Mg05

Yeah, that was just an example. I've really just started looking. I like that apex 215rbk. That's almost exactly what I'm looking for.

I can agree that the bigger campers will be nice, but my biggest concern is towability. If it is stressful to tow then it will ruin the experience for me, and it will just end up sitting. Hate to spend money on a lawn ornament

smokeywren

GVWR is 6,500, so count on a wet and loaded trailer weight of about 6,000 pounds, with wet and loaded tongue weight of about 780 pounds. Add a good WD hitch and your total hitch weight will be about 850 pounds.


Do you have 850 pounds of unused payload capacity available for hitch weight? Only the CAT scale knows for sure. Load the truck with everyone and everything that will be in it when towing, fill up with gas, then weigh the wet and loaded truck. Subtract the weight of the truck from the GVWR of the truck and the answer is your unused payload capacity available for hitch weight.

Mg05

This is what I was worried about. I don't really know where to start. I have never owned a camper so I'm not sure what I'll be hauling in the truck and what will be in the camper. For that matter I'm not even sure exactly what I'll need to take. I guess I just shoot for a low tongue weight and give myself room, but that really is just a shot in the dark.

car54

Figure out what your truck will pull first. Then find a floor plan you like. That will help you figure out how long you can go. Slide outs are nice but add weight and complexity. If you do buy one with a slide out, see if you can access the kitchen, bathroom etc with the slide in. Many times during a trip, you may need access to stuff while parked and can't get at with the slide closed.

BTW, I just bought a new Apex ultra lite 249rbs. It has an empty weight of 4770. We looked at about 100 trailers in the last 6 months and felt the Coachman Apex was the best lightweight we found and we got a great deal on it.

Been trailering for 30 years, this will be our third. My truck is a 16 150 with 3.5 EB and Max tow package. If I had a 5.0L I wouldn't go much over 20 feet. I pulled our old 22 footer with a 5 L and it was a real strain through the mountains.

11screw50

Did I miss some mention of mountains somewhere? Don't assume that everyone tows in the mountains or at elevatin. I've never run into anything that caused my 5.0 to lose speed due to lack of power while pulling our 26ft TT. Downshift? Sure, but I still fail to see why some see that as such a problem, that is the whole reason for having a transmission...

OP: FWIW, I towed a 26ft TT from Maine to DC and back last summer, zero issues. 95+ degrees the whole way down, 13 hours each way.

Mg05

Thanks, i was starting to think my only option was a pop up (no offense to pop up owners).


My wife and I went looking today and saw a few we liked. One that stuck out was a Catalina 263rls. Although I think it is a little heavier than I want to go, I thought I would run through the numbers to see if I'm thinking right.

So as I could tell from fords website, my gcwr was 13500 and tow capacity was 7700. The gvwr of that trailer was 7700 with a dry weight of 6112. So although heavy, it should be ok on that end.

On payload my sticker says 1562. I'll say 600 for the family, 100 for wdh and the tongue weight is 718. With 600 lbs in the trailer at 12% is another 72 lbs so around 1490 total.

So it would be close, but this trailer should work correct?

Mg05

Double post

eyeflyone2

MG05-These are all questions and a dilemma I had last year. This group will help you greatly.
I ended up purchasing and ASPEN TRAIL 23.5 ft/ with NO pull out. I've dragged it all around east of the Mississippi with my 2011 SCab 5.0. A few thoughts for you:
-Most anything you buy with an empty weight of less than 6500 lb empty, will be handled by your 5.0. BUT REMEMBER, the heavier you go, the less mileage you will get. i.e. My F150 with two adults, 36 gal fuel, about 200 lb in the bed, pulling a ready-to-live-in 23.5 ft Dutchman Aspen Trail TT (4102lb empty wt) is 5250 lb going down the road (empty liquid tanks). Add 100 lb for my Blue Ox WD hitch.
-A 'pull out' can add up to 600 lbs. Do you really need it?
-Strongly recommend ANY WD hitch-makes a big hauling difference. Research the hitches.
-You may want to beef up your suspension. I did it with Bilstien 5100's, some use BFG Air Shocks.
-We all hate to admit it, but your MPG will go to somewhere between 7-9 mpg, but plenty of pull where ever you decide to climb to.
-All this may peeve the experts here, but I fly, and if the load in my aircraft is within the envelope--I go. Likewise, I bought a TT that doesn't tax my tow vehicle, and fits in the tow vehicle 'envelope'.
-Just upgraded to a 2015 XLT, same options as the 2011, and still a 5.0.
Have fun. Leash your pet. See America!

Mg05

I wasn't too concerned with fuel, I expected it to be pretty low. I've seen a drop in mpg with my 6x12 open trailer and small tractor. I'm most concerned with comfortable towing. After looking at the ford tow ratings I saw the 3.73 gears raised the tow numbers from 7700 with 3.55s to 9600 so a gear swap might increase the comfort level of pulling

77Ranger460

Airstream is my camper of choice. My 25 ft Excella has an empty weight of 5300 lbs and a GVWR of 6800 lbs. Tongue weight of the empty trailer is about 800 lbs. On the interstate at 60-65 mph, my dinosaur carb'ed 460 gets 8-10 mpg. A modern truck should do as well or better with a similar sized rig.