You sound like my wife and I. We discovered using the GVWR of a camper was as worthless a number as the dry weight number to determine truck size. Seems adding a 1000lbs to the dry weight gives the most realistic weight of what you will really be towing. Like you we have been in both TTs and motorhomes prior to buying this one. Will we buy bigger in the future? NO WAY. In retirement if you "live small" you will "do more" just my 2 cents.

Safe travels.

 

I have a Cherokee Grey Wolf 26 DBH which is actually 31'7' long. Weight is a little different with its heaviest loading being at @7250 lbs and total combined weight at 12,800 with 5 passengers(incl me) and 5 bikes and a bottle of propane on the back of the truck

Oddly enough, after owning it since last June 2 and probably 8-10 trips out with it, yesterday was the first time I encountered decent, noticeable cross winds.

It was still very controllable between 60-65 on the interstate, but there were a couple times where I could really feel the trailer.

Would a 250 have done better, I am sure. And one day I will get a fifth wheel to need a heavy duty truck.

I have the same concerns as you. My truck hauls my TT well, but I use it more for business, non-tow driving and I really like getting 20-21 mpg most of the time. Considering what gas prices may do in the near future, I would be concerned about the gas expense for a truck I drive over 20k miles a year if gas gets over $5/gallon. Uncertainty keeps me from moving on to the 250.

In the end, it sounds like you should be fine with your TT as it is if you do your part.

 

Just to add a different perspective to this. You mentioned that you have towed with Expeditions. There is a good chance your Expedition tows better than an F150. So many variables come into play but I found that the extra curb weight of the Expedition really helped the towing experience (27', 7000lb trailer).

 

One other thing to keep in mind, is at least in my experience, none of the F250's are marked down like the F150's. Even when their sticker price is close, you usually end up paying much less for a similarly equipped F150.
My closest example is a guy here at work. Both of us have 302A's. But his F250 is a 6.2L(base engine) and my truck is a 2.7(optional engine).
In the end, the MSRP isnt all that far off but he paid around $6k more than I did.
Then of course his mileage of 12mpg and mine of 21mpg average.
My truck rides much better.

F250 or F350 is going to cost more regardless.
I would prefer to find a camper within the capability of this truck, and enjoy the lower cost and better ride, than drive a heavy duty around all the time.

 

What's his payload? Double yours?

 

I have a long wheel base F150 and tow a camper close to the same weight. A little less but close none the less. We are coming from a Yukon Denali and the F150 tows it a lot better. Our tongue weight is around 900-950# depending on if we are boondocking so we have full fresh tank or have full hookups so running a bit lighter.

I agree with the comments of the F250 and F150 with long wheel base being about the same as far as daily driving in terms of parking lots and such. There might be a difference in ride quality but that will be about the biggest difference.

It also might be worth looking at the difference in packages. There are things like camera angles that are available in F250s that are not in F150s but that depends on trim levels.

 

I would think at least 1000 lbs more.
Its an F250. Better have more payload.....

 

The key component is going to be tongue weight, and therefore payload capacity, and more specifically rear axle max weights. I own an '18 XLT 157 with 1700lbs of payload capacity. I spent a few hours at the scale with my 20ft enclosed race car trailer one day (7000lbs, 10% tongue weight confirmed), and learned a lot about how it all works together, and I'd recommend anyone do the same. Bottom line - a one chain link difference on my load distributing hitch can make the difference between being on the right or wrong side of the rear axle weight limits, and that was not at all obvious when towing it. If you plan on carrying gear in the bed, or aren't able to truly refine tongue weights, look into getting a truck with the heavy payload package. I did notice that the 2021 trucks seem to have a few hundred pounds more capacity than a similar 2018, so that may influence what year and models you look at.

 

Are you sure about that?

As I have seen they seem to be about the same or, if powerboost or propower, lower payload than the outgoing trucks.

 

Looking at the stickers I've seen posted, as well as the payload and towing data with my sales manager yesterday, there seems to be more payload compared to a similarly equipped 13th Gen truck by around 150-200 lbs. Powerboost and Pro Power trucks don't have equivalents of course, and some trims now have more options, so that can effect available payload.