smurfs_of_war

Not really. Weight and size doesn't change no matter the distance and frequency.
Save yourself a VERY costly mistake like mine. I just traded off a 2 year old 1500 which replaced a 4 year old 150 for the truck I should have had to begin with and I took a bath on it. I am a huge half ton proponent but when it comes to the larger loads, sometimes they just aren't up to it.

5.0GN tow

I have been towing around 8k nearly 3 weekends a month 7 to 8 months a year, for two years. Most of our round trips are 200 miles or so. I have seen no ill effects from the use on the truck. It runs great with no real problems of any kind. I am still on factory brakes at 43k and feel like the truck is really not working all that hard to do what I ask of it. We have pulled some much longer trips in that time, with several steep grades. The truck will downshift to fourth on most big hills but maintains speed well. The steepest grades I have pulled have been a couple miles at 6%. Occasionally if I am forced by traffic to slow down and regain speed it will drop to 3rd, but I don't see this as unreasonable.

Ricktwuhk

Why would frequency or distance impact exceeding your vehicle's capabilities? Driving a mile is still unsafe. Driving it once is rolling the dice, driving it repeatedly is inviting disaster.

Good advice given, you should follow it.

5.0GN tow

The trailer he was talking about should be within the limits of an f150 if properly equipped. Mine is within the limits for my truck as well. Will a 250 do it easier, maybe, maybe not depends on how it's equipped. Some 250 diesels don't have great payload either.

mogator53

The payload goes up with a 6.5 foot bed, right? by about 200lbs. Does that make a difference? Everything I'm reading on here is about payload for the most part (very informative from all of you by the way), so it seems that that is the big limitation. Am I correct?

DieselDawg

Honestly, I would go for a 3/4 ton or better. Gives you room down the road to maybe carry a generator for boondocking (no hook ups) and fill water tanks. Throw a couple of bales of hay in the bed etc.

smurfs_of_war

Payload is one limiter for sure. Some go over without concern, some worry about instant self destruction if they do. I was always over with no ill effects but it was uncomfortable. Another limiter is the GTW which is going to exceed that little truck by a large margin. I like to think the comfortable cap on half tons is around 7-8k max. Anything past that, you're in HD territory for the bigger backbone.

With a 6k trailer and my whole family loaded, the frame on my 150 had a lot of twist and give. You could feel it. My Ram 1500 was the same and this translated into an "ALMOST in control" feeling. I fully anticipate my 2500 will no longer give us that pretzle feeling with a full load.

BRUTE448

did u end up with hemi 6.4 gasser?

smurfs_of_war

Yeah. Pick it up this weekend.

5.0GN tow

Smurf, was your trailer at TT, or 5ver? He is talking GN which I can tell you makes a huge difference in how the truck feels. I have pulled a 7k bumper pull and my 8k goose neck back to back, hands down the GN is more in control. I have pulled this trailer at 9k plus and it honestly was not much different in power feel, and no different in controlled feel. The GN tow experience is so much different with the contact/pull point being right over or just ahead of the rear axle.

As for hauling gear and hay we put all ours in the trailer, works nice that way with nothing in the bed to move around.