Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > TRAVEL TRAILER, 5th WHEEL & TRUCK CAMPER FORUMS > Trailer Towing and Tow Vehicles Discussion
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 12-15-2017, 10:33 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Lancaster, CA
Posts: 104
Got the Wagon now need the horse

So, my husband and I (after much research) decided that we'd find the TT that we liked and now we're looking at the tow vehicle to go with. We did it this way so that we didn't get stuck with a TT that would be too much for a TV.

This is where I am reaching out and requesting assistance. We purchased a 2018 Heartland North Trail 22FBS. GVWR is rated about 7,000 (I can't remember if it's 6,500 or 6,900). Dealer says 600 lb tongue/hitch weight as well. In any case, research we've done on TVs have provided us with the following:
  • Will be husband's daily driver
  • Gasoline engine - here's why; we both drive less than 4 miles one way to work destination. Diesel just doesn't make sense for us at this time.
  • 3/4 Ton: We know that this trailer is designated as a 1/2 ton towable but we aren't comfortable with that. We'd rather be safe.
  • Leaning towards a king cab instead of full crew cab.

We're both employed full-time and will be for at least another 6 years, so no full-timing it for now. Just weekend use close to home with a week or so once a year.

So looking for suggestions on make/model/year would be welcome. Thank you!
__________________
CruzTerri aka Terri
2018 Heartland North Trail 22FBS
TV - 2012 Ford F350 SRW 6.7L Diesel 4X4 Crew Cab Long Bed
CruzTerri is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 12-15-2017, 10:41 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 290
Quote:
Originally Posted by CruzTerri View Post
[*]Gasoline engine - here's why; we both drive less than 4 miles one way to work destination. Diesel just doesn't make sense for us at this time.
Why does the distance to work rule out a diesel? You'll really love the towing power of a diesel. The big V 10's etc.. have great power but the fuel mileage is not much better.

Just curious.
Peto is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 12:30 PM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 13
Go diesel! You will be much much happier! Especially when you get into the Appalachian mountains and realize you don’t have enough truck
clint623 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 12:55 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Freqz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,020
7000 pounds is one of those weights where the right half ton can work just fine. A F150 with max tow and HDPP, for instance...that opens up the option for the excellent ecoboost engine. I would figure on closer to 1000 pounds tongue weight once loaded.

You do not need a diesel for that trailer but the heavier and longer the truck gets the more comfortable towing will be. Really any truck from the big 3 will be fine assuming it has sufficient payload (and a 3/4 ton gasser should). My genetics predispose me to the blue oval but all three make a fine truck, IMO.

No matter which way you go, good job on deciding to buy the truck to match the trailer instead of justifying a smaller truck with a bigger trailer.

Cheers!
__________________
2018 ORV Timber Ridge 24rks
2017 F350 6.7 CC DRW
Freqz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 01:01 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Bob_C's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Vancouver Wash
Posts: 7,227
Ford might be ok, but they sure don't turn very sharp...especially the 3/4 ton and above
Bob_C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 01:05 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Freqz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,020
Got the Wagon now need the horse

Quote:
Originally Posted by bob caldwell View Post
Ford might be ok, but they sure don't turn very sharp...especially the 3/4 ton and above


Ram needs the better turning radius to make it into the mechanics shop :P







(That's a joke... )
__________________
2018 ORV Timber Ridge 24rks
2017 F350 6.7 CC DRW
Freqz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 01:32 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Nowhere, now here. Freedom!
Posts: 4,602
You won't be full timing for six years, so a truck that is much better at towing than being a daily driver is not your concern right now.

But, in six or seven years, will you be able to buy a newer truck if the one you buy now isn't as good for towing as you might have hoped?

When you do go full time, are you sure you will be using the trailer you bought now?

If the answer to one or both of those questions is a fairly strong "no", then buy the truck that you can afford that will tow the best. If you can afford it now, but are pretty sure you won't in six to seven years, buy the best towing pickup (and equip it with a canopy if you want one, I've found my canopy to be extremely useful on my pickup), and then you'll still have a great towing pickup when you guys hit the road.

If you foresee that you can buy another pickup in six to seven years in case the one you have isn't quite what you had hoped, then you can take the lessons you learned and go get what you need.

Full timing in a smaller trailer for two people will be a challenge for many people. If you add pets, hobbies, etc., the space might get really small. If you already live a more lightweight, low stuff lifestyle, you'll have a really good chance at doing fine. But if you don't, you might find yourself in the market for a longer trailer, and maybe even a fifth wheel.

I have a trailer with a GVWR of 6200. I got the diesel 3/4 ton pickup because living on the west coast I know mountain passes, and what it takes to travel up and down them more safely. The 2014 Dodge I bought has an exhaust brake from the factory, and it is very useful. The only pass that it didn't do really well was Sonora Pass, but any heavy and/or combination vehicle is gonna be challenged up that road somehow, and I was glad I had the diesel going up and the exhaust brake going down.

Do you need the same truck I have? No, I don't think you do *need*. But it is very nice and useful, makes towing much easier IMO, and I make sure to go for a nice long highway drive once a week to get the coolant circulated and the oil good and hot for a while.I haven't had any problems. Maintenance costs may be higher for diesel than gas, and engine repairs will be more expensive if needed for the diesel.

Diesel also costs ridiculous prices in California, and I saw in your profile you're in Lancaster.

So get whatever you like, a three quarter ton pickup should work out well for you, if you get a great deal on a one ton don't dismiss it because of its higher capacity, and I hope you enjoy RVing.
__________________
ORV 19B Full Timer from '15 to '20, '14 Ram 2500 Diesel and a GSD. Vancouver, WA
de K7NOL 146.52Mhz Safety? (CLICK ME!)
1bigmess is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 03:05 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Lancaster, CA
Posts: 104
Many thanks for all the information. It is much appreciated. To give you all a bit more information:

At this time we won't be going full-time even when we retire. We know that could change. We know that our needs may change by that time and we would probably upgrade the truck and/or trailer at that time.

We are on the west coast but again, weekend use, not going too far for too long. Maybe a long trip once or twice.

We did consider a diesel, in fact, our son encouraged it. But we just can't justify it with our minimal daily driving and cost of ownership. I do understand that the diesel engine does things that a gasoline engine doesn't (i.e., exhaust break).

My husband is a wonderful guy, but working on engines to any great extent with his work schedule won't mix. So definitely need something that is less intensive to maintain.

My husband, son and I have gone over and over this diesel or gas conundrum and we keep landing on the gasoline truck. Just to let you all know that this was not a decision that was made lightly or without research.

So the question still is what make/model in a 3/4 ton gas engine truck would you suggest; thanks!
__________________
CruzTerri aka Terri
2018 Heartland North Trail 22FBS
TV - 2012 Ford F350 SRW 6.7L Diesel 4X4 Crew Cab Long Bed
CruzTerri is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 04:11 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Dropthejacks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Liberty, NC
Posts: 829
Sounds like you're making a wise decision. I would recommend a RAM 3/4 ton gasser, 4X4 in a crew cab. You'll love the room in the crew, and you will get a much nicer package for less than if you go Ford or Chevy. I'd look at the Bighorn model, got bout everything you need, with all the towing bells and whistles. Good luck and enjoy, no matter what you decide.
__________________
2016 Keystone Outback 328RL
2019 Chevy 3500HD DRW
1 Slobbering English Bulldog for ballast
Dropthejacks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 04:44 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Nowhere, now here. Freedom!
Posts: 4,602
Quote:
Originally Posted by CruzTerri View Post
So the question still is what make/model in a 3/4 ton gas engine truck would you suggest; thanks!
If you're buying brand new, the one you go look at and end up liking the best. There are only three manufacturers of the kind of pickup you want to buy, and they are all roughly fairly similar as far as how they operate. I'm certain I would have been happy with a pickup produced by any of the Big Three.
__________________
ORV 19B Full Timer from '15 to '20, '14 Ram 2500 Diesel and a GSD. Vancouver, WA
de K7NOL 146.52Mhz Safety? (CLICK ME!)
1bigmess is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 04:51 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Palm Coast, FL
Posts: 836
Got the Wagon now need the horse

Some here will say you need a semi-tractor to pull any trailer. But if you want a sweet daily driver that will tow your trailer safely and easily you might want to consider a Ford F-150 1/2 ton with a 3.5 Ecoboost, Max Tow. We pull a 7,500 lb (~6,500 trip loaded) GVW 31’ overall travel trailer with a completely stock F150 Platinum 4x4 Screw, 3.5 Ecoboost with Max Tow and 3.73 rear. We’ve put over 20,000 miles on this rig, including a trip from Florida to Alaska and back this summer. It is a sweet handling set up. We use a Blue Ox Sway Pro WDH. This truck is my daily driver, too. We have also towed through the Rocky Mountains, including Monarch Pass in Colorado. Plenty of power, good handling and overall fun. The only thing missing in a small twin turbo charged engine is really good engine braking on long down hills. Another plus is that turbo charged engines do not lose nearly as much power at altitude as a normally aspirated gas engine. Heck, we pulled a small trailer like you have all over the West with a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi before buying our F150 and a bigger trailer.
__________________
Bill & Jeri RV Travels
2019 Keystone Montana 3121RL 35'
2018 Ford F-350 Lariat CC SRW SB 4x4 Diesel
bfisher003 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 05:35 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
miniceptor86's Avatar
 
LA Gulf Coast Campers
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 180
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfisher003 View Post
Some here will say you need a semi-tractor to pull any trailer. But if you want a sweet daily driver that will tow your trailer safely and easily you might want to consider a Ford F-150 1/2 ton with a 3.5 Ecoboost, Max Tow. We pull a 7,500 lb (~6,500 trip loaded) GVW 31’ overall travel trailer with a completely stock F150 Platinum 4x4 Screw, 3.5 Ecoboost with Max Tow and 3.73 rear. We’ve put over 20,000 miles on this rig, including a trip from Florida to Alaska and back this summer. It is a sweet handling set up. We use a Blue Ox Sway Pro WDH. This truck is my daily driver, too. We have also towed through the Rocky Mountains, including Monarch Pass in Colorado. Plenty of power, good handling and overall fun. The only thing missing in a small twin turbo charged engine is really good engine braking on long down hills. Another plus is that turbo charged engines do not lose nearly as much power at altitude as a normally aspirated gas engine. Heck, we pulled a small trailer like you have all over the West with a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi before buying our F150 and a bigger trailer.
I also think you would be very happy with the F150 3.5 Ecoboost as a tow vehicle and daily driver. Especially with the 5.5 ft box super crew. I think you would find the power very diesel like without the diesel's drawbacks. The New 10speed transmission has been getting rave reviews on the F150 forums. the ride is very car like and the 145" wheelbase of the short box version makes it somewhat nimble. The SuperCrew back seat area is huge and flat.

I have never wished for more power from mine. Oh and did I mention the 3.5 Ecoboost option was no where near the $8700 plus power stroke option.
__________________
Cheers, Jim & Sandy
'14 F150 SCrew, Ruby Red, FX4, 3.5 EcoBoost. 3.55 E locker, 5.5 bed
miniceptor86 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 07:47 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Dropthejacks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Liberty, NC
Posts: 829
I know you guys love your Fords, but I just can't see paying $52K to buy a Ford F150 Max Tow (payload 1,740, GVWR 6,500) when I could have bought a 2500 RAM (payload 3,200, GVWR 10,000) for $42K. I just like getting power from cubic inches, plus you can put stuff in the back without going over weight. You give up about 2000 lbs in truck weight which helps control the trailer, and you loose the bigger brakes on the 2500 series for stopping the load once you get it moving. Yes, smaller truck, easier to park, saves what, 3 miles per gallon? Just don't see it as a trade off. Not trying to start a brand war, I respect everybody's personal decision to get what works best for them. The F150 Tow Max is a beast, no doubt, and the king of the 1/2 tons. Guess I'm just pointing out a few glaring differences that stand out to me when it comes to towing, which is the main point at hand here. The 250/2500 is made for it, the Tow Max 150 is modified to work.
__________________
2016 Keystone Outback 328RL
2019 Chevy 3500HD DRW
1 Slobbering English Bulldog for ballast
Dropthejacks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2017, 08:16 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
tuffr2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
Look at all the 1/2 ton trucks. They are all nice. I lean toward the new 2018 F-150 10 speed with the 3.5 litre Eco-Boost engine in Lariat trim. No need for King Ranch or Platium trim unless you really like Bells and Whistles.

You do not need a 3/4 ton truck.

But the bigger trucks are also nice but are not quite as nice as a daily driver. They will get 5mpg less per gallon of fuel. I would recommend a 3/4 ton truck if you were going to travel 1,000's of miles but for staying local a 1/2 ton truck will work well.
tuffr2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Need Help vintage Covered Wagon AndyFries Vintage RV's 9 06-22-2020 05:23 PM
Got The Serial Number Now I Need To Find Parts LeeB Caterpillar Engine Forum 6 09-25-2016 03:46 AM
Chose the cart before the horse now what? Jhuff8181 5th Wheel Discussion 38 05-05-2014 08:07 PM
Got the RV weighed - need tire pressures now Thor3650 Class A Motorhome Discussions 7 06-10-2013 12:48 AM
I GOT IT! I GOT IT!! I GOT IT!!! ronboc Workhorse and Chevrolet Chassis Motorhome Forum 7 07-22-2005 12:51 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:02 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.