PU Truck - which model?

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Free Spirit

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Jul 17, 2016
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Houston, Tx area.
I am not a motorhead and towing is large trailer is going to be new to me.
I am planning on buying a 5th wheel about 32-34 feet long. It looks like the hitch weight could be in the 1400 - 1600 pound range.
I will be looking for a used towing vehicle - PREFERABLY FORD
I am thinking diesel but they may be too expensive for me.
What size truck will I need?
 
Your in the f350 area no question.... Only big question is. Dually or single rear wheels. 2wd or 4wd.    If your going by cost. I go with a 2wd single. Gas motor.  That will give you the best fuel economy. Which will still be terrible at best while Towing. And marginal while not Towing...... If your not Into having all the bell and whistles.  Their are a lot of used company work trucks out their.  But a good mechanical inspection imperative tow companies a very good maintenance schedules others don't
 
With a pin weight of under 2000 pounds you could get by with an F-250 but F-350 would be better.  My F-350 SRW with all the options still has over 3200 pounds of payload so I would suggest going with the 350 as well like Robert said.  I don't think a dually would be needed for you at all.  I pull our 38 foot 5th wheel no problems.  Been to the scales with it and I have 2800 pound pin weight with the trailer weighing in at 13,100.

Not sure why Robert thinks gas will give you better fuel economy.  Diesel will get you 3+ better towing and probably that much better empty.  Cost will be what you will have to figure out.  I always had gas until my current truck and will not go back to diesel.  Also keep in mind how and where you will be towing.  I do long trips of 5000 miles every year thru the Rockies so that makes a difference.  Gas will work fine for that load but I don't see how you can get better mileage then a diesel.

Good luck to you.
 
Elkhounds said:
Not sure why Robert thinks gas will give you better fuel economy.  Diesel will get you 3+ better towing and probably that much better empty.
Click to expand...
I had to read this twice, too, but I think Robert meant going with the 2WD SRW F350 would give the best gas mileage (vs. for example a 4WD DRW).


For what it's worth my 5er has a pin weight of about 2,000 lbs (estimated - getting a CAT scale weight next week) and I feel it is a good fit for my 2500 gasser. I still have about 500-600 lbs of cargo weight left (per the sticker) even when the family and firewood are on board. It's slow on the hills but that's to be expected. Now, with that being said, I already had the truck and did not want to upgrade. When the right time comes, I will be shopping for a 1-ton and most likely a diesel.


There - that should complicate the answer nicely!  8)
 
Not much factual data to go on, but either s 3/4 ton or one ton SRW would seem about right.  I suspect, though, that the pin weight on a 32-34 ft 5W is going to be substantially more than 1600 lbs, probably more like 2400 and that may push it over into F350 territory.
 
I have a 34 FW, no way the hitch weigh is going to be 1400-1600, as Gary said.  I tried with a 2500 HD Chevy and  when I hit the hills in TX, my DW told me we needed a bigger truck.  When your DW tells you so, it is obvious.  2500 payload is 2,500 maybe close to 3,000 if it is a plain one.
 
My buddy and I both went up the hill.  He had a 460CI Ford Gasser and was towing a 8,000# trailer.  I had a 7.3 (444CI) Diesel and was towing a 12,000# fifth wheel.  At the top of the hill I pulled over and waited about 10 minutes for him to catch up.

Next time we went camping together he showed up with a diesel just like mine.

If you're going to be in hill country a diesel is probably the best choice.  There's a reason why most of the trucks you see in RV parks are diesels.
 
First time towers should get more truck than they need anyway. Adds a safety factor while you learn. Nothing tows a big 5er as well as a diesel duelly.
 
I said 2wd will give you better fuel economy.  However I can tell you from experience with our fleet service vans.  Between the extra upfront cost of diesel and the much higher maintenance and fuel cost of diesel. it tuck about 200,000 miles before we hit the brake even point. We also had sever employee destroy their truck putting gas in their diesel equipped vans.  Never had anyone put diesel in a gas van.....
 
A 32-34 foot 5th wheel will have a pin weight in the 2500-3000 lbs if you want a trailer that will tow well.

5th wheels that tow well will have pin weights close to 25% of trailer gross weight.
 
First time towers should get 2 to 3 times the truck they need.  After a year they'll want a bigger trailer.  It works out cheaper this way in the long run.  :)
 
First, is that pin wt from manufacturer data?  If so, it is based on an empty FW and absolutely not correct.  Find the GVWR for the FW and use 20% - 22% of that as a much better pin weight estimate.

As a good general rule, F150 can not pull a FW.  There are exceptions.

F250 can pull a SMALL FW, less than 12,000# GVWR.  Not enough Payload for a bigger FW.

F350 SRW should handle FW up to 15,000#.

The best way is to get a good estimate of pin wt. as above.  Add 200# for a hitch.  Add the weight of all passengers, pets and cargo in the truck.  The truck Payload, or CCC must exceed this number.  This number, by definition, is truck GVWR minus actual weight.  There is a yellow label on the driver door B pillar for THAT TRUCK as it left the factory.  YOU MUST CHECK THIS FOR EACH VEHICLE.

I have a 2013 F350.  For that year, there are 50 unique configurations, each of which have unique payloads for the base model.  Factors include the truck GVWR (one option is a reduced rating), cab, bed, 2WD or 4WD, which motor and even tire size.  Larger tires have higher load carrying capacity.  From this number, you must subtract the weight of all options and accessories.

A 13 F350 just like mine in XL trim with no options has over 500# higher CCC than my Lariat has.

I tell you this, not to confuse, but to show why it is so important to look at the yellow label on EVERY truck you consider.
 
When we were shopping for a used truck, we were informed by our diesel mechanic that a certain range of years for Ford trucks were prone to shed the head gasket. I am fairly certain it was '02-'06. He told us if we purchase one with the original head gasket, get it at as low a price as possible is it was almost inevitable that it would blow. Otherwise, look for one that has had the work already completed.

We ended up with an '06 F-350 diesel dually that had already had the head work completed. Through a bizarre stroke of luck, the work was done by our mechanic (he recognized the truck), and he said he would carry the warranty over to us.
 
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