Looking for advice

[Crown]

Hello fellow campers I have a question that I am hoping some can help me with and share there knowledge and experience in. I have a travel trailer its a 2018 Puma 43 feet in length and weighs about 8231 dry weight. The truck is very well capable of pulling the camper for I bought it new and custom ordered it just to give you a little in site of the truck its a Ford F150 XLT 4x4 supercrew long bed 6 1/2 foot bed. The engine is the 6.2 liter with 3:73 gears it is rated to pull up to 12000 lbs. I also have the EZ2 sway bar hitch and have adjusted it to the recommended settings. Know to the question I feel it still needs something more like an air bag suspension setup or overload springs. Which would you do air bags or overload springs or both? And which brand of air bags would you recommend pro and cons? Thanks for any advice and if you have any questions or different recommendations feel free to ask
Crown

[Grit_dog]

^Was gonna say that sound like a long _____travel trailer. But maybe he's measuring from the hitch ball to the bike rack on the back or something.
Either way, I wouldn't be worried abuout a 10klb trailer with that truck.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

Strange how Puma doesn’t list any trailers anywhere near 43’ on their website.

[MFL]

I think the OP says long bed for 6.5 bed, due to many 150 CCs having just the short 5.5 bed. The 6.2 was still available in the standard 150s in 2013, but not sure how long after. It was an expensive option, that begged you to just buy the 250 instead.

Jerry

[patperry2766]

burningman wrote:
I almost think you're "trolling".
A "long bed" 6 1/2 foot bed? Thats a short bed. Long beds are 8 feet.
You bought a 43 foot trailer and custom ordered a truck to pull it, and you bought a half-ton?
First thing you need to do is trade in that expensive mistake (if this is even real) and get a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup.

To actually answer your question, there are only a few manufacturers of airbags and all are just fine.
I like airbags, with an onboard air compressor to operate them, because of their super easy infinite adjustability.
Overload springs work great too, you just can't adjust them very easily. They're simple and reliable and cheap though.
Either will get the job done.



Dry weight of a trailer is a meaningless spec. They are NEVER (yes, never) that light. You have the wrong truck, regardless of what the specs say it can theoretically tow.
It will physically pull the thing if you hitch it up, but man... I don't know what salesman you listened to when they sold you a half-ton for a trailer like that...

I have a 2013 F 150. there were two bed lengths available. 5.5' and 6.5'. That's probably the reason he's calling it a LB truck. The 6.2L engine was an option from 2011-2014

[burningman]

I almost think you're "trolling".
A "long bed" 6 1/2 foot bed? Thats a short bed. Long beds are 8 feet.
You bought a 43 foot trailer and custom ordered a truck to pull it, and you bought a half-ton?
First thing you need to do is trade in that expensive mistake (if this is even real) and get a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup.

To actually answer your question, there are only a few manufacturers of airbags and all are just fine.
I like airbags, with an onboard air compressor to operate them, because of their super easy infinite adjustability.
Overload springs work great too, you just can't adjust them very easily. They're simple and reliable and cheap though.
Either will get the job done.

Dry weight of a trailer is a meaningless spec. They are NEVER (yes, never) that light. You have the wrong truck, regardless of what the specs say it can theoretically tow.
It will physically pull the thing if you hitch it up, but man... I don't know what salesman you listened to when they sold you a half-ton for a trailer like that...

[patperry2766]

The 6.2 L engine option and the 3.73 is indicative of having the max tow package/payload package that was offered at the time.

I have read many people speak positively about Timbrens. I would think that the overload springs would lead to a harsher unloaded ride.

[DaveF-250SD]

The listed brochure weight of 8300 will be a myth. What is the GVW of the trailer and the payload rating on the door sticker of the truck? True empty weight of trailer is probably in the 9,000 lb. range. That trailer length will have a huge leverage effect on that softly suspended 1/2 ton truck, even at the slightest hint of a crosswind.

[handye9]

The marketing hype about this truck can carry up to XXXXX lbs and tow up to XXXXX lbs, only applies to the stripped down version they used to do their calculations, and it does not include passengers, pets, aftermarket accessories, or cargo of any kind.

Based on axles, tires, power train, drive train, suspension, cab configuration, and installed options, every truck (doesn't matter if it is 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, 1 ton, etc) has it's own towing capacity and payload. When it comes to towing travel trailers, payload is actually more important than that mythical towing capacity number.

Look at your tire / loading sticker (on drivers door post) for a "max occupant / cargo weight"and GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). That is your specific truck's capacity to carry everything and everybody in it or on it. That includes the weight of a WD hitch and trailer tongue weight.

Load your truck with people and camping gear that would normally be in it for a camping trip. Take it to a scale and weigh it. Subtract that weight from the GVWR. The left over is available for carrying the WD hitch (80 - 100 lbs) and tongue weight.

When loaded for camping, your trailer will be somewhere around 9300 lbs, with tongue weight around 1200 lbs. Note: Tongue weight is not a constant number. It goes up and down during every trip. Mine fluctuates as much as 200 lbs.

Adding suspension enhancements may help with comfort and appearance, but, they do nothing to increase any ratings.

[Grit_dog]

FishOnOne wrote:
The 6.2 was an option for a few years in the standard F150's.

Huh. Was wondering the same thing. Which years? Never seen a 6.2 non Raptor 150, but that's sweet! Gotta be a pulling machine.

To the OP, either option will help. Airbags are nice because you can make them disappear when you're not loaded down. I've had Timbrens as well, on a newer 150 actually. They work great, but they either come on quick and hard if you shim them up. If you give them more gap before engaging, truck rides better lightly loaded, but will have to sag more then my liking for the Timbrens to engage.

[FishOnOne]

The 6.2 was an option for a few years in the standard F150's.

[stew47]

I think you have couple options. Look at how your loaded in the trailer. Maybe you have most of your weight before the axles or after the axles. Try to distribute a little better? If I had to pick I’d do the airbags. Adjust as needed.

[kw_00]

Paul Clancy wrote:
Op says 6.2 litre in an f150 ???? Maybe he has an f250.

i thought that at first, but.... my friend has an F150 with the 6.2... I didn't believe it until I saw it., and it's a regular F150 not a raptor. So I wonder as well if that could be the case.

[rjstractor]

^^^

Agreed, the 6.2 is not an option in an F150 (except for older Raptors which don't have a tow rating of anywhere near 12000 pounds), and the only F150 with a tow rating that high is the 3.5 Ecoboost model. While it's technically possible to tow that large of a bumper pull trailer with an F150 without exceeding any ratings, it's not surprising that the OP is not satisfied with his towing experience.

If the OP has an F250, I would think that any sagging issues are due to a weight distributing setup not set correctly. A 250/2500 series truck should be able to handle virtually any bumper pull TT without issues, it's the fifth wheels that get them into trouble with payload ratings.

[Lwiddis]

Donn, I found a Puma park model at 42 feet. Nothing else that long.

[Paul_Clancy]

Op says 6.2 litre in an f150 ???? Maybe he has an f250.