Ford F-250 too much for me?

[Bellah]

I'm towing just about the lightest AS there is. A 2007 19' Bambi.
Currently driving a Toyota Tundra 4.7.
My concern is not the towing power, it's not great but it's enough for most of my weekend trips... but not Colorado.

My REAL concern is payload. I considered another Tundra 5.7 but it's still a half-ton truck. With trailer, 2 adults, full tank of gas, generator, tools, and a bed full of gear,... I'm pushing the safety zone?

I want to feel safe and comfortable going anywhere taking all our stuff.

Seems that there's no "in-between".

So I'm looking at Ford F250 gas.

Any helpful opinions?

[xrvr]

Contrary to popular opinion, you cannot have too big of a truck. However, in your case a half ton large v8 truck is plenty for the mts. Jim

[AldeanFan]

I have a 2005 Toyota Tundra 4.7 which I tow my 1977 23' Safari with.

For me it's lots of truck, it does shift on steep hills when towing, and I watch how and what I load in the trailer and truck bed, but it's a great truck for my purposes.

My father had a 2005 F250 6.0L and it was a beast of a truck, We towed a 20ft enclosed car trailer from Niagara Falls to south of Boston and brought back a car. The truck never came out of overdrive even on the steepest of hills and I out ran a Camaro on an on ramp. You get a strong feeling of confidence driving something that large and heavy with that much power.
But, the truck was HUGE compared to my Tundra. It was almost impossible to park in a regular parking lot and if someone is tailgating you in a car you can't see them at all. Also, everything on the truck was expensive, the Ford Dealer wanted $1,500+ for front pads and rotors, the tires were larger and much more expensive than the tires I run on the Toyota.
It was a great tow rig, but a terrible daily driver. I find the Toyota is a good compromise for my uses.

The new Tundras are much larger than the previous generation so test drive one where you normally drive (the F250 was a tight fit getting in to my office parking lot)

If you are worried about capacity of your current rig, load up with all the gear you might carry, fill all the tanks and make a trip to the Scales.

[Melody Ranch]

I have a Ford F-250, had a Silverado 2500 and have a Ranch truck...Tundra. I can compare. I tow a small Bubble or a Cloud. All of these trucks will do the job well. The Tundra Consumer Reports came out with glowing reports on the Tundra...the best. With what your doing consider a bed cover (camper shell) to protect the gear and generator. To add to your confusion....my friend just started towing a small Airstream with a Ford F-150 Eco boost....I was impressed there too.

[dkottum]

We had a 4.7 Tundra, pretty nice truck. An alternative to larger payload capacity is reducing payload (and increasing the money in your pocket to do other things).

If you really only need a bigger truck for a trip to Colorado, I would hold the course you're on, and downshift a few times on the Colorado trip.

doug k

[LFM]

Not to beat the F150 Ecoboost drum again, but I have one of the first ones out (2011 Crew) and it pulls our 2007 19' SE like a dream here in the mountains of Montana. It is rated 11,600, almost twice my Silverado 1500. I would buy another F150 Ecoboost in a heartbeat.

And I think even the Silverado would have been OK, but I wanted a crew cab, and it was just a regular cab farm truck.

Greg

[Bill M.]

Next time you have your truck loaded for a trip and the trailer hooked up go to the cat scales and weigh it. That way you will know for sure what you need. There are half ton trucks that carry more payload than other half ton trucks. What you really do not want to go over is the axle rating and the weight limit for the tires. I am not against heavy duty trucks. I pull a 25' with a 2500 and love the rig.

[Bellah]

Thanks for all the good comments and advice.

I should have done more homework. According to the "literature", the Ford v6 Ecoboost has almost a thousand more pounds of payload. Might be just what I'm looking for.

Only one problem. Toyota is offering me a GREAT trade-in compared to Ford.
As you know, money talks. But it's still a 1650 lb max payload half-ton truck.
I haven't actually weighed but I estimate I'm putting about 1400 lbs in it.
(with 10-15% safety margin... I'm maxed out.)
* The Ford EcoBoost with HDPayload Package is 2600 lbs.

Man, this truck business is tough!

Thanks again for the replies.

[TouringDan]

I agree with Doug. Keep your Toyota. Let it shift more and slow down and smell the roses. Spend the money on something else. I think the F250 is way overkill.

BTW, I love my 2008 5.7L Tundra, but it is HUGE. That is really my only complaint.

Dan

[JFScheck]

Bluebelle - I am so happy your eyeballing the max payload of the trucks!

[mefly2]

We went from an F150 to a 3/4 T for towing our FC20 and never looked back... better brakes, more HP/torque, more easily ascends the ever-present mountains around here, better trans / cooler, tow/haul mode, etc.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Better to have more than you need, than need more than you have.

A bit "old school" here.

Bob

[Uzzah]

I just picked up a ford excursion, not so much because it is a huge 3/4 ton aircraft carrier , and a danger to all in the highway. I bought it because I fit in it, and it is super comfortable. It tows my 30 footer just fine, but by no means is it "required" equipment to pull a trailer of that size. I just really like the excursion. If you really like Toyota, then I see no reason you need an f250. Toyota makes a fine truck, but as previously posted, perhaps you need a better handle on how much weight you really are trying to move, adjust your truck accordingly....if at all.

[JFScheck]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Better to have more than you need, than need more than you have.

A bit "old school" here.

Bob

Spoken like a true poet!

[steverino]

An F250 driver here, but I don't think you can go wrong with either the Tundra 5.7 or the F150 Ecoboost. The F250 will have a longer wheelbase, which makes it a little bit tougher fit in parking lots as either daily driver or while off on day trips. But yes, run the numbers, and get what you are comfortable with!

[KJRitchie]

I towed my 17' Casita (no WDH) with a 2005 4Runner with the 4.7L, 5sp auto 2wd and on steeper grades in Montana I just shift it down to 3rd and it could maintain 60mph, in fact I had to ease off on the accelerator. The Casita GVWR is 3500 and the Bambi is 4500 so if you are 1000lbs heavier the 4.7L will work a little harder to pull the Bambi. You didn't mention what year your Tundra 4.7 is. In 2005 and above the 4.7L had an increase in horsepower.

I'm now towing a 2008 Classic with a Tundra 5.7L double cab. I have a Bakflip VP bedcover vs a camper shell to keep the weight down and I only carry lawn chairs, folding aluminum table, 50 qt cooler for extra water and beverages, small table top BBQ, a 5lb propane tank, patio mat and small accessories. It tows the 6500lb beast around fine and the 6speed transmission is great. I bought it preowned and yes the dealer gave me a fair trade in on the 4Runner (it was clean and low miles for its year and sold within a couple of weeks at the dealership) compared to a Ford dealer.

I towed the Casita without weight distribution with it a few times before the Casita sold and it was an easy pull so a 19' Bambi would be easy too.

I would say if your Tundra 4.7l is the later model I'd keep it and try it out in Colorado. Buying any new or preowned vehicle nowadays is expensive and keeping your paid for Tundra will pay for a lot of gas. If we were looking at a 19f or 20 ft Bambi we never would've traded in the 4Runner.

Kelvin

[tailpipe]

I am not saying you are marginal with your tow vehicle, only a trip to a scale will tell you that. But I will say this..maintain your vehicle check your tire pressures often and slow down. Get the combination unit weighed tanks full all gear and passengers on board. It is not the uphill that will get you in trouble most times it is the downhill...slow down enjoy the ride.

[tailpipe]

An no a 250 is not to much truck, but there are no free lunches....want more capacity...well you pay for that

[tailpipe]

Let me add this I also pulled a Casita with a 1500 Series GMC NO WD or sway system I guess 8,000 miles or so as far west as N. Texas , GA, VA, W VA SC I did get a little bobble on a downhill or when a big rig would blow by, nothing serious . I would sure recommend a good hitch system. Before I get beat up the Casita was well within the specs of the truck and hitch and a WD or sway was optional.

[ROBERT CROSS]

"It tows the 6500lb beast around fine and the 6speed transmission is great."


Kelvin,

If your 25 Classic is anything like mine, a trip to the CAT Scales will be very illuminating.

The stated weights are not very accurate, especially tongue weight, our TW 1000 to 1200lbs depending on load.

BTW....Great job on the Converter up-grade!!!

Bob