F-150 Tow vehicle

[Me. Bill]

Good Morning all. I’m looking into purchasing a 27 ft international. I spoke with a dealer about possibly going with a F-250 Diesel He recommended a 150 gas which has a 13,200 tow rating. I’m sure this isn’t the first nor will be the last time this question was asked but I appreciate your thoughts. Thank you.

[mattskav]

Search there is plenty of info on this and the pros and cons.

TLDR; Payload/Axle ratings run a 4x4 supercrew F150 at / over its limit without the payload package (which limits the trim options). Other configurations like a supercab are okay. The superduty handles the load much better but is a suboptimal daily driver and won’t fit in most garages.

[cplyons]

Howdy,
I can only speak from my experience, but I bought a 2013 F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost engine and Max Tow package, and it tows my 9000 pound 1985 Excella superbly. Very capable truck. You probably know this, but don't take the Manufacturer quoted tow ratings seriously. My truck is rated for 17K pounds but I would hesitate to go much over 11K with it. Also, please pay close attention when choosing a weight distribution tow rig. A good one properly adjusted increases comfort level and driving confidence enormously. - Chris

Originally Posted by Me. Bill

Good Morning all. I’m looking into purchasing a 27 ft international. I spoke with a dealer about possibly going with a F-250 Diesel He recommended a 150 gas which has a 13,200 tow rating. I’m sure this isn’t the first nor will be the last time this question was asked but I appreciate your thoughts. Thank you.

[Moflash]

Skip the 150 get the F250 or if you carry things with you the F350 rides exactly the same and is only $600 more.You will be glad you did.The F150 can pull it but the F250 and F350 do a much better job of towing heavier tongue weight trailers as that is what they were built for.I have had both and there is a night and day difference.

[moosetags]

Be careful of using a tow vehicle's tow rating as your primary deciding factor. Another important factor is the vehicle's load carrying capacity. Half ton trucks become marginal when you look at the cargo carrying limits.

An Airstream 27FB has an 800# tongue weight. When you add a quality weight distribution/anti sway hitch system, you are looking at a tongue weight of over 900#. Let's say, for instance, that the payload capacity of a half ton pick-up is 2,000#. Your trailer tongue weight uses almost half of that capacity. If you have two passengers and a medium sized dog, you will add another 300#. A full tank of fuel will add another 200#. That leaves you another 500# or less in truck bed cargo capacity. This may enough for some, but it would not work for my camping style

Brian

[thiel]

If you don't carry a lot of humans and cargo, the F150 could be an option but you REALLY need to watch the options and the payload rating... and the best way to do that is to find a model just like the one you want to order (or look at the exact model you want to buy on the lot!) and check the payload sticker on the door.

The guidance in this thread is mostly correct, but at the edges there are some exceptions:

I have a 2018 F150 SuperCrew with the 6.5' bed--loaded with almost every option--and it has a payload rating of 1650 pounds. That is sufficient for me since we don't carry a lot of payload. I quite specifically opted out of the tailgate steps and the sidebox steps since that would have decreased payload by about 100 pounds and I didn't value that tradeoff.

The 3.5, max tow, 10speed, 3.55 locker certainly has no problem pulling the trailer.

[thiel]

Originally Posted by mattskav

Search there is plenty of info on this and the pros and cons.

TLDR; Payload/Axle ratings run a 4x4 supercrew F150 at / over its limit without the payload package (which limits the trim options). Other configurations like a supercab are okay. The superduty handles the load much better but is a suboptimal daily driver and won’t fit in most garages.

If you go long wheel-base you get some additional payload capacity back....

[Paprika]

I've been towing a 2017 International 27FB for about a year now using an F-150 SuperCrew with a 5.5-foot bed. It's a 4x4 equipped with a 3.5 liter EcoBoost engine and ten-speed automatic transmission. My truck has the Max Tow package (rated payload is about 1,700 pounds), and I use a ProPride weight distributing/antisway hitch.

I'm very happy with this setup. The V6 EcoBoost engine in particular is remarkable. My previous rig, a motorhome, weighed about the same as my current truck and trailer, and had a 6.8 liter V10 engine. The twin-turbocharged 3.5 liter EcoBoost is much more powerful. It steps out smartly from a standing start (in other words, it has plenty of low-end torque), and has plenty of power in reserve when passing, yet fuel economy is significantly better than with the V10.

The ProPride hitch has been great, completely eliminating sway. Some kind of weight-distributing hitch is a must with the F-150; otherwise the rear end would sag when towing. You can find less expensive W-D hitches than the ProPride, but I don't think you can find a better one.

The F-150 is very comfortable as a daily driver, which would be less true with the 250 or 350 trucks. At the same time, it's more than adequate for my needs towing the 27' International Airstream. I'd have no hesitation in recommending this combination to anyone.

[Daquenzer]

I tow a 28’ International. No problem with the F150 Ecoboost. I have a 2017. But you have to ask, “How much am I going to be towing?” If I was out on the road 3 or 4 months of the year with the AS I would go with the F250 since I’d want to take more things and payload would be important. But I’m towing maybe 10 to 20 days a year. The rest of the time I’m driving my F150 as a daily driver. It gets better mpg than the F250. And it is more comfortable to ride in.

Your really have to ask that very important question, “How much will I tow the AS? And how much payload do I need?” For me it was an easy answer: F150.

I also have a ProPride Hitch. Before I had a Blue Ox. No comparison. I’d spend the extra money and get the Propride. My F150 handles much better in wind and traffic with the Propride.

[Wconley]

The F150 is a great tow vehicle but you have to pay attention to the payload rating of the specific truck you are buying. Don’t just look at the brochure levels. I didn’t understand this when we bought our 2013 F150 Platinum and the salesmen (as in all the salesmen we talked to) either didn’t understand payload or just kept quiet to make the sale. Our truck has a payload of 1100 pounds which means we are always right at the limit while being very frugal with what we put in the truck. Get a Lariat with the appropriate options and you can get payload up to something more useable.

[graysailor]

Save yourself some aggravation as I went thru this same process. Cut to the chase and get a F250 diesel. It will cover all of your needs.

[gypsydad]

lots of good advice here, especially pay attention to the payload, if you are staying with a 1/2T F150. I loved my F150 2012 EB for my 25', but I did not understand payload till I had put 2+ years towing...it had a payload rating of 1031 pounds. I was always overloaded and did not know it...tongue weight, passengers, generator, firewood, kayaks, etc...You can find the 1/2T now with 1500+ pound payloads, that I would consider marginal, if your not carrying a lot of cargo. For a many of us here pulling larger AS's, we have moved up to the F250 or even 1Tmodels for a lot of reasons when towing, including the payload. The stability, payload, braking, power are very important when towing. Not as nice as a daily driver as a 1/2 short bed, but great for towing longer, heavier , AS's; (especially with the heavier tongue weights). Make sure you check the door jam sticker max load weight numbers; don't use the specs or the salesman's word as gospel! Good luck!

[Daquenzer]

If you aren’t going to be driving in the mountains a great deal I think a diesel is over kill for a 27’. If you were pulling a 33’ then maybe. And frankly if you just want a diesel for easy pulling you would be better off buying a used diesel and buying something else to drive during the week. You’d be money ahead. Why depreciate out a $65,000 to $70,000 vehicle just for a few pulling days a year? But your going to get the diesel guys going. And no doubt pulling with a diesel is great. But it’s also very expensive for minimal use. But again if you are going to be towing 1/2 the year and a great deal in the mountains it may be a way to go. It’s all about how you the owner will use the vehicle MOST of the time.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by moosetags

Be careful of using a tow vehicle's tow rating as your primary deciding factor. Another important factor is the vehicle's load carrying capacity. Half ton trucks become marginal when you look at the cargo carrying limits.

An Airstream 27FB has an 800# tongue weight. When you add a quality weight distribution/anti sway hitch system, you are looking at a tongue weight of over 900#. Let's say, for instance, that the payload capacity of a half ton pick-up is 2,000#. Your trailer tongue weight uses almost half of that capacity. If you have two passengers and a medium sized dog, you will add another 300#. A full tank of fuel will add another 200#. That leaves you another 500# or less in truck bed cargo capacity. This may enough for some, but it would not work for my camping style

Brian

A minor point perhaps but this (underlined above) is incorrect. A full tank of fuel is included in the weight of the truck before cargo (at least for the Fords.)

[thiel]

Originally Posted by graysailor

Save yourself some aggravation as I went thru this same process. Cut to the chase and get a F250 diesel. It will cover all of your needs.

I do understand the love of diesel... but the payback timeline on the cost is always a tough calculation for me....

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by cplyons

Howdy,
I can only speak from my experience, but I bought a 2013 F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost engine and Max Tow package, and it tows my 9000 pound 1985 Excella superbly. Very capable truck. You probably know this, but don't take the Manufacturer quoted tow ratings seriously. My truck is rated for 17K pounds but I would hesitate to go much over 11K with it. Also, please pay close attention when choosing a weight distribution tow rig. A good one properly adjusted increases comfort level and driving confidence enormously. - Chris

I doubt your F150 is rated to tow 17k lb. Perhaps it's rated for 17k GCWR (max trailer weight PLUS the truck weight)? I'd expect a '13 Max Tow to be rated for around 11k trailer weight.

[Bob662]

...and when considering payload, don't forget that a weight distribution hitch transfers a portion of the tongue weight back to the trailer's axle(s). Some say as much as one-third, but a scale tells the story.

[ITSNO60]

Originally Posted by Me. Bill

Good Morning all. I’m looking into purchasing a 27 ft international. I spoke with a dealer about possibly going with a F-250 Diesel He recommended a 150 gas which has a 13,200 tow rating. I’m sure this isn’t the first nor will be the last time this question was asked but I appreciate your thoughts. Thank you.

I am flat out amazed at the stated towing capacity of the new trucks. My 2002 F-350 SRW diesel is only rated to tow 12,500. My payload however is 2930 (4X4 LB,CC) but even at that I figured loaded for a trip with a 7K trailer, fuel, people, supplies & camper shell we are using up 2,320 lbs of the payload capacity, so we have a safety margin of only about 600 lbs with a 1 ton truck!

[AirstreamCSH]

I tow with an F250 diesel 2017 crew cab and was so worried about the ride quality that I didn’t add the $300 helper spring that makes it an F350. It was a mistake because the truck drives so smoothly and that spring doesn’t change anything as it already has the snow plow option.

Which brings me to a comment here about not wanting the 250 as a daily driver because the 150 is more comfortable. Having just spent 4 days in a rental 150 EcoBoost crew cab 2017 rental I was surprised by how similar the ride was. The bodies of the 150 and 250 are the same, the chassis is different. Anyone concerned about the ride quality on these new trucks and making a decision on that basis should try renting one for a few days.

With either, parking in a parking deck will take some forethought for how to back out and so forth. A full size crew pickup simply requires thinking about turning radius and so forth.

[Aviator]

I have been towing a 1997 34' for the past 8 years with our 2009 F150 5.4L gas. It tows and handles great with the ProPride hitch. My first couple of outings was with a Reese W/D hitch. The ProPride made it a much more capable combo. We've been through high passes (11,000') and across the plains without issue.