JR Scooby:
You only add the tongue weight to the GVWR, not the trailer weight, no? Sounds like you're mixing GCWR with GVWR to me, unless I'm misunderstanding something. The truck has a separate limit listed for requiring a WDH, and doesn't list requirements for trailer brakes. If you look at SUV's with a 3500 pound limit, they all say 'with trailer brakes'. The F150 doesn't. It can tow 9000+ lbs with a WDH. I'm sure a 2640lb trailer will be well within what it can handle.
btw, looking it up, truck should weigh 4878, supposedly.
GVWR is 6500.
Tongue weight should be about 260-300 lbs, assuming 10-15%.
I'm new to travel trailers, and to towing properly and by the book, and to owning the towing vehicle. But I've towed and driven over the years here and there. I know how to drive conservatively. I grew up on dirtbikes and ATV's. I rode motorcycles for years. I know how to make sure I leave room for braking safely. I'm confident I can manage this one trip that is still well within the ratings...
Grit dog:
All those vehicles I have written off for one reason or another. Explorers aren't reliable and don't have good enough fuel economy for daily driving. An S10 is a worse towing vehicle, lighter, not sure it can even handle the load, and probably not known for being especially reliable. I am not going to drive a 7.3 as a daily driver. And the acura is expensive for parts (think I looked at that one).
I make $600/mo right now. That will start going up, but for me, $500 on renting something would be hard. I looked into that, that's what my original plan was. Towing with a rental car, as you know, is not kosher, and would put me at big risk for liability if anything went wrong. It would also be tricky, as I'd have to probably go buy a hitch and other equipment, install it myself, may include the need for wiring, do the tow, and then remove it all. Not practical, unfortunately.
Trailer can't be ditched. Ebay has protections if the trailer is a lie. Buyer had sold previous trailers and had good reputation. I talked with him, got photos of his license and of the title.
It's a lot to ask to borrow a truck for 1400 miles, half towing. That's a lot of trust. That's a favor you can only ask of close friends or family. Sadly, I'm not from the area, and none of my friends has a truck that can do the job. One has a dad with an old tacoma, and it would be at the edge of what it could tow more or less... and would be a lot to ask of essentially a near-stranger.
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All that aside, I dug in a lot more and realized I'd written off the xterra too soon. They have 60 more hp, and while they have a lower payload, they're built on a truck platform (frontier) that can tow more than the F150 (only reason it's 5k instead of 6k+ is because of the shorter wheelbase). Plenty of reports of people towing TT's as heavy or heavier than mine without issue, including on this forum.
I found a relatively newer model for a good price with a tow hitch already installed. In contact with seller now, hopefully by this time tomorrow I'll have it.
Remember, this will mostly be a daily driver. Secondary purpose will be towing. First ride will be without trailer brakes but with a completely empty TV and TT--after that I'll look into installing trailer brakes.
And for a daily driver, the xterra makes more sense. I'm about to keep digging, I think a pathfinder makes even more sense, but I don't have some particular lead quite as good as that xterra and, if the test drive is solid, I think I'll jump on it.
