Great advice for who want to tow

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steveblonde

steveblonde

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Stumbled on this video today, awesome advice if you want to know what you can or should tow with your vehicle


https://youtu.be/-IBtVdr0Iyc
 
grashley said:
Very good, well stated, understandable advise!
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I've seen his YouTube videos and I've disregarded his advice when it comes to tow vehicles.  He is one of those guys who loves big trucks, so his advice is to go for the biggest truck possible...he drives a F-450.

I'm not a truck guy, and never had much a desire or need for one until I purchased my travel trailer, and I can't imagine driving those big clumsy things on a daily basis.

But I just ordered a F-150 SCrew, EB, HDPP (11,500lbs tow/2500lbs payload for XLT.) with a 6.5ft bed for my 37ft, 8,300 travel trailer. It definitely will not be a daily driver, and I can't remember one moment in time when I had my 6x8 utility trailer loaded with mulch or lumber and hooked up to my Honda, saying to myself how better it would be to have a truck with a 4,000lbs payload...not once.

That guy tries to get anyone with a 5,000lbs trailer into a 3/4 ton, as if everyone wants a big and heavy truck.
 
I have to laugh at people that purchase the Heavy Payload Option for a 150.  Puting real truck tires, heavier springs, heavier shocks, heavy duty axles on a truck the weights less than 5000 pounds makes for terrible riding truck.  My neighbor had one for awhile and I took him and his wife for ride in my GMC 1 ton Diesel and both of them agreed that 1 ton rode better than their Heavy Duty Payload F150 and was within an inch of being the same length.  All he towed was Jet skis and riding lawnmower on a trailer and didn't need either the 1-ton diesel or the Heavy Duty Payload F150 so he traded for F150 Max Tow.  He took me for a ride and that one nice riding truck and will meet all he needs for what he tow and daily use and as a go-to work truck.
 
A 37 ft long trailer with a 1/2 ton truck, good luck!
 
CWSWine said:
I have to laugh at people that purchase the Heavy Payload Option for a 150.  Puting real truck tires, heavier springs, heavier shocks, heavy duty axles on a truck the weights less than 5000 pounds makes for terrible riding truck.  My neighbor had one for awhile and I took him and his wife for ride in my GMC 1 ton Diesel and both of them agreed that 1 ton rode better than their Heavy Duty Payload F150 and was within an inch of being the same length.  All he towed was Jet skis and riding lawnmower on a trailer and didn't need either the 1-ton diesel or the Heavy Duty Payload F150 so he traded for F150 Max Tow.  He took me for a ride and that one nice riding truck and will meet all he needs for what he tow and daily use and as a go-to work truck.
Click to expand...

Well, you might get a bigger laugh at the manufacturers engineering such a truck because of people like me who want one, because I'm glad they did.

This the perfect truck for guys like me, and it is the least compromise out there for me since I have to have a truck for my RV. At least I can see some limited usage for this truck for my screen tents, lawn chairs and grill when not towing, but that 250/350, would be too great of a compromise to use, and outside of towing, and I would definitely not try to travel in one when not towing, and it would be as useless as a snowblower in August.

I've read comments from owners, and from their perspectives, the HDPP rides just a tad more "trucky" as their previous none HDPP truck, and those are the comments I place value in.
 
RVRAC said:
A 37 ft long trailer with a 1/2 ton truck, good luck!
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I've been lurking  and reading for over two years on multiple RV forums and sites, and I haven't read not one credible or reasonable comment that such a truck can't safety and comfortably tow a travel trailer that is well below the specs of a 1/2 ton just because it is 35 or so feet.

I've read tons of comments saying you can't do so, but considering they came from guys who just love big trucks and have this perspective that if you tow anything larger than a Walmart shopping cart, you will need to get a 1 ton dually diesel...lol.

I have none to little experience in towing a travel trailer, but I trust my judgment along with the information I've gathered to make this decision, than I do the information about not being able to safely and comfortably tow this trailer.


I like driving cars over any truck, and this truck is the least pain in the butt as it pertains to needing a truck, and at least I  can drive it sometimes when not towing.

I already know with the lighter weight of the truck in relation to the trailer I will get more wind push than a heavier truck, but with the suspension and LT tires on that truck along with the new stiffer Endurance tires I've installed, I'm betting that will mitigate any potential  sway associated with this setup when faced with sway induced conditions.

What I've gathered from guys who tow TT with these HDPP  trucks, they tow it's rated weight much better than the Max Trailer tow trucks.

The HDPP trucks contain the Max Trailer tow, but the Max Trailer tow trucks doesn't contain the HDPP.

I wouldn't not attempt towing this trailer with a Max Trailer tow with that 3.55 rear end and soft suspension.

Even if I have to get a Hensley or Pro Pride, that is still worth having a truck a truck I can get some use from when not towing, versus no use from a big heavy clumsy 2/3 ton with  that old and outdatedn underpowered engines and six speed transmissions.  The slightly less stout platform, but better towing engine and transmission are worth the tradeoffs, than those gas engine's in those 3/4 tons.

They need to update those engines in the 475hp/475ft/lbs range tied to standard eight and ten speed transmissions.




 
Oldgator73 said:
This is a picture of my truck and TT. Truck does pretty good but thinking I will try a bigger rig next year.

http://www.thecairns.com/SS/big-truck.jpg
Click to expand...

Not enough truck!!

"I've towed the same weight with my F-550 dually diesel, and I wouldn't go any higher"...lol
 
Oldgator73 said:
This is a picture of my truck and TT. Truck does pretty good but thinking I will try a bigger rig next year.

http://www.thecairns.com/SS/big-truck.jpg
Click to expand...

I would love to see a video of that rig backing into a typical state park campsite!
 
Oldgator73 said:
This is a picture of my truck and TT. Truck does pretty good but thinking I will try a bigger rig next year.

http://www.thecairns.com/SS/big-truck.jpg
Click to expand...

Love the picture, I believe there are card carrying members of the RV Forum weight police who honestly believe that towing anything larger that a 6' pop-up, with anything smaller than a class 8 OTR tractor, is just asking for trouble.

The second point is that many people comment that the police can fine you, or that the insurance company can deny your claim, based on you being overweight. While I do believe that it is true that you could be fined, or have insurance deny a claim, I suspect that that is a very rare occurrence. Is there anyone here with actual first hand knowledge, I'd love to hear from someone that has been fined, or had a claim denied.
 
I have a friend that had his rig impounded in Idaho - i had to rescue him he had a 43Ft toyhauler behind a 2012 gmc 2500
And i have had a couple friends pulled over to check weights and ocerhangs on 3500 series trucks with snowmobiles on sled decks
 
Wood said:
I've read tons of comments saying you can't do so,

I have none to little experience in towing a travel trailer, but I trust my judgment along with the information I've gathered to make this decision, than I do the information about not being able to safely and comfortably tow this trailer. 
Click to expand...

Seems you came for advise from those who have more knowledge than you and I combined, x10, and don't like it.  I will say, if/when that 37' tail gets waggin, you will certainly wish you had more truck than a 150 holding your life to the ground.  You can spec all you want, but sometimes real life experiences trump all.  And just so you know, I have 05 Yukon XL, pull a 21' trailer, and I wouldn't dare pull anything over 25', and I'm good up to 8200#.
 
Oldgator73 said:
This is a picture of my truck and TT. Truck does pretty good but thinking I will try a bigger rig next year.

http://www.thecairns.com/SS/big-truck.jpg
Click to expand...

That would only work if you have an Equal-I-Zer hitch and a Prodigy brake controller.  To be safe, replace all tires with Maxxis.  What is your hitch weight and the payload on the truck, bet it is nearly maxed out.
 
spencerpj said:
Seems you came for advise from those who have more knowledge than you and I combined, x10, and don't like it.  I will say, if/when that 37' tail gets waggin, you will certainly wish you had more truck than a 150 holding your life to the ground.  You can spec all you want, but sometimes real life experiences trump all.  And just so you know, I have 05 Yukon XL, pull a 21' trailer, and I wouldn't dare pull anything over 25', and I'm good up to 8200#.
Click to expand...

I may be mistaken but if you look back at Wood's posts you will see he did not ask for advice.

Wood said:
Not enough truck!!

"I've towed the same weight with my F-550 dually diesel, and I wouldn't go any higher"...lol
Click to expand...

Wood said:
I've been lurking  and reading for over two years on multiple RV forums and sites, and I haven't read not one credible or reasonable comment that such a truck can't safety and comfortably tow a travel trailer that is well below the specs of a 1/2 ton just because it is 35 or so feet.

I've read tons of comments saying you can't do so, but considering they came from guys who just love big trucks and have this perspective that if you tow anything larger than a Walmart shopping cart, you will need to get a 1 ton dually diesel...lol.

I have none to little experience in towing a travel trailer, but I trust my judgment along with the information I've gathered to make this decision, than I do the information about not being able to safely and comfortably tow this trailer.


I like driving cars over any truck, and this truck is the least pain in the butt as it pertains to needing a truck, and at least I  can drive it sometimes when not towing.

I already know with the lighter weight of the truck in relation to the trailer I will get more wind push than a heavier truck, but with the suspension and LT tires on that truck along with the new stiffer Endurance tires I've installed, I'm betting that will mitigate any potential  sway associated with this setup when faced with sway induced conditions.

What I've gathered from guys who tow TT with these HDPP  trucks, they tow it's rated weight much better than the Max Trailer tow trucks.

The HDPP trucks contain the Max Trailer tow, but the Max Trailer tow trucks doesn't contain the HDPP.

I wouldn't not attempt towing this trailer with a Max Trailer tow with that 3.55 rear end and soft suspension.

Even if I have to get a Hensley or Pro Pride, that is still worth having a truck a truck I can get some use from when not towing, versus no use from a big heavy clumsy 2/3 ton with  that old and outdatedn underpowered engines and six speed transmissions.  The slightly less stout platform, but better towing engine and transmission are worth the tradeoffs, than those gas engine's in those 3/4 tons.

They need to update those engines in the 475hp/475ft/lbs range tied to standard eight and ten speed transmissions.
Click to expand...

Wood said:
Wood said:
Well, you might get a bigger laugh at the manufacturers engineering such a truck because of people like me who want one, because I'm glad they did.

This the perfect truck for guys like me, and it is the least compromise out there for me since I have to have a truck for my RV. At least I can see some limited usage for this truck for my screen tents, lawn chairs and grill when not towing, but that 250/350, would be too great of a compromise to use, and outside of towing, and I would definitely not try to travel in one when not towing, and it would be as useless as a snowblower in August.

I've read comments from owners, and from their perspectives, the HDPP rides just a tad more "trucky" as their previous none HDPP truck, and those are the comments I place value in.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

 
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