pladwig@comcast.net

Wife and I recently purchased a 2015 Keystone Outback 30ft TT. Have taken it out a couple of times this year. TV is a 2010 F150 Screw 145wb, 5.4l V8 , 3.31 GR, Pirmus Electronic Brake, WD hitch Just took it to the scale last Friday. With all our gear load this is what the scale told me. TT 6520 (80% of 8100 Max) with clothes/gear/No water, TW 760 (11%), 12780 GCVWR (91% of 14000 Max) and 7100 GVWR (98% of 7200 Max) with wife, full cooler/gear and full tank of gas. Our first trip we took it over Vail pass. Did not seem to have any problems. Pulled the hill with no problem. 50-55 MPH. Pulled straight, felt safe coming down the hill. No white knuckle experience.

Purchased ScanGuage II to monitor temps and installed aux tranny cooler.

I would like some feedback from experienced RV'er what issues I can expect to run into pulling this load. My neighbor keeps telling me to get a F250 or equivalent.

130428

if you already pulled it several times, didn't experience any white knuckles moment, and felt safe, I'm not sure how anyone behind their screen would tell you anything different... you're within your limits, you seem to know what you're doing, just enjoy the trips!

pladwig@comcast.net

Yep, that is what I was thinking. However, I am a newbe at pulling anything this big. I have done my homework but the only experience is the few times I have pulled it. Book learning and real world experience is two different things. My neighbor, who has a lot more experience than I have, insists I am heading for trouble. Was just hoping someone with real world experience would chime in.

acadianbob

Perhaps you should check your payload capacity. It's on a yellow sticker on the driver side door jam. Subtract from that the weight of everything you have in the truck; including your wife and dog. The remainder needs to support the tongue weight of your trailer. That weight is likely to be around 900 to 1,000 pounds.

Payload is almost always the limiting factor.

itguy08

This. People probably I'm NUTS pulling our 35' unit with the F150. Within all the specs for the truck as it's a Max Tow unit and it works as designed.

But we've got over 500 miles on it, no white knuckles and it pulls fine. Would I want a 250/350 for a cross country trip - probably. But for the 3-6 hour max trips we do it does fine.

smokeywren

I suspect you meant the GVW was 7100, which is a bit less than the 7200 GVWR of your F-150



That is what I would expect. Your GCW was less than your GCWR, so you had enough power and torque to pull the load. Your GVW was less than your GVWR so you had enough suspension, tires and brakes to handle the passengers, cargo and tongue weight of your trailer.


Good job! The main thing you need to watch is tranny temp. Keep it below 225°. If that's not possible, then change the ATF to full synthetic.


You're right up against your weight limits, so if your Darling Wife doesn't add any more weight to truck or trailer, you shouldn't have any "issues". But if your DW is like mine, your TT is going to get heavier and heavier as she gains RVing experience.


So get a new CAT scale ticket frequently and show her the numbers. Combined front and rear axle weights compared to the GVWR of the F-150. If the combined weight on the front and rear truck axles exceed the GVWR of the F-150, you're overloaded. Explain to her that overloaded is a serious no no, so she can either reduce the weight you are hauling or else okay your upgrading to more truck.