New to towing. Should I?

[stevejahr]

No reason at all why a woman could not handle an F150 and TT solo. The F150 is, aside from adjusting to size and visual perspective, easy peasy to drive.

I have a 2014 F150 I tow a 30' TT with and the ecoboost 3.5 is amazing. You won't get great gas mileage while towing but it can pull the goods.

If you get a backup camera hitching up will be a breeze. I have added a yellow tape cross on top of my hitch for contrast and using the F150 backup camera can nail it spot on in a single try.

Electric tongue lift and electric stabilizers on the TT will reduce physical effort there and TT leveling is no more complicated than leveling a MH.

It sounds like you are self-limiting on TT size to something the F150 could handle with ease so I would say go for it.

[Terier]

Originally Posted by Kels4g

We tow our TT with a Chevy Silverado 1500 so it is possible.

To consider:
The bars and hitch that you use to tow can be/get heavy. Are you able to lift them safely and while in an awkward position (squatting)?

Also, it is much easier to back up a motorhome and a towed than it is to back up a truck TT because the towed vehicle would be unhooked and there's no point of pivot. Also, the length of a truck/TT is much longer than a similarly sized motorhome.

Good point. I have a bad back and found inserting the bars impossible to do myself. Just trying to do did me in and was one of the reasons I considered selling my TT the very first day I took delivery. It was important that I be independent because quite frankly I could not depend upon help form others. Being independent = freedom.

The next morning I started searching for place temporary that would assist with hitching & unhitching. Then my neighbor showed me how to insert a stubby screwdriver to open the brackets. Now I have no problems inserting or removing the bars. I also use a thick rug to kneel on for hitching and for setting up camp tasks. It beats kneeling directly on rocks, pebbles or hot pavement.

I am so glad I didn't sell my trailer. Where there's a will there's a way. With practice comes experience & skill. In the meantime often there are tricks & tips to be shared.



PS
Learn as much as you can about truck payload. There's more to it than just the camper numbers.

Backup camera is worth the investment.

[pontiacdan45]

I bought my first camping vehicle in 2014. A fifth wheel and a 3/4 ton truck to pull it.

Then the learning started. At my age (70) I was intimidated by the learning curve but within a few months so much became clearer. We bought the 5th wheel for just the reason you mentioned. We wanted to explore, not just camp.

This forum is great for helping and there is a vast data base herein that can help.

If you read and study the material that comes with the TT you will feel more confidant. Then ask anyone at the camp questions and they will be happy to help you.

I owe the small amount of confidence I have to this forum and talking to other owners.

Good luck and enjoy.

Dan

[PenJoe]

I agree with everyone else in that you can do it. My concern is the economics to making a complete switch after one year. It seems that the hit you will be taking on trades could easily cover the cost of a toad.

If you are completely dissatisfied with the MH, then maybe a switch is in order. However, I am with AquaMan on the Ford backup assist. I would not consider using the Ford back-up assist to back a TT. But I would strongly suggest the in-dash integrated brake controller. That feature was love at first sight and it has proven its worth towing.

[OKpete]

Over the years we have had several travel trailers in different sizes, from 19 feet to 29 feet, and a fifth wheel that was 35 feet. We now have a 31 foot class C motorhome and I would never go back to anything else. For one thing the set up on the trailers and 5vr were killing me, Hooking up the stabilizer bars were murder on my already bad back and same was true climbing over pickup to connect the fifth wheel. If I was still young and very flexible might not be an issue. Also, I find backing the motorhome far easier than a trailer. When we go to Cal. to visit family, there are very cheap car rentals so we dont have to tow our Jeep. There is something for everyone check out all the variables before you decide.

[Total Loss]

I just switched from a truck trailer to a motorhome and either utility trailer, toad or no tow. (I carry a motorcycle on the back sometimes)
I love the versatility of the motorhome.
There may be times you don't want to tow
With a truck/trailer you are always towing...and always unhooking to drive around.
Towing a small toad behind a motorhome- you almost don't feel it- except for the loss in accelleration and braking from the added weight.
A good (but expensive) toad towbar setup is simple to operate- unhooking can be a breeze with the right unit.
Good luck on the choice- I would opt for the small toad behind the motorhome.

(and I love seeing the single women out there- you got game girl !)

[oldsmasma]

For some of the above mentioned reasons we moved from a 4x4 F250 diesel and fifth when to a small motorhome a couple of years ago. Although we could tow our suv we prefer to just call Enterprise and rent their cheapest sub compact when we want to tour. They come right to the campground to pick you up. Way less hassle than towing something. Works for us.

[CaptnJohn]

Get a power tongue jack that lifts as high as possible. That makes setting the bars very easy. An Equalizer (tm) WD anti sway hitch and good to go. The receiver is heavy but once in it never needs removed.

[Hannah]

My son has a 2015 F 150 that I drive frequently - through Downtown Atlanta no less. I am inspired by all your encouragement. I looked into the rental car route and too many places did not have rentals available. I definitely do not want to have to tow a toad with the "one person" hook up and unhook requirements. Any travel trailer that I purchase will be new and will have every electronic operation available to woman kind. Looking forward to meeting more of you while on the road. Camper travelers are wonderful people! Thank you all again for your advice.

[CaptnJohn]

Almost every campground will have someone available to help you set up or prepare to leave if you ask. Almost every one has needed help at one time or another and is willing to help another camper. Go for it!

[FordHauler]

I believe you can do it, you seem to believe too.
I do not see that anyone has suggested a Hensley Hitch to you, so I will!
The Hensley will eliminate sway problems and the weight distribution bars are permanently attached. I use a battery powered drill/driver with a 3/4" socket attached to adjust weight distribution and am very happy with my investment in the Hensley. (no I do not work for them, just a satisfied owner). They sell new and reconditioned, either with a lifetime warranty. Best wishes with your decision.
Travel safe

[jkoenig24]

The short answer is YES you can. Several good points made above. My #1 recommendation would be to find and attend an RV Boot Camp. RV Boot Camp WILL make you a more knowledgeable, safer RVer. A good RV Boot Camp covers the pros and cons of motorhome vs travel trailer and, how to stay safe with whichever you choose. Towing on flat ground in ideal conditions is easy. Murphy's Law will rear its' head when things get challenging. It's VERY important to match the tow vehicle's capacities to the trailer's needs. Truck salespeople will lie in order to sell you. The experts at an RV Boot Camp will help you demystify the process. You'll get the facts you need to make informed choices. I just signed up for the RVSEF Conference (RV Safety & Education Foundation) in KY this May. Escapees will hold an RV Boot Camp before Escapade (late July in VT). Other groups run RV Boot Camps too. Some RV Boot Camps have, as an option, Driving School. If you'd like some professional training, this would be a good way to get it.

There are Solo RV groups too (some just for women). I started with a 17' Casita Travel Trailer. It was a GREAT way to start out. There is a Casita Solos group (and about half are women). I understand that Oliver now has a 23'6" fiberglass travel trailer. Oliver build quality, service, and customer support is legendary! Other companies make fiberglass units as well. Whatever you choose will set you back a fair amount of money. I know the wide array of choices is bewildering (especially when you start checking resources such as RVTrader.com ). Take the time you need to make a well informed decision. It will sure beat "Buyer's Remorse"! Good Luck!

[Loraura]

I saw that trailer backing assist video. Honestly, I don't think it buys you anything. It doesn't magically let you see behind the trailer so all it's really doing is taking a knob you turn to the right, and turning the steering wheel to the left. You can just put your hand on the bottom of the wheel and accomplish exactly the same thing.

That being said, once you learn how to back a trailer, there is no reason you can't do it alone.

Source: Am a female and can do it alone!

I will say that it would be EASIER to back into sites in a MH with a backup camera. I do usually try for a pull through spot if i am arriving after dark and don't have a spotter. This wouldn't be an issue in a MH.

[dustman_stx]

My $.02:

1. Get a trailer with 2 axles. They "walk" less and single axle trailers are more "erratic" in their movement when backing. Anything over 16-18' should have dual axles anyway, but just in case you found a shorter unit that you liked.
2. My personal recommendation is to get a Barker tongue jack and manual stabilizers. Then use a cordless drill to run your stabs up and down with. The Barker is very dependable. Many people like the power stabs, but with a drill, I only have 1 motor to worry about (the drill) and if it stops working I can swing into any WalMart or hardware store and be back up and running with no fuss.
3. I recommend looking for trailers with the a higher cargo carrying capacity (CCC). For example, let's say you are looking at two trailers similar in size and floorplan that both have a yellow sticker weight of 4500lbs. One has a CCC of 1000lbs and the other has a CCC of 2200lbs. Even if you only carry 1K of "stuff", the higher CCC trailer will have heavier load range tires and have a significant load safety margin.
4. Go with an F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost. Find one you like that is in your budget and it WILL easily tow a trailer in the size range with no fuss. There are many other trucks out there that will easily accomplish this, but you need to take into consideration gear ratios, engine sizes, cooling capabilities and such to make SURE that the particular truck you are looking at will work. Any 3.5 Ecoboost truck will do the job- you are likely going to be in the mid 5K weight range with a camper this size.
5. Make sure the truck has a backup camera. This will make hitching/unhitching easy and straight forward.
6. Install a backup camera on the camper. Back right in to the camp site quickly and easily without needing a spotter.
7. I've never used it, but I think I'd give the Andersen hitch a try with this type of setup. You shouldn't have excessive tongue weight with a rig this size and the Andersen is very light and easy to use. Most hitches are going to be pretty difficult for most women to use as they are heavy and require significant force to move bars, tighten chains, etc.

The main towing advice I have is to make slow, shallow turns when backing. The vast majority of people I've seen that really struggle to back a trailer cut the wheel WAY too hard causing too much angle that they can't recover from. This leads to the pulling forward and backward over and over. Also contributes to "snaking" a trailer back and, if turned REALLY sharp jack-knifing. When driving, pull a little farther out into a turn before initiating the turn and then turn the wheel sharper and faster than you normally would. This will keep the trailer from cutting a corner and striking a curb or another vehicle, gas pump, gate, whatever.