Man, I had originally posted I wanted to pull a Venture Sonic Lite with a Nissan Frontier and got mixed responses from the community. I gave some thought, and I figured I don't want to end up like one of those people you see on the news smeared all over the highway so I decided to err on the side of caution. I bought an F150 today. It's a 5.0 XLT, tow package, blah blah blah. Anyways, the Ford has a 9000 lb. tow capacity and 2067 lb. payload (from the sticker). So I'm pretty confident in it. Now when Mrs. Killer saw the truck capacities she decided we can go up a weight step trailer-wise. She decided she loves, loves, loves the Venture Sonic SN210VRD. You can Google it if you like but the key stats are: GVWR 5200, dry hitch 430, but the one that concerns me is the trailer length of 25'5". Do you folks with some experience think the 5.0 can tow that length/weight? Truck is a 145" wheelbase. Eesh, sh!t is more complicated than I thought it would be. Side note: Evergreen trailers can be had for about half price - man that's tempting even without a warranty. Any thoughts?

No problem with the truck and a 25' trailer.

That seems fine. 25' isn't that long. Longer trailers actually are easier to back-up than shorter ones.

I'm usually one to say you need more truck, but that setup should be fine. I actually found my longer trailer easier to maneuver, it's counter intuitive.

You will be fine. 2000lb payload will come in handy.

I gave up. Can my new TV handle this... | Good Sam Community

Hannibal
Explorer
Mar 05, 2017
KillerIsMe wrote:
Hannibal wrote:
You'll have no trouble towing that trailer with your F150 as long as you keep the tongue weight within it's proper range. I wish my bride liked a trailer with no slide. :B

Really doesn't have anything at all to do with the slide/no slide thing. My wife wants the full bath and for me it's a little counter space in the kitchen area (I'm the family cook). We need a place for our daughter to sleep and maybe one of her friends, and I'm a fairly big guy so the queen bed is the ticket. My wife is wonderful however.

When we bought our first travel trailer, a '94 Aljo 18.5 Deluxe, we had two daughters age 9 and 10. They slept on the dinette bed up front and we slept in the corner bed in the rear. I'm 6'2" so it was cramped. If the rear bed had a bunk over it, I could have used it and it would have been ideal for a small TT. Now, after having two recliners, a sofa bed, table and chairs, large bathroom and full queen bed, it would be very hard to go back to the Aljo.
2112
Explorer II
Mar 05, 2017
When we owned a smaller TT with all the kids in tow we pitched tents for the kids and their friends. They loved it. Something to consider.
KillerIsMe
Explorer
Mar 05, 2017
Hannibal wrote:
You'll have no trouble towing that trailer with your F150 as long as you keep the tongue weight within it's proper range. I wish my bride liked a trailer with no slide. :B

Really doesn't have anything at all to do with the slide/no slide thing. My wife wants the full bath and for me it's a little counter space in the kitchen area (I'm the family cook). We need a place for our daughter to sleep and maybe one of her friends, and I'm a fairly big guy so the queen bed is the ticket. My wife is wonderful however.
2112
Explorer II
Mar 05, 2017
Not having a slide and having the short queen wasn't a deal breaker for us or the person we sold it to. This is a nice little TT for a good price.

It's all in what YOU want! You will know YOUR camper when you walk through it. It just feels right. You may walk through 50 campers until you step into yours and your wife will say This Is It. Happy Wife = Happy Life
Hannibal
Explorer
Mar 05, 2017
You'll have no trouble towing that trailer with your F150 as long as you keep the tongue weight within it's proper range. I wish my bride liked a trailer with no slide. :B
tragusa3
Explorer
Mar 05, 2017
My setup is similar, my trailer is 1k pounds heavier. Been around the country and it is a well matched setup. You will be very pleased up to about the #7500 mark.
Atlee
Explorer II
Mar 05, 2017
One note about the Freedom Express 204RD you mentioned. I drove a couple of hours just to see one. It's new for FE this year.

I loved every thing about it. It was short. Had no slide. Dinette in the rear with extended bench seat on the back wall, made it feel larger than it is. But a deal killer for this trailer was the size of the shower. I could not turn around in it without hitting the faucet. I can't imagine why any designer would put such a small shower pan in this trailer. Either the designer is thin as a straw, or it's just a thrown in because all TT's must have a shower or tub.

SoundGuy wrote:

That Venture Sonic 210VRD will tow quite nicely behind your new F150 provided you use a correctly sized and adjusted weight distribution hitch such as an Equal-i-zer or Blue Ox Sway Pro. However, a couple of things I notice about that Sonic - it's only 90" wide and has no slide, a show stopper for many these days when most trailers have at least one slide. Secondly, it has a short queen bed when many manufacturers are now finally fitting full length 80" queen beds. Most trailers with just a sofa and no dinette usually come with a supplied stand alone table but we've found them to be way too big, way too heavy, and always in the way so we instead use a couple of light weight TV tables those times we may want to eat inside - much easier. Also, what appears to be not a lot of galley counter space we'd consider a negative as well. You might want to compare this trailer against similar models from other manufacturers, the Coachmen Freedom Express 204RD being an example - a full 8' wide, full length 80" queen bed, and a decent amount of galley counter space. Just food for thought. ;)
hohenwald48
Explorer
Mar 04, 2017
Huntindog wrote:
SoundGuy wrote:
KillerIsMe wrote:
I bought an F150 today.

Do you folks with some experience think the 5.0 can tow that length/weight? Truck is a 145" wheelbase.

SoundGuy wrote:
That Venture Sonic 210VRD will tow quite nicely behind your new F150 provided you use a correctly sized and adjusted weight distribution hitch such as an Equal-i-zer or Blue Ox Sway Pro. However, a couple of things I notice about that Sonic - it's only 90" wide and has no slide, a show stopper for many these days when most trailers have at least one slide. Secondly, it has a short queen bed when many manufacturers are now finally fitting full length 80" queen beds. Most trailers with just a sofa and no dinette usually come with a supplied stand alone table but we've found them to be way too big, way too heavy, and always in the way so we instead use a couple of light weight TV tables those times we may want to eat inside - much easier. Also, what appears to be not a lot of galley counter space we'd consider a negative as well. You might want to compare this trailer against similar models from other manufacturers, the Coachmen Freedom Express 204RD being an example - a full 8' wide, full length 80" queen bed, and a decent amount of galley counter space. Just food for thought. ;)

Gdetrailer wrote:
Why in the world does "everyone" ASSume that EVERYONE "NEEDS" or "WANTS" slides, 8.5' trailer width and full length queen beds and NOT HAVING THOSE "FEATURES" is going to somehow "wreck" the resale value???????

Well after reading your post I'm pretty sure I know who the A** is here :W ... where did I say anything about resale value? :h I merely offered the OP some initial thoughts on that Venture Sonic his wife is so interested in. Slides? - yeah, our current trailer has a single shallow sofa slide, the first trailer of many we've ever owned with a slide. I even provided a link to a new Coachmen model that itself does not have a slide ... so where did I say anything about a slide being necessary? :h Where did I say anything about an 8.5' width? :h Yes, I did mention full length beds for a very good reason - more and more manufacturers are finally providing these as standard for the simple fact that more prospective buyers than not prefer a full 80" long bed. Duh - perhaps next time you'd actually read what is posted. :S

You did state that some things the OP choice of TT lacked as deal breakers or words to that effect.

I will not quibble about the TT you recommended or the desirability of it's features.

Other than to ask.... Can that coachman be bought for 50% off?
The OP said he could get that on the TT he wanted.... Like it or not, that is a desirable attribute. Could even be a deal breaker.

What's everybody jumping on SoundGuy for? He just pointed out some things to the OP (a new member) might want to consider before making his final decision. Never mentioned "resale value" and never criticized the OPs choice. Looked to me like he was just trying to be helpful.
Huntindog
Explorer
Mar 04, 2017
SoundGuy wrote:
KillerIsMe wrote:
I bought an F150 today.

Do you folks with some experience think the 5.0 can tow that length/weight? Truck is a 145" wheelbase.

SoundGuy wrote:
That Venture Sonic 210VRD will tow quite nicely behind your new F150 provided you use a correctly sized and adjusted weight distribution hitch such as an Equal-i-zer or Blue Ox Sway Pro. However, a couple of things I notice about that Sonic - it's only 90" wide and has no slide, a show stopper for many these days when most trailers have at least one slide. Secondly, it has a short queen bed when many manufacturers are now finally fitting full length 80" queen beds. Most trailers with just a sofa and no dinette usually come with a supplied stand alone table but we've found them to be way too big, way too heavy, and always in the way so we instead use a couple of light weight TV tables those times we may want to eat inside - much easier. Also, what appears to be not a lot of galley counter space we'd consider a negative as well. You might want to compare this trailer against similar models from other manufacturers, the Coachmen Freedom Express 204RD being an example - a full 8' wide, full length 80" queen bed, and a decent amount of galley counter space. Just food for thought. ;)

Gdetrailer wrote:
Why in the world does "everyone" ASSume that EVERYONE "NEEDS" or "WANTS" slides, 8.5' trailer width and full length queen beds and NOT HAVING THOSE "FEATURES" is going to somehow "wreck" the resale value???????

Well after reading your post I'm pretty sure I know who the A** is here :W ... where did I say anything about resale value? :h I merely offered the OP some initial thoughts on that Venture Sonic his wife is so interested in. Slides? - yeah, our current trailer has a single shallow sofa slide, the first trailer of many we've ever owned with a slide. I even provided a link to a new Coachmen model that itself does not have a slide ... so where did I say anything about a slide being necessary? :h Where did I say anything about an 8.5' width? :h Yes, I did mention full length beds for a very good reason - more and more manufacturers are finally providing these as standard for the simple fact that more prospective buyers than not prefer a full 80" long bed. Duh - perhaps next time you'd actually read what is posted. :S

You did state that some things the OP choice of TT lacked as deal breakers or words to that effect.

I will not quibble about the TT you recommended or the desirability of it's features.

Other than to ask.... Can that coachman be bought for 50% off?
The OP said he could get that on the TT he wanted.... Like it or not, that is a desirable attribute. Could even be a deal breaker.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Mar 04, 2017
KillerIsMe wrote:
I bought an F150 today.

Do you folks with some experience think the 5.0 can tow that length/weight? Truck is a 145" wheelbase.

SoundGuy wrote:
That Venture Sonic 210VRD will tow quite nicely behind your new F150 provided you use a correctly sized and adjusted weight distribution hitch such as an Equal-i-zer or Blue Ox Sway Pro. However, a couple of things I notice about that Sonic - it's only 90" wide and has no slide, a show stopper for many these days when most trailers have at least one slide. Secondly, it has a short queen bed when many manufacturers are now finally fitting full length 80" queen beds. Most trailers with just a sofa and no dinette usually come with a supplied stand alone table but we've found them to be way too big, way too heavy, and always in the way so we instead use a couple of light weight TV tables those times we may want to eat inside - much easier. Also, what appears to be not a lot of galley counter space we'd consider a negative as well. You might want to compare this trailer against similar models from other manufacturers, the Coachmen Freedom Express 204RD being an example - a full 8' wide, full length 80" queen bed, and a decent amount of galley counter space. Just food for thought. ;)

Gdetrailer wrote:
Why in the world does "everyone" ASSume that EVERYONE "NEEDS" or "WANTS" slides, 8.5' trailer width and full length queen beds and NOT HAVING THOSE "FEATURES" is going to somehow "wreck" the resale value???????

Well after reading your post I'm pretty sure I know who the A** is here :W ... where did I say anything about resale value? :h I merely offered the OP some initial thoughts on that Venture Sonic his wife is so interested in. Slides? - yeah, our current trailer has a single shallow sofa slide, the first trailer of many we've ever owned with a slide. I even provided a link to a new Coachmen model that itself does not have a slide ... so where did I say anything about a slide being necessary? :h Where did I say anything about an 8.5' width? :h Yes, I did mention full length beds for a very good reason - more and more manufacturers are finally providing these as standard for the simple fact that more prospective buyers than not prefer a full 80" long bed. Duh - perhaps next time you'd actually read what is posted. :S