Made The Move F-150 to F-250

[janelf]

Anyone give a best guess to what fully packed 23’ safari might weigh? With water - gas- gear. ? What traveling ‘payload’ should I prepare for when choosing a TV? Starting at 5k lbs empty.

[VDR928]

Originally Posted by janelf

Anyone give a best guess to what fully packed 23’ safari might weigh? With water - gas- gear. ? What traveling ‘payload’ should I prepare for when choosing a TV? Starting at 5k lbs empty.

Our 23 ft FB International Serenity weighs 4,500 empty and fully loaded it was right at 6,500 (water, gas, two humans, one dog!) Hope that may help!

[mythbuster88]

Originally Posted by VDR928

Our 23 ft FB International Serenity weighs 4,500 empty and fully loaded it was right at 6,500 (water, gas, two humans, one dog!) Hope that may help!

Dude, no people in the trailer when on the road!

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by out of sight

An F-150 will do it. No need for a F 250 for a 5000 pound trailer with a 500 lb tongue weight.

Not sure about the differences in ‘05 Safari and ‘17 23D but the hitch weight I measured on my 23D is 800 lbs lightly loaded. While WD sends some of that to the trailer wheels, it still takes a big chunk of the payload capacity on my 1/2 ton Tundra. I love the Tundra but am making to change to a F350 because of payload.

By the way, we’re also trading up to a 28’ AS which makes the upgraded TV more of a necessity.

Am out West right now with the Tundra and it pulls and handles fine just as I would suspect an F150 would do.. It’s just that I’m so payload Limited that I need to make the change.

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by janelf

Anyone give a best guess to what fully packed 23’ safari might weigh? With water - gas- gear. ? What traveling ‘payload’ should I prepare for when choosing a TV? Starting at 5k lbs empty.

I think there should be a placard on the trailer giving GVWR (trailer at max load) and dry weight.

[rmkrum]

My Airstream has a permanent GVWR plate on the streetside front down low... I suspect it’s required nowadays[emoji9]

[DewTheDew]

Originally Posted by olgoat

I wanted to change the drop bar from 2” to 2 1/2” to match the receiver, but apparently there isn’t one available for the Reese SteadiFlex WD system. So I simply adjusted the head placement to be approximately 1” above level prior to hitching. The fine tuned the head angle to restore front TV rise back to acceptable limits. I could add more downforce, lowering front rise even more but I think I like it as is. If I could determine how to post photos I would, but no luck so far.

Hey olgoat; this thread induced me to mention to my wife about moving to an F250 diesel and she glommed onto that like a bear to honey. Going shopping on Monday. We will likely move from a 2017 F150 platinum (7k GVWR, 1543lb payload; I went to a CAT scale on our last trip and I was right at 7k lbs, which is why I'm looking to move up) to a similar 2019 F250 diesel (model I looked at online has a 2024 lb payload, 10k GVWR). From the picture it looks like you also have the Platinum.

I haven't been able to actually get to a dealer so thought I'd ask you; is the receiver the same size as in the F150? I have an Equalizer hitch and hope I don't have to buy another shank. The one I have has a few more holes that I can utilize to account for the taller height of the F250 (also will likely have the FX4 package, which my F150 does not have), which should be a good start for setting it up. Sorry, I'm somewhat of a newbie at this and I'm a scientist so I am doing research and taking advantage of your similar transition! I think we are getting a blue with the marsala interior, but your red one looks sweet! I decided not to wait for the 2020 upgrades since we are going on a long trip this Christmas with extra load (grandkids).

Thanks!

Oh, by the way, for the other commenters in this thread; yes the EB3.5 pulls the AS wonderfully. The problem is payload. I could move stuff around and leave some things at home but my wife doesn't like to load the trailer with my tools and I just don't want to be on the edge from a weight perspective.

I wonder how much this message board has cost me......?? :-)

[Moflash]

Originally Posted by DewTheDew

Hey olgoat; this thread induced me to mention to my wife about moving to an F250 diesel and she glommed onto that like a bear to honey. Going shopping on Monday. We will likely move from a 2017 F150 platinum (7k GVWR, 1543lb payload; I went to a CAT scale on our last trip and I was right at 7k lbs, which is why I'm looking to move up) to a similar 2019 F250 diesel (model I looked at online has a 2024 lb payload, 10k GVWR). From the picture it looks like you also have the Platinum.



I haven't been able to actually get to a dealer so thought I'd ask you; is the receiver the same size as in the F150? I have an Equalizer hitch and hope I don't have to buy another shank. The one I have has a few more holes that I can utilize to account for the taller height of the F250 (also will likely have the FX4 package, which my F150 does not have), which should be a good start for setting it up. Sorry, I'm somewhat of a newbie at this and I'm a scientist so I am doing research and taking advantage of your similar transition! I think we are getting a blue with the marsala interior, but your red one looks sweet! I decided not to wait for the 2020 upgrades since we are going on a long trip this Christmas with extra load (grandkids).



Thanks!



Oh, by the way, for the other commenters in this thread; yes the EB3.5 pulls the AS wonderfully. The problem is payload. I could move stuff around and leave some things at home but my wife doesn't like to load the trailer with my tools and I just don't want to be on the edge from a weight perspective.



I wonder how much this message board has cost me......?? :-)

You can get a F350 for $600 more payload and rides the same.

[olgoat]

DewTheDew, our F-250 is a Platinum with the Marsala interior. We love the interior color. I am not a fan of the Camel interior and my last several vehicles had black interiors, so I was ready for the change.

Unfortunately the receiver size is not the same. The F-150 was a 2" receiver and the F-250 is a 2 1/2" receiver. I looked for a 2 1/2" shank for our Reese SteadiFlex hitch, but they are not available. I am using an adapter, about $20. The fit up is rather poor when you stack all the clearances, but I haven't noticed any issues with it thus far.

I looked at a lot of F-250 Platinum diesel Fx4's and it sounds like the payload on the truck you referenced is a bit on the low side. Most are around 2,190# without the 5th wheel prep and 2,090# with the 5th wheel prep. Just be sure to check the label inside the drivers door. I am not sure what extra options would drop payload to 2,024#. Maybe dual alternators or a pto.

If you do not have plans to tow a 5th wheel at some point, find a truck without the 5th wheel prep, it adds 100# to payload.

Let me know if I can help with anything else.

[JonDNC]

Originally Posted by Moflash

You can get a F350 for $600 more payload and rides the same.

This.. we went looking for a 250 and got the 350. Lots more payload

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by olgoat

DewTheDew, our F-250 is a Platinum with the Marsala interior. We love the interior color. I am not a fan of the Camel interior and my last several vehicles had black interiors, so I was ready for the change.

Unfortunately the receiver size is not the same. The F-150 was a 2" receiver and the F-250 is a 2 1/2" receiver. I looked for a 2 1/2" shank for our Reese SteadiFlex hitch, but they are not available. I am using an adapter, about $20. The fit up is rather poor when you stack all the clearances, but I haven't noticed any issues with it thus far.

I looked at a lot of F-250 Platinum diesel Fx4's and it sounds like the payload on the truck you referenced is a bit on the low side. Most are around 2,190# without the 5th wheel prep and 2,090# with the 5th wheel prep. Just be sure to check the label inside the drivers door. I am not sure what extra options would drop payload to 2,024#. Maybe dual alternators or a pto.

If you do not have plans to tow a 5th wheel at some point, find a truck without the 5th wheel prep, it adds 100# to payload.

Let me know if I can help with anything else.

The receiver should come with an adaptor for the smaller shank; mine did when I went from our F150Platinum to our F250KR. Some folks don't like using the adaptor; they say the pin hole's become elongated. I can see a very little of that but I have 28K miles towing our 28' and 68K overall on the KR. No issues from my perspective. As for the payload, I also have 2024; plenty of payload for our use...I was told there is no "5thwheel prep" option unless you order it, so shouldn't affect the payload on the 250. The F350 may be different story...extra spring and increased payload.

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

The receiver should come with an adaptor for the smaller shank; mine did when I went from our F150Platinum to our F250KR. Some folks don't like using the adaptor; they say the pin hole's become elongated. I can see a very little of that but I have 28K miles towing our 28' and 68K overall on the KR. No issues from my perspective. As for the payload, I also have 2024; plenty of payload for our use...I was told there is no "5thwheel prep" option unless you order it, so shouldn't affect the payload on the 250. The F350 may be different story...extra spring and increased payload.

If you get an F250 gasser, you’ll have about 3000 lb payload, depending on options. It’s the diesel engine’s increased weight that will drop you to 2100 or so. Going with the F350 pretty much makes up for the payload loss due to the diesel’s extra weight.

[out of sight]

F-150 axle ratings: front 3525 rear 3800
F-250 axle ratings: front 5990 rear 6340

For a few thousand more you get 2/3 more truck.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by KK4YZ

If you get an F250 gasser, you’ll have about 3000 lb payload, depending on options. It’s the diesel engine’s increased weight that will drop you to 2100 or so. Going with the F350 pretty much makes up for the payload loss due to the diesel’s extra weight.

Just saw an announcement from Car & Driver today that Ford now has most torque/hp and towing capability with the new 6.7L Diesel. Not that I am thinking about selling my 2017 model yet...only have 68K miles on her!

2020 Ford Super Duty Takes Heavy-Duty Torque and Towing Crowns

[CRH]

The 2019 SD's don't come with a hitch adapter.

[JonDNC]

Yes it cost 25 or so. I did have to purchase

[waninae39]

Ford's new 2020 Super Duty can tow 37,000 lbs, thanks to 1,050 lb.-ft. of torque
https://driving.ca/ford/super-duty/a...b-ft-of-torque

[DewTheDew]

it turns out that a lot of the F250s on the lots have the 5th wheel prep. Looked at one the other day without it and yes, it changed the payload by about 100 lbs (I think the one with was 2024 and without was 2135). Probably going to pull the trigger tomorrow.

[Tkalb2]

My wife and I are in the same stage trying to decide if we should swap our 3.5eb f150 for a 3/4 ton truck. Having this information is extremely helpful as we plan to go fulltime this spring.
I haven't towed the AS that much just yet but the 3.5eb seemed to handle it ok aside from a few white knuckle moments but a few is too many for me.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Tkalb2

My wife and I are in the same stage trying to decide if we should swap our 3.5eb f150 for a 3/4 ton truck. Having this information is extremely helpful as we plan to go fulltime this spring.
I haven't towed the AS that much just yet but the 3.5eb seemed to handle it ok aside from a few white knuckle moments but a few is too many for me.

Take it from many of us who have made the upgrade from the 1/2T to the 3/4T with the larger AS's....night and day difference in the "journey" while pulling a 27' or larger AS! No white knuckle experience, plenty payload, and overall great for traveling. No regrets with our 28'!