Which truck do I buy for my Travel Trailer?

[Tony2238]

Hi, I have purchased a new Coachmen Catalina 35' travel trailer that has a empty weight of 7300lbs. Keep in mind that I will never haul water because of the extra weight aND I don't see overy 1000lbs wOrth of cArgo either, so my guess is a total weight of around 8500lbs???? I'm considering a Ford F250 diesel. Just now starting my research and would like some experienced replies. Thank you so much.

Tony

[SouthpawHD]

gmckenzie wrote:

Tony2238 wrote:

gmckenzie wrote:
The diesel/gas question probably comes down to how much you expect to tow, and what you do with the truck the rest of the time. And personal preference. I like diesel but just traded mine in for a 1/2 ton gas as I didn't use it enough. I actually parked mine in the winter instead of abusing it with my short commute. So back to gas for me, based on what I do when I'm not towing.

You will add more than 1,000 lbs once you consider the propane tanks, batteries, water and hitch all become part of that total. Best to consider the gross weight rating of the trailer when thinking about towing. But an F250 diesel will be fine with that size of trailer.

So you tow 8000lbs with a 1/2 ton?

Yes. Well within the weights for the truck I bought. But the 2015 GMC Sierra with the Max Trailer package is a different beast than a 1/2 ton a few years old. Tow rating is 10,800 and the cargo capacity is over 2K.

Would not have done this with an older 1/2 ton.

I just started towing (around 6k pounds) with a GMC max tow and love it. These things are beasts. As I stated earlier, these max tow packages are darn near equivalent to some 3/4 ton setups.

[gmckenzie]

Tony2238 wrote:

gmckenzie wrote:
The diesel/gas question probably comes down to how much you expect to tow, and what you do with the truck the rest of the time. And personal preference. I like diesel but just traded mine in for a 1/2 ton gas as I didn't use it enough. I actually parked mine in the winter instead of abusing it with my short commute. So back to gas for me, based on what I do when I'm not towing.

You will add more than 1,000 lbs once you consider the propane tanks, batteries, water and hitch all become part of that total. Best to consider the gross weight rating of the trailer when thinking about towing. But an F250 diesel will be fine with that size of trailer.

So you tow 8000lbs with a 1/2 ton?

Yes. Well within the weights for the truck I bought. But the 2015 GMC Sierra with the Max Trailer package is a different beast than a 1/2 ton a few years old. Tow rating is 10,800 and the cargo capacity is over 2K.

Would not have done this with an older 1/2 ton.

[tshirtman]

8000lbs with a half ton is CRAZY
Get the 2500 of any of the three big guys and go DEISEL

[IndyCamp]

I would get a 250/2500 with a gas engine, from whichever Big Three brand I liked best.

[badercubed]

Tony2238 wrote:
How far do you tow? Would you take off to the mountains with the 250? I'm leaning to the gasser now. I just want something that'S not going to have alot of strain. Thanks

I traveled from Western NY through PA, WV and KY to get to Nashville. It wasn't the Rockies but it wasn't a flat ride. The truck handled great with terrible (read: 6mpg) gas mileage. I was maintaining a quick pace up the hills and y camper has a large front wall. (my post of the trip)

[jmcgsd]

To paraphrase what I just said in a similar thread there are actually two considerations - towing and stopping. Sure lots of trucks will tow that weight especially in the flatlands. However consider the problem of stopping it in the mountains if you lose your trailer brakes for some reason.

I was recently towing my 7500# TT in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park on a grade at about 5000'. I hit a bad frost heave or pothole and my trailer connevpctor worked its way partially loose. I glanced at my Prodigy controller and saw the dreaded "NC" for not connected. It was no problem stopping my rig with the Dually but I wouldn't have wanted too little truck.

[MFL]

Not trying to talk you out of the diesel, but the 6.2 gas, in the later model 250, would handle that trailer with ease.

If you see a bigger trailer, maybe a heavier FW in your future, I'd get the 350, with the diesel. The heavy diesel eats up a lot of payload, compared to the gas engine in the same truck.

Jerry

[Tony2238]

How far do you tow? Would you take off to the mountains with the 250? I'm leaning to the gasser now. I just want something that'S not going to have alot of strain. Thanks

[badercubed]

I have a similar sized trailer (weight and length) and I tow it with a 2015 F250 Crew Cab Gasser. My trailer has a huge front wall so the mileage lacks, but its a great pairing otherwise. I towed it last year with a 2013 F-150 Crew Cab MaxTow and I wouldn't ever go back.

[Tony2238]

Thank you Fred.

[Tony2238]

Thanks Mitch!!

[Golden_HVAC]

Are you looking for something new or used? Back in 1985, all the big three had dually trucks with a 10,000 GVWR. IN 2004, the crewcab F-250 4X4 diesel had a 7,800 curb weight and 8,800 GVWR, so a cargo rating less than 1,000 pounds, including passengers and all the stuff.

In 2005, Ford increased it's GVWR on the F-250 to 10,000 pounds, so it can now carry over 2,000 pounds. It was a few years later that Dodge and GMC increased their GVWR and can carry as much as the Fords did.

You will want to avoid the Ford diesels between 2003 and 2010. In 2011, Ford started manufacturing their own pickup diesel engines again, and they have proven even more powerful, and much more reliable than the 2004 - 2010 engines.

IF you select a 1999 - 2003 Ford diesel, you need to consider a SRW F-350 with it's 9,900 GVWR, or look for the 5.4L or 6.8L V10 gas engine truck that is 2005 and later. These can really haul the load, and are much more powerful than the mid-90's diesels that any of the Big Three put out then. Todays' diesels are much more powerful than models made in the 80's and 90's. They are also much more smoke free too!

Good luck on your search!

Fred.

[MitchF150]

Tony2238 wrote:
So do you hit the quote button to reply to each post?

You don't have to.. Just start typing in the reply box and that's all that gets published.

If you want to specify the post you are responding to, quoting it helps others that read it.

Just like I did with yours.. 🙂

Mitch

[Tony2238]

So do you hit the quote button to reply to each post?

[Tony2238]

gmckenzie wrote:
The diesel/gas question probably comes down to how much you expect to tow, and what you do with the truck the rest of the time. And personal preference. I like diesel but just traded mine in for a 1/2 ton gas as I didn't use it enough. I actually parked mine in the winter instead of abusing it with my short commute. So back to gas for me, based on what I do when I'm not towing.

You will add more than 1,000 lbs once you consider the propane tanks, batteries, water and hitch all become part of that total. Best to consider the gross weight rating of the trailer when thinking about towing. But an F250 diesel will be fine with that size of trailer.

So you tow 8000lbs with a 1/2 ton?