Ford F150 + Airstream 27FB Desk

[gecko]

Originally Posted by PhilouCerise

My wife doesn't want to drive an F250 or F350 because she says it's too big in town every day. It seems to me that you are right about going with a Heavy truck instead. Maybe I should take a Bambi 16RB instead of a Flying Cloud 27FB...

As Richard and pjshier stated, the 150 is a good daily driver but in my opinion, too soft a suspension for the 7000 lb plus Aitstreams.

We towed our 28’ International with a 3/4 ton Suburban, and tha , when tuned carefully with our Equalizr hitch, was an excellent rig. It was also a comfortable daily driver and had adequate payload. But mostly, when we got into a dangerous driving situation and needed to avoid another carelessly driven large vehicle, our suspension was tight enough that the whole rig handled predictably—frankly, on two occasions it saved our lives.

When we sold our Airstream, after 9 joyful years, I spent a week with the new owner familiarizing him with everything. This included a full day tuning his brand new F-150 with max tow package and a very light payload. He loved it, but I found the front end way too soft. Even a modest evasion maneuver at 40 mph caused serious nose dive in the loaded side of the front suspension. That being said, he safely drove it for months long trips all around the continental US with no incident. Maybe I’m just more cautious, as we like to be able to drive the rig at fairly high speeds.

For the last few years of our ownership, we used the Sprinter one-ton. As a daily driver, the only problem was height—even though it was the lowest model, there was no urban or suburban covered public parking that we could fit into. But my wife found it easy to drive around town, and when towing at highway speeds (up to 80 mph in Texas where it’s legal) , she found the rig even more stable than with the Suburban. With the small 3L diesel, the Sprinter definitely worked pulling up the steeper grades-we’d move into the right lane with the big boys and could hold to about 50 MPH. But the payload was fantastic (11,000 lbs GVWR for a 5-6000 lb vehicle minus 1100 tongue weight left us with 4-5000 lbs of passengers and freight capacity—way more than we needed. The mpg was much better than the Suburban. And the handling was superb.

So for your family, either you get a 3/4 ton SUV or the Sprinter one ton (Mercedes only rates the 3/4 ton to tow up to 5000 lbs) or get a lighter weight trailer and the F-150 or a competitor. Personally, unless you’re hauling “dirty” stuff like a generator, we prefer the security and better handling of the enclosed SUV’s or vans.

We do know plenty of folks who spend a lot of time in 21 and 23 foot Airstreams, but 25 would have been the minimum for us. And that is heavy, too.

You guys need to spend some time to find out what other vehicles your wife might find acceptable as a daily driver and balance that with your trailer size needs.

How much time will you be spending in your Airstream and how much time using your tow vehicle as a daily driver? If your longest trips are going to be a week or less, go with the smaller trailer and more comfortable daily driver. If you plan on extended living in the Airstream, go with the 27 or 28 (the 28’s are actually shorter!) and get the right tow vehicle.

Let us know what you decide!

[John Ware]

Originally Posted by PhilouCerise

Ok I understand. I may be saying something stupid but if I understand correctly the vertical load on the trailer hitch is important. It seems logical but then if we empty the back of a pickup and load all that at the back of the Airstream to balance like a scale, that is not good?

Too much weight in the rear of a trailer will lighten the tongue weight but it will fishtail (sway) like a house on fire. You would have to add the weight over the axles. On my F150 I had to add air lifts to help with the heavy tongue weight on a light suspension. It did ride like a Cadillac without a trailer though.

[bobstock]

Originally Posted by PhilouCerise

Hello,

Sorry for the inconvenience but we are rooky and new comer in RV towing and we have a question. I think it's a sensitive issue.

We would like to buy a Airstream 27FB Desk but a lot of people say to me "You need a F250 minimum to tow your futur Airstream. The dealer said F350 !!!

When I read your posts it seems it's possible...

The Ford F150 2.7L EcoBoost V6 : 10100 lbs
or
The Ford F150 3.5L EcoBoost V6 : 14000 lbs
And
The Airstream 27FB Desk : 7600 lbs

If we respect the GVWR why wouldn't it work ?

Maybe this GVWR it's for a flat ground towing.

Thanks for your insights.

Philippe and Cerise 🍒

If you go with the F150, a MUST is the MAX TOW package. You will need to order it and wait, and wait, and wait to get the truck. Ordered mine in January and I'm still waiting to get the vehicle.

[PaulinVA]

So you are seeing the difference between people who gather weights and data and decide based on numbers and analysis, and those who go by intuition and “feel”. What type of person are you? To poorly paraphrase an old saying in aviation “pulling away is optional, stopping is mandatory.”

[jeffb831]

Originally Posted by bobstock

If you go with the F150, a MUST is the MAX TOW package. You will need to order it and wait, and wait, and wait to get the truck. Ordered mine in January and I'm still waiting to get the vehicle.

While the MAX TOW package is a must, I wouldn't attempt to tow a 27' trailer without the HEAVY DUTY PAYLOAD PACKAGE (HDPP). This will provide you with near-SuperDuty payload capacity (2400+#).

Unfortunately the HDPP is only available on XL and XLT trims on new trucks. There were some HDPP Lariat trucks built around 2017 but those are like hen's teeth.

[WellSaid11]

Originally Posted by doctorpm

You have a very good question. We have a 25' FCT and tow with a 2020 F150 3.5. Yes, the engine and truck will tow our 25'-er. But, in order to reduce porpoising and the effect of the tail wagging the dog we had to install RoadMaster RAS additional suspension kit. We also had to go up a link above our recommended setting on our Blue Ox Tow Bars.

Don't forget that the F150 has an all aluminum body to keep its weight down. And additionally with your 27'-er you will likely have an 800-1000lb tongue weight. So with a half ton truck tow vehicle, two passengers and a load of gear in the bed, you'll be overloading your Tow Vehicle.

An additional note: Our F150 gets about 18-20 miles per gallon unloaded and not towing. Towing we get 10-12 depending on wind conditions.

So there is a good reason to go F250 or F350 Super Duty. Our plan is to switch out to a larger truck when Ford finally gets back into production.

Nailed it.

Originally Posted by jcl

If you choose to go to a larger and heavier truck, you can gain cargo capacity but the vehicle is usually less capable and comfortable as a daily driver when you aren’t towing.

Once again with the "less capable" description. Makes absolutely no sense unless you are trying to park it on the street in Karachi.

Originally Posted by bobstock

If you go with the F150, a MUST is the MAX TOW package. You will need to order it and wait, and wait, and wait to get the truck. Ordered mine in January and I'm still waiting to get the vehicle.

Agreed, only way I would consider towing that AS with an F-150 if you plan to have any gear and passengers.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by WellSaid11

Once again with the "less capable" description. Makes absolutely no sense unless you are trying to park it on the street in Karachi.

I live in the city of Vancouver, the same as the OP.

A Super Duty or equivalent does not fit in our home parking spaces, for length or height, and the street parking is limited to two hours, so the truck would have to be stored offsite. Our local shopping mall parking, including our grocery store parking, has the same restriction, although some parking facilities would handle a short box as long as it was low enough. We could drive out to the suburbs if we wanted to park a truck. The OP may live in the suburbs. Of Vancouver, not Karachi.

[richard5933]

If one doesn't have room at home to park a full-sized pickup truck, then likely there is also not room to park a 27-ft Airstream. Meaning both are being stored elsewhere when not being used.

But this is all moot - the OP made it clear that they intend to live in this rig for a few years, spending 3-4 weeks at a time in a campground and then moving on to another as they travel through the US and Canada. From the first posting the OP was asking about full-sized pickups, and it doesn't sound (yet) that storage at home is a consideration. Every campground I've been to has plenty of room to park every possible tow vehicle being discussed here.

Let's not get so mired in our personal likes/dislikes that we forget the actual situation of the member asking for help here.

[PhilouCerise]

Yes you're right Richard I didn't think to store the Airstream and the truck at home, but maybe JCL meant that moving around town once the ES was on the campsite could be complicated. This is also the reason why at the beginning I went with an F150 (maneuverability and price). Now we have to look at security. I'm going to lose weight and I won't take animals

[jcl]

We have to store a trailer off site. In our case an F150 could be parked at home. Not so a Super Duty. The 150 fits in more spaces for all the times that it isn’t hitched up, and staying for several weeks at a time in one campground suggests it is going to be used solo.

If the OP needs 3000 lbs of payload then there are few alternative choices. If. 2000 lb payload will work, that opens up more choices.

[xpcdoojk]

Originally Posted by jeffb831

While the MAX TOW package is a must, I wouldn't attempt to tow a 27' trailer without the HEAVY DUTY PAYLOAD PACKAGE (HDPP). This will provide you with near-SuperDuty payload capacity (2400+#).

Unfortunately the HDPP is only available on XL and XLT trims on new trucks. There were some HDPP Lariat trucks built around 2017 but those are like hen's teeth.

On the f150 2022 builld page right now. problem with XL or XLT trim is you can't do it with the 7.2 pro power on board system. Which is a deal killer.

jc

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by xpcdoojk

On the f150 2022 builld page right now. problem with XL or XLT trim is you can't do it with the 7.2 pro power on board system. Which is a deal killer.

jc

Sounds like you're shopping for the 'everything' pickup. Easy to do with bagels, not so easy with tow vehicles.

Something has to be sacrificed to get the max payload capacity.

[Daquenzer]

I pull 28’ with F150 (2022) XLT. This is what I did:
1) Add 20 inch wheels to increase rear axle weight numbers. This also increased the towing capacity by a couple thousand pounds since the tongue weight specs increased.
2) Add roadmaster suspension system to firm up rear suspension and eliminate porpoising.
3) Run with Propride hitch to add stability and eliminate sway issues.
4) Eliminate anything that would unnecessarily take away payload such as sun roofs.

You can’t get an F150 with lots of bells and whistles. You have to think through what you absolutely need and be done with it. Or the number will not work very well.

It’s just my wife and me and our dog. So we don’t need a lot of payload. Remember you can put stuff in the trailer.

If you are towing for extended times. You may need a 3/4 ton.

[xpcdoojk]

Originally Posted by richard5933

Sounds like you're shopping for the 'everything' pickup. Easy to do with bagels, not so easy with tow vehicles.

Something has to be sacrificed to get the max payload capacity.

what I am learning, painfully.

I would happily sacrifice the higher trim bits, but the hybrid with power boost is the only reason to buy an F150 if you are buying it for a TV. Otherwise, it is just a truck. Those seem to be the reasons to not buy it for a TV.

[xpcdoojk]

Originally Posted by richard5933

Sounds like you're shopping for the 'everything' pickup. Easy to do with bagels, not so easy with tow vehicles.

Something has to be sacrificed to get the max payload capacity.

oops, I am wrong you can get the XLT or XL with the hybrid, you just have to click super crew cab. Sorry for the miss information.

jc

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by xpcdoojk

oops, I am wrong you can get the XLT or XL with the hybrid, you just have to click super crew cab. Sorry for the miss information.

jc

Okay then - everything pickup it is.

[hikingcamera]

Originally Posted by xpcdoojk

oops, I am wrong you can get the XLT or XL with the hybrid, you just have to click super crew cab. Sorry for the miss information.

I was gonna say, I priced out a hybrid with HDPP recently, just out of curiosity (no way we are getting a new truck since we have a 2021 we bought 6 months ago). The bummer for me was that you could not get the the higher feature package with the HDPP which included some components for a better safety rating like the LED headlights (more important to us) and some additional creature comforts (a bummer but less important). That part doesn't make sense to me. What do they have to do with the higher GVWR offered by the HDPP?

[emelaich01]

Not sure what the other two truck manufacturers' guidance is, but Ford recommends no towing for the first 1000 miles, allowing for the proper 'wearing-in' of powertrain components. Keep that in mind unless you have to make a 'same time' purchase. If so, tread lightly on the way home.
We just got back from a 2550 mi trip with our (2nd in 8 years) 5.0 F150 and 25FBFC, all in good order. Yes, I do think that I might go with a gas 250 next time if gas prices moderate some. As to a 350, that's overkill, unless you decide to go with a 5th wheel.
Happy travels!

[PhilouCerise]

See attached a excel file.

It seems like it is in theory.

Now, of course, with an F150 everything will wear out so quickly because it's a little over 90%. This calculation doesn't include the road gradients and the elevation but my wife can drive it into town to get bread, cheese and wine. We are French!

I hope I am not mistaken because I only have one day of experience on the towing. Not enough to fill out a resume

I just have to go see a dealer and he shows me his spreadsheet. I'll let you know. We still have time to change all the plans. Maybe we will buy a cabin on a desert island...

Thanks

[hikingcamera]

Originally Posted by PhilouCerise

See attached a excel file.

It seems like it is in theory.

Now, of course, with an F150 everything will wear out so quickly because it's a little over 90%. This calculation doesn't include the road gradients and the elevation but my wife can drive it into town to get bread, cheese and wine. We are French!

I hope I am not mistaken because I only have one day of experience on the towing. Not enough to fill out a resume

I just have to go see a dealer and he shows me his spreadsheet. I'll let you know. We still have time to change all the plans. Maybe we will buy a cabin on a desert island...

I think the most important thing is that your payload is going to be less than what is listed online. Features will take away from the listed "max" payload. Our F-150 is listed on the website as having a 2100-lb payload. In reality we had 1808.

Also, most WDH hitches will be more than 25 lbs. My hitch head (not including spring bars and frame latches) is 50-lbs.

And I think your tongue weight is going to be higher (I believe out of the factory the 27FB is around 15%)