Enough truck?

SailorGuy wrote:
...If I decide to buy the TT after the week trial, I plan to replace my current F150 truck with a newer (2015-2017) F150 SuperCrew 4x4 145" WB truck with greater max towing rating. I was thinking of the 3.5L Turbo V6 engine (10,700# towing) or should I find a truck with the 5.0L V8?

Thanks

I believe the Max Trailer Tow Pkg only comes with the 3.5 Ecoboost (which has more torque for towing anyway). That engine with the 10 spd transmission is a fantastic towing combination.

I love my 2016 5.0 s'crew 4x4. only regret is not getting a locking rear end but that can be added cheap enough.

SailorGuy wrote:
New TT user. I'm considering purchasing a Lance 2185 TT (https://www.lancecamper.com/travel-trailers/2185/specs/) or similar size and weight TT. Before I buy (used) I plan to rent one next month using my current truck to pull the trailer to try this trailer out. I have a 2008 Ford F150 2x4 Supercab with 4.6L V8, 145" WB, tow package and canopy.

According to the door jam sticker this truck has a GVWR of 6700# and a payload capacity of 1568#. The Lance has a weight of 4565#, payload of 1435 for GVWR of 6000#. The hitch weight is 755#.

It will be just my wife and I in the truck for this trip. If I add up our weight (200# each) + 200# topper + 745# hitch weight I'm at 1345# which is within the 1568# max payload. Is this too close? If I use the 15% of the 6000 TT GVWR as the hitch weight I get 900# plus the weight of us and the topper (600#) which is 1400# just barely below the 1568# payload. Too close? The truck rear GAWR is 3800#.

If I decide to buy the TT after the week trial, I plan to replace my current F150 truck with a newer (2015-2017) F150 SuperCrew 4x4 145" WB truck with greater max towing rating. I was thinking of the 3.5L Turbo V6 engine (10,700# towing) or should I find a truck with the 5.0L V8?

Am I ok to tow the Lance with my current truck for the week trip? Advice on a used F150 truck?

Thanks

The 3.5L Echo Boost Turbo will pull that with no problem. Even in most mountains. Have a good Hitch/Sway bar setup. and good electrical brakes and you shouldn't have many problems. The 3.5 Turbo and the 5.0 V8 are good motors. Either will get the job done.
The 5.0 v8 is first cousin to the 5.0 Coyote motor in the fast Mustangs.
It's set up different, different rear ends ect.
If I got rid of my Echo Boost Turbo, I'd hunt for the 5.0 V8.

Just my opinion, but the 4.6 V8 may not be strong enough. It will tow if you stay out of mountains, so start truck hunting.

^How many miles did it take you to blow 3 transmissions?
Talking 1500 Express only ?
Hemi/8HP trans or older combo? 545 rfe was not an awesome trans, but would take a lot of miles to go through 3 of them,

And you’re talking about one of the most challenging freeway grades on the continent if you blew them on the Coq.

I am trying to figure out the numbers, but it sounds worrisome to me; could be just my past experience speaking though and each persons is unique. What is the rated tow capacity for the truck, the gCwr for the truck? If gCwr is exceeded, even if payload and hitch-weight are not exceeded, you could be looking at issues. Also, gas engines have reach peak torque/towing power, at much higher rpms, harder on engine, than diesel engines (roughly 3,800 rpm v. 1,400 rpm) which affects how hard the engine has to work.
I had a similar thought process in the past, concentrating on payload and tongue weights with less attention to gcwr because I thought the engine was great and could exceed limits because of some modifications I made. I drove easily across plains/prairies and even the east coast--but come the Laurentians or Rockies, the engine pulled it like I though, but I went through three transmissions.
I would, in addition to what you have checked, check tow capacity of truck (online chart) and gCwr, go to scale and weigh truck as though loaded, mentally add the GVWR of the trailer...not the dry weight but the max gross vehicle weight rating (because you WILL be adding your personal effects to the trailer, and generally people max out their gvwr, loaded weight). Truck loaded weight + trailer loaded weight should not exceed gcwr of truck or gvwr of trailer, else you increase likelihood of blowouts or transmission problems and significantly increase effort of engine, which tends to play out in hilly or mountainous terrain. If you have done that, you are not likely to face issues, beyond the age and mileage of the truck.
I used to pull a Keystone Cougar with a dry weight of 6,700 lbs, but a gvwr of 9,500 lbs, with a 2018 Ram 1500 Express, tow capacity 10,500 lbs. Sounded like it should work, but even getting close to limits can cause issues. Going over the Coquihalla, (aka: highway through hell), I noticed my new truck was struggling, had to drop speed significantly, and it was almost banging into gears. Clearly, issues would arise in the future. When subsequently driving it without the trailer attached, I could feel the engine still trying to surge and low gears sort of clunked as they changed. Got rid of truck and bought an F350 6/7L Lariat with almost triple the tow capacity--can't even tell I am pulling a trailer now and getting similar fuel consumption. Maxing out towing capacity just seems like asking for trouble to me. When I get travel trailers, I like to keep them, loaded, several thousand lbs below gcwr of truck.

WNYBob wrote:

WNYBob wrote:
First off you can never have to much truck!
Look at a Softopper as a cap and save about 1200# in payload. I love mine and have had it for almost 12 years. Only issue was that I cracked the back window. I reached it with a solid one, less than $100 and added a backup camera. By the way the cap should cost less than $1000.
I am not affiliated with Softopper.inc.

SAVE 1200#! most cab high canopy's are going to be around 200# unless the one your talking about is skinned with lead.
Jay D.

Test by renting before you buy? Excellent plan!

Thanks for the feedback and recommendations!

Truck chassis will handle that trailer with ease. 4.6/4speed will be a turd up any hill but will make it to the top. They don’t mind running at redline.
This statement qualified with the assumption that a 12 year old truck is in good mechanical condition.