The right tow vehicle

[crosscheck]

Picking up a 2016 Creekside 23RSK, gross weight=8000#, pin weight=1000#. Looking for a new truck that will tow the trailer without weight and power issues.
Short bed, crew, gas or diesel. The truck I will be using to pick up trailer is a 2006 F350, long bed, crew diesel 4X4, set up for hauling a TC.( 19.5 tires,air bags, extended overload stops, adjustable shocks etc). I need towing power but not so much hauling capacity. Time for a smaller, newer truck.

Any opinions from those who tow a similar weight of trailer?

[fisher99]

Well, this should be interesting...

[JohnRR]

I sent you a suggested forum move option via PM to move this question to

Trailer Towing and Tow Vehicles Discussion (62 Viewing)
Issues related to towing travel and fifth wheel trailers and the vehicles used to move them.
Threads: 3,299, Posts: 47,276

This would get you more coverage of it from those with experience as compared to just those reading just this forum.

[crosscheck]

Originally Posted by JohnRR

I sent you a suggested forum move option via PM to move this question to



This would get you more coverage of it from those with experience as compared to just those reading just this forum.

Thanks for the suggestion. If you think this thread would get more coverage in a different thread, please move it.

Thanks

[Gordon Dewald]

IMO too much tow vehicle is better than not enough.

If you have all of the numbers calculating the capacity required of the tow vehicle is simple. Just have to find something within specifications that you are comfortable with. IMO you will notice a difference when you go to a smaller truck with less capacity. Newer trucks have increased capacity and power so the right choice will perform and handle the trailer similarly.

The pin weight seems low. Best to do for estimating purposes is to take 25% of the GVW so the pin weight would be 2000 lbs. Add 150 - 200 lbs for the hitch.

Just have to determine how much weight to add for passengers and other stuff you will carry in the box.

GAWR for the rear and GVWR will likely be your limiting factor.

FWIW - we used to tow a 5er with a 450. Sold the 5er but decided to keep the 450. Take it to the store, golf club, movies, etc. without any issues.

[crosscheck]

Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald

IMO too much tow vehicle is better than not enough.

If you have all of the numbers calculating the capacity required of the tow vehicle is simple. Just have to find something within specifications that you are comfortable with. IMO you will notice a difference when you go to a smaller truck with less capacity. Newer trucks have increased capacity and power so the right choice will perform and handle the trailer similarly.

The pin weight seems low. Best to do for estimating purposes is to take 25% of the GVW so the pin weight would be 2000 lbs. Add 150 - 200 lbs for the hitch.

Just have to determine how much weight to add for passengers and other stuff you will carry in the box.

GAWR for the rear and GVWR will likely be your limiting factor.

FWIW - we used to tow a 5er with a 450. Sold the 5er but decided to keep the 450. Take it to the store, golf club, movies, etc. without any issues.

2016 creekside 23rks dry pin weight =620#. I think 1000# pin weight is a little more realistic for a loaded trailer, +or -. Just going by what I read which is 10-15% of GVW.

[fisher99]

There will be lots of different opinions on this subject. My 2 cents worth: Get a 3/4 ton, not a 1/2 ton. A 1/2 ton will probably pull it just fine but it's better to have too much truck than just enough truck. And the newer 3/4 ton trucks ride just about as smoothly as the 1/2 ton trucks when you are running unloaded. I can't see any reason not to go 3/4 ton.

As for engine, either gas or diesel will pull a trailer of that size/weight just fine. The extra fuel mileage of the diesel is a plus, but it is more than offset by the greater initial purchase price and the more costly ongoing maintenance. Still, if you can ignore those two items, the extra mpg and range of the diesel are really nice when towing long distances. If I ever drop back to a smaller trailer, however, I think I'll go back to gas.

In any case, the old saying "you can't have too much truck" holds true.

[L.C.Gray]

In looking up the specs of the trailer it shows to be a TT not a fiver. So it's not pin weight as he stated but tongue weight.

With a GVWR of 7,980 lbs, he's pretty close on his 1,000 lb tongue weight estimate.

[crosscheck]

Originally Posted by L.C.Gray

In looking up the specs of the trailer it shows to be a TT not a fiver. So it's not pin weight as he stated but tongue weight.

With a GVWR of 7,980 lbs, he's pretty close on his 1,000 lb tongue weight estimate.

Thanks for pointing out the error between pin and tongue weight, my mistake.
Was just looking at some 2016 trucks and the difference in price between an F150 crew, 4x4 with 3.5 eco boost and an F350 crew, 4x4 with the 6.7 diesel is not that much. And

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by crosscheck

Picking up a 2016 Creekside 23RSK, gross weight=8000#, pin weight=1000#.

Assuming that's a typo and should be RKS, then here's that trailer:

ORV | Creek Side 23RKS

Yeah, that's a TT, not a 5er. So it doesn't have pin weight, it has tongue weight. Maximum Trailer Weight - Lbs. 7980, and at average of 13% tongue weight that's 1,037 tongue weight plus another 113 pounds for a good WD hitch, so max hitch weight would be 1,150 pounds.

Looking for a new truck that will tow the trailer without weight and power issues. Short bed, crew, gas or diesel.

The only half-ton pickup that could tow that wet and loaded TT without exceeding the payload capacity of the tow vehicle is the F-150 with heavy duty payload package (HDPP). Without HDPP, you'll have "weight issues". But dealers don't stock F-150s with HDPP, so you'll have to order one and wait several weeks for Ford to build it and deliver it to your dealer. Most folks want instant gratification, so they don't want to wait on a special order truck to be built and delivered. So they move up to the F-250 or F-350 SRW which dealers have in stock.


Assuming your definition of "short bed" includes a 6.5' bed. then the F-150 HDPP and the F-250/F-350 SRW offer short bed pickups. The F-150 also offers a really-short 5.5' bed on the SuperCrew, but not with HDPP.

Any opinions from those who tow a similar weight of trailer?

I owned an 8,000-pound RV trailer for over 10 years and 100,000 towing miles. My tow vehicle was an F-250 PowerStroke diesel.

If you can wait for delivery, then I would order the F-150 with HDPP and 3.5L EcoBoost drivetrain. If you don't want to wait for delivery, then I would have the Ford dealer do a search for an F-350 SRW that meets your specs of trim. The F-350 SRW is identical to the F-250, but it has 1,500 pounds more payload capacity. The 6.2L gasoline engine would be adequate, but most in-stock trucks will have the 6.7L PowerStoke engine. If you buy an F-350 SRW with the PowerStroke engine, you will be in towing heaven.

If your dealer cannot locate the exact F-350 SRW you want, then the F-250 will get the job done if you don't trade that trailer for a heavier trailer down the road.

What would I do? Special order to get exactly what I want. I've done that with a bunch of new vehicles over the years:
1965 Corvette Stingray coupe
1971 AMC Hornet Sportabout V-8
1977 Ford E-150 window van
1986 Toyota Camry LE stick shift
1988 Plymouth Voyager minivan
1993 Toyota Camry XLE
1995 Toyota T-100 V-6 pickup
1999.5 Ford F-150 PowerStroke CrewCab
2000 Toyota Avalon
2009 Honda Odyssey minivan (replaced a 2005 Odyssey I found in stock)
2012 Ford F-150 SuperCrew EcoBoost
2013 Toyota Venza
2015 Mazda MX5 GT PRHT
Those last three make up my fleet today. I plan to trade the Venza for a 2017 Highlander soon. Probably have to order it too.

[crosscheck]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

Assuming that's a typo and should be RKS, then here's that trailer:

ORV | Creek Side 23RKS

Yeah, that's a TT, not a 5er. So it doesn't have pin weight, it has tongue weight. Maximum Trailer Weight - Lbs. 7980, and at average of 13% tongue weight that's 1,037 tongue weight plus another 113 pounds for a good WD hitch, so max hitch weight would be 1,150 pounds.



The only half-ton pickup that could tow that wet and loaded TT without exceeding the payload capacity of the tow vehicle is the F-150 with heavy duty payload package (HDPP). Without HDPP, you'll have "weight issues". But dealers don't stock F-150s with HDPP, so you'll have to order one and wait several weeks for Ford to build it and deliver it to your dealer. Most folks want instant gratification, so they don't want to wait on a special order truck to be built and delivered. So they move up to the F-250 or F-350 SRW which dealers have in stock.


Assuming your definition of "short bed" includes a 6.5' bed. then the F-150 HDPP and the F-250/F-350 SRW offer short bed pickups. The F-150 also offers a really-short 5.5' bed on the SuperCrew, but not with HDPP.



I owned an 8,000-pound RV trailer for over 10 years and 100,000 towing miles. My tow vehicle was an F-250 PowerStroke diesel.

If you can wait for delivery, then I would order the F-150 with HDPP and 3.5L EcoBoost drivetrain. If you don't want to wait for delivery, then I would have the Ford dealer do a search for an F-350 SRW that meets your specs of trim. The F-350 SRW is identical to the F-250, but it has 1,500 pounds more payload capacity. The 6.2L gasoline engine would be adequate, but most in-stock trucks will have the 6.7L PowerStoke engine. If you buy an F-350 SRW with the PowerStroke engine, you will be in towing heaven.

If your dealer cannot locate the exact F-350 SRW you want, then the F-250 will get the job done if you don't trade that trailer for a heavier trailer down the road.

What would I do? Special order to get exactly what I want. I've done that with a bunch of new vehicles over the years:
1965 Corvette Stingray coupe
1971 AMC Hornet Sportabout V-8
1977 Ford E-150 window van
1986 Toyota Camry LE stick shift
1988 Plymouth Voyager minivan
1993 Toyota Camry XLE
1995 Toyota T-100 V-6 pickup
1999.5 Ford F-150 PowerStroke CrewCab
2000 Toyota Avalon
2009 Honda Odyssey minivan (replaced a 2005 Odyssey I found in stock)
2012 Ford F-150 SuperCrew EcoBoost
2013 Toyota Venza
2015 Mazda MX5 GT PRHT
Those last three make up my fleet today. I plan to trade the Venza for a 2017 Highlander soon. Probably have to order it too.

Wise words indeed. Creekside RKS, tongue weight wet with hitch, over 1000#.

Originally was looking for a smaller truck (F150) to replace my F350 but there is little difference in price , so if I ever decide to tow a bigger trailer/5er/toy hauler or carry a Truck camper, an F350 or equivalent will do the trick.

Thanks

Dave