Troublemakers

There is doubt, the trailer is pushing the Maximum that I would put a 150 through. The 250 looks like it might be the way to go and the 6.7 seems to be a pretty stout motor. I lived with a 6.0 for five years that actually drove me away from Ford for quite some time. Thanks for all the advice. If the trailer was lighter or heavier, it would have been an easy choice, stuck in the middle is hard.

Tystevens

Yeah, you kind of are in the "between models" realm there with your trailer.

As you, I have little doubt the 3.5 is up to the task, but you're gonna be taxing those payload and axle limits. I haven't closely reviewed the numbers for the '15 trucks, but it seems you'd be in HD payload range to me.

Some will take exception to this, but comparing the 6.0 diesel to the general diesel experience isn't a good comparison. Most agree that was the worst, most unreliable diesel powerplant this century. I wouldn't let that motor chase you away from diesel ownership, personally. I wouldn't shy away from a diesel 250/2500 if I were you.

And more than just Ford make diesels! The GM and Ram powerplants have proven quite reliable. And, there is the upcoming Nissan/Cummins that might be the sweet spot for the 10k lb trailer, we'll see.

Troublemakers

As far as other alternatives go, I don't like the Ram even though I have a full Dodge fleet at home and won't send another to GM, ever. That really is sad considering I grew up in a GM household. The Fords just have the look I want.

The more I have been reading about the 6.7, the better I feel about it. My wife fell in love with a Raptor at the dealership which aren't really haulers, so that brought us to the 150s, unfortunately the camper she picked out is heavier than we planned for. So as much as I appreciate the help with trying to Spec a 150, I just feel like I'm trying to jam a square peg in round hole.

wintersucks

I say the 1/2 ton will be fine with that weight. I am curious with the dislike for the 6.2 tho. Me...I'd probly get a 3.5 Turbo if it were my truck, 2.7? turbo if it were the wifes main vehicle. I have a buddy with a F150 with the 6.2 and that thing rocks, he loves, tons of pwr. My dad has the 6.2 in his F350 QCSB and he is happy with it and I have no real complaints myself. Not a powerhouse if you get in it from even my '01 Dodge diesel but it drives so nice and the mileage is maybe 2mpg worse than my '08 5.4 F150.
Bottom line tho, I'd go with the 3.5 I think. Much flatter pwr than the n/a 5.0.

Tystevens

I personally wouldn't think twice about a 6.7 diesel. Head and shoulders above the 6.0 in reliability, and power to boot. Having owned and towed with a 3/4 ton diesel for several years, and now a 1/2 ton Ecoboost, I'd personally go 3/4 ton w/ the trailer you're talking about.

The EB is really impressive when used within it's ratings, but it does have ratings, after all. I love my EB, but I wouldn't want to go much heavier than the 6500 lb. travel trailer I tow with it now. Not so much for the sake of the motor, but the chassis, brakes, etc. on the 3/4 ton is just more robust. Plus, you leave yourself some extra room if you want to bring along additional weight. Just my $.02.

Good luck!

atwowheelguy

I agree with Tystevens 100%. I'm towing a 6700 lb. TT toy hauler. The EB handles it with no sweat, but the chassis is maxed out.

Mike Up

Wow, that's a huge camper to tow with a grocery getter.

Going over to rv.net you'll see real weights not brochure or dry weights. Most with larger campers load anywhere from 1500 to 2000 lbs over their dry weight especially with larger fresh water tanks.

Also most tongue weights with the trailer "loaded" are around 13% as that's where you want to be. Not to heavy or to light.

With a properly adjusted weight distribution hitch, 'including' the hitch weight, you should have around 80% of the tongue weight being on the trucks axles and 20% being on the trailer axles.

Those above are all normal averages, so the weights can go either way but those are averages I've seen many, many times at the largest rv forum on the net, rv.net

So with a dry weight of 7785 lbs, adding a minimum of 1500 lbs, you'll have a whopping weight of 9285 lbs. Our F150s have robust hitch receiver tongue ratings of 1,050 lbs for a standard tow package and 1,150 lbs for the Max Tow package. With 9285 lbs and 13% average tongue weight, you are at 1207 lbs. Over weight on all hitch receivers that are offered on a F150. "OVER"

With a tongue weight of 1207 lbs, an average 80% on your truck axles is 965 lbs. My family and their gear is a light 800 lbs. Add bikes, firewood, and cooler and you'll easily be over 2000 lbs. You'll need a truck with the "Heavy Duty Payload Package" as a minimum.

So you'll be over on hitch receiver weight which is no good, I've seen pics at rv.net of receivers twisted, bent, and broke from being overloaded. Not something you want to happen hundreds of miles away with the family in the truck.

Then your handling will suffer trying to pull a monster trailer with a smaller 1/2 ton truck.

I can only recommend a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck. A F350 6.2L (it's a gas engine ) XLT Crew Cab 4WD with 4.30 axles is only about $1000 more than the same configured F250. The F250 is about $2000 more than a similarly configured 2014 F150 with the Max Tow and Heavy Duty Payload packages. About the same price against the new more expensive 2015 F150. BTW, I would never purchase an aluminum truck on a steel frame. Screams dissimilar metal corrosion and tons of new model bugs.

Getting the F250 or F350 (or other's 2500/3500) is a no brainer.

brulaz

Mike - one problem with a gasser 250 is that their hitch receiver isn't that great either. 1250# with WDH IIRC. But you can buy a heavier-duty after market and you can buy an add-on for the 1050# F150 hitch receiver that gets it up to 1500# IIRC. Think only the diesel 250s and 350s get the heavier duty 2.5" receivers

But there's no replacement or add-on for my MaxTow 1150# receiver. So I suppose a trip to an experienced welding shop is necessary if you think that rating has to do with the structural limitations of the hitch (not sure if it does). Can-Am RV does that up here in Ontario.

Mike Up

Interesting as the 6.2L gasser has more payload for a travel trailer tongue weight, than a diesel. It should be just the opposite.

The F150 standard tow 1,050 rated receiver is integrated just like the Max Tow receiver, so there's no upgrading. Thought the Super Duties used an integrated hitch as well. If so, another reason to look at the Ram 2500/3500 trucks.

wintersucks

Its very simple. I've noted it before that if you really wanna carry the most buy the lightest vehicle possible. Engine size should not play into tow rating. The vehicle itself should have ratings but the speed you want to tow is up to your pocket book. The diesel in my dodge I think weighs almost twice as much as the largest gasser, its basically all over the front axle but cuts a big hole in the "rated" payload capacity. Do I worry much about...not really, the tires are still the weak link and they are pretty heavy, as are the replacements I put on the '08 F150. The gasser option in some configurations can carry nearly 1,000lbs more than my truck GVWR is suppose to be able to.