have that data so what I'm looking for is what's actually "meeting the pavement".

[@maxx529]

Hi, with that payload I was wondering if you ordered your truck with the hdpp ( heavy duty payload package ) Thanks

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching! Yes, I ordered the heavy duty payload package.

[@spankroy]

Whoa, the weight capacity of the Airstreams is super small.

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching and good eyes! Thankfully, when we weighed the trailer we were under the GWVR... I was expecting otherwise based on that label.

[@spankroy]

Luv Subbin You have plenty of weight capacity left in the truck, so pack it up ! :)

[@rampar77]

Why every one made it complicated. Trailer weight + tonque weight(10-15% of traiier) + water + food & misc + passengers + cargo on tow vehicle = tow weight

[@LuvSubbin]

Thanks for watching! One correction. Tongue weight is not a part of the tow weight. It is a force that is transmitted to the hitch and tow vehicle that results from many of the items you mention. It does make up the payload calculation but it is separate from the tow weight.