Newbie needs help with tow ability

Diesels will ALWAYS be better pulling. But you do NOT need a diesel. Decent 2500 series gas motor trucks are a dime a dozen. Few go looking for gas trucks, so your choices should be plentiful. Your just throwing your money away upgrading from one 150 to one a couple years newer. Heck you have a known quanitiy and your spending money for a nearly identical unknown quanitiy. Just makes no sense to me.

3.31 axle gearing is a poor choice for towing. It will not be fun.

Max tow on a truck is misleading when it comes to towing a TT. You will run out of payload before you even hit that number. Everything is stated is pretty much spot on. The stability from a 1500 to a 2500 when towing a larger rig is hands down better.

The GVWR for the trailor is 7,600. Unit dry is 5686 and the cargo we will carry will be my hubby, dog, 35 to 40 lbs each and everything we carried in our popup. Really not more than 1000 lbs ever. And the 2013 upgrade truck is 14,900 sale and we cant find a 2500 anywhere less than 25k and that was a 2010 with almost 200,000 miles. So a gas vs a diesel, the D is not better when pulling?

Things to consider when matching tow vehicle to trailer:


1. The trailer is going to get heavier. 5686 lbs dry weight will be in the area of 6700 lb, when loaded for camping. That trailer's gross weight rating is over 7000 lbs. The closer your trailer weight gets to your max tow weight, the more unpleasant your towing can be.

2. Tongue weight is not a constant number and fluctuates during every trip. Average tongue weight is 12 - 13 percent of loaded trailer weight. If your loaded trailer weight is 6700 lbs, tongue weight will be 800 - 900 lbs, and could go higher.

3. The trucks true max tow weight is limited to the weakest link in it's overall ratings (axle weights, tire loads, hitch weights, payload, and tow weight). Normally, that weakest link is payload.

4. The truck's advertised max tow weight rating, was calculated without aftermarket accessories, passengers, or cargo. As you add weight to the truck, it's max towing weight and it's available payload are going down, pound for pound.

5. Depending on cab configuration, options installed, 2WD or 4WD, suspension, axles, tires, and power train, every truck has it's own payload and max tow rating. Not all F150's, F250's, F350's etc are created equal. Same for other brands.

6. There are F150's with higher ratings than the one you're looking at.

Here's a link to a calculator that may help.

As I read the chart you are rated to pull 8,000lbs. You can read it yourself here: https://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/13flrv&tt_f150.pdf

Nothing in the numbers you gave tells the tow capacity. I doubt you're gaining much ability, if any. An equivalent 250 is and extra $20,000? Either what you're buying is super cheap or the 250 is way overpriced. Or, were you looking at a diesel 250? They would be significantly more but the diesel engine is unnecessary.
If your trailer is 5,600 dry it will likely be 6,500 or higher loaded up. That will likely put over 1,0000 pounds of tongue weight on the truck. Add in the weight distributing hitch (around 75 to 100 pounds), the family, firewood, bikes, generator, etc. and you will likely be pushing the limits of the truck's payload.
If you have a very small family and travel light you will likely be well withing the specs of the old or new truck.

Very likely the old vs newer truck are going to have nearly identical specs, so why swap? I just dont see it. The really long trailer coupled with the really soft suspension and tires is not going to make for a very happy towing experience.
Dry or shipping weights are really useless. What ia the trailers GVWR?