What truck to tow my tow hauler?
So have a 2011 Ford F150 with the ecoboost V-6 engine that is supposed to tow 11,500 LBS. It does but wont pull at elevation and high temps without overheating. Ford has no fix for this problem as of ...
Forum Discussion
Your weights, and experience, sound about like mine. I owned a 2004 Toyota Tundra with the 4.7L. It was a great truck, and was a decent towing platform for boats, utility trailers, and even my first TT, a Surveyor 235, that I think was 3100 lbs dry.
Then I bought a "half-ton towable" Forest River Work and Play 18EC. It is 5100 lbs dry, and has a max weight of 9500 lbs or so (don't have the sticker in front of me). It is also a much higher profile trailer, with more wind resistance.
Well, I pulled it with my Tundra for a few trips, typically no more than 50 miles from home. Although I didn't weigh it, I figured I was at or overweight on my limits. The Tundra had a 3750 lb RAWR. The 04's didnt have the yellow sticker, but it had a 6600 lb GVWR, so I guesstimated my payload somewhere between 1000-1200 lbs. The Tundra just didn't feel in command of the trailer, and I never loaded toys in it, mainly just used it as a Travel Trailer.
I just bought a 2009 F250 4x4 with the 5.4L V8. It met my budget, and I don't feel I make enough trips to justify a diesel in my daily driver, but won't argue that they are built for towing. The main thing I was after is the increased payload.
My RAWR went from 3750 to 6100 lbs, GVWR went from 6600 to 9200 lbs, etc. The engine is even an improvement, going from 245 to 300 hp, and 315 to 365 ft-lbs of torque.
Advertising guys try to get you to think about the engine (think "Eco boost"), when payload is so much more important to those of us who tow anything bigger than small boats and utility trailers.
In addition, I also got a beefier transmission and brakes. Not to mention a great set of towing mirrors. It never hurts to see what you are doing.
There is a night and day difference between 1/2 and 3/4 and bigger trucks.
Then I bought a "half-ton towable" Forest River Work and Play 18EC. It is 5100 lbs dry, and has a max weight of 9500 lbs or so (don't have the sticker in front of me). It is also a much higher profile trailer, with more wind resistance.
Well, I pulled it with my Tundra for a few trips, typically no more than 50 miles from home. Although I didn't weigh it, I figured I was at or overweight on my limits. The Tundra had a 3750 lb RAWR. The 04's didnt have the yellow sticker, but it had a 6600 lb GVWR, so I guesstimated my payload somewhere between 1000-1200 lbs. The Tundra just didn't feel in command of the trailer, and I never loaded toys in it, mainly just used it as a Travel Trailer.
I just bought a 2009 F250 4x4 with the 5.4L V8. It met my budget, and I don't feel I make enough trips to justify a diesel in my daily driver, but won't argue that they are built for towing. The main thing I was after is the increased payload.
My RAWR went from 3750 to 6100 lbs, GVWR went from 6600 to 9200 lbs, etc. The engine is even an improvement, going from 245 to 300 hp, and 315 to 365 ft-lbs of torque.
Advertising guys try to get you to think about the engine (think "Eco boost"), when payload is so much more important to those of us who tow anything bigger than small boats and utility trailers.
In addition, I also got a beefier transmission and brakes. Not to mention a great set of towing mirrors. It never hurts to see what you are doing.
There is a night and day difference between 1/2 and 3/4 and bigger trucks.
