Towing a Lightweight TT with a Sport Trac

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TimetoTravel B

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Hello all,

I am looking seriously at purchasing a 2008 Sport Trac 4x4 LTD (V8), which has a tow rating of approx. 7,000 lbs. I would like to tow a lightweight travel trailer, which would have a dry weight in the range of 4,200 to 5,500 lbs and hitch weights in the range of 550 to 750. These trailers are in the range of 27 to 30 ft long, and some of the brand names I have looked at are Surveyor (Forest River) and Sunset Trail (Crossroads RV).



In addition to the trailer, I do not expect to have a lot of weight (i.e., 2 people, 2 very small dogs!), and would be interested to receive any advice or comments from those of you who have done this.



Do I need any addditional equipment besides the Class III/IV tow package?



I have read a number of the posts here and am impressed by the knowledge and enthusiasm of the group.

Thank you
 
I don't know if this will help but I have an 07 Limited v-8 4x4 and tow an enclosed snomobile trailer. The trailer is 12 ft. with a 4 ft. v-nose. Total weight is about 2500 pounds and it pulls that with no problem. Well the only problem is trying to keep gas in it, I only get 8mpg. But I will say that I am driving right around 80mph.
 
Short of buying a diesel truck, any truck/suv towing a substantial trailer will only get 8 to 10 MPG.





Tom
 
Thanks so much for the responses. 8 to 10 mpg is a bit bleak:(, but not much you can do, I guess.

Regarding the weight distribution hitch, is that something that would come with the trailer? Is it installed by the Ford dealership or the trailer dealership?

Thanks again.
 
I just towed a 4,000 pound load around 300 miles - some stop and go but mostly back roads at 60mph - not too hilly either. I got a consistent 14mpg with an 07 V8. I'm not going 80 - but - 8 to 10 mpg seems low.



You can look at my pictures in the member list to see what I'm towing. It isn't aerodynamic at all either.



Good luck.



 
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Do a search for STanner, and go back to 'all posts' in the search feature... You'll find lots of info... I tow a 27' lightweight, (see library) Without issues w/ an '02 2wd trac... Obviously, i know it is back there, but have no problems towing it. Do I wish i had a diesel? hell yeah. ...The trac was half the price of a diesel, and I can buy a lot of gas for 20,000 bucks. I get 10 mpg towing, 11 if I draft or have a tailwind. I was expecting less. My weight is pegged right around the 5300# limit. The key is the frontal area, then weight, then length. The longer the tongue/legnth, the better it'll tow. You'll need an equalizer hitch and sway control, mine is a Reese setup. I stongly reccomend LT tires... I have LT2457516's... took care of a lot of sway issues.. HTH
 
Regarding the weight distribution hitch, is that something that would come with the trailer? Is it installed by the Ford dealership or the trailer dealership?
Click to expand...

A weight distribution hitch is usually sold seperately (maybe as an option from the trailer dealer). I would recommend having a trailer dealership install it over the Ford dealership, but you can install it yourself. Chek out etrailer.com to get an idea of what they are. A weight distribution hitch will improve the ride although it's not mandatory.
 
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You will need a Trac with the factory Class III/IV hitch. On the new ones, upgrading the standard Class II hitch is not an easy thing. There is another thread about it. A weight distributing hitch would be better if one is available.

A 5500 lb. trailer will have brakes but you will need the electric hookup and brake controller for them installed on the Trac.
 
You should be ok, but you are getting real close to the edge... Just remember, the "dry weight" most times does not include the air conditioner, awning, or any extras or options. Also add in 90 lbs for 2 30 lb full propane tanks and then 8.4lbs for every gallon of water/wastewater you carry in the tanks(black, grey and fresh). Figure at least 1000 lbs for YOUR stuff. It adds up much quicker than you think it will..



DO NOT believe what a trailer salesman says you should be able to pull. They are there to sell trailers, and the bigger, more expensive, the better for them(commission)... Check out Trailer Life magazine or www.rv.com for more help with towing.



You will need the 2"(Class III/IV) hitch on the '08 with a weight distribution and anti-sway hitch. The 2" hitch will need to be ordered from Ford when you order the truck, as it's a part of the frame of the ST. The weight distribution and anti-sway part of the hitch is usually bought from the trailer dealer and they should be familiar with the setup for your particular application(trailer/vehicle combination). A Ford dealer will be clueless...



The weight distribition part of the hitch transfers some of the weight of the trailer tongue to the front wheels of the truck so the back of the truck doesn't squat when loaded. The anti-sway part of the hitch is just that, it helps prevent trailer sway, which can occur on crosswinds or getting passed by a semi. Some hitch systems have these 2 things seperate(Reese) and some have them as a combination(Equilizer brand or Hensley brand). I have the Equilizer brand hitch and I do like it...



You will need to have the ST wired for a brake controller to use with the brakes on the trailer. The trailer dealer should be able to do this. Prodigy brake controllers are probably the best on the market right now, but there are a lot of others too.



I pull a 22' trailer weighing ~3600lbs ready for camping(weighed on a scale-2400lb dry weight by the sticker) with my '03 4x4. I know it's back there, but it pulls it ok. Milage is about 10-12 mpg without OD. Surveyor (Forest River) and Sunset Trail (Crossroads RV) are near top of the line trailers, but with that quality comes extra weight...



Have fun!



 
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I have an 2007 Limited with the V8. I pull a 2008 Aoerlite travel trailer, 24 ft. 4400 dry weight probably 6000 loaded.

When we hit the road I find the ST is near it's max. Going up medium hills on the hwy at 60 mph the rpm gets up tyo 5000 + and sometime it is not enough. Gas 8 mpg if I am lucky. If I was to do it again I would go for the F150. Don't forget the transmission it has trouble without a trailer. I have seen my rpm hit 4000 in 1st and had to let up on the gas for it to change gears.



Enjoy
 
Another vote for going with the F150 here!! The heavier duty the truck is, the better and more confident the ride is! I used to pull a 26ft Bunk House Travel Trailer with my F150. The truck could handle the trailer with ease...but the gas mileage sucked! Traded for an F350 with the Powerstroke...had to keep looking in the mirror to make sure the trailer was still there!! Anyway mpg's went way up with the Powerstroke. Course then traded the F350 and the TT in for a 35 ft Motorhome! Now the gas mileage sucks again but traveling in the motorhome with the wife and 3 kids is much more fun now!!:D
 
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Thanks to everyone for the great advice! I will certainly consider all of this in making my decision.

I did some research last night and found out that there are slightly lighter trailers manufactured by Forest River:). The Flagstaff line is slightly lighter than Surveyor and has similar features.

Thanks again.
 
I tow a pop up camper with my '07 4x4. It has GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) 2,287 lbs. and a Base/Dry Unit Weight 1,574 lbs. The ST does a great job towing. Besides the tow package you will want to get a brake controller (I recommend the Tekonsha Voyager or P3, and get the $10 Ford specific connector wire) Two screws and a plug-in are all it takes to be ready to tow.



With the V-8 I have been getting about 15 mpg while towing.



I have a 2006 Rockwood, which was manufactured by Forest River. I have been pleased with the camper, the quick availablility of parts, and the features and quality in relationship to the price.



Although your intended camper will be heavier, I think the ST would do a fine job. However, you may also want to consider the lighter and/or smaller trailers. For just my wife and I (and occasionally two guests) our small camper fits our lifestyle well. We plan to be camping over the Thanksgiving holiday. By looking at the forecast, this might be the first time that I will be towing in the snow.



Having towed with both SUV's (Hyundai Santa Fe) and Driven and towed with pickups for decades (IHC 2500 4x4, Chevrolet 1500 Silverado, and a 2000 Toyota Tundra) I think that the Sport Trac offers the best of both worlds. Good luck as you search for your new vehicles.



 
I used to tow a Forest River Rockwood Roo 23B. It is a hybrid trailer. It's hard-sided with tent beds on the ends. It's lighter than a conventional trailer, and has more room than some, because the beds are on the ends. I had an Equal-i-zer weight distribution hitch w/anti-sway bars, and my ST did a great job of towing it for two years. Last year, I towed it from Virginia to Illinois when we moved and it did a great job going through the mountains. The only down side is that MPG stinks because you can't use overdrive.



We don't have it anymore. This summer we traded up to a Forest River Sunseeker Class C motorhome. The plan is it rig the ST to be towed behind the Sunseeker. Sort of a "role-reversal" for the Trac.
 

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