Trucks to tow....dear lord!

[mlbowers]

I am a newb. I bought a 2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf model 26DJSE and when I truck shop, I feel lost and confused! The truck sale people are trying to sell me big trucks. The RV dealer said a Ford 150 could do the job. I am totally new, please help me! What truck do I need? In basic terms because I feel the acronyms are Greek, lol! I don't understand towing capacity versus GWVR and etc.... Thank you for any pearls of wisdom!

[007matman]

Looking at that model online, it appears in t has a GVWR of about 7574lbs.

In my opinion, that's right on the border between needing a 1/2 and 3/4 ton truck. Some of the newer 1/2 tons will probably do it if they're properly equipped. However, if you think there's a chance you may want to go larger at some point I'd go with the bigger truck to begin with. Typically, the price difference is nominal.

[Mike134]

Your 2 foot longer than my Camper and slightly lighter. I have no trouble towing it with my F150. My truck does have a bit more payload capacity then many 1/2 tons and that's your key number to look for. This camper is the "forever camper" for us (3rd one we've used) so no worries we might want bigger for the 2 of us.

[mlbowers]

Bought a 2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf. 28'.....RV salesman said a standard f150 would be fine. Truck dealer is saying no and I need a much larger and much more $$ truck. I am a lost lady here. Can a standard F15 or similar do the job? Or do I need a special truck? Thank you for any advice!

[IsleDog]

Tow Capacity is the maximum your vehicle can tow with essentially 0lbs tongue weight (think 4 wheel hay wagon). mostly a fictional number.

payload is the amount of stuff (you included) that your vehicle can handle. the weight of your hitch AND tongue weight count against this number. there is usually a sticker in the drivers door jamb that has this number.

Hitch capacity is the amount your vehicles hitch can have on it. usually two numbers (with weight distribution and without).

the number you should focus on when buying a new truck is the GVWR. this is the maximum that the camper can weigh when fully loaded with all of your gear. it is possible to over load, so be careful here. assume about 10-15% of your GVWR for your tongue weight. the published tongue weight is a fictional dry weight.

15% of 7574lbs (that models GVWR) is 1136lbs.

10% is 757lbs.

others with more knowledge will be able to go more in-depth than i have.

[ARhappycamper]

Just get an F250 and be done guessing.

[ARhappycamper]

Dealers will take advantage of anyone they think doesn’t have a clue. I agree tho a 3/4 ton is needed for that camper. Find a low mileage used with 6.2 gas. You don’t need anything fancy or 4 full size doors. Or do ya ?

[rfifer]

We have a 26 DBH and tow it with an F150 Lariat (eco-boost). We have had no difficulty at all. The eco-boost engine has plenty of get-up-and-go on the highway and handled the elevations of North Carolina quite well. If this trailer is a stepping stone to something larger in the next several years, I would suggest looking at an F250. But if this is it for your needs, the F150 ought to do well and is a comfortable ride around town.

[Underthedog]

If you go with the F150 be sure to verify the carry weight (on the yellow sticker on the driver door frame) to ensure you can carry yourself, your family (pets), and gear (firewood too) that you want in the truck, as well as the expected tongue weight of your trailer (12-15%ish). we are thinking about moving up to a comparable trailer, but already have the F150 to pull it with. I do not know if the extra length will change my comfort level (high) while towing, the extra weight wouldn't be an issue. And get the max tow package. I would have preferred the towing mirrors but I use a slip on extra mirror set made for the F150, although I could get by without.
Buying the F250 to allow for future expansion is a valid point.


you will likely get responses ranging from 'F150 is overkill' through 'minimum

F350'


Enjoy your camping.

[muddyrode]

it always better to have to much truck than not enough, one thing to remember is a bigger truck has bigger brakes
and like most you will be upgrading to a different trailer in the future

[MarcusWS]

I use Dodge 3/4 ton diesel for 15 years and just switched to F150 3.5 eco. Yes the dodge did pull my large boat and camper very well and with less worry. It also drank the most expensive fuel at the pumps. The only reason I got the F150 was because it is more flexible. I can get high fuel economy with cheap fuel when I do not need to tow. If you are going to use the vehicle more for non towing miles, look at the big cost picture. I kept the diesel for two years after I got the F150 and Just got tired of watching it park. I boosted the soft rear springs of the F150 with Sumo Springs and Adjustable Rancho shocks. It pulls my hitch heavy RR19 toy hauler without issue.

[tpstauffer]

Originally Posted by mlbowers

I am a newb. I bought a 2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf model 26DJSE and when I truck shop, I feel lost and confused! The truck sale people are trying to sell me big trucks. The RV dealer said a Ford 150 could do the job. I am totally new, please help me! What truck do I need? In basic terms because I feel the acronyms are Greek, lol! I don't understand towing capacity versus GWVR and etc.... Thank you for any pearls of wisdom!

Well, hindsight is 2020. Knowing what I know now, I would have bought a bigger truck on day 1. Here is the thing about RVs. When you buy your first RV, it is just that. It is your FIRST RV. Chances are that you will like RVs and eventually, your tastes will change, and you will get a bigger RV. Then, if you bought a smaller truck, you will have to buy another truck. Save yourself a lot of money. Buy bigger now, even though you don;t need it now. The advantage now is that you can load up all you want for cargo in the truck, and never have to worry about towing. I had a Suburban, then bought an E350 van, thinking it was big enough. I got another bigger trailer, so I bought an F150 3.5 ecoboost with all the towing extras. Bought another bigger trailer and the F150 wasn;t big enough. Now I have a F350 6.7 powerstroke and it handles much more than I need now. Wish I bought bigger to begin with. Paying now SAVES you a lot later. My 2 cents worth. Good luck and congrats.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by mlbowers

Bought a 2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf. 28'.....RV salesman said a standard f150 would be fine. Truck dealer is saying no and I need a much larger and much more $$ truck. I am a lost lady here. Can a standard F15 or similar do the job? Or do I need a special truck? Thank you for any advice!

First, you need to provide the trailer model number, saying it's 28ft doesn't tell us much that's helpful.
Also, more info on your truck is needed. We have no idea what you mean by "a standard F150". Depending on how it's spec'd, there's a huge range of capabilities.
For example, I have a 2014 F150 SCREW 3.5 Ecoboost with Max Tow package and 1828lbs of payload.

[DougW]

It looks like the 28 foot grey wolf is around 5,000 lbs empty. If so, by the time you add batteries, propane, some water and all of the other sundry items people take with them it will be a good bit more than that, probably in the 6,000 to 6,500 lb range. Depending on what packages are on the F150 that trailer may well be within the weight limits of the truck. It will likely be close to maximum weight but it should be safe to drive as long as you use due caution.

If you know the weight of your trailer you can use that along with the weight ratings on the yellow sticker on the driver’s doorpost of the truck to see if it is within weight limits for sure.

[CurtPutnam]

Welcome from SoCal!As you have discovered, there are as many different opinions as there are members of this forum - when it comes to to tow vehicles.

My own opinion is that since a ½ tine and a 3/4 ton are essentially the same price (new), it just makes sense to go the 3/4 ton route and be able to tow almost everything. If the truck has to be a daily driver or fit in the garage, then there may be issues for you personally (ride, parking, etc.) which only you can resolve.

[Inciter]

Originally Posted by DougW

It looks like the 28 foot grey wolf is around 5,000 lbs empty. If so, by the time you add batteries, propane, some water and all of the other sundry items people take with them it will be a good bit more than that, probably in the 6,000 to 6,500 lb range. Depending on what packages are on the F150 that trailer may well be within the weight limits of the truck. It will likely be close to maximum weight but it should be safe to drive as long as you use due caution.

If you know the weight of your trailer you can use that along with the weight ratings on the yellow sticker on the driver’s doorpost of the truck to see if it is within weight limits for sure.

DougW has you dialed in, if you are going to be close wise on everything I would get an F250, trades on used trucks are getting fantastic offers right now, An F250 is what I would do.

A Truck can be an F150 setup for show flashy rails and sporty looking tiers and all the trimmings and not really be a real truck, An F250 will get you a real truck for the future.

[Roberte52]

Originally Posted by mlbowers

I am a newb. I bought a 2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf model 26DJSE and when I truck shop, I feel lost and confused! The truck sale people are trying to sell me big trucks. The RV dealer said a Ford 150 could do the job. I am totally new, please help me! What truck do I need? In basic terms because I feel the acronyms are Greek, lol! I don't understand towing capacity versus GWVR and etc.... Thank you for any pearls of wisdom!

You have posted twice on this topic with two different trailers!

Bought a 2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf. 28'.....RV salesman said a standard f150 would be fine. Truck dealer is saying no and I need a much larger and much more $$ truck. I am a lost lady here. Can a standard F15 or similar do the job? Or do I need a special truck? Thank you for any advice!

[D W]

Note: The OP has posted a parallel thread today at:

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post2557442

[mlbowers]

It is a 2018 Cherokee Model 26DJSE. Sorry if I posted in 2 threads. Learning this forum rules.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by IsleDog

Tow Capacity is the maximum your vehicle can tow with essentially 0lbs tongue weight (think 4 wheel hay wagon). mostly a fictional number.

An agreement- tow ratings are fictional. But also a minor clarification- the "0 lbs tongue weight" isn't accurate.

The tow rating for recent pickup trucks is based on the SAE J2807 specification. For travel trailers, it's defined with:

• a 150 pound driver
• a 150 pound passenger
• 100 pounds of "towing equipment"
• 10% tongue weight