Hey guys!

I need some help determining if a new F150 will safely tow my trailer, or if I need to stay in an F250.

Currently, I have an 08 F250 6.4 Diesel, CC, SB, 4WD. The truck is WAY overkill for my daily needs, hauling lightweight merchandise for my business. An F150, especially with the EB, would save me a fortune in fuel. Current truck is also out of warranty at 125k, and while I *love* the diesel power, it is VERY expensive to repair. Right now it's in the shop waiting for a new radiator.....on my dime, $1250 installed. Two months ago it had a failed DPF, cost $2250+ to repair. Ouch!

So, once or twice a year, my family and I tow our travel trailer for a 10 day camping trip. Recently, with little kids, it's been <250 miles from home, but as the kids get older, I'd like to travel out and visit some of the national parks, etc.

I have a 2006 30' Starcraft Aruba Lite, tongue weight 850#. Dry weight is 6800#.......I am figuring ~~8500# loaded, worst-case scenario. We'd also be looking at:

+Fiberglass Topper on truck ~~ 200lbs
+Hitch Weight ~~100 lbs
+2 Adults, 2 kids, and a dog ~~460 lbs
+ 4 bikes in the truck ~100 lbs

I run a Reese-Dual Cam weight / anti sway system, which I know will transfer some of the tongue weight back onto the trailer.

According to Ford's website, an F150 CC/SB 4WD, EcoBoost with the Max Tow Package, can tow 11,300 with max payload of 1960 lbs.

Figuring 1960 lbs, minus the above mentioned items, puts me at 1100lbs cargo capacity left, which SHOULD be enough for the loaded tongue weight, especially once the WD hitch transfers some of it back to the trailer. Right?

So, how's an F150 going to handle this load? Is it going to be rock steady, able to set the cruise and tow at the speed limit, or is it going to be white-knuckle with sway, etc?

I really DON'T want to buy an F250, because of the diesel repairs and cost I'll end up with a fuel-guzzling 6.2L motor.......but if that's the only way to safely tow this rig, I will. Or, I'll sell the trailer and buy a motorhome instead

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thx, Ben

 

My 2011 FX2 5.0L has a 9,600 max tow limit. I tow right around 7,500 - 8,000 pounds. It tows fine but it's certainly close to the high end. I feel it and it sucks up the gas but I have no problem whatsoever. I have just over 8,000 miles and have towed 1,800 miles - so - relatively speaking, I tow right around 22% of the time.

My 5.0 L is awesome so the EB will tow it fine especially with the Max of 11,300.

Do it.

 

I always just looked at Max Tow ratings before, but the RV guys were telling me to watch the max Cargo capacity, as much of the tongue weight is transferred to the truck. Are you under your max Cargo capacity/GVWR or whatever when you're towing?

I wouldn't mind the 5.0 or 6.2, but the EB has the highest towing AND max cargo capacity.

I don't care if it gets 5mpg when I tow, I only tow once or twice a year......it's the daily commute thing that matters to me

 

You make a good point.

I'm well under my limits of cargo including all passengers, fluids and gear plus (like you), I have a weight distribution system as well. Wouldn't tow anything that heavy without it.

You sound like an experienced "tower" as well so I know your looking at ALL the weights involved.

My daily commute gets in the range of 15-17 mpg city and 18-22 highway - of course, depending how I drive and a lot depends on the head winds for highway mileage. This trucks are brick walls with the wind.

You'll most definitely like the EB for both towing and daily driving. If you're looking for the V8 rumble, go with the V8. The EB is quiet as a kitten but tows like Clydsdale.

 

A 30' trailer trailer has a lot of leverage. You might not like the way it feels. For reference I have a 26' TT and towed with my 7.3 f350. Got rid of the diesel for this. I'm also an ocassional tower so I can live it. It has more than enough power, it's the stability that is lacking. It weighs about 7000#the loaded.
Have you weighed the TT as you will tow it? I bet you're heavier than you think.

 

No, I have not weighed it. I was adding 2,000 to the weight of the TT to get it at its GVWR limit, trying to assume a "worst case" situation where the water tanks are full, etc etc etc.

 

I have the ecoboost Max tow. We have towed our 29' travel trailer on a trip a couple weeks ago, that weighs right around 7000#. I hardly even knew it was there. I assure you the Ecoboost will beat any expectation that you have. I was in the same boat as you. I was originally looking at buying a F250 Diesel. After some hard thinking realizing the only thing I needed a HD truck for is my trailer. It just was too much truck. I have pulled my trailer with my Father in laws f350 7.3 diesel and The Ecoboost does anything that truck could do for me. Handling better in my opinion.

 

You know i had my doubts about the f150 with power and stability and its all gone now!! In the last 3 months I have used the EB with max tow bring a 26' enclosed wells cargo trailer over 400 miles each way LOADED with building supplies truck and trailer scaled in at 17,240 lbs.While I could feel the trailer behind me I also would have felt it in the F-350 6.0 diesel that should have been pulling it (that truck is dead waiting for a new engine) so no issue there and stability was fine trailer had the weight spread out and tongue weight was a little more than I wanted at 1100 lbs but it was okay. The trip netted about 11.2-12.5 mpg on a mix of hills and flat roads.Not to bad at all!!

 

Another consideration is where you intend to drag the trailer, and how you like pulling it. If you're going to routinely run long 6% grades with serious crosswinds, you might find the F150 a bit less surefooted than the Super Duty. If you're pulling it across the plains, you'll be fine. If you pull at a reasonable speed and don't weave all over the road, you'll be fine... if you want to run 80 the whole way and be a threat to the motoring public, you might want the Super Duty!

 

I would feel much safer in a F250 hauling that much weight.

 

Well just for context, a screw F150 weighs about 3 tons, or 6000 lbs. This is the weight of a late 90's F250 that could do the same job. The f150 has better horsepower than those trucks of yester-year and all sorts of tow gadgets like trailer sway control. I also feel that a longer wheel base makes for a more steady tow. It's the shorter wheel bases where things get squirrely (of course this is assuming you are only towing 1 trailer at a time, I know a few states allow towing of 2 trailers at a time as long as one of them is a 5th wheel). My truck is a screw with 6.5' bed. So its the 2nd longest wheel base (SCAB with 8' bed is the longest truck). Max tow has a maximum rating of about 11,000 lbs, and cargo capacity on my ride is about 1800 lbs total. So in the end it really depends on how much of that pin-weight will be pulling down on your truck.

 

You will be fine, these trucks are 3/4 tons disguised as 1/2 tons.
30 ft hornet dry wt. #6850

 

Great thoughts, guys....definitely leaning towards an F150 with Max Tow. I need to find one, even if it doesnt have the EB, to tow my trailer with......thinking I may test one for the weekend and do a quick tow around to see how it handles.

I am in Michigan, most of my towing is in-state, when the kids get bigger (3-4 yrs from now, might not even be using this same truck by then), would like to go to Yellowstone, Yosemite, Gettysburg, etc.) Right now I tow at 70 on the interstate because the truck doesn't care and is rock solid. I would slow down a bit if needed.

 

I pull a 7500# travel trailer just fine with our truck... ecoboost 3.73 max tow 6.5 bed screw.

Lots of good posts but the "you should tow with a superduty" line is getting outdated. We towed from SE Michigan to the hills of Virginia and back without breaking a sweat.

One thing I didn't see mentioned is a guesstimate for your tongue weight. You should be around 12% when all said and done... of 8500 that's 1020 which is close to your max.

I think it's important to know that your trailer tires are probably only rated for 65mph. I know there's a bunch of guys willing to push the limits going up I-75 on a Friday after a long day of work, but I personally don't think it's worth the risk.

 

These F150's tow loads surprisingly well, but not quite as planted as a SD. I've noticed the longer wheel based Crew Cabs with the 6.5' bed tow more stable than the 145" WB trucks do, but only slightly though. Keeping balanced loads and staying with in the weight limits make all the differences in stability of hauling and towing. There will be no problem towing with an F150 with max tow.