Is trading worth it?
 

Hey guys, I currently have a 14 stx screw and a 16 Forrest river 24bh travel trailer. I have had the set up weighed and I'm within specs. I run an equalizer hitch The camper is fairly light and I watch what I haul.

My truck has the power the move the camper just fine, but I feel like the suspension is a little light. I also added timbrens, and they help but still can be a bouncy ride.

I'm considering a 3/4 ram with the 6.4. I'm just wondering what the comparison between the two would be towing. Is the bouncy ride just inherent with towing? Or will the 3/4 ton truck handle it better. I don't want to buy a new truck if it isn't going to be much better.

By the numbers, it should be way more truck than I need, which is what I'm going for.

The bouncy feeling is mostly on bridge approaches and pot holes. I get what I've heard described as porpoising.

I think every body gets that some depending on trailer length and truck weight ,the way I look at it is how often I tow vs added fuel/maintenance cost for a 3/4 ton or ton truck I would never come out ahead.If I hauled a trl around weekly yep but 4-8 times a year for mostly short trips no,the ride changes as you go heavy and tires become a major player in ride/handling imo

This is probably true for my situation too. I did pull my tt to the beach this year which was 500 miles one way, but this probably will be the exception not the rule. I usually load heavier when camping locally though and like the idea of being able to haul a golf cart in the future. I guess it is probably more of a want than a need.

You will never get rid of the bouncy with a 1/2 ton, no matter how much helper spring and bags you add. The truck just doesnt have the mass of a superduty. However as pointed out, unless all you do is tow with it, trading up to something with a heavier suspension just for a few tows is not worth it.

My trailer has the waste tanks in the rear and the fresh water in front of the axles, and with empty waste tanks it has much less bounce to it. You might want to play with weight distribution a bit and see if you get less bounce. Mine only bounces when I am on a really humping road, otherwise it is pretty solid. The TV and trailer are perfectly level when hitched and loaded, which makes a huge difference in how it travels too. Too much weight transferred forward can cause excessive bouncing as well as not enough transfer.

Bring it to the scale and make sure the hitch is set correctly. That is not really a super heavy trailer so if you work at it you can probably minimize the bounce. Also make sure the air pressures in you TV tires are correct. But as others have said some of this just comes with the F150, I think the SD would be overkill and if you use it as a DD you might not be happy. I was not a big fan of using mine daily so I traded it as soon as I no longer needed it.

I'd love to take a test drive pulling my camper to see if the difference is significant.


I'm probably just thinking about it too much. I think I'll stick with my current truck as it is a great daily driver. If I'm lucky I'll get to go camping 10'times a year so it doesn't justify the lower fuel economy. It is hard to resist a new bigger truck though...

Just for reference, this is my weigh ticket with my bars attached.

Get one with the bars disconnected to see how much you are transferring forward too. Those readings are very good. That is a light trailer.

I'm in the same boat as you. I often wonder if my towing experience would be better with a heavy duty truck. The cost of trading, plus the decreased fuel mileage, just isn't worth it IMO unless you tow all the time.

Off topic: I'm thinking about getting some air springs for mine. Way cheaper than getting a new truck.

are you running max air pressure in your tires when towing? if not, try it.

Yes, I have the 20 in wheels and I run the full 44 psi.