F-150 versus F-250

[NevadaNick]

You will get pushed by passing trucks without the trailer, you just do not notice it as much because you don't have the big wall behind you and you have to be more on your toes when towing. Trucks coming the opposite direction on a 2 lane road are to me the worse and i have paid enough attention to whats going on that i have noticed that Volvo’s disturb the air more than any other truck. I believe its something you just have to deal with the same as taking corners wider, looking in the mirrors more often etc. it just comes with towing.

[tuffr2]

I will tell you my experience. I had a generation 1 Honda Ridgeline towing a 26.7' Gulfstream Streamlite 22SLB. Towing to local state parks the Ridgeline did great. Towing on the highway at above 60 mph was a handful. I felt the push/pull of semi trucks and the truck struggle pulling the trailer into a headwind.

I told the wife I needed a bigger truck and she agreed. I bought a F-150 5.0 litre. Using the same Drawtite WD hitch the F-150 towed this trailer easy. No more sway, no more push/pull from semi trucks, I did not notice the wind. I towed this trailer from Columbus Ohio to Crystal River Florida and it was a non-event 950 mile trip. I even let the wife drive for a few hours. Oh, I also more than kept up with the semi trucks as I passed more of them instead of them passing me.

I never gave it much though but the F-150 was 1,200lbs heavier with a longer wheelbase than the Ridgeline. Probably both those things helped control the trailer.
It was also nice to get rid of paper plates and plastic ware as the trailer probably weighed 5,500lbs towed by the F-150. Oh, my F-150 had the 36 gallon gas tank too. [emoji106]


I now have a 2017 F-250 6.2 2WD gasser. My truck weighs 6,500lbs and has a 160" wheelbase with 3,497 lbs. payload and is a short bed truck. My truck is adequately powered, not like a diesel which has a lot more power.

The downside of diesel is the complex emission system and the weight takes away from payload by about 1,000lbs. Also it is an expensive option. The extra weight of diesel is why people say go to a F-350. A F-350 gains about 1,500lbs in payload over a F-250.

The upside is the power. I towed with a diesel truck and it is nice when towing.

I am a Ford guy as F-150, F-450, F-250 never gave me any problems but I will tell you the 2020 GM 2500 6.6 litre gas truck is nicer than my 2017 F-250 gasser.

Another option - your F-150 is muscular compared to most other F-150's expect the F-150 with the HDPP (Heavy Duty Payload Package) option. A F-150 with max tow and HDPP is a very special F-150. It has its own thicker frame with 163" wheelbase. It has a slew of other towing nice things like more lugs on the wheels, tow mirrors, 'E' rated tires plus lots more. It has 4,800 lb. capacity rear axle and payload of around 2,400lbs. 10 speed transmission. This truck is very rare.

With this special Ford mentioned I also need to mention the refreshed 2020 Nissan Titan XD. This truck competes with the Ford HDPP package. It too has its own thicker frame, bigger brakes, lots a safety features, longer wheelbase and payload around 2,200lbs and 9 speed transmission. I really like this truck. Nissan made all the safety features standard in the Titan XD. Emergency braking I think is good. In theory you can not back into something without the truck applying the brakes automatically.

If you ever have plans to buy a smaller 5th wheel get a truck with the 5th wheel prep package.

I would buy either the GM 2500 gasser or the Nissan Titan XD.

[MCJones]

After reading everything in the thread, I would recommend moving up to the F250 and you don't need the diesel necessarily. I was pulling a 2019 34ft Grand Design with an F150 and didn't like the "feel" at all. It was all within weight specs but I felt a little like an outboard motor boat with the trailer back there. Long story short I immediately traded kind of sideways for an F250 gas and am glad I did. I had to go from a King Ranch to an XLT but the XLT had all the trailer options you would ask for. I also must divulge that I went to a 5th wheel because the F250 would now accommodate that kind of RV. Big big difference and now you can get a huge gas engine in a new F250. Diesels cost a lot but you do get a better trade in just like getting 4 wheel drive in the pick up. JMO. mark

[mistercee]

Originally Posted by Cumminsfan

In all seriousness from a BTDT perspective, I'd get a 3/4 ton diesel. You will absolutely love towing that TT. I'm currently towing 31' and 9500 lbs with a 3/4 ton gas and really miss my 12 2500 Cummins.
If you plan on doing some extensive traveling a diesel will make it a true joy. A 3/4 ton gasser will probably feel less powerful than your F150 3.5.

Going diesel he would be better off moving directly to a 1-ton. The payload on a 3/4 ton diesel will likely only be a couple of hundred pounds more - if that - than on his 1/2 ton.

[Cumminsfan]

Originally Posted by mistercee

Going diesel he would be better off moving directly to a 1-ton. The payload on a 3/4 ton diesel will likely only be a couple of hundred pounds more - if that - than on his 1/2 ton.

True if he's going to need more payload. I'm on my 2nd 3/4 ton and while a 1 ton would have more payload, I'll never need more. I'm limited to the size and weight of a trailer from where I store it.
The OP will only need more payload if they decide to go the 5th wheel route. Any 3/4 ton diesel will tow most every TT out there within reason.

Agree though there's no reason to rule out looking for a 1 ton when the price is fairly close.

[travelorer99]

I have a 2015 dodge ram 2500 with the diesel, and I tow a 7,500lb 26 foot TT.
I have to respect passing and or being passed by a semi, its the nature of the beast.
If being passed, I bump the cruse down a bit to get it over with, when passing I don't dilly dally, just get it done.
For the OP, sounds normal to me, keep the truck. BUT, if jumping on the diesel band wagon, do a lot of research on which one and the new problems with the new emissions on the diesels today. Some have no problems, some have nothing but problems.

[tuffr2]

Traveler - can you add information to the diesels to avoid with nothing but probldms.

My next truck, in a few years, has a chance of being a diesel. I would like to know what you know about the trouble or no trouble diesels.

Thanks

[tuffr2]

MCJones touches on something that is true. The net cost of a diesel is really only a few thousand dollars. Diesel is a $10,000 option but you get $7000 of that back at trade in. So net cost will be more like $3000.

Towing with diesel wins hands down over gas. The diesel engines are crazy powerful.

There is a lot of difference between the F-150 and diesel F-350 of you decide to try diesel.

[travelorer99]

( tuffr2)
My truck motor was 8,000 more for diesel and 600 more for trans.
If a diesel isn't really needed, that cost and add in def fluid and higher ins, that's alot of gas.
If I knew when I ordered it, what I know now, I would have a 2015 2door 2wd, 3500 dually. A 2wd can be geared per ones needs, easyer than a 4wd, fuel mpge, or max towing needs. If ones needs is lots of towing, then the diesel is needed.
Just go to any brand diesel forums and read about some that have no problems and some that do, and not under Warranty, its costly. ( emissions related)
I truly love my truck I dont need the diesel and use mostly as a car, but my emissions stuff fell off, so I have no problems. But had 2 emissions problems under warranty before. And at 98,000 it would have had problems or be a ticking time bomb now, as the way I use it.
When I started doing linework in 1986, gas bucket trucks and only 2 had air breaks did the same job that the new non turbo diesels, then turbo diesels did. Old corn binder round nose internationals, gassers.

[jjackrash]

You'll need to pry my diesel out of my cold dead hands.

Ok, that's a little dramatic, but the new diesels are fantastic. I have loved driving them loaded and unloaded since 2013. I've had a GM/Chevy '13, '16, '19, now a '20. I have loved everyone of them. They might not "pencil" from an accounting standpoint, but boy are they nice to drive.

[Wrascal]

My bias:


1/2 ton for up to 5k pounds, 3/4 ton for heavier bumper pulls & 10K fifths, 1 ton for 12-14K fifths, duallys for heavy 15K+ fifths.

In closing I will say that you can never have too much truck - as you'll likely grow in to it.

[tuffr2]

Wrascal - I would bump the new half tons up to 6,000lbs because they are bigger with a longer wheelbase.

There are two trucks that do not fit into the normal half ton trucks. They are the F-150 Max tow with HDPP and the Nissan Titan XD. Both these trucks have a different frame and are the most muscular half tons I know.

[bross]

I'm only going to comment on your tire pressures. Don't listen to what people say on the internet! Open your drivers door and there's the pressure you should be running right there. I have pretty much the same setup as you except mines a long box with the longer wheel base and I can't believe how well this tows our 25' Winnebago. I have yet to ever have a pucker moment and have towed through some pretty good winds in the Columbia gorge and over the San Fran bridges. I don't even really feel the push from semi's unless I'm just used to it by now. I would really feel the semi's push me around with our 2 class A's and would have to correct more for being pulled into the semi, then being pushed away. I don't get that with the truck and trailer.

I did install 10 ply rated tires last tire change and asked my tire guy about increased pressures and he said just run what the door sticker says but I could add a few psi, he said 3-4 max, otherwise the tpms would start to activate. So my OEM pressure is 36 psi and I have been running them at 39 max and the truck rides well and handles very well while towing.

Sounds like there's nothing really wrong with your setup, and kudos for actually figuring out that the boards and generator would have exceeded your payload and choosing to tow safely. To me, that's your only real reason you need to upgrade, and if it was me, that would be an F-250 gasser.

I felt like I had to have a diesel when I owned our 26,000lb class A gas motorhome simply because 6% grade descents in that thing were painful. BUT I don't have any need for a diesel with our current setup and can usually leave cruise on even heading down some long steep descents, in tow haul mode the transmission does a good job of keeping speed in check with no need for brake applications.

[Reevesfamily]

Originally Posted by Len Dave

Hello All,
Looking for your advice again. Just traveled from Oregon to IN with an approximately 7000 lb., 26 ft. trailer with my 2016 F-150 XLT (145 inches) supercab with 3.5 ecoboost, 3.55 axle ratio engine with max tow and equalizer 1200 4 point sway weight distribution. I also had new E ply LT tires at 80 PSI and was at my weight max. The combination did the job even over the Rockies. I didn't sway. Typically drove around 62-65 mph. But, I did feel the 18 wheelers and when the wind hit 20-25 mph, I felt that too. More than I liked. (Perhaps, I'm just too new at this?) I had new E ply LT tires at 80 PSI and was at my weight max. Would have liked to have brought my inflatable paddle boards and an extra generator for AC but too much weight. I didn't like the slightly floaty feelings and a bit of a pull (depending on passing truck side or wind) but I survived with both hands firmly on the wheel. Would my experience be better with a F-250. Would I also be able to bring two paddle boards, extra generator and an inflatable boat (300 pounds more) with a F-250. I am also hoping in the future to do lots of national parks which means I will often be out of the flat midwest. Looking forward to hearing of your experiences. Thanks again, ahead of time. Will provide an update later on my own experiences, soon. - Len Arthur

You asked two questions in your post: 1) Would your experience be better with a 250? The answer is Yes. And your second question asked if you could bring your paddle boards and an extra generator if you had a 250, that answer is most likely Yes as well. Your 150 doesn’t hold a candle to a 250/350 and you won’t know that for yourself until you have one. I have and my current 250 is also my DD.