New TT user. I'm considering purchasing a Lance 2185 TT (https://www.lancecamper.com/travel-trailers/2185/specs/) or similar size and weight TT. Before I buy (used) I plan to rent one next month using my current truck to pull the trailer to try this trailer out. I have a 2008 Ford F150 2x4 Supercab with 4.6L V8, 145" WB, tow package and canopy.According to the door jam sticker this truck has a GVWR of 6700# and a payload capacity of 1568#. The Lance has a weight of 4565#, payload of 1435 for GVWR of 6000#. The hitch weight is 755#.It will be just my wife and I in the truck for this trip. If I add up our weight (200# each) + 200# topper + 745# hitch weight I'm at 1345# which is within the 1568# max payload. Is this too close? If I use the 15% of the 6000 TT GVWR as the hitch weight I get 900# plus the weight of us and the topper (600#) which is 1400# just barely below the 1568# payload. Too close? The truck rear GAWR is 3800#.If I decide to buy the TT after the week trial, I plan to replace my current F150 truck with a newer (2015-2017) F150 SuperCrew 4x4 145" WB truck with greater max towing rating. I was thinking of the 3.5L Turbo V6 engine (10,700# towing) or should I find a truck with the 5.0L V8?Am I ok to tow the Lance with my current truck for the week trip? Advice on a used F150 truck?Thanks

you are correct. much better info than most who ask. Id go for it. You will be borderline but you are upgrading anyway. Either the 3.5 eco or the 5,0 will handle those fine. power is not the problem its payload. my 2016 f150 has the 5.0 and 1900 ish lbs payload. watch door stickers as they can be quite different truck to truck.

You should be fine with the current set up but probably not for the long haul as that truck is getting older but like you stated you will upgrade the truck. 2 things of advice I could give is stay at at least 1600lbs of payload and you will be fine and I would recommend the longer wheelbase truck 157" as they tow quite a bit more stable than the 145" wheelbase trucks....ask me how I know I have a 11 3.5 eco with the 145" and a 18 3.5 eco with the 157" wheelbase...both tow my rig great but the 157 does it that much better...

You should be ok, especially if you’ll be replacing the truck in the future.I tow with a 2018 F150 Supercrew 6.5 bed, and find it very stable. I opted for the 3.5 eb, and find it has all the power to tos that I could ask for. I have the max-tow, which includes the 36 gal fuel tank, which is nice while towing. The lower trims (mine is an xlt) have pretty good payload (mine is well over 1800#).My tt is the same size/weight as the Lance you’re considering.

First off you can never have enough truck!Look at a Softopper as a cap and save about 1200# in payload. I love mine and have had it for almost 12 years. Only issue was that I cracked the back window. I reached it with a solid one, less than $100 and added a backup camera. By the way the cap should cost less than $1000.I am not affiliated with Softopper.inc.

WNYBob wrote:First off you can never have to much truck!Look at a Softopper as a cap and save about 1200# in payload. I love mine and have had it for almost 12 years. Only issue was that I cracked the back window. I reached it with a solid one, less than $100 and added a backup camera. By the way the cap should cost less than $1000.I am not affiliated with Softopper.inc.

Enough truck? | Good Sam Community

Mickeyfan0805
Explorer
Mar 10, 2020
SailorGuy wrote:

It will be just my wife and I in the truck for this trip. If I add up our weight (200# each) + 200# topper + 745# hitch weight I'm at 1345# which is within the 1568# max payload. Is this too close? If I use the 15% of the 6000 TT GVWR as the hitch weight I get 900# plus the weight of us and the topper (600#) which is 1400# just barely below the 1568# payload. Too close? The truck rear GAWR is 3800#.

For clarity, you want to double-check your math here. The two of you, plus the topper is 600 pounds, and your 15% calculation is 900 (both of which are accurate above). However, this puts you at 1,500, not the 1,400 you have listed above. You are also missing the weight of the WD hitch (likely 75-100 pounds), which would put you closer to 1,575 to 1,600 for your final number (which is just over your payload sticker).

That said, as long as you are confident that there aren't other mods or gear in the truck eating away at that payload (heavy bed mats, bed steps, tools, etc...), I would suggest that you will likely be fine. 15% is the very high end of the tongue weight ratio, and you may well not load it to the entire 6,000 pounds for just two of you.

I would suggest that a trip past a CAT scale could confirm things for you, but you'd likely be in a manageable state.
Boomerweps
Explorer
Mar 10, 2020
Concur, you have enough truck now for that camper.
My 2019 F150 supercrew 5.5' short bed 5.0 V8 standard tow package has a 1990# payload capacity and a 9100# tow rating. The current 5.0 has a LOT more power & torque compared to the 2008 4.6L. 395hp, 400 ft.lb torque vs. 298hp, 294 ft.lb. torque. 3.5L EcoBoost has 375hp, 470 ft.lb torque but it comes on at lower RPMs compared to the 5.0L V8.
The slightly longer 6' bed is needed if you are ever considering a 5th wheel. Also required with the Max Towing package or Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP). Both come with the 36 gallon gas tank and require the 3.5L EcoBoost. HDPP is required for truck campers.

Side note: The Ford 2008 Towing Guide is available online. I have a 2008 Explorer and downloaded it, I think, from Ford.com, to my iBooks.
Hannibal
Explorer
Mar 10, 2020
Our trailer advertises a hitch weight of 710 lbs. Add 50~lbs for a battery, 110 lbs for two full 30 lb LP tanks, 100~ lbs for the hitch, 50 lbs for the hammock in the front cross storage and whatever else gets crammed in there and our tongue weight is now 1,071 lbs. It adds up really quick.
Jebby14
Explorer
Mar 10, 2020
^ that contraption you're endorsing full of helium or something?
WNYBob
Explorer
Mar 10, 2020
WNYBob wrote:
First off you can never have to much truck!
Look at a Softopper as a cap and save about 1200# in payload. I love mine and have had it for almost 12 years. Only issue was that I cracked the back window. I reached it with a solid one, less than $100 and added a backup camera. By the way the cap should cost less than $1000.
I am not affiliated with Softopper.inc.
WNYBob
Explorer
Mar 10, 2020
First off you can never have enough truck!
Look at a Softopper as a cap and save about 1200# in payload. I love mine and have had it for almost 12 years. Only issue was that I cracked the back window. I reached it with a solid one, less than $100 and added a backup camera. By the way the cap should cost less than $1000.
I am not affiliated with Softopper.inc.
jfkmk
Explorer
Mar 10, 2020
You should be ok, especially if you’ll be replacing the truck in the future.

I tow with a 2018 F150 Supercrew 6.5 bed, and find it very stable. I opted for the 3.5 eb, and find it has all the power to tos that I could ask for. I have the max-tow, which includes the 36 gal fuel tank, which is nice while towing. The lower trims (mine is an xlt) have pretty good payload (mine is well over 1800#).

My tt is the same size/weight as the Lance you’re considering.
librty02
Explorer
Mar 10, 2020
You should be fine with the current set up but probably not for the long haul as that truck is getting older but like you stated you will upgrade the truck. 2 things of advice I could give is stay at at least 1600lbs of payload and you will be fine and I would recommend the longer wheelbase truck 157" as they tow quite a bit more stable than the 145" wheelbase trucks....ask me how I know I have a 11 3.5 eco with the 145" and a 18 3.5 eco with the 157" wheelbase...both tow my rig great but the 157 does it that much better...
Jebby14
Explorer
Mar 10, 2020
you are correct. much better info than most who ask. Id go for it. You will be borderline but you are upgrading anyway. Either the 3.5 eco or the 5,0 will handle those fine. power is not the problem its payload. my 2016 f150 has the 5.0 and 1900 ish lbs payload. watch door stickers as they can be quite different truck to truck.

Forum Discussion

Enough truck?

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Truck

Truck warranty

Truck caps

Ford Trucks

Which Truck?