F-150 HDPP towing 37 ft TT ** 1,300 miles later**

[Maury82]

2018 F150 3.5 EB, 4x4,XLT, S.Crew, 6.5ft bed, HDPP.

Payload: 2,470lbs, 1,320lbs hitch ratings.
Towing ratings:11,500lbs.

Trailer: 37ft, 8,400lbs dry/9,900lbs max, 1075lbs tongue.

The trailer had a half full freshwater tank and most of the items that I plan to leave in it permanently. The heaviest single item I might add to the truck is a girlfriend, and she is pretty fit. I would anticipate an extra 500lbs added pounds to both truck and trailer max.


I got the B.O. hitch setup, with the truck squatting 2" in the rear and raised 1/2" higher up front, so the truck actually sits level hooked up.

The weather conditions were dry with a 10-15 mph breeze.

Got up on I-70 eastbound and merged without effort, and before I knew it, I was flowing with traffic at 70 mph (Goodyear Endurance trailer tires). The trailer did not get pushed out or sucked in by passing cars or big rigs, not even when a tandem truck came barreling past me.

I prefer to drive 65 mph, because when I drove 70 mph, big rigs seemed hesitant to pass, but passed more often at 65 mph.

As the trucks passed, I was bracing for that pull/push that so many keep proclaiming I will suffer.

I did feel the trailer back there, but it was just more bouncing when hitting the overpass joints versus when not towing, and the rear wasn't as stiff-legged, and had more up and down movement versus when empty. I hear that Bilstein improve both town and non towing ride...next year project.

The steering wheel felt a bit lighter than not towing, but it was still accurate and didn't need anymore corrections than not towing.

I drove 75 mph just to see how the trailer would respond, and I did feel more movement back there, but never anything that made me feel swaying was occurring, and probably just me not used to how the trailer feels while towing.

I drove for several hours on both I-75 and I-70, with some time spent in the middle lane so I can feel traffic on both sides, and everything felt stable without any wandering from side to side.

When traffic suddenly slowed, the setup slowed pretty well, and I didn't feel pushed, but that the trailer was holding up its end regarding to braking, and I tested that quite a few more times.

After a while,the nervous anticipation of being passed by big rigs faded away, and I came away feeling pretty confident. I even forgot it was breezy out...lol.

[spoon059]

Threebigfords wrote:
Just last week on our way back from Banff on the 28th of August we saw a 37' trailer laying on it's side blocking two of the Westbound lanes as we came down the Coquihalla from the summit. The tow vehicle was a 2011-2016 F350 CCLB SRW diesel, heavily damaged, sitting on a rollback. Weather was clear and sunny.

Respectfully, what does this have to do with anything? Do you have any clue WHY that big heavy truck rolled? I doubt it, or else you would have added that into your statement. If anything, you have just proven that driver ability and driving technique are equally as important as having the correct vehicle.

I agree that when towing bigger/heavier tow vehicles are better (to a point), but the OP is within his numbers. Unless you are making monthly payments and paying for a portion of his fuel...why do you care?

[Maury82]

Then maybe you'll have some real perspective and can appreciate what some of these folks are saying.

I lurked for over a year trying to determine what truck I needed to tow my rig, and if I wanted a huge truck, there wouldn't have been any need to research tow vehicles and just buy the biggest truck possible...a no brainer.

I trust my judgement and was willing to put my money on Ford's specs much more than on your skewed perspectives towards huge trucks.

You would have never told me the truth about whether or not I could safely tow this trailer with a HDPP truck, regardless of being within specs, and as a matter of fact, you never mentioned the HDPP trucks, and not one person present that option, but kept doing exactly what you just did... fostering up all the doom and gloom possible.

You can't believe that drivers don't understand that when towing with lighter vehicles that we have to utilize a bit more caution with slower speed in certain situations and conditions, but because of that skewed bias for HD trucks, most so called "experienced" members never tell a newbie wanting to keep their less than HD vehicles about added precautions they may have to take.

If I ask whether I can safely tow a trailer if I'm within specs, don't try to tell me stories you had with your overmatched 1999 1/2 ton, and I don't want no one trying to tell me how happier I would be with a larger truck...just answer my question. Their is a reason why people like the benefits of smaller vehicles, even if we have to take added precautions in certain situations and conditions.

To those people,the precautions and compromises outweigh the downsides of having a huge truck.


I signed up knowing I won'tbe able to tow in higher winds than heavier trucks, but those precautions are much less of a compromise than the downside and extra precautions with having a heavier, bulkier, longer stopping distance, more cumbersome handling truck over amy HDPP truck when not towing.

My safety margin is greater than yours in the area I determined I wanted the most...when not towing.

I can bite the bullet of the downsides of towing with my HDPP versus the downsides of of having a HD truck when not towing...I pick my poison, and you pick yours.


You guys have great knowledge regarding RV'ing, but when it comes tow vehicles, I trust my zero experience and Ford specs much more than your tainted and bias perspectives regarding trucks.

Your bias against SUVs, 1/2 tons, etc is plain as day...I'll take my no experience over your tainted words.

I will tell you about whether I have or don't have enough truck. I bet it pains you that the HDPP can tow heavier TT, and drivers are happy with them.

Stick to petrifying those gullible newbies with all that doom and gloom...60mph wind?...down a steep mountain in a blizzard?...really!?!?!

And you think you can drop some knowledge at my feet?...try the next newbie.

[Threebigfords]

Lwiddis wrote:
To each his/her own.

Exactly.

Personally I won't tow that long of a trailer with that light of a truck. I've seen too many 3/4 and 1 ton trucks flipped over by 35' plus travel trailers to risk pulling one with a 1/2 ton.

Just last week on our way back from Banff on the 28th of August we saw a 37' trailer laying on it's side blocking two of the Westbound lanes as we came down the Coquihalla from the summit. The tow vehicle was a 2011-2016 F350 CCLB SRW diesel, heavily damaged, sitting on a rollback. Weather was clear and sunny.

To the OP, if your comfortable towing it where you take it, that's great. But as you've said, you have ZERO towing experience. Come back and talk to us after 5 or 10 years of towing. Talk to us after you're first trip down a steep Rocky Mountain pass at night in a blizzard with that setup. Talk to us after you experience the 60 mph crosswinds going thru Wyoming. Talk to us after you've towed on some of the heavily rutted sway inducing stretches of I-90 through Eastern Wa where the Semi's are passing you at 80 mph. Talk to us after you have to panic stop that setup in the pouring rain, going downhill at 65mph. Talk to us after you've towed that setup with a larger truck to feel the difference.

Then maybe you'll have some real perspective and can appreciate what some of these folks are saying.

I'm not knocking your setup. If it works for you and your level of acceptable risk, that's fine. It wouldn't work for me, and it doesn't work for a lot of others on here not because it can't tow the trailer, but for the reasons I mentioned above.

Your arguments for the truck are all based on how much closer it is to driving your cars.... smaller, goes faster, stops faster, lighter. For most of us that tow heavier/longer travel trailers, those are all negatives.

Smaller and lighter...negatives in relation to the load. Accelerates faster and stops quicker...ONLY WHEN EMPTY...put the same trailer behind my truck and I'll out accelerate AND out stop the F150 with better HP/torque, better gearing, bigger brakes, and better traction.

Me personally, I like a large margin of error. I'd rather have overkill than be operating right at the limits of my equipment. The trailer pictured below is 37' tongue to tail and weighs 3500 lbs LESS than my truck as pictured. Truck is 12,800 loaded with gear and family. Trailer is 9300 loaded up with full tanks.

That makes for an extremely comfortable towing experience in almost any situation... and that's without any WD hitch or Sway control device.

[Lwiddis]

To each his/her own.

[jerem0621]

mhamershock wrote:

Maury82 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:

Maury82 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:
Sounds like a Titan XD has would fit the bill perfect for you. It has similar payload to the HDPP F150 but has more mass to manhandle the trailer.

The Titan was outdated when it was introduced.

The HDPP Ford proved to be the perfect towing and none towing combination I wanted. If the HDPP not been available, I would had to spring for a HD truck, but I lucked out.

I apologize. My comment was directed at another thread where the OP was not satisfied with the HDPP towing experience. I’m glad it works for you and it is certainly a heck of a truck.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

No problem at all Jeremiah. That Titan would handle that trailer very well indeed, and I looked the specs, but I found the Ford more to my likings.

And there's just no getting around how d@mn ugly that Titan HD is. I looked at them too and they are just butt-ugly. 🙂

Mike

I thought that at first, I really like it now. I think it looks much better than the first gen Titans.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[goducks10]

mhamershock wrote:

Maury82 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:

Maury82 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:
Sounds like a Titan XD has would fit the bill perfect for you. It has similar payload to the HDPP F150 but has more mass to manhandle the trailer.

The Titan was outdated when it was introduced.

The HDPP Ford proved to be the perfect towing and none towing combination I wanted. If the HDPP not been available, I would had to spring for a HD truck, but I lucked out.

I apologize. My comment was directed at another thread where the OP was not satisfied with the HDPP towing experience. I’m glad it works for you and it is certainly a heck of a truck.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

No problem at all Jeremiah. That Titan would handle that trailer very well indeed, and I looked the specs, but I found the Ford more to my likings.

And there's just no getting around how d@mn ugly that Titan HD is. I looked at them too and they are just butt-ugly. 🙂

Mike

I can handle the looks once I get 4' past the front end.

[mhamershock]

Maury82 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:

Maury82 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:
Sounds like a Titan XD has would fit the bill perfect for you. It has similar payload to the HDPP F150 but has more mass to manhandle the trailer.

The Titan was outdated when it was introduced.

The HDPP Ford proved to be the perfect towing and none towing combination I wanted. If the HDPP not been available, I would had to spring for a HD truck, but I lucked out.

I apologize. My comment was directed at another thread where the OP was not satisfied with the HDPP towing experience. I’m glad it works for you and it is certainly a heck of a truck.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

No problem at all Jeremiah. That Titan would handle that trailer very well indeed, and I looked the specs, but I found the Ford more to my likings.

And there's just no getting around how d@mn ugly that Titan HD is. I looked at them too and they are just butt-ugly. 🙂

Mike

[Maury82]

jerem0621 wrote:

Maury82 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:
Sounds like a Titan XD has would fit the bill perfect for you. It has similar payload to the HDPP F150 but has more mass to manhandle the trailer.

The Titan was outdated when it was introduced.

The HDPP Ford proved to be the perfect towing and none towing combination I wanted. If the HDPP not been available, I would had to spring for a HD truck, but I lucked out.

I apologize. My comment was directed at another thread where the OP was not satisfied with the HDPP towing experience. I’m glad it works for you and it is certainly a heck of a truck.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

No problem at all Jeremiah. That Titan would handle that trailer very well indeed, and I looked the specs, but I found the Ford more to my likings.

[jerem0621]

Maury82 wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:
Sounds like a Titan XD has would fit the bill perfect for you. It has similar payload to the HDPP F150 but has more mass to manhandle the trailer.

The Titan was outdated when it was introduced.

The HDPP Ford proved to be the perfect towing and none towing combination I wanted. If the HDPP not been available, I would had to spring for a HD truck, but I lucked out.

I apologize. My comment was directed at another thread where the OP was not satisfied with the HDPP towing experience. I’m glad it works for you and it is certainly a heck of a truck.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[Maury82]

jerem0621 wrote:
Sounds like a Titan XD has would fit the bill perfect for you. It has similar payload to the HDPP F150 but has more mass to manhandle the trailer.

The Titan was outdated when it was introduced.

The HDPP Ford proved to be the perfect towing and none towing combination I wanted. If the HDPP not been available, I would had to spring for a HD truck, but I lucked out.

[Maury82]

goducks10 wrote:
Doesn't Ford use the same cab for the F150-250? If so then how could the F250-350 be so big and bulky? IIRC the F150 with tow mirrors is the same exact width as an F25-350. A little rougher ride in the F250, but other than that they're both big trucks.

My truck handles nice for a truck, but it is bulky, wide, long, harder to get around slower vehicle, I keep forgetting to slow down enough for on and off ramps, is a pain in the behind in parking garage, etc, but the good thing about this truck when not towing, it's quick as heck, and has the best combination of towing ability, and the least sacrifice since I need a truck for this trailer.

A larger and heavier truck would be much more of a sacrifice than my truck. I can at least tolerate my truck at times when not towing, but I don't look forward to driving the truck if not towing. The HDs are slower, several thousands pounds heavier, stops longer, taller, gasser has a far inferior engine/transmission combination for towing and none towing for my trailer than the 3.5 EB/Ten speed.

I named my truck, Fat Boy...lol

My friends keep telling me that I will get use to it after a while, well I'm used to it, and unless I'm towing a trailer, I'm constantly wishing I drove my car instead.

I'm heading back out of town tonight, and that truck stays parked.

[harmanrk]

goducks10 wrote:
Doesn't Ford use the same cab for the F150-250? If so then how could the F250-350 be so big and bulky? IIRC the F150 with tow mirrors is the same exact width as an F25-350. A little rougher ride in the F250, but other than that they're both big trucks.

Starting with the 2017 SD redesign, yes. I think the published material lists a bit better turning circle for the 150, which must result from increased steering angle.

[jerem0621]

Sounds like a Titan XD has would fit the bill perfect for you. It has similar payload to the HDPP F150 but has more mass to manhandle the trailer.

[goducks10]

Doesn't Ford use the same cab for the F150-250? If so then how could the F250-350 be so big and bulky? IIRC the F150 with tow mirrors is the same exact width as an F25-350. A little rougher ride in the F250, but other than that they're both big trucks.

[Maury82]

Huntindog wrote:
Two words. Low expectations..
Some people just don’t expect much and are pleased when their expectations are exceeded
I started with a half ton and now am on my second 1 ton dually.
Yes today’s half tons have better ratings than the older ones ...The same is true for the duallys. I have very high expectations for my TVs.
So that means a 1 ton dually for me.

I see your point.

After I purchased the trailer I wanted, I sat out in search of a truck that would safely handle it. I started off searching the Silverado, but eliminated it. Then I started searching the Tundra, but eliminated it, and the last truck or vehicle I wanted was a Ford.

Of course I knew about HD trucks, but I'm not crazy about driving trucks, and the bigger and cumbersome the truck, the least likely I would want to drive it when not towing.

I rented a few F-250 trucks from Enterprise for practice, and I knew I didn't want such a bulky vehicle like that unless I absolutely had to.

I started searching Ford Max Tow with those P rated tires and soft shocks I knew I had to replace before towing, and it had more payload than the others, but I stumbled on their HDPP, and the more I researched, the more I was convinced that truck was the ticket with the least compromise for towing and occasionally none towing use.

My expectations were high, eventhough my trailer towing experience came from towing to a vacant parking lot to practice...lol.

I caught plenty of flack, but I've learned to trust my judgment in issues I've never come across.

This truck is light in the behind, but it's engineered to handle its payload and towing ratings better than the Max Tow, and any other 1/2 ton.

I expected this truck to do exactly what the ratings claims it can do, and I signed up for the none towing benefits and the towing limitations based on its mass.