Best Tow Vehicle

[Gary RV_Wizard]

First of all, you can't use the truck model (F150 or 1500) as shorthand for it's capability. Individual trucks can vary widely in their capacity ratings, so you need to get the specs for the specific truck you have or intend to buy. For a given trailer, the truck needs to have enough GVWR, Payload, GCWR (tow capacity), and hitch capacity (tongue weight and pulling) for it. Others have already noted most of these in their replies, but you need to put it all together to make sure all the boxes get checked OK.

The truck manufacturers tow ratings are not specific to RV trailers and other types of trailers have different characteristics that place different loads on the truck. Generally speaking, a truck can tow a heavier utility trailer or low-boy car hauler than it can a travel trailer or fifth wheel RV trailer. Any of those trucks can easily pull the weight of that 8746 lb GVWR trailer, but there's more to it than that. The tongue weight (load placed on the truck suspension and hitch) will be 10%-12% of the trailer GVWR, or 875-1050 lb. You need to look at the truck payload (cargo) rating to make sure it can handle that and still have leftover capacity for driver & passenger and any gear you carry in the truck (including the trailer hitch itself). You also need to make sure the receiver hitch itself is rated to handle the pull (8746) and the tongue weight (875-1050). It may need a weight-distributing (WD) hitch for the latter. Also, if it turns out you are near the cargo payload limits, verify that the rear axle weight rating (GAWR) isn't exceeded. The cargo payload isn't always evenly split between front & rear axles. Especially if the truck is equipped with passenger-style tires (as many 1500 class trucks are these days).

Having said all that, a typical half ton (1500 class) truck can handle travel trailers up to around 7500 lbs. They can be configured with options to reach 9000 lbs or more, but you may have to special order to find one like that. Smaller engines, e.g. a V6, have to rev up a lot to produce that necessary horsepower because they lack low-rpm torque. That means slower acceleration & hill climbing, and usually more noise in the truck cab. It does the job, but you will probably be happier with the bigger 6.2L V8 engine. However, there is probably some modest MPG penalty for having the extra pull-power readily available.

 

[joerone]

I agree 100%!! II only wish I knew this before I bought an F150 3.5L Eco Boost. Did a good job towing my 8300# TT locally, but I was concerned about long trips, mountains and adding passengers and cargo other than my wife and our stuff. Found these 2 resources which led me to bite the bullet and trade up for a GMC Sierra 3500.

1. Ford has an online tow calculator for the F Series trucks that utilizes your Vin # so it specific to your truck. After entering the vin, you enter cargo, passenger and hitch weights, whether you have a conventional, 5th wheel or goose neck hitch and it tells you what you have left to tow. https://www.ford.com/support/towing-calculator
2. Keep Your Daydream has a You Tube channel and he does a great informational video on all aspects of towing GVWR, GAWR etc. They also include a link to a downloadable spreadsheet where you put in your truck and RV info as well as passenger/payload weights and it will calculate your tow capacity https://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/

 

[John From Detroit]

Alas I do not think they make 'em any more but a company in Canada (Wil-Ro if I recall correctly) Used to make a Tow Vehicle for RV's called a "Trail-Hauler".

A small Peterbuilt Semi tractor with an RV size 4th wheel and RV type brake controller

If you have to ask "Can my truck tow this" you are NOT driving a Trail-Hauler.. Cause it can.

 

[oldryder1]

If you are buying the truck primarily to tow a camper then a 3/4 or 1 ton is going to do the job better than a 1/2 ton which are designed to have a "car-like" ride with a heavier focus on mpg than towing torque. I moved from a 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton and the difference was profound. No more sway when semi's passed me (and a lot fewer semi's passing me because I was comfortable towing at a higher speed). No more wailing engine on grades or merging ramps. Mileage was a couple miles per gallon lower but no doubt some of that was due to a higher average mph. Fatigue at the end of a day was less. overall a definite improvement and worth it. The only negative was the harsh ride if not towing. We recently took a trip to visit family at christmas and drove the 3/4 ton truck because winter weather was a potential problem. Mileage was 15.1 for the big truck and my F150 would get about 20 mpg on the same trip. The 3/4 ton truck ride was harsh and occasionally downright bouncy on sections of interstate that weren't smooth.

 

[Sunnyfalls]

I went in the opposite direction in buying a TT that would be good to go with the truck, since I had other considerations for selecting the truck, including garage space, fuel economy when not towing, ride comfort, and, of course, price.

We're a retired couple, so our next RV will most likely be smaller.

Yep, that's our situation and was our approach too...and we are now RVing in Costa Rica and using Starlink Internet to write this...

Our 17 feet, 2480 lb empty weight fiberglass Casita trailer purchase and our modifications, refinements and upgrades were specifically chosen to enable us to travel economically, far, fast and then comfortably, securely dry camp with our cats in very beautiful and very remote locations for as long as we desire.

We specifically selected our truck (Honda Ridgeline) and our trailer size combination to optimize aerodynamic performance. Having anymore frontal surface area than is absolutely necessary on a tow vehicle or on a trailer will increase aerodynamic drag force which also further increases by the square of the speed. So if you increase your speed from say 30 MPH to 60 MPH, you have doubled your speed, but you have quadrupled the amount of aerodynamic drag force! So having any more frontal surface area than necessary and driving at higher speeds than necessary greatly increases the required tow vehicle power, which then reduces the towing MPG, which then increases the expense of traveling.

We were once told..."that once you go Big, you just become another more money than brains bloated Pig"...which we come to realize was some of the best advice we received with regard to RVing. And we sure like our 23 MPG average towing performance while still having way more performance than we need to fly past the behemoth RV rigs in high altitude mountain passes. Having a small aerodynamic trailer and using our Andersen WDH, which also has anti-sway capability, totally eliminates feeling anything from large semi's too. And when we are not towing, it is also nice having a smaller, more comfortable and reliable vehicle that is much faster and has much better MPG than the behemoth trucks and which can be easily parked anywhere.

 

[Knobs1]

... 1/2 ton which are designed to have a "car-like" ride with a heavier focus on mpg than towing torque. ... No more wailing engine on grades or merging ramps.

Depends on what options you have on the truck, and how you have it set up.

My 1/2 ton does have a nice ride, is great for long road trips, has more towing torque than I need, gets 22+ mpg when not towing, and hardly breaks a sweat crossing the Rockies towing my TT.

 

[longhaul1]

I am in process of purchasing a new 29'-8" travel trailer. Seller stated multiple times this could be adequately and safely towed with a 1.5 ton truck. I am not sure and seek advice. The GVWR of trailer is 8746 lbs. Max towing for F-150 3.5L EcoBoost V6 is 13,500 lbs. and for Sierra XLT 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 is 13,100 lbs. Will either of these trucks be adequate after being equipped with appropriate WD hitch? I appreciate any thoughts.

Never heard of a 1.5 ton pickup truck. 1.5 tons = 3000 lbs. Most 1/2 ton trucks today weigh in the 5500k-6000k lb range depending on how its configured.
Fords F150 3.5 EB engine has 375 hp/470 torque and will easily pull its rated tow rating. How ever the 13350 lb tow rating would be for a flatbed trailer that can be loaded heavy over the trailers axles and lite on the trucks rear axle.
F150 trucks with the max tow package come in several weight specs from small 6xxx gvwr and 6300-6800 rawrs/1500-1600 lb in the bed payloads....
next up is a 7000 gvwr/4050 rawr/1800 ln in the bed payloads..
next up 7500 gvwr/4500 rawr/2000-2200 lb in the bed payloads....
and tops is a 7850 gvwr/4800 rawr/2400 -2500 lb in the bed payloads... all depending on year models and scaled axle weights..
AS we see some folks bought the wrong F150 gvwr/rawr package for their listed TT.

GMs 6.2 v8 engine has 420 hp/460 torque and will have no problem pulling the TT you listed. Generally a 6.2 GM 1500 comes with the NHT tow package = 7300 gvwr and 4300 rawr..... good for approx 2000 lb in the bed payloads. Of course scaled axle weights will tell you exact numbers.

Check those drivers side door tag (any LDT size pickup) gvwr/rawr tags for the right size 1/2 ton truck for your TT.

 

[outofhere]

Here is a great video on YouTube about towing and capacity

 

[kingspeak]

I appreciate all the valuable insights. We opted to minimize the risk and increase the fun and went with a 3/4 ton diesel. Will let you know how everything performs after we get out on the road.

 

[Onyrlef]

I appreciate all the valuable insights. We opted to minimize the risk and increase the fun and went with a 3/4 ton diesel. Will let you know how everything performs after we get out on the road.

Now you're cookin' w/gas.

 

[Firstime RVer]

I appreciate all the valuable insights. We opted to minimize the risk and increase the fun and went with a 3/4 ton diesel. Will let you know how everything performs after we get out on the road.

FWIW We swapped our 2016 Silverado 1500 6 cylinder 6 speed tranny for a 2019 silverado 8 cylinder 8 speed tranny to tow our 6,600 lb Travel trailer.
It made towing in the hills much less stressful and made for a more comfortable drive.
Safe travels and all the best.