Raptor towing a 5th wheel video

[tractorman]

Does anyone actually have evidence of this happening? I hear this argument all the time but I've never actually seen it happen.

It doesn't happen. Insurance covers mistakes and stupidity and even people taking risks they should not take. It has to as most wrecks have at least one person being stupid or making a mistake. It covers a drunk driver. It covers someone doing 20 mph over the speed limit. What it doesn't cover is fraud, intentional acts, racing and often it will exclude coverage if what you are doing is income earning as in a delivery person or taxi as they need to collect extra premiums for those risks. It is all spelled out in the liability portion of your policy...because we all read that, haha. It has been nearly 20 years since I quit my claims manager job and started my own business, but I bet not much has changed.

 

[TXRaptor]

I like his moxy. His accent and nasally voice make it seem like he knows what he's talking about.

I won't get into whether it's safe or not much, but as long as he can reach down and squeeze the trailer brakes, if he has a controller, he is probably okay if he can lock up the trailer brakes when needed. The brake controller can straighten any load up when activated without the truck brakes.
As far as the timbrens go, I had them on a Ram 2500 and they basically take the load and ride at full contact when hooked to a heavy trailer. The ride sucked, but they work as advertised.
If you stop and look around, there are people dragging all kinds of stupid shit on work trailers, way overloaded, on lifted trucks with lift blocks, bald tires, you name it.

I know it doesn't make it right, but it is possible, and done every day.

His voice and accent made me think the opposite! I felt like he did NOT know what he was talking about.

The 400 lbs over the payload and 1300 lbs over the towing capacity was just using the dry weights from the RV website. As others have said, when you add passengers and gear he is over by much more. Will something terrible happen to him or others? Who knows, but posting a video about it will not help his case if something bad does occur.

If you are going to flaunt the "towing police" rules, at least be smart enough to keep it to yourself!

 

[FordTechOne]

Fair enough.

Back in 1999, I bought a brand new Dodge Cummins dually with an auto transmission. The stated tow rating was around 9000 lbs. I didn't realize it til after I bought it, didn't stop me from dragging around anything I hitch it to. Safely, in my opinion.

My point, the ratings are what they ratings are, but in practice, it's more of a guide for the average idiot. Remember, we see people driving in cars alone wearing a face mask.

I am more worried about a mom in a minivan coming the opposite way with bald tires on a rainy day than some guy that overloaded his truck. Just me.

That was well before SAE J2807 became the standard; back then each manufacturer determined max tow ratings differently. To your point, a RAM HD with a 5.9 Cummins and full floating 8 lug axles seems grossly underrated at 9k lbs.

The new test standard came out for 2013 and levels the playing field across all manufacturers in terms of what a vehicle can safely tow. In the case of this video, the guy is clearly exceeding the maximum safe weight that the vehicle is rated to tow.

If, for instance, someone were to stop short or pull out in front of this guy and there was an accident, I could see the lawyers having a field day with him in court; it is textbook gross negligence.

http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/towing/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard

 

[CoronaRaptor]

It doesn't happen. Insurance covers mistakes and stupidity and even people taking risks they should not take. It has to as most wrecks have at least one person being stupid or making a mistake. It covers a drunk driver. It covers someone doing 20 mph over the speed limit. What it doesn't cover is fraud, intentional acts, racing and often it will exclude coverage if what you are doing is income earning as in a delivery person or taxi as they need to collect extra premiums for those risks. It is all spelled out in the liability portion of your policy...because we all read that, haha. It has been nearly 20 years since I quit my claims manager job and started my own business, but I bet not much has changed.

You get drunk and cause an accident up here and you're on your own, no insurance, its void!!

 

[FlaRod]

Well..... All I can say is that everyone I know that towed to the limit of a vehicles rating, ended up with a burned up transmission. Arguably that was during my time in So. Cal where you will hit hills coming and going from that area. But, going over weight and hitting hills... Yep.... A new transmission will be in the works. I do not tow anything that will be over 80% of the rated capacity......

 

[NE Raptor]

I would personally never do this with a raptor

BUT - to play devil's advocate here

A crew cab limited F150 with an HO ecoboost and 3.55 9.75 axle is rated for 13,000lb towing capacity and 3000lb payload...

The suspension is the limiting factor for the raptor, nothing else. Anyone who has towed with a Raptor with timbrens added would likely agree the vast difference they make when loaded. I regularly tow 5k and the truck doesn't even break a sweat. An evenly loaded trailer, good working trailer brakes and keeping the weight off the shocks makes all the difference. Just my $.02...

Best choice for a 5th wheel? Absolutely not. Lethal???? No.

 

[FordTechOne]

I would personally never do this with a raptor

BUT - to play devil's advocate here

A crew cab limited F150 with an HO ecoboost and 3.55 9.75 axle is rated for 13,000lb towing capacity and 3000lb payload...

The suspension is the limiting factor for the raptor, nothing else. Anyone who has towed with a Raptor with timbrens added would likely agree the vast difference they make when loaded. I regularly tow 5k and the truck doesn't even break a sweat. An evenly loaded trailer, good working trailer brakes and keeping the weight off the shocks makes all the difference. Just my $.02...

Best choice for a 5th wheel? Absolutely not. Lethal???? No.

Valid point. As you mention though, that doesn’t help in terms of the legality of it.

 

[TXRaptor]

I would personally never do this with a raptor

BUT - to play devil's advocate here

A crew cab limited F150 with an HO ecoboost and 3.55 9.75 axle is rated for 13,000lb towing capacity and 3000lb payload...

The suspension is the limiting factor for the raptor, nothing else. Anyone who has towed with a Raptor with timbrens added would likely agree the vast difference they make when loaded. I regularly tow 5k and the truck doesn't even break a sweat. An evenly loaded trailer, good working trailer brakes and keeping the weight off the shocks makes all the difference. Just my $.02...

Best choice for a 5th wheel? Absolutely not. Lethal???? No.

I did not realize there was a Ford F150 package that offered 3000lb payload. My Raptor lists 1051lbs payload on my yellow sticker on the door. (YIKES) I have a 2018 SCrew with the 802A package, moonroof, etc.

 

[adllewis42]

Valid point. As you mention though, that doesn’t help in terms of the legality of it.

So again, this gets me to the same place as before. Everyone likes to talk about the "legality" of it and how "insurance companies will have a field day" but is there any evidence for this? Has this ever been adjudicated? Like you said, couldn't you just show that with upgraded springs, you've, in all manners that matter, increased your payload to that of other F150's?

 

[BC119]

I would personally never do this with a raptor

BUT - to play devil's advocate here

A crew cab limited F150 with an HO ecoboost and 3.55 9.75 axle is rated for 13,000lb towing capacity and 3000lb payload...

The suspension is the limiting factor for the raptor, nothing else. Anyone who has towed with a Raptor with timbrens added would likely agree the vast difference they make when loaded. I regularly tow 5k and the truck doesn't even break a sweat. An evenly loaded trailer, good working trailer brakes and keeping the weight off the shocks makes all the difference. Just my $.02...

Best choice for a 5th wheel? Absolutely not. Lethal???? No.

Transmission strategy is a fair bit different. Coming from a guy with a '20 Lariat wanting the kind of trans response and characteristics the 19+ Raptors have, there is a good amount of "slop" designed into the F150 to prolong the life of the trans while towing heavy loads.