Venuspie

iTrader: (1)

We have just upgraded to a new travel trailer that is 6k lbs dry. GVW is 7700 lbs. Tongue weight is advertised as 670 dry...Current TV is 2013 Supercrew 5.0 4x4 3.55 gears.
The truck will handle it but just. Thinking of upgrading to a 250 or maybe even another brand 2500. Just don't want diesel. Also scared to buy a 250 gas truck just because of the value. If i upgrade, what would you go with?? Thanks in advance

bachman44

I would look at a 16 superduty with the 6.2. 17s are just hitting the lots so now may be your best time to make a deal.

TooManyVehicles

When I was looking (late 2015/early 2016), I found that the F-250 to F-350 price difference was under $1k. For that difference, I would go with the F-350, single axle.

Having said this, I ended up opting for a F150, but went supercab w/a 2000+ # payload (XLT, 302A). Since I wasn't going to be towing often, I figured this would suffice. However, if I thought I would be doing frequent towing, I would have bit the bullet and gotten the F-350.

mark waller

I also have a F150 because it will tow the weight you are towing and give a nice ride. As others have suggested if you are going F250 might as well get the F350.

smokeywren

Too much trailer for an F-150 unless the F-150 has the heavy duty payload package (HDPP). Wet and loaded tongue weight will be up to 1,000 pounds plus another 100 pounds for a good WD hitch, for a total max hitch weight of 1,100 pounds.



Your poor little F-150 is overloaded over the payload capacity of the tow vehicle, when the truck and trailer are both loaded for a family camping trip. The 5.0L V8 is a sweet little engine, but not nearly as good as the 3.5L EcoBoost for towing a trailer at or over the payload limit.



Most owners of gasoline-powered three-quarter-ton or one-ton-SRW pickups are not happy campers when towing near the payload limits. Not enough torque for the steep grades, and awful MPG. So as I see it you have two choices.


1] Get over your distaste for a real truck and go for a 2011-up SuperDuty diesel, preferably an F-350 SRW but an F-250 is perfectly capable of dragging your 7700-pound trailer over the hills and passes while you have a big smile on your face.


2] Plan way ahead and order an F-150 with the HDPP and 3.5L EcoBoost engine. You probably won't find one in stock anywhere, so you have to plan on ordering it and waiting several weeks for Ford to build it and ship it to your dealer.


There are lots of restrictions on ordering the F-150 HDPP. The fanciest trim available is the Lariat with the base Lariat trim package. On a SuperCrew (crew cab) you have to order the 6.5' bed - the 5.5' city slicker shorty bed is not available with HDPP.


In my case, I've had both the SuperDuty diesel and the gasoline 3.5L Ecoboost. An F-250 diesel towing an 8,000-pound fifth wheel RV trailer for 10 years and over 100,000 towing miles and 200,000 total miles with no major repairs other than bullet-proofing the 4R100 automagic tranny, and my current 3.5L EcoBoost towing my 5,000-pound TT for the last 5 years, also with no major repairs other than oil changes and wear parts such as shocks and tires. The current automagic tranny behind the SuperDuty diesel pickups is a much more durable tranny than the 4R100 behind my '99.5 F-250 PowerStroke engine, so you probably won't need to worry about bullet-proofing the tranny if you buy a 2011-up SuperDuty diesel.

Jus Cruisin

Too bad you're against a diesel. My 2014 Ram 2500 4X4 was a great tow vehicle. Got 20 mpg empty and 10-11 mpg towing. Rear coils helped the ride empty. The 6.2l gasser Ford gets lousy gas economy. If I had to go gas 3/4 ton, I'd get a GMC.

humblerb

I used to be against diesel, until I realized these new diesels don't rattle like the old ones used to.
When I upgrade, if I can convince myself to go to the F250, I'll most likely be in a diesel.
Have you looked at or driven a newer model diesel?
What is your aversion to a diesel?

acdii

probably the smell and the pee tank. That is most people aversion to diesel. Me I miss my F350 Dually Powerjoke cackling diesel. That 4R100 was a joke of a transmission, mine had shift flare and is pretty much the deciding reason I got rid of it. I wasn't about to sink $4500 into a $9500 truck so it could sit.

Venuspie

iTrader: (1)

I appreciate the input guys. I definitely need to go and test drive the diesel trucks. I've never had one and just am ignorant to the new ones. Gonna go looking this weekend. Anyone have any experience/preference between the big 3? I know most here will say Ford, I've always had fords but am not opposed to others.

Freedom1955

I owned a Silverado 2500HD Duramax/Allison for 10 years before I bought this 2016 F150. I loved that truck and miss it.