I need advice/opinions.
My current 5th wheel weighs about 9815 (2080 hitch) dry and 11,500 (2,580 hitch) loaded. Of course I have no problems towing it.

The one that she wants is a Montana 3711FL, that weighs 13,200 with 2,790 hitch weight (dry). By the time she loads it up, it will weigh near 15k. I don't think it will get as much of the additional load added to the pin, due to a smaller basement, rear storage, and the bedroom in the rear.

My truck is a 2012 F250 with ride rite air bags. I'm not worried about pulling it, but I wonder about the more important action of stopping. I tow on some pretty steep grades and don't always trust the trailer brakes going downhill. I think that the Superduty brakes were upgraded in 13 then again in 15, and then the exhaust brake was added in 15. Should I consider trading in for a 2016 to get more stopping power? How much difference does the exhaust brake make?

BTW, I want to stick with a SRW.

 

The exhaust brake works really well on the 2015+ trucks. Very noticeable difference when compared to the 2011-14 trucks.

As for trading up, that is up to you. There are a lot of benefits to the 2015+ trucks. More power, better braking, better info/entertainment system, more power 440/860 and lastly........more power!

I personally think your truck will be fine as I tow 15k plus with my '12 often. If the trailer brakes are functioning properly, the truck does just fine.

Another idea for trading up is that you could go with a SRW 350 to increase your payload capacity. Just a thought.

 

You'll be fine with what you have. Upgrading is always nice though. Overkill is even better.

 

Yeah, I see that you skipped right over the 350 to the 450. LOL


I'd like to see some overkill in the fuel capacity of the SWB. I'd trade for sure.

 

It will be a personal decision. The truck you have now is capable of towing it. But let's look at a few things. The newer trucks, as described above, have better exhaust brakes, bigger brakes and a few other niceties. You also mention the low fuel capacity. The new SBs have the same fuel capacity as the one you have. You can either go to a long bed to get more fuel, or go to a Titan tank for the one you have now. I prefer to tow heavy with a long bed, but that is my personal choice. I prefer to have a low profile toolbox in the bed of the truck for tools, not as likely to happen with SBs for though, but some do.
If you are just itching to get a new truck or looking for a reason to, any of the things I listed above will do to convince the better half of a new purchase.
Good luck in your decision buddy. Let us know and send pics of the new rig

 

I regularly tow a 5ver that weighs around 19k with the same truck as you. ZERO issues stopping. The truck does not stop the trailer. The trailer brakes stop the trailer so no need to be concerned there.

As to yours being a 250, the 250 and SRW 350 are physically identical if you have the camper package. If you don't the only differences are a shorter 2" spacer block under the rear springs and an overload spring. You're already half way there with the airbags which function the same as the overload would. You can swap out the blocks for taller ones for about $40 each. Again, it's the same truck, just de-rated on paper and the door jamb sticker to fill a different market segment.

As others stated, upgrading is fun though. If it was me, and it will be soon, I'd upgrade to the completely redesigned 2017.

 

Presently I have my first long bed truck and I honestly feel that it makes an already great truck even better when it comes to road manners with a trailer in tow. I think I'm now a 350srw/long bed guy for life now.

But, you could easily add a rear leaf and enjoy what you have.

Ps, we have a fifth wheel with the rear master bedroom/bath and we love it. I don't think we will ever move to a bedroom in the nose. It is very comfortable and it's nice to sleep away from the campground road rather than on top of it.

 

Just make sure you keep the trailer brakes adjusted regularly and you should be fine.

 

If it's a modern trailer, most have self adjusting brakes now too...

 

I also have a 2012 F250, although my 5er was only about 10k pounds I lost the trailer brake controller north of Durango on the million dollar highway (replaced free by Steamboat Springs Ford).


Just revert to old school driving to control the weight. Gear down let the engine do the work. Pull over and let the brakes cool if necessary.


But if you want it, you have the perfect excuse for a new truck!

 

Thanks for all of the responses. Y'all have reinforced what I was thinking.
Funny thing is, my wife is the one who suggested a new truck. She is so fired up to get this new camper that when I said I would have to check the tow numbers, she said "get a new truck if you have to."
My truck is due for tires, and I am planning to go with the 295/65/20 Toyo AT2's to get the higher weight rating. That's like $1800. When you start rationalizing things, it's easy to say, "that's money towards a new truck." Time to make a list of the pros and cons.



Pros to buying a new truck:

• Higher HP/torque
• Exhaust brake
• Larger brakes
• Factory warranty
• Maybe get a LWB with larger fuel tank
• Don't have to buy tires

Pros to keeping present truck:

• I like it
• The drivers seat is broken in and really comfy
• It's close to being paid off
• New truck is like $58k
• Wouldn't need to switch over the air bags

Who knows, I'll probably end up staying with the one I have for a while, mainly because I hate spending big money when it's not necessary. Unless I find a sweet deal.

 

I'd get the RV and then wait and get a 2017 later this year or next spring. You won't need to switch over your airbags as the new SRW 350's have more than enough capacity to carry the load without sagging. I don't have bags in mine and it sits just low of level. The 17's have new springs and rear axle and will handle the weight even better. You already have the hard part done. You don't have to convince your wife... it's her idea!

Oh, and on the LWB, the new 17's will have a larger fuel tank on the SWB trucks too...

 

I like the idea of waiting on the 17s too. Although you might get a killer deal on a 16, once the 17s start to appear on the dealer lots.

New camper and new truck both at the same time, seems to happen around here all the time.

bruce...

 

I'm trying to space it out Bruce so the excitement doesn't overlap. When you get two new items at once, they have to share the excitement. Just got the wife's new SUV so trying desperately to wait until next spring for the new truck.

 

Rodney, you make a strong case for the 17, and Bruce is thinking was I was thinking about deals on the 16. I wonder how much more the 17's will be. These things are getting expensive.