Tow Vehicle-F150 vs F250 or similar

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by SeekingAdventure

Considering I started this process wanting an SUV with good towing capacity, the 350 is not a big stretch now. I'm chuckling at myself.

And here is the moment where I will interject just one little thing. It is easy to get caught in the bigger is better concept when it comes to tow vehicles. We've heard quite a few members state that "you can never have too much truck when towing". That is absolutely true. And, you will find very few that will argue that .

However, be careful to take a step back before you make a final decision to make sure that the tow vehicle you purchase can not only handle your towing demands, but also match your lifestyle and everyday needs. That 1-ton truck will do great towing whatever you want it to. However, is it really what you and your family are looking for? Again, not arguing anything that anyone in this thread has added. Just want you to make sure that you consider exactly how you got to this point and if you are truly going to be happy long term.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by SeekingAdventure

Thanks. Yes, we are creeping up! We looked at the smaller TTs & they seemed tight with the 4 of us. It's a case of 'well, if we're going to get a trailer...' (but we've been happy in a tent so far). So I'm going to look at F250s this week.
How did you find it driving your truck? Did it take time to adjust? I haven't driven one before.

I’ve had a couple of Tacomas, a 4-Runner and several CR-Vs and the F-250 is bigger, heavier and slower than any of those, but no problem to drive or tow with. My daily driver is an FR-S but I found driving the truck around town is no problem. You adjust by knowing you can’t zip quickly out into traffic or slip into tight parking spaces. My DW drives a Lexus NX but she loves driving the pickup. It has something to do with having plenty of vehicle around her and sitting up high!

[TMTEX]

I just posted the same question. I currently have a 2020 max tow package 150, pulling a loaded 7500lb camper. Its fine for local trips/farm roads , but when I venture out in a 100+ mile adventure on the interstate with wind, it gets rough. In a couple of months I am going from Dallas TX to Big Bend national park and I have a feeling it will be a rough ride in west Texas.
I looked at a 250 on Saturday and they had a "Market adjustment" of 15K over sticker price. I walked away.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by TMTEX

I just posted the same question. I currently have a 2020 max tow package 150, pulling a loaded 7500lb camper. Its fine for local trips/farm roads , but when I venture out in a 100+ mile adventure on the interstate with wind, it gets rough. In a couple of months I am going from Dallas TX to Big Bend national park and I have a feeling it will be a rough ride in west Texas.
I looked at a 250 on Saturday and they had a "Market adjustment" of 15K over sticker price. I walked away.

Have you taken your combo to a CAT scale and verified your loaded numbers? If not, that would be a good place to start. A lot of times, proper hitch adjustments will drastically improve the towing experience.

[Cincinnati Kid]

Originally Posted by SeekingAdventure

Considering I started this process wanting an SUV with good towing capacity, the 350 is not a big stretch now. I'm chuckling at myself.

Same with us. Never had a camper of any kind. Wanted a 5000# trailer we could pull with our Ford Explorer.

Started looking and figuring.

Then thought we'd get a new 150. Then started looking at small 5th wheels.

Then knew we needed a super duty.

Got a 250, it is maxed out with the 11000# 5th wheel we bought, should have gone slightly farther and gotten the 350.

But we're happy with our setup, and hopefully it will outlast us.

Easy to drive, and you're on top of the world.

[curver900]

just make sure you are looking at a gas 250 not a diesel.. the older diesels had payload similar to a 150. I think the new ones have changed though....

[Scott91370]

Can it do it? Sure. Safely? Maybe.

It's going to depend a lot on your truck. My 2015 Lartiat has 1600lb payload - something you'd be over with your setup. Especially once you add your weight distribution hitch.

XT ot lightly optioned XLT woudl work but to be honest I'd choose the 3/4 ton truck and never worry about it.

[Big1]

I would just forget the F250 and go with the F350 that way you will be cover down the road if you upgrade your rv.

[gobdeep]

From personal experience, I own an F-250 with a TT within the 6,000-7,000 GVWR range. After having loaded down the TT and tow vehicle, which the TV is 10,000 GVWR, I wish I went with an F-350 with a GVWR of 12,000 or an F-250 dual real wheel with a slightly higher GVWR.

The dang dog and youngest kid just puts us near max payload.

[VKC]

They make F-250, F-350 etc. for a reason. You have heavier brakes, springs and so on. Gas mileage will be less on the heavy duty trucks.

[jeffmcpa]

"I have too much truck"

Said almost no one ever....

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

Originally Posted by TWP723

There's no such thing as "overkill" or "too much truck" when towing. I've never heard anyone complain about having too much truck. Go F250.

X2
This and similar comments are one of the most sage pieces of towing advice I've read on this forum.

[gymracer]

I have owned F150s and C10s. They are fine for riding around but not for serious towing. I now have a 2500 HD 4wd and will never go back to a 1/2 ton. There is so much difference. Towing a TT of any size, I'd want a 3/4 to 1 ton. I see these people out on highway with too small and light vehicle over in right lane of interstate barely going 55 fighting it.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by gymracer

I have owned F150s and C10s. They are fine for riding around but not for serious towing. I now have a 2500 HD 4wd and will never go back to a 1/2 ton. There is so much difference. Towing a TT of any size, I'd want a 3/4 to 1 ton. I see these people out on highway with too small and light vehicle over in right lane of interstate barely going 55 fighting it.

And that’s before the winds kick up or they reach a hill…

[TXJACO]

F150 vs F250 shouldn’t be a question. It should be a statement. I wish I would have just bit the bullet and bought a F350 when I was just towing a 7500 lb trailer. F150 was terrible. No comparison between the two. You’ll wind up spending more if you go F150 and get white knuckles to bail out of it to step up to f250. Been there, done that.

[saunterr44]

I've been waiting for my F-250 from Ford since June 2021.

The F-150 I have is just not enough. Don't hesitate, go BIG !

[RichCarter]

Originally Posted by SeekingAdventure

...Should I be looking at an F250 (or similar in other makes)?

Most folks who have an RV use it to tow a few times each year and use it as a daily driver most of the time. I don't know what the F250 and F350 real-world economy number are but I'm going to guess the low teens, maybe 14 MPG, when not towing anything. I own a '17 F150 Super Crewcab with a 3.5 echoboost and 10sp tranny. I don't have max tow or max payload but it has the standard tow package. My door sticker says the payload capacity is 1914 lbs. I tow a 7700 lb GVW Jayco with no problem. I usually have the tanks full with 80 gal of water, food, and typical stuff so I'm probably over 7000 lbs when towing. I won't say that an F250 or F350 won't tow better but my truck does just fine. The engine pulls in tow mode with cruise usually engaged. I stick to around 65 MPH on the highway. Faster and the ass-end wiggles a bit more than I like. I get an honest real-world 19.6 mpg when not towing. Given the high price of fuel these days, do you really want to be running around town in a gas-guzzling super-duty? Maybe you want to consider a later model F150 setup for towing.

[JonathanCP]

I started out with a 150 pulling a 7500 GVWR trailer, just ok for 2 of us but when 2 guests with their luggage joined us we changed to a 250, but now we've gone full time with generator, extra batts, inverter, solar panels, clothes, boats etc, we've maxed out the trailer and the 250, so now we have a 350 dually long bed, over kill for the trailer but necessary for all the extra kit.

[pc55]

The F250 will be longer and have a wider turning radius than an f150 or suv. So you end up parking further out at the store.. The unloaded ride will also be a little more stiff but not bad. You can get used to the bigger truck pretty quickly. Just take it slow until you get used to it.
I agree with other posters if its between f150 and f250 go with the bigger truck. Diesels will pull stronger and get better towing mileage but the weight can cut into payload capacity. If its between an f250 and an f350 go bigger. If you're towing within your state a srw will get you there. If you're towing cross country or long trips the drw f350 gives you redundancy and some piece of mind.

[HAL9001]

I see so many of these threads. The prevailing consensus is usually always to buy a heavier-duty tow truck, but it's not always that simple or practical.

If you own or are thinking about an F150, they'll tell you to go with an F250.

If you own or are thinking about an F250, they'll tell you to go with an F350.

If you own or are thinking about an F350, they'll tell you to go with a diesel semi-truck/tractor, lol.

Well of course a heavier duty tow vehicle is always better for towing, but with that simple logic, we'd all own a semi. So, where do you draw the line?

It's all about the size and weight of what you're currently towing, how often you tow, what your future towing plans are, how much money you have, and what you want/need out of the truck when you're not towing.

If you simply want to tow a lightweight TT up to about 8,500 lbs GVW or so to tow a few times a year, have no foreseeable plans to move up to a bigger TT or fifth wheel, and primarily want/need a good, comfortable, relatively economical daily driver, then go ahead and get an F150 (with the necessary towing options/specs). You don't need anything bigger. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

If purchase cost/fuel economy/daily driving are not your primary focus, you want to pull a heavier TT or fifth-wheel now or in the foreseeable future, do a lot of towing, have another vehicle as a daily driver when you're not towing or are willing to deal with a heavy-duty pickup as a daily driver, want better stability and comfort when towing, and/or towing is your primary focus for this truck, then by all means get an F250 or F350, whichever is better for your current and future towing needs.

Bigger is not always better. Go bigger only when it makes excellent sense for your specific needs, but if it doesn't, then you don't have to buy a bigger truck than what you want or need and it's not always the best choice for many people.

I currently own a RAM 1500 Limited with a 5.7 Hemi. I use it to tow an 8,000 lb GVW 33' TT twice a year, once to FL and then back again, about 3,000 miles all totaled. The RAM had no problems doing this and I've towed in heavy storms with 30-50 mph gusting crosswinds at 65 mph and felt no need to stop.

I've also towed my friend's fifth wheel with his F250, and while more capable and a bit more comfortable/stable while towing, the experience was not all that much different. When not towing, my RAM 1500 beats his F250 hands down for ride comfort and economy.

When I'm not towing, which is the vast majority of the time, my RAM Limited is a luxury daily driver with an incredibly comfortable, quiet ride and decent fuel mileage for a truck. I have no future plans for a bigger towable, so, for me this is perfect. If I had listened to anyone telling me that I needed a bigger truck, they would have done me a disservice.

If I ever wish to move up to a bigger TT or a fifth wheel, I'll simply buy a heavy-duty tow vehicle, but until then I'm very happy with what I have.

So, again, bigger is not always better. It all highly depends on individual needs.