Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-09-2020, 01:45 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 4
My first towing truck ?

Been camping with my brother and his 350 for 7 years so I'm somewhat familiar. Mostly looking at used F250 gassers, but diesel may work.

1) Would this type of driving be enough for a diesel? Camping 60-400 miles 5-10 times per year. Maybe once a week or less it will get a 30+ min drive on highway and not towing on those trips. Average daily will be my wife driving 2 miles to school to teach, then home in the afternoon. It won't fit in the garage where I work.


2) 2016 vs 2017 (or newer) - Am I being too picky by waiting for the right 2017 or newer? Doubt I'll find a 2017 Lariat as nice as the 2016 in my price range around $40-45k.

I'm focused on 2017 or newer, but tested a mint condition 2016 Lariat with 21000 miles yesterday. It's exactly the truck\options and even color (dark green) I've been looking for, but it's missing the 2017 rebuild\improvements. The price is fair, but they're willing to negotiate.



Campers will be 6000-9000lbs.

Mid-East coast weather


Thanks for any help or suggestions!
-Steve
stev379 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2020, 02:19 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Bow WA
Posts: 769
First, welcome to the forum. I can tell you my experience with the 2004 Ram 2500 diesel. It has been perfect!
.....................
towing a Surveyor 251rks and a 26 foot fishing boat.
debit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2020, 02:19 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Dayton Ohio
Posts: 3,566
We are about the same use as you.

Wife and I bought a 2016 Ram 2500 diesel.

Wife drives it to school every day. About 10,000 mile a year. She loves her truck! I am an English sports car guy.

Mileage is over 12 around town, pulling 15,000 pounds. We get over 20 cruising without the fifth wheel.

Maintenance per year is two oil changes and fuel filters. which I replace.

Diesel was about $8500 more however, the mileage and towing ability is really nice.

You get the $8500 back on resale. Check the blue-books.
tomkatb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2020, 03:18 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
dbledan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: KS
Posts: 2,369
I would stick to the 2017. The cab space is significantly roomier and the dash has gone digital as well. It allows for changes that allow you to see transmission and engine temps numerically.

As for enough for a Diesel it kind of depends. On the 2017 they are still telling you about regens so it may want you to do some highway driving. On my 2019 6.7 they completely hid Regens from users. I drive similar to what you describe now however my commute is under 10mi prior to covid. I found the Regens are quicker without the highway driving (i had to enable via forscan to even know what was happening) I have not had it a year but it now has 10k due to multiple trips and doing great. A 2017 would likely tell you its doing the regen and you end up driving for 20min worst case. Maintenance on the diesel is higher. You can save by doing your own fuel filters but still more oil and the additional filter costs.

There is nothing wrong with the gas engines as far as I am aware. If you go diesel I would watch your payload as the 250 loaded up with a diesel would end up similar to a 150 payload wise where the gasser will have plenty of payload likely rivaling a 1 ton. For this reason I went with the 350 as MSRP was only $40 new between the two and I wanted the diesel and higher payload for the next trailer.

Best of luck in whatever you decide.
dbledan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2020, 05:03 PM   #5
Brake is on left
 
The Evil Twin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: USA
Posts: 1,095
Go gasser. The 2 mile trips as a daily driver will not do it well. Sitting is not a big deal. Driving 30 minutes is not a big deal. Towing is not either. Short trips will cause you trouble over time.
I put maybe 10k a year on my 6.7. Half the miles on my diesel are towing. The other half are not, but I always make sure the engine and trans are up to temp before shutting it down.
The Evil Twin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2020, 07:21 PM   #6
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 4
Thank you for the replies and info. Every bit has been helpful.

Would an F150 5.0 V8 be sufficient for 6-8000lb trailer? 2 small girls, 1 small wife, a lightweight me and a 70lb dog riding + bikes, wood and packed coolers in the bed and/or trailer. I'll be using a Hensley hitch if it matters.

Could it put more wear and tear on a F150 (than a 250) and cause a poor resale value 5-7 years from now?

I'm big on taking care of vehicles to get a good resale price so I'll pay more for a 250 now if it would resale better than a 150 after the same time.

I'm seeing a lot of F150's available. I've focused on 250's for downhill and braking safety, but I'm curious if a 5.0 v8 F150 might suffice for our needs. We don't have a trailer yet, but plan on a 26-30' BH around 6000-8000lbs. We want it as small as possible, but comfortable for when it rains on every trip we take. I could upgrade trailers in the future, but I tend to keep things for a while so if I pair a 150 with the right trailer, I'll likely keep them for a while.
stev379 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2020, 07:32 PM   #7
Site Team
 
bikendan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,554
Quote:
Originally Posted by stev379 View Post
Thank you for the replies and info. Every bit has been helpful.

Would an F150 5.0 V8 be sufficient for 6-8000lb trailer? 2 small girls, 1 small wife, a lightweight me and a 70lb dog riding + bikes, wood and packed coolers in the bed and/or trailer. I'll be using a Hensley hitch if it matters.

Could it put more wear and tear on a F150 (than a 250) and cause a poor resale value 5-7 years from now?

I'm big on taking care of vehicles to get a good resale price so I'll pay more for a 250 now if it would resale better than a 150 after the same time.

I'm seeing a lot of F150's available. I've focused on 250's for downhill and braking safety, but I'm curious if a 5.0 v8 F150 might suffice for our needs. We don't have a trailer yet, but plan on a 26-30' BH around 6000-8000lbs. We want it as small as possible, but comfortable for when it rains on every trip we take. I could upgrade trailers in the future, but I tend to keep things for a while so if I pair a 150 with the right trailer, I'll likely keep them for a while.
A F150 5.0 "might" be adequate, depending on how it's spec'd and equipped. Also how much truck payload capacity vs trailer's loaded tongue weight.
Personally, for a 30ft TT, I'd choose the 3.5 Ecoboost because you can get the Max Tow package or the Heavy Duty Payload package.
But I think the F250 would hold its value better.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
bikendan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2020, 11:37 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Alaska
Posts: 1,167
Going with a 3/4 ton is the wiser move. It will be much better at handling 8000 lbs. It will also give you more options if you decide to go even bigger.
__________________
2019 Silverado LTZ 1500 6.2L 10 Speed 3.42 Max Trailering Package
2018 Freedom Express 192RBS
2022 Highland Ridge Open Air Lite Range 17BH
AlaskaErik is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 12:47 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
dbledan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: KS
Posts: 2,369
Quote:
Originally Posted by stev379 View Post
Thank you for the replies and info. Every bit has been helpful.

Would an F150 5.0 V8 be sufficient for 6-8000lb trailer? 2 small girls, 1 small wife, a lightweight me and a 70lb dog riding + bikes, wood and packed coolers in the bed and/or trailer. I'll be using a Hensley hitch if it matters.

Could it put more wear and tear on a F150 (than a 250) and cause a poor resale value 5-7 years from now?

I'm big on taking care of vehicles to get a good resale price so I'll pay more for a 250 now if it would resale better than a 150 after the same time.

I'm seeing a lot of F150's available. I've focused on 250's for downhill and braking safety, but I'm curious if a 5.0 v8 F150 might suffice for our needs. We don't have a trailer yet, but plan on a 26-30' BH around 6000-8000lbs. We want it as small as possible, but comfortable for when it rains on every trip we take. I could upgrade trailers in the future, but I tend to keep things for a while so if I pair a 150 with the right trailer, I'll likely keep them for a while.
I have a 7200lb gross weight trailer that typically comes in under 7000lbs. I pulled it with an F150 EB. It pulled fine but was pretty unstable. My trailer is tongue heavy with all the storage in the front so when I first weighed I found it to be 16% tongue weight and I was way over my rear axle with nothing in the bed.

Every trailer is different so your milage will vary. There are several folks who pull 6000-7000 lbs with properly equipped trucks and no issues.

I had 1680 for a payload and with myself DW, son, and 20lb dog I was over payload unless I moved everything around to balance the trailer. The truck had a tonnue cover and chairs in it bit the tongue weight was 1000-1100lbs without water. I got tired of doing that and bought the 1ton so now I bring what I want and don't care and I haul water now. The only way it was not white knuckle driving with my F150 was with a propride even when I hit all the numbers. You can make a half ton work but it takes a lot of effort. I would stick to the 250 at least.

Its expensive to upgrade later. Better too much than not enough.
dbledan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 09:24 AM   #10
Grammar Pedant
 
67L48's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Frederick, CO
Posts: 1,580
For 6-9K trailers, a diesel is very much in the "nice to have" camp. A diesel will always pull better than gasoline, but at those weights it probably doesn't matter a lot. I got a diesel not because I needed one, but because I wanted one ... like leather seats, moonroof, or any other option that people like to have in a vehicle.

Gas in a 3/4 ton will be good.

An F-150 EB will also pull those trailers well. The 5.0L coyote should be good, too (just not as good as the EB). However, you may run into payload/GVWR issues. Not necessarily, but just maybe. You have to be mindful. Same as with a diesel 3/4 ton, as someone mentioned above.

But, the short answer is that a well equipped F-250 6.2L will work great for that weight range and give you plenty of room to grow in the future. You should be able to find a nicely equipped 2017 in that mid $40K price range. My brand new 2019 6.7L loaded up Lariat was mid $60s, so a 4-year old gasoline rig ought to be south of $50K.
__________________
Every time you use an apostrophe to make a word plural, a puppy dies.

TV: 2019 F-350 Lariat 4WD CCSB 6.7 PSD 3.55, 3,591 lb payload
Former RV: 2018 Rockwood Mini Lite 2504S
Former RV: 2007 Fleetwood/Coleman Utah
Former TV: 2005 F-150 King Ranch 4WD SCrew 5.4L Tow Package
67L48 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 10:05 AM   #11
Member
 
kevinstennes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 72
Quote:
Originally Posted by stev379 View Post
Been camping with my brother and his 350 for 7 years so I'm somewhat familiar. Mostly looking at used F250 gassers, but diesel may work.

1) Would this type of driving be enough for a diesel? Camping 60-400 miles 5-10 times per year. Maybe once a week or less it will get a 30+ min drive on highway and not towing on those trips. Average daily will be my wife driving 2 miles to school to teach, then home in the afternoon. It won't fit in the garage where I work.


2) 2016 vs 2017 (or newer) - Am I being too picky by waiting for the right 2017 or newer? Doubt I'll find a 2017 Lariat as nice as the 2016 in my price range around $40-45k.

I'm focused on 2017 or newer, but tested a mint condition 2016 Lariat with 21000 miles yesterday. It's exactly the truck\options and even color (dark green) I've been looking for, but it's missing the 2017 rebuild\improvements. The price is fair, but they're willing to negotiate.



Campers will be 6000-9000lbs.

Mid-East coast weather


Thanks for any help or suggestions!
-Steve
I highly recommend the F250 for that size of a trailer. It's not a huge trailer, but it will feel large behind an F150. I previously towed a 27' bunkhouse with an F150 long bed 5.0. The trailer felt huge back there. There were some white knuckle moments and the enjoyment of driving was gone--at least for me. I then towed the trailer with an F350 PSD. What a difference. Complete control and confidence. I now have a GMC 3500 Duramax and am waiting on a 2021 Wildwood 33TS to be completed. It is a large trailer, but I'm confident that a one ton will feel quite stable with it.

For your scenario, I would highly recommend the F250 6.2 gas, for what it's worth!
kevinstennes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 12:09 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
dwilli1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Pocono Mtns.
Posts: 126
I'm in the same dilemma...bought a 33' Cherokee (274RK) and pairing it to a 2020 GMC 1500 AT4 w/trailering pkg. I have not made our maiden voyage yet but I'm already looking at trading up to a 2500 AT4 6.6L Duramax diesel, just because I'm bumping up against the 80% GVWR. I'm a little nervous and would likely NOT consider this to pull over the Rockies. The way up is not what scares me...it's the way down!
dwilli1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 12:10 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 365
Basic Rule

It is MY basic rule, your mileage may vary:
"You can never have too much truck."

Add up the numbers (all the weight of everything and everybody), plus fuel, water propane, the dog, EVERYTHING. If you are close, get the next bigger truck.
I prefer diesel, whether it sits and goes nowhere (COVID) or whether I am driving cross country, in both flat lands and mountains. I want power and I want an ability to stop, so I like plenty of margin. I also added a 40 gallon tank, since we boondock and are way out there a lot. So that added a need for more capacity.
Towing, hauling and stopping all separate issues that need to be considered together.
__________________
2017 Puma Unleashed, 38 ft.
Dodge Ram 2017, 3500, Dually.
KG5TKV
Tiger Force Medic, 68/69
hankpac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 12:21 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 432
I have a 2016 F150 with the 3.5 EB and pulls my 25 ft 6000lb(loaded) trailer quite easily. Gets 21-22 mpg all around, but I live in the country, +24 mpg at 55 mph. With trailer, divide by 2. My cargo capacity is 1625 or so and is just ok for me. Newer models are higher.

But, I'm not totally happy driving in the Rocky Mtns because of braking. My limit for this truck would be maybe 8000 lb, and there I would want a 3/4 ton. I wish they offered this engine in the F250 then it would be a no brainer.
__________________
Jeff

2016 APEX 215rbk
2016 F-150 4WD 3.55 3.5l ecoboost
jwfrede is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 01:35 PM   #15
CGK
Camping with Labs
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Jarrettsville, MD
Posts: 264
You are doing your due diligence before spending any money, and that is the best course of action. Your Hensley Arrow will eliminate sway and give you a much better towing experience than most (but I am a Hensley Arrow owner and fan, so take my endorsement with the proverbial grain of salt); but there is still a lot that truck has to do to tow safely. So count me in the group that recommends a 250 gasser or 350 diesel. Either of those tow machines should serve you well, and both are meant to do so without damaging the trucks. Good luck, and happy camping!
__________________
Chris, Paula, & camping Labs, Shasta (RIP 8/10/20) & Cammie
2005 Yukon XL 2500 with 8.1 Engine, Allison Transmission, and 3.73 Axle Ratio
2019 Rockwood Signature 8335BSS with Hensley Arrow Hitch
CGK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 02:34 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Jestercyco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Arlington, Texas
Posts: 469
Don't Undersize your truck from the start.
Get a little bigger than you think you need it ends up being cheaper in the long run.
IMHO
Jester
__________________

2012 Super Crew 4WD 6.7 PSD
2015 Cardinal 3800 FL
2007 Road King Black Cherry-Hers
2007 Road King Blue-Mine
1979 FXS Hot Rod Shovelhead
Jestercyco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 04:16 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
The Big Toe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 308
Quote:
Originally Posted by stev379 View Post
Thank you for the replies and info. Every bit has been helpful.

Would an F150 5.0 V8 be sufficient for 6-8000lb trailer? 2 small girls, 1 small wife, a lightweight me and a 70lb dog riding + bikes, wood and packed coolers in the bed and/or trailer. I'll be using a Hensley hitch if it matters.

Could it put more wear and tear on a F150 (than a 250) and cause a poor resale value 5-7 years from now?

I'm big on taking care of vehicles to get a good resale price so I'll pay more for a 250 now if it would resale better than a 150 after the same time.

I'm seeing a lot of F150's available. I've focused on 250's for downhill and braking safety, but I'm curious if a 5.0 v8 F150 might suffice for our needs. We don't have a trailer yet, but plan on a 26-30' BH around 6000-8000lbs. We want it as small as possible, but comfortable for when it rains on every trip we take. I could upgrade trailers in the future, but I tend to keep things for a while so if I pair a 150 with the right trailer, I'll likely keep them for a while.
Would it be sufficient? Yes. Would you like it? Probably not.

I have a Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel (CTD). I love it.

But it might not be right for you. The thing about diesels is, they have an exhaust brake. Once you get used to it, you'll love it. I recently lost mine and I don'tknow what to do about it. Another subject altogether.

Ford makes an excellent truck in the F-250 and the 6.2l gasser is an excellent engine. Ford also has a cavernous interior.

The downside is, it's a big truck and they are really, really, proud of them to the point that they're not on my radar. It's wide and it's long. My Ram is smaller and easier to maneuver and park. Mama likes that part.

The Ram 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi would be my 2nd choice. The Chevy 6.0 vortech comes in 4th. "Everything Else" is third.

Diesels need a lot more maintennce and care. If you're not part gear-head, steer clear.

If it were me (it's not, I know that) I would look at a 3.5L EcoBeast and then beef up the suspension with some airbags or timbrens or maybe even a SuperSpring. And put some decent Bilsteins on it. Airbags is more gooder. My buddy carries a ryobi battery-powered inflator with him at all times so that's not a problem. It still won't be as good as a 2500 or 250, but you can get the job done with it.

Those EcoBoosts pull like a Frieght Train. They're not a CTD, but they do pretty good for a 1/2 Ton P/U,

I had the F-150 with the Coyote V8 and it was a good/excellent truck. Loved that thing. But it had 3:31 gears and it was just a little light in the loafers for my taste while pulling my 7,500lb (dry) toyhauler.

My CTD is a little overkill but -- Not to put too fine a point on it -- I really don't care
The Big Toe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 04:24 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,371
TV

You will be happier w/ a gas F-250 over the f-150. Especially if you are considering pulling a 30' + trailer. It will be a more relaxed towing experience. The diesel is nice to have for the engine brake and when pulling in wind and mountains. The diesel weighs over 700 lbs. more than the 6.2 gas. This comes off the payload numbers. I have seen loaded diesel F-250's w/ less than 2000 lb. payload. As others have said, the 2 miles a day is not good for the diesel. I think the gas fits your needs. I will be less expensive to maintain and less upfront costs. The 2017's do have a more modern interior and higher payload, w/ everything else equal.
When I moved up from a half ton, I went w/ a 2019, F-350 diesel. I use it for towing 10K a year.
Tundra 2014 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2020, 05:56 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 840
First Towing Truck

We switched from gas to diesel (2008 Silverado 2500 LT Duramax/Allison) when we were still towing a 7500 lb. TT. Now we have a 13,500 lb. 5er. We will never go back to a gasser. We are approaching 200K miles on the truck...about 90% while towing.

All of the Big 3 diesels are excellent - Ram, Ford, Chevy. I would stick with a 3/4-ton to preserve a more comfortable ride while driving and not towing.

Only thing I would change would be a larger fuel tanks.
Jakieboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2020, 11:33 AM   #20
Brake is on left
 
The Evil Twin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: USA
Posts: 1,095
Quote:
Originally Posted by stev379 View Post
Thank you for the replies and info. Every bit has been helpful.

Would an F150 5.0 V8 be sufficient for 6-8000lb trailer? 2 small girls, 1 small wife, a lightweight me and a 70lb dog riding + bikes, wood and packed coolers in the bed and/or trailer. I'll be using a Hensley hitch if it matters.

Could it put more wear and tear on a F150 (than a 250) and cause a poor resale value 5-7 years from now?

I'm big on taking care of vehicles to get a good resale price so I'll pay more for a 250 now if it would resale better than a 150 after the same time.

I'm seeing a lot of F150's available. I've focused on 250's for downhill and braking safety, but I'm curious if a 5.0 v8 F150 might suffice for our needs. We don't have a trailer yet, but plan on a 26-30' BH around 6000-8000lbs. We want it as small as possible, but comfortable for when it rains on every trip we take. I could upgrade trailers in the future, but I tend to keep things for a while so if I pair a 150 with the right trailer, I'll likely keep them for a while.
The 150 might but I would go with the 250 gas. You are likely going to have 800 lbs of people and stuff in the truck plus 1500 lbs on the hitch. Your payload capacity will be eaten up quickly on a 150. A gas 250 could have a near 3000 lb payload depending on options. Just my opinion.
Also to reiterate- diesels do not like repeated short trips.
The Evil Twin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
towing, truck

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:44 AM.