Advice on needed tow capacity for new pickup truck

[chrisdd23k]

I bought w new Coachman 292BHDS Travel Trailer last summer. The TT dry weight is 6,150 lbs. Now I am looking to buy a new pick up truck to tow it, either a Ford F150 of a Chevy Silverado 1500. Both trucks have different configurations that range in tow capacity. Chevy has one that tows 9,100 lbs or 11,100 with max tow package. Ford has similar ranges including some at 10,500. How much max tow capability will I need?
Other Weight Factors
2 adults, 3 teenagers and a dog about 700lbs
gear roughly 800lbs
tanks are empty when traveling
food/drinks 200lbs

[LifeInsideJack]

We pull a 19 foot Puma, no slides. I suspect it weighs in at 6000 loaded. According to truck specs an F150 should do the job.

So we purchased an F250, flatbed, 4x4.

After a trip through the Smokey Mountains and through the Ozarks there is no way we would have been happy with an F150 or 1500.

Additionally it's not about pulling, it's about stopping.

[Bumpyroad]

go for a F250 at least. that 700 lb dog must be huge.
bumpy

[bid_time]

You need a truck with about 1800 to 1900 lbs payload capacity. Doesn't matter what the badge on the side says, just the sticker on the door.

[theoldwizard1]

Gdetrailer wrote:

That trailer when loaded would be a much better match with a 3/4 ton..

Concur !

[ljr]

73guna wrote:
I'd say either of those trucks would get the job done for you, but at the end of the day you are buying a new truck so get something that will exceed your expectations.
If it were me, I'd go with a 2500hd/ 3/4 ton truck and not look back.

By the way, that's one big dog!

X2

Awhile ago I upgraded from a TV that had many good miles and years of service left simply because my taste in RVs outgrew it. My rule now is to select a TV not for my current RV but for the next one.

Get a 3/4T now. Take good care of it. Someday you’ll get a new RV and be very happy you don’t need a new TV too.

(If you can swing a 1T that would be even better.)

[2112]

Take it from someone towing with a well appointed max tow F150, with a family and trailer that size get an F250! It's worth the extra RAWR. You will run out of payload with most 1/2 tons.

[Trackrig]

And what happens in two years when the kids are older, meaning bigger, and you decide you need a larger TT? Do you then dish out the money to buy another new truck?

I would expect that if you do go with the half ton truck, you'll need some suspension help in addition to the weight distribution hitch to help level things out. You may also have to go to heavier tires on it.

Buy a 3/4 ton truck.

Bill

[bobndot]

IMO, 2500 series needed.

My rig, rolling down the road all loaded, I tow 6000-6500# with 900-950# on the Tongue with a 2016 1500 Max tow GM . I am at my limit with a 2000# payload. Its about payload not a tow rating.
BTW, my posted dry wts are 4560# / 580# .

[Gdetrailer]

chrisdd23k wrote:
I bought w new Coachman 292BHDS Travel Trailer last summer. The TT dry weight is 6,150 lbs. Now I am looking to buy a new pick up truck to tow it, either a Ford F150 of a Chevy Silverado 1500. Both trucks have different configurations that range in tow capacity. Chevy has one that tows 9,100 lbs or 11,100 with max tow package. Ford has similar ranges including some at 10,500. How much max tow capability will I need?
Other Weight Factors
2 adults, 3 teenagers and a dog about 700lbs
gear roughly 800lbs
tanks are empty when traveling
food/drinks 200lbs

Your easily well above the available cargo of either 1/2 ton truck once you add in passengers and extra gear.

6,150 lb empty trailer at 15% tongue weight is 922.5 lbs.

700 lbs for passengers and dogs plus 922.5 lbs is 1622.5 lbs..

You forgot WD hitch, that is about 100 lbs that will take away cargo of the vehicle.

You virtually have ZERO cargo available to load the trailer with "gear", food, drinks or any other needed camping stuff.

That is pretty much the limits of 1/2 ton cargo..

The only exception I can think about is if you bought the lowest trim level F150 in a regular cab 4x2, eco boost with max tow, max payload and then you might have about 2200 lbs of cargo..

But with you having so many passengers plus dogs you will need Crew cab (minus cargo), you will most likely insist on 4x4 (minus cargo), and top level trim (minus cargo)..

People buy into those Max towing numbers without realizing that those numbers ARE based on the BASE VEHICLE which means Standard cab, short bed, 4x2, NO OPTIONS that do not increase payload.

#1 rule is you WILL run out of tow vehicle payload before you reach any other limit..

That trailer when loaded would be a much better match with a 3/4 ton..

My 2013 F250 super cab 4x2 with 6.2 has 3451 lbs of available cargo.. Mine would tow that trailer with ZERO issues..

In fact, I am towing a trailer that when loaded is 6500 lbs plus an additional 15 gallon fuel tank, plus a 100 lb generator, 200 lbs of campfire wood, three bicycles and several hundred lbs of misc tools and other camping stuff in the bed of my truck..

Tows nicely and I don't have to weight every potato chip I take with me :B

I should also mention that a fully loaded F150 with eco, max tow and max payload CAN cost much more than a modestly optioned XLT F250.. I have seen numbers for eco F150s as much as $60K and yet my 2013 F250 was just about $42K out the door..

Recently priced out a similar 2018 F250 at about $45K.. Pretty good chance that to get enough F150 to handle that trailer you will be north of $65K..

[73guna]

I'd say either of those trucks would get the job done for you, but at the end of the day you are buying a new truck so get something that will exceed your expectations.
If it were me, I'd go with a 2500hd/ 3/4 ton truck and not look back.

By the way, that's one big dog!

[donn0128]

Simple. Dry weight is worthless. You will NEVER tow it dry.
You need a truck capable of handling the trailers GVWR PLUS your family, and all the stuff you would normally carry on a trip. Once you add all that stuff, which BTW subtracts from the trucks load carrying capacity. So, for instance your truck loaded ready to go weighs 7000 pounds. And has a GCWR of 11,000 pounds, that leaves you a trailer loaded ready to go no more than 4000 pounds.
With five adults,or nearly adults on board you would be far better off getting a 250/2500 series truck.