I have a 2012 WhiteHawk Jayco 28’ that is about 5800 dry and I guess may max is around 7000 fully loaded. I currently tow with a 2011 F150 5.0 with HD towing package and drive around 20k miles a year with 5-7k of that towing miles. My truck seems to pull this fine and I get around 7-9 mpg towing and 16-17mpg around town not towing. I tow in the flat lands of Texas primarily, but am going to Colorado this summer and may do more of that in the future. My gas mileage is not great and I get a good portion of sway on the highway. If I can keep things around 60mph, it tows a lot better. I don’t have any plans to upgrade to a bigger TT for the next 4-5 years. In about 5 years, I’ll look at a 5th wheel and go bigger truck then. I’ve been planning to get a 2015 F150 later this winter when they come out but upgrade to the Ecoboost and 4x4. Should this be fine or would I be better served to go ahead and get an F250 4x4 now before my 2000 mile trip to the mountains of Colorado this summer? Would an F250 gas or diesel not be cost effective for everyday driving and towing?

If all your numbers are fine, then stay with what you got for now until you have the need for an upgrade. Towing at 60 is a lot safer and better for fuel economy.

I always suggest getting more truck than you need. Mostly for safety and reliability. If your truck is pulling a trailer that is at or near it's maximum capacity your on the edge of safety and the strain will cause premature or unusual failures in the engine and drivetrain.My biggest concern is being able to stop safely in a panic situation and to be able to go down long steep grades without losing the brakes.An f250 will probably get the same gas mileage around town empty and about the same when towing. The ride will be a little rougher but you can soften the ride by lowering the tire pressure when empty to acceptable levels shown on the tire manufacturers website.The advantage of the F250 will be when towing...less sway, better control it will have bigger brakes for stopping and long downhills. The drivetrain components are designed for heavier loads so it should last longer.And you'll be ready for a bigger trailer when the time comes.

Spend $14 at a CAT scale (3 passes) to find out your TW and how well the WDH is adjusted. Then evaluate how to improve. Improper TW and improperly adjusted WDH are the most likely causes for sway. You can mask it with a bigger truck, but why spend the money?Also, my Reese straight line is picky about being adjusted such that the detents in the bars are centered on the cam lobes. When it's right, I'm solid up to 75mph. When it's not, 60mph is scary.

With its aluminum construction being much lighter than the current model, the 2015 F-150 should have a significant increase in fuel economy. However if you're just comparing 5.0 to Ecoboost, you won't see much difference in fuel economy. I have 3 different friends and family with Ecoboost F-150s and none of them get more than 15mpg average, and no better while towing than you get now. The biggest advantage of the Ecoboost is power, not fuel economy. If you are very light of the pedal, the Ecoboost will get great mileage, but step on it at all, and those turbos are sucking alot of air, negating much benefit of a smaller displacement. One of my family members traded his Ecoboost F-150 for a hemi Ram 2500, without that much difference in fuel economy for him.

Couple of things you said that are red flags:l. Lots of sway2. towing that light trailer gets 7-9 MPGYou really need to know what your GVWR of the 5er is AND the GCVWR of the tow vehicle. You really need to stay around 80% or less of the GCVWR of the tow vehicle. Dry weight does not always include things that are added after the initial body build of the 5er. Someone commented on stoppability. I agree 300% When you are near/at/over your max, your ability to stop that rig is diminished considerably.I think your biggest clue is poor gas mileage. I honestly don't think your TV is adequate for the job you are asking it to do. Do yourself a favor and forget dry weight and use GVWR and CGVWR and you will find inproved fuel economy as well as being able to stop that beast easier.PS: LE?

Tow vehicle and everyday driveability question | Good Sam Community

APT
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
Spend $14 at a CAT scale (3 passes) to find out your TW and how well the WDH is adjusted. Then evaluate how to improve. Improper TW and improperly adjusted WDH are the most likely causes for sway. You can mask it with a bigger truck, but why spend the money?

Also, my Reese straight line is picky about being adjusted such that the detents in the bars are centered on the cam lobes. When it's right, I'm solid up to 75mph. When it's not, 60mph is scary.
the_bear_II
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
I always suggest getting more truck than you need. Mostly for safety and reliability. If your truck is pulling a trailer that is at or near it's maximum capacity your on the edge of safety and the strain will cause premature or unusual failures in the engine and drivetrain.

My biggest concern is being able to stop safely in a panic situation and to be able to go down long steep grades without losing the brakes.

An f250 will probably get the same gas mileage around town empty and about the same when towing. The ride will be a little rougher but you can soften the ride by lowering the tire pressure when empty to acceptable levels shown on the tire manufacturers website.

The advantage of the F250 will be when towing...less sway, better control it will have bigger brakes for stopping and long downhills. The drivetrain components are designed for heavier loads so it should last longer.

And you'll be ready for a bigger trailer when the time comes.
ChooChooMan74
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
If all your numbers are fine, then stay with what you got for now until you have the need for an upgrade. Towing at 60 is a lot safer and better for fuel economy.

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