Tow Vehicle Overkill?

[brianosaur]

The TT I am picking up in April has a GWV of 6800 and UVW of 5830.

So as if I didn't think I spent enough money on a new TT, the DW and I decided to look into buying a new (or new to us) pickup truck.

I have a e250 commercial van with a TC of 6600 and payload of about 3400. I guess it would tow the TT if I kept the TT cargo load down and tanks fairly dry. That was my original plan for mostly local weekend trips less than an hour away on flat roads. However, the family would have to follow in SUV bc it is only a two-seat van and we want to do further from home trips as well.

So, I have been web browsing for trucks. My first impression is that while 1/2 toners could tow the TT, their payload cap really is awful. Especially if I want 4WD and a crew cab.

After 1000lbs of tongue wt and a 500lbs of me, family and dog there ain't much payload left. Most I see are between 1500-1800lbs payload. I mean I have to bring beer right? And I could just forget about the firewood.

Leaning toward a 3/4 ton truck.

The truck I get wont be a commuter vehicle & will never go on long trips without the TT behind it. It's going to be a weekend tower, tow a few road trips each year, and only an occasional grocery getter.

Would something like THIS TRUCK with 6.3L engine, shorter gears (#3E axel- 3.73 Electronic Locking) and 173in long box WB be way overkill for the TT I am getting?

I would be fine with a 6.5' box (155in or so WB?) and taller gears to save gas (which I don't really care about) but I realize stability and torque will be lessened.

Thanks

[drsteve]

Tow vehicle overkill? No such thing! Get a real truck...

[Huntindog]

JIMNLIN wrote:

After 1000lbs of tongue wt and a 500lbs of me, family and dog there ain't much payload left. Most I see are between 1500-1800lbs payload. I mean I have to bring beer right? And I could just forget about the firewood.

Leaning toward a 3/4 ton truck.

Agree with a 3/4 ton truck.

However you and many are short changings Fords higher rated F150 packages/payloads. Ford markets 3-4 different (tow and payload) F150 packages.
Example;
6800-7000 gvwr with tiny 3800 rawr can have 1400-1600 lb payload in the bed.
Next up is a a 7550 gvwr and 4550 rawr can have 1900-2100 lb payload in the bed.
Tops is the 8200-7850 gvwr with 4800 rawr good for 2300-2500 lb payload in the bed.
So choose the wrong package like others did and you too will swear a F150 can't do the job.

The 5.0 or the 3.5 EB engine won't have any issues pulling that size TT.

There are a couple of problems with the max rated Ford 1/2 tons. First is availability. They don't seem to make very many of them. It is almost like they don't want to. Maybe they just want the "press" that those high ratings bring.
The second problem is the price. One of them is just about the same price as a nice 3/4 ton. And those are easy to find, as well as they ARE a 3/4 ton with all the HD parts that go with it.

[JIMNLIN]

After 1000lbs of tongue wt and a 500lbs of me, family and dog there ain't much payload left. Most I see are between 1500-1800lbs payload. I mean I have to bring beer right? And I could just forget about the firewood.

Leaning toward a 3/4 ton truck.

Agree with a 3/4 ton truck.

However you and many are short changings Fords higher rated F150 packages/payloads. Ford markets 3-4 different (tow and payload) F150 packages.
Example;
6800-7000 gvwr with tiny 3800 rawr can have 1400-1600 lb payload in the bed.
Next up is a a 7550 gvwr and 4550 rawr can have 1900-2100 lb payload in the bed.
Tops is the 8200-7850 gvwr with 4800 rawr good for 2300-2500 lb payload in the bed.
So choose the wrong package like others did and you too will swear a F150 can't do the job.

The 5.0 or the 3.5 EB engine won't have any issues pulling that size TT.

[BenK]

Totally agree with Marty...add...IMO...as all advice are just that...opinions...

There is no one size fits all in most anything...but...if someone has to ask this type of question...they most likely do NOT have either the knowledge or experience to not need to ask...

Gets to a “do as I say...not what I do” thing

Meaning, for my position on advice of mine, is that since the OP has to ask...they do NOT have the background/impirical/education/etc knowledge to make up their risk management decision...AKA...gamble on this

Why I’ll always point them to the OEM’s specifications and to use the generic formula.

Old dogs like myself and others have been there...busted...limped Home...etc, etc have enough background to make our own gambles

Plus, with today’s vehicles and their huge amounts of power...getting into trouble is way to easy...even easier when someone advises that they should overload because they do...

Just something against my personal values on this topic...

blt2ski wrote:
I find an under powered, correctly speced payload ability vehicle is better than a correctly to overpowered, barely correct payload ability truck. Obviously I hope, a correctly powered, correctly speced payload vehicle is best. If the first two options are my choices, I've found the first option typed is best! Especially if I correctly set it up with the best tranny option, and gears in axels. I've had one or two powered correctly motors, but the gearing in the trans and axels did not allow said truck to go up steeper grades.
It is not just a single what are you over or under for a tow rig.

marty

[campigloo]

I hope you're sufficiently confused by now.
Good Luck!

[silverfz]

My friend who went from a big horn ram 1500 to a ram 3500 and hates the stiff ride towing the same camper. I look at you as where I will be in the future . Instead of a 70k truck I am getting a used class A.

I tow my 7500 lb camper around 2k miles a year and the truck is used as a grocery getting and kids school runs . I prefer gas aa it's not heavily used.

[Groover]

watt100 wrote:
I had a 2014 F250 gas 6.2 if I remember correctly 3:72 and i thought it was a dog towing 8000 pound pull behind. But i came from a diesel not even close. Going up I-77 in WV had to stay in truck lane with the gas and got 5 MPG. I am now back to Diesel.

The Ecoboost is the stronger engine. I am towing over 11,000 with mine and haven't yet encountered a hill that made me slow down. I get 8 to 9mpg towing that much, about 11 to 12 towing a 3 horse trailer. My old V10 only gave about 9.5 towing the horse trailer and was not nearly as strong. Even if you don't care about how much you spend on fuel the range is nice. That is a big reason that I did not go with a 250 on my last truck.

[watt100]

I had a 2014 F250 gas 6.2 if I remember correctly 3:72 and i thought it was a dog towing 8000 pound pull behind. But i came from a diesel not even close. Going up I-77 in WV had to stay in truck lane with the gas and got 5 MPG. I am now back to Diesel.

[Terryallan]

a TT with a 6800lb GVW is not a real heavy trailer. A properly equipped F150 would do a great job with that TT. MY 150 would be great with it.

[Durb]

That's a pretty nice truck for occasional use, You're going to want to drive it everyday. I almost always pick the truck keys over the SUV.

[MFL]

Grit dog wrote:

Think duty cycle too. What’s the split? 300 days commuting and 50 days towing or the other way around?

Jeez Grit...the OP stated truck will not be commuter, but a weekend tower, couple long trips per year, and rare grocery getter.:) For this reason, the 250 would be the obvious choice, now, and future.

Jerry

[Wishin]

You could certainly find a 1/2 ton to meet your needs, but if you plan to do long distance towing, the F250 will be more stable, which means a more enjoyable towing experience. If upgrading to a 3/4 ton is not an issue to you, it is worth it. Now if you needed it for a daily driver, maybe not the best idea. Your call, but while towing, there is no such think as overkill in my opinion. The only advantage of a 1/2 ton would be the 3.5 EB might be a nicer towing motor than the 6.2 V8 in the 3/4 ton Ford. I'd rather give up power than stability however and the 6.2L will not have any issue at all with a trailer the size of yours.

Also, if you want to pack a lot of stuff, more payload is better.

[Groover]

PenMan wrote:
No such thing as tow vehicle overkill. I was having trouble pulling my 23 ft. hybrid in the NM mountains with a Ford half ton van (biggest V8 offered at the time). I bought a one ton Dodge diesel dually since I didn't know what I might want to move up to as far as a future trailer purchase. Now I'm very happy I did that.

To that point I know a guy that bought a twin screw Volvo class 8 with 300,000 miles on to pull his travel trailer. He figured that it still had more miles left in it than any new pickup would, cost less than a new pickup, gave about the same milage and he could haul a Smart car, 100 gallons of water and a Kipor diesel generator on the back for boondocking. I you want to go big you might as well go all the way!

[Grit_dog]

Your trailer will be at home behind a half ton no problem and any of the big engine half tons with towing gears will tow it and stop it virtually the same as a 3/4 ton.
I don’t have the same payload sticker paranoia that some do though.
The 3/4 ton gasser will be more stable and slightly better brakes. (Yes if you opt for really deep gears it’ll pull better too, but so would a diesel or semi tractor. Where do you stop?)
Is a F250 overkill? I dont think so. I prefer HD pickups. Is a new well equipped half ton out of its league? No it’s not.
Think duty cycle too. What’s the split? 300 days commuting and 50 days towing or the other way around?