What truck to buy next for towing Travel Trailer

[Poohper]

Hi,
We will be buying a new truck this year for towing my TT and I want something stronger than our 2007 Ford F250 Diesel. It seems the weight we were given for the TT by the dealership is wrong and it seemed our trailer was always a little too heavy by the tongue for the F250. My husband just says as long as it pulls don't worry about it but if we are getting a new truck I want it to be right this time. I'm not sure if we will get diesel or gas next so I want to also know what most people drive towing TT's. I'm knocking out Ford trucks as I don't think they keep up with the rest. Thanks!

[kbooky]

Your truck can handle the towing if it is in good mechanical shape.

I have a 2007 Ford F350 4x4, single rear axle, 6.0 turbodiesel with 225,000 miles on it. It would be the same as the F250, but has a 1 ton rear suspension vs the 3/4th ton in the 250. I pull a 35' 8,000 pound travel trailer. By the time I have it loaded, I am pulling about 11,000 pounds. The truck can easily pull the load and hills don't have any problems. I have a 1200 pound weight transfer bar system that was set up by the dealer. My truck has had a lot of maintenance done to it to keep it up. Diesels take more maintenance. An issue with diesels is that a lot of owners don't keep up on maintenance which kills performance.

Your truck has the capacity pull your loaded trailer. My recommendation is to have a good diesel mechanic go over it to see what repairs it needs.

I bought my F350 used for 11,000 and it was in bad shape. In the last three years I spent around $15,000 on it of which $10,000 was mechanical. It is not new, but can do what a new one can and I have not spent $50,000 to $75,000 on a new one.

[Bird_Freak]

I see nothing wrong with the truck you have other than setting it up right.

[LanceRKeys]

So is the problem with the truck sitting low in the rear with the trailer attached, or not enough pulling power when towing down the road? Both problems could be solved with a newer bigger truck, I just want to know what the actual problem is.

[BurbMan]

DutchmenSport wrote:
I'd like to add a 3rd one. My 2nd dually 3500 diesel had a fiberglass body. The fat fenders formed spider cracks and were getting so bad, I was beginning to expect chunks of the fenders to simply fall off. When taking it to a body shop, it would have cost $4000 a side to replace all that fiberglass. Although, mechanically the truck was solid, frame was solid, and towed like a wildebeest, I traded for a new truck while I could still get good value out of it and still looked good.

So, other than not being able to handle the load, or just wanting another one, it's possible something else could be going wrong.

Was that the truck you hit the neighbor's mailbox with?

[rbpru]

As I mentioned repairs are often a big issue. You just get tired of fixing the darn thing or it is not reliable.

Some folk enjoy keeping their favorite old buddy running. After 200,000 miles I am usually ready for updated technology.

I find age has lot to go with it. 🙂

[DutchmenSport]

rbpru wrote:
I might mention there are really two reasons to buy a new TV. First the TV cannot handle the load. Second you want a new vehicle.

Both are legitimate reasons, the first a bit more pressing then the second.

Repair issues, are a big motivator but sometimes you just want a new one.

I'd like to add a 3rd one. My 2nd dually 3500 diesel had a fiberglass body. The fat fenders formed spider cracks and were getting so bad, I was beginning to expect chunks of the fenders to simply fall off. When taking it to a body shop, it would have cost $4000 a side to replace all that fiberglass. Although, mechanically the truck was solid, frame was solid, and towed like a wildebeest, I traded for a new truck while I could still get good value out of it and still looked good.

So, other than not being able to handle the load, or just wanting another one, it's possible something else could be going wrong.

[rbpru]

I might mention there are really two reasons to buy a new TV. First the TV cannot handle the load. Second you want a new vehicle.

Both are legitimate reasons, the first a bit more pressing then the second.

Repair issues, are a big motivator but sometimes you just want a new one.

[bobndot]

BurbMan wrote:
I have to ask....are you using a weight distributing hitch? Or trying to carry all that weight on the ball of the truck?

We are thinking along the same lines (must be the salt air :B )

I was thinking that the OP mentioned tongue weight being more than expected . My thought was the spring bars being too light on their hitch. I towed a 37' with a 250 7.3 at it was fine.

[theoldwizard1]

I don't know about the F250, but the F150 has an optional HD tow package. It makes a BIG difference if you are towing over 3500 lbs (Class III).

[sgfrye]

valhalla360 wrote:
Either something is wrong or you have unrealistic expectations if that truck can't comfortably pull the trailer.

I'm guessing unrealistic expectations.

X2 on this

my 2017 f250 gasser pulls our 33 foot TT as if it were a utility trailer. cat scales show our TT is around 7500lbs ready to camp.

[Gulfcoast]

Get a Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500 diesel, if you want power to spare.

[valhalla360]

Either something is wrong or you have unrealistic expectations if that truck can't comfortably pull the trailer.

I'm guessing unrealistic expectations.

[BurbMan]

I have to ask....are you using a weight distributing hitch? Or trying to carry all that weight on the ball of the truck?

[DutchmenSport]

We had a 2006 Keystone Springdale 31 foot and towed it with a 3500 long bed crew cab duly Chevy Silverado gas pick-up. (Fiberglas body was breaking out), so got a new 3500 long bed crew cab duly Chevy Silverado DIESEL pick-up, and the difference was like night and day (same trailer). We now have a 35.5 foot Outback TT and the diesel duly 3500 tows ... truly ... like nothing is "back there", on flat land and mountains! It's a beast of a machine!

(my experiences .... are mine only!) Yours may be different, depending upon your state of mind!