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wponder · 09-06-2017, 09:49 PM

I have read many threads on this and have a good sense of the general feeling which seems split. F150 is plenty for towing an AS but if you want more assurance / confident towing go F250.

I am still stuck. We have a 2015 F150 Lariat 3.5 Ecoboost, 4x4 we only owe 14K on it. It just turned 20K miles. We have a 2016 International Serenity 25FB that we just got and have towed it over 2000 miles so far from Los Angeles, AZ, UT, ID and WA. We have a 1500 Blue Ox on it. The F150 has the HD Tow Package so top of the payload range, Max Combined and Max Trailer weight.

When we picked it up we had a decent amount of stuff for setting things up and weighed in at 12120 combined. After loading it up to prob 95% of where we typically will be we weighed in at 12420 combined.

I feel 90% confident towing it. It's feels a little loose when its really windy and when passing / being passed by semi's. Stopping is decent. Been avg. 10 - 13 mpg but it can suck the gas on the bigger climbs.

Been considering stepping up to a 250. It would gain a couple 1000 in most areas but its seems close. Then I saw a 150 Diesel is coming. I owned a 350 before the 150. I did not mind the drive except the bouncing on some highways and the turning. So, I am torn if we should just stick with the F150 and run it till we cant anymore.

Thoughts?

Thanks

CRH · 09-06-2017, 10:37 PM

Pay it off and keep on driving.

Countryboy59 · 09-07-2017, 02:43 AM

You won't clear a lot on that 150 when you trade it in. Then again, you must be carrying quite a bit of stuff if the rig weighs almost 13,000 lbs. You might find the F250 more to your liking. Any chance you could try one out first, then decide?

90% confident doesn't sound that good. What problems are you having? Sway? Is it possible you need a hitch adjustment?

My preference for that size trailer would be a 250 or 350 sized truck, gas V8 or Cummins diesel. I'm not a fan of small engines.

Naper · 09-07-2017, 04:42 AM

There is nothing wrong with your 150 and 25 ft AS combo. Relax and enjoy the adventure.

malinois38 · 09-07-2017, 05:01 AM

Sounds like you need to dial in your hitch. This will cost you only time. Ensure that your Airstream is level front/rear. Make a trip to the CAT scales and possibly upgrade your truck tires/shocks. CAT scales don't lie.

AirMiles · 09-07-2017, 05:33 AM

A picture of your truck/Airstream with weight distribution hitch connected is worth 1000 words. I've towed with the F150 EB and it is plenty capable for a 25' Airstream. I tow a FC25FB with a Blue Ox and find it works best with the full steer axle weight restored on my Titan XD. With my 1000# bars, that means the 11th link in the slot with 1-1/2 links showing under the latches when connected. So a picture to see if your rig is level and scale tickets to see if your steer axle weight is restored would be priceless. Here is a picture and weight tickets for my rig: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...ml#post1985301

dkottum · 09-07-2017, 06:18 AM

You have an excellent truck/Airstream combination with an inadequate w.d. hitch setup. Your engine is light, the steering axle is too light with the loads you carry, and hitch weight of your Airstream.

I would never again attempt a half-ton truck and mid-size Airstream without the benefits of a Projected Pivot Point w.d. hitch with 1400 lb w.d. bars. It will eliminate the wind and semi push, eliminate the possibility of a loss of control accident from trailer sway, and give you 100% confidence and a completely relaxed towing experience. It will cost you $2500-$3000 compared to the $25000-$30000 cost of trading trucks, and you will retain a better all-around vehicle.

wponder · 09-07-2017, 08:23 AM

Thanks for all the awesome input so far. Here is some additional data on some of the questions. It would be awesome to get a 250 to try out and just feel. I want to see if I can make that happen.

I am not sure we are carrying that much heavy extra stuff yet. Our base weight truck and AS before adding our junk is right at 11110.8 LB. That is Truck with 36 gal of gas, two people WD Hitch and Airstream using the dry weight and probably conservative on the truck. I need to weigh it alone.

First weigh-in we were at 12120 lb. That was full LP tanks, empty water tanks and most of our stuff.

Last weigh-in we added a dog and about 98% of what we would have full time. That put us at the 12420 lb. We keep a list of our stuff and the weights and that was about were we expected to land. From time to time I will need to bring our raft and frame and that will add say another 1000 lb. and two other people another 300 - 400 lb. 500 with their crap. We are trying to be weight conscious and use all light weight river or camping gear.

More on the truck... I did lift it 2 inches using a Fox coil over lift in the front and it has Fox 2.0 shocks in the back. I expect they are a little softer for towing and that could be influencing things. I also have the longer 6' bed but don't think that is affecting anything.

On the Hitch. First trip when picking it up. I had the blue ox first set with the hitch flipped on the top holes. That put it right at 1.5 - 2 inches above the AS hitch point. It ended up being WAY to low. We dragged right away. I measured how much the truck sank when hitching which was about 6". I accounted this as the Fox shocks. So, before we headed back home with it. I redid the OX. Flipping the hitch and putting it on the bottom 2 holes. This made everything sit perfectly level.

The tires were also really low... and I was stupidly lazy and pulled if from Los Angeles to Just outside Boise at 45lb. On that trip the chains were set 5th from the top.

From outside Boise to Boise 200 - 300 miles. I had the BlueOX set on the sixth chain. This is when everything felt the best.

Third trip. I had the BlueOX set on the Sixth Chain, Tires at 60 ( Cold ) and increased the overall weight 300 lb. This was my least confident at first. It just felt off. I cannot say there was sway, not what I am use to from towing utility trailers that really can start swaying. It just felt not as firm over all, again mostly with the wind gusts, semi's and stopping. I feel the engine has plenty of power when pulling and taking larger grades although he turbos are working. As the trip progressed I adjusted and confidence grew. To be fare.. It's mostly at the higher speeds. I mean, I can get up to 75-80 and then suddenly realize man, I need to back off. I mostly try to cruise at 65.

Attached are the scale pictures. I will hook up the trailer or find a picture of it hooked up.

AirMiles · 09-07-2017, 08:41 AM

1) Assuming your bare truck steer axle weighs 3260# based on this: https://www.f150forum.com/f38/curb-w...3/#post3090221

2) And assuming the crinkled weight ticket was weighed correctly.

3) And since your rig is level

I would suggest more tension on your WDH. You may need to lower your hitch head another hole (if possible with your lifted truck) to keep it level with more links. Blue Ox hitches need to have deflection in the bars for sway control. With 1500# bars, you may need to equal weight your TV front and rear axles to get the minimum 2" of deflection. I have read that many on this forum equal weight their axles on gas 1/2 ton trucks with weight distribution while towing their Airstreams.

It sounds like a F250 or F350 may be better for the loads you described above. But your Blue Ox can be adjusted to improve your current truck.

m.hony · 09-07-2017, 09:07 AM

Keep your truck.
Run what you brung.

PatLee · 09-07-2017, 09:25 AM

Don't assume another loan for a vehicle you don't need. You've almost paid off your perfectly good truck!

Rzrbrn · 09-07-2017, 09:36 AM

wponder, thanks for posting. I got a lot out of this thread.

franklyfrank · 09-07-2017, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wponder

I have read many threads on this and have a good sense of the general feeling which seems split. F150 is plenty for towing an AS but if you want more assurance / confident towing go F250.

I am still stuck. We have a 2015 F150 Lariat 3.5 Ecoboost, 4x4 we only owe 14K on it. It just turned 20K miles. We have a 2016 International Serenity 25FB that we just got and have towed it over 2000 miles so far from Los Angeles, AZ, UT, ID and WA. We have a 1500 Blue Ox on it. The F150 has the HD Tow Package so top of the payload range, Max Combined and Max Trailer weight.

When we picked it up we had a decent amount of stuff for setting things up and weighed in at 12120 combined. After loading it up to prob 95% of where we typically will be we weighed in at 12420 combined.

I feel 90% confident towing it. It's feels a little loose when its really windy and when passing / being passed by semi's. Stopping is decent. Been avg. 10 - 13 mpg but it can suck the gas on the bigger climbs.

Been considering stepping up to a 250. It would gain a couple 1000 in most areas but its seems close. Then I saw a 150 Diesel is coming. I owned a 350 before the 150. I did not mind the drive except the bouncing on some highways and the turning. So, I am torn if we should just stick with the F150 and run it till we cant anymore.

Thoughts?

Thanks

IMHO, your rig seems well balanced as is and with the 25' AS you most likely aren't experiencing any " tail wagging the dog " issues so I for one would stick with it. Especially since you have such a low miles on it.
However if you have a hankering for a new toy I second the motion for the F-250 Diesel. There is never and overkill when it comes to pickups and toys :-).

rustyoldman · 09-07-2017, 10:01 AM

Based on what you have said, I would try a different hitch. That would be a much cheaper approach then trading in your tv. I have had experience with eas-lift and blue ox and neither solved my sway problems or that feeling that "Everything isn't right. I went with a 1500 Equalizer hitch and after going thru their very detailed instructions, I can now tow without sway, a passing semi does not effect my stability and I fell that "Everything feels right". This is a much more economical approach!
Bill

uncle_bob · 09-07-2017, 10:24 AM

Hi

Any time you start off towing something big it's going to feel a bit weird. That's a very normal reaction. It might indicate a problem, but sorting things out is not easy.

The truck / trailer combo you have *should* work fine. I'd look carefully at the "must have" list in terms of weight. Our experience is that things have been getting lighter as we better understand what is (not) needed on a normal trip.

Bob

RamRider · 09-07-2017, 10:28 AM

I hook my Blu Ox on the eight link (from the end) which exposes 2.5 links between the bars and the latches. Air up your tires for certain. My experience is half tons are a good combo up to the the FB25 Flying clouds assuming your truck has enough load capacity and pulling capacity. I have swapped out my 2015 Ram for a new 2016 to get the 3.92 rear end which improves tow capacity. In Texas you can usually sell late model pick ups and get into a new one with very little or no financial pain. Dealers sell the used ones for almost as much as you can negotiate for a new truck.

Some owners swear by the 3.5 eco boost so I would recalibrate and give it a second chance. Of course any 2500 would one way to solve a lot of towing problems with our getting one of the more expensive hitches
Do your own math based on your trucks numbers and see how you can work this out.

Best of luck to you.

Oxen · 09-07-2017, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wponder

We have a 2015 F150 Lariat 3.5 Ecoboost, 4x4 we only owe 14K on it. It just turned 20K miles. We have a 2016 International Serenity 25FB that we just got and have towed it over 2000 miles so far from Los Angeles, AZ, UT, ID and WA. We have a 1500 Blue Ox on it. The F150 has the HD Tow Package so top of the payload range, Max Combined and Max Trailer weight.

When we picked it up we had a decent amount of stuff for setting things up and weighed in at 12120 combined. After loading it up to prob 95% of where we typically will be we weighed in at 12420 combined.

I feel 90% confident towing it. It's feels a little loose when its really windy and when passing / being passed by semi's. Stopping is decent. Been avg. 10 - 13 mpg but it can suck the gas on the bigger climbs.

My 2017 F-150 has max payload (2,683 lbs.) and max towing (11,700 lbs.). It tended to bounce with the cadence of road section cracks when I pulled my nephew's 34 ft SOB as a test.

What was the 10% problem you experienced? Wouldn't replacing the shocks with ones which add coil springs help?

Oxen

h2ocoolerman · 09-07-2017, 10:41 AM

If you try a 250. Try the 350 as well. You might be surprised at how well it rides. I just upgraded from a 150 to a 350. I was presently surprised by the nice ride for a 1ton. Not as plush as the 150 but still nice. And no worries about towing now.

Larry C · 09-07-2017, 10:48 AM

The bottom line is adjust the hitch correctly, and you'll be OK.....however if you simply want to spend money to keep up with the crowd, and say you have a "bigger", "better", or "best", it's your picture, paint it whatever color you want....
No matter what you decide, somebody will tell you that "you shoulda done this", or the next guy will tell you "you shoulda done that".....

Now if you really want to start a discussion, I like bourbon.....specifically Buffalo Trace...

Larry

wponder · 09-07-2017, 10:57 AM

I will try and get another link out of it today. That would be 7 from the top. 6 from the top has quite a bit of bow in the bars. 7 could be tough, 6 is pretty tough I might not even be able to torque 6 and I am pretty strong. In general, I have to work it to get there usually playing with the pivot of the truck and trailer combined with getting one side set. Then the other, then going back to the original and trying to get one more link out of it, then back to the other to match.

I think the challenge with dropping down a hole is I would have to flip the hitch and put it on the top two holes. I had it that way when I picked it up and it was way to low and would drag even the slightest dip in the ground.

Here is the sticker for the max axel weight off the door. What concerned me at the last weigh in was how far over the drive axel was. Not sure if its possible I did not line up right on the scale.