Towing Question

Sarge1965 · 04-29-2019, 12:22 AM

Does anyone tow a Jayco with a Ford F150? If so, which one? We are looking at Jayco and wondered what tow vehicle we should buy. Thanks

Robbbyr · 04-29-2019, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarge1965

Does anyone tow a Jayco with a Ford F150? If so, which one? We are looking at Jayco and wondered what tow vehicle we should buy. Thanks

Welcome to the forum!

Although I have a Seneca, I know many folks here tow with Ford F-150s. But that truck comes in SO many flavors you need to give some idea how you are leaning. Bumper pull or 5th wheel? Very small trailer or something larger? If you have a specific truck you are interested in, what are its specs?

A few more details and you will get tons of responses!

jamaddox · 04-29-2019, 04:43 AM

I pulled a 24MBH with an F150 but When I pulled a 27DSRL I was overloaded by 300lbs. Bu that was a 2012 F150 and before the aluminum body. I also had a 4x4 which cut down on my capacity. As the earlier poster said that truck now comes in many different setups. Your best bet if you have the truck is to look at the sticker and also weigh the truck to see what extra capacity you may have if you want a travel trailer

RedHorse1 · 04-29-2019, 07:19 AM

Bobby and Jama offer great advise.
If you don’t have a TV yet I’d suggest some shopping to determine what kind of TT weights you are looking at. Once you have a ballpark weight look at TV’s to see what’s appropriate.
The newer 150’s with the alum body have a bit more payload than the older steel body models.
My general expectation is the 150 would be capable of towing 7-8k#. Don’t assume the “max tow” rating is what a vehicle can tow. A TV’s Rear GAWR will be exceeded well before reaching the max tow weight IMHO.
If you can take a potential TV to the scales you can get a good idea of how much TT it can tow.
Maybe someone will post their 150 weights. Keep in mind the trim level and options will eat into the payload numbers.

DocBrown · 04-29-2019, 07:24 AM

As said, there are so many versions of the F150. The more loaded with features, usually the lower the payload. Payload is more important than towing capacity.

Also, which Jayco? There are Jayco trailers that have a 3500# GVWR and trailers that weight over 11,000# GVWR. And everything in between.

gpeade · 04-29-2019, 10:49 AM

If you have to buy a tow vehicle...unless you are buying something real small like a 3K-4Klbs trailer, I would get a 3/4 ton truck. Not necessarily a diesel but I would get a 3/4 ton. Regardless on how much your TT weighs, a 3/4 ton truck will handle the load better and be more stable in the road. Better brakes as well. If you are going used, you can probably find a 3/4 ton for about the same cost as a 1/2 ton anyway.
If you already had a 1/2 ton I would not be saying buy a 3/4 but since you don't have either one, it's better to have more capacity than less. Last thing you want to do is buy a TT and TV today then decide to upgrade TT in a few years only to see your TV will have to be upgraded also.
That mistake has been made by many RVrs!

morleyz · 04-29-2019, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpeade

If you have to buy a tow vehicle...unless you are buying something real small like a 3K-4Klbs trailer, I would get a 3/4 ton truck. Not necessarily a diesel but I would get a 3/4 ton. Regardless on how much your TT weighs, a 3/4 ton truck will handle the load better and be more stable in the road. Better brakes as well. If you are going used, you can probably find a 3/4 ton for about the same cost as a 1/2 ton anyway.
If you already had a 1/2 ton I would not be saying buy a 3/4 but since you don't have either one, it's better to have more capacity than less. Last thing you want to do is buy a TT and TV today then decide to upgrade TT in a few years only to see your TV will have to be upgraded also.
That mistake has been made by many RVrs!

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with this advice. You should buy the TV that is appropriate for your situation. We knew we wanted a larger TT, so we bought a 3/4 ton, but there are a lot of downsides to it as well. For one thing, we're not in a position to have a dedicated TV, so mine also has to be my daily driver. On a good day, it gets about 14mpg on the highway empty and not towing. Also, 3/4 ton trucks are big. Don't fit in standard home garages and don't fit in many public garages. They're a pain to park. Maintenance is generally more. If I could safely and comfortable tow my TT with an F150 with an ecoboost, sign me up.

OP, I agree with much of what was said here. Your TV is going to be the limiting factor on which trailers you can tow. Pick your trailer first (or at least get an idea of the type/size you're focused on) before you purchase a TV.

ALJO · 04-29-2019, 12:57 PM

Here we can have another hefty discussion as many others before. Stay within your limits of specifications and your comfort zone. If you use a truck to pull a trailer only for 3 @ 4 times a year, it means you want a truck which is comfortable the rest of the year. Don't let others tell you what to buy. Make an informed decision from what you hear. Some people are not comfortable to pull a TT with a 30 ft. length and over 7000 lbs. The handling and feel of a combination Truck and Trailer handles differently than a single truck. Practise your combo driving and backing up.

CampNow · 04-29-2019, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpeade

If you have to buy a tow vehicle...unless you are buying something real small like a 3K-4Klbs trailer, I would get a 3/4 ton truck. Not necessarily a diesel but I would get a 3/4 ton. Regardless on how much your TT weighs, a 3/4 ton truck will handle the load better and be more stable in the road. Better brakes as well. If you are going used, you can probably find a 3/4 ton for about the same cost as a 1/2 ton anyway.
If you already had a 1/2 ton I would not be saying buy a 3/4 but since you don't have either one, it's better to have more capacity than less. Last thing you want to do is buy a TT and TV today then decide to upgrade TT in a few years only to see your TV will have to be upgraded also.
That mistake has been made by many RVrs!

Quote:

Originally Posted by morleyz

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with this advice. You should buy the TV that is appropriate for your situation. We knew we wanted a larger TT, so we bought a 3/4 ton, but there are a lot of downsides to it as well. For one thing, we're not in a position to have a dedicated TV, so mine also has to be my daily driver. On a good day, it gets about 14mpg on the highway empty and not towing. Also, 3/4 ton trucks are big. Don't fit in standard home garages and don't fit in many public garages. They're a pain to park. Maintenance is generally more. If I could safely and comfortable tow my TT with an F150 with an ecoboost, sign me up.

OP, I agree with much of what was said here. Your TV is going to be the limiting factor on which trailers you can tow. Pick your trailer first (or at least get an idea of the type/size you're focused on) before you purchase a TV.

Both, gpeade and morleyz, bring up valid points. There is safety . . . and there's practicality (cost, everyday use as a daily driver, etc.).

IMO, safety should trump everything. If you can't afford (or don't like to drive) the "right" truck, then you should downsize the trailer. I believe most would agree that trying to squeeze every last bit of tow capability (and sometimes more) out of a truck is not the safest road to go down.

That sure seems to be the theme in a lot of these threads. A whole lot of rationalization to support a decision to pull the largest TT possible . . . with the smallest possible truck.

hankstone · 04-29-2019, 02:50 PM

I'm pulling a 27RB with a 2017 3.5 ecoboost (rated at 11,900 tow capacity). 10 speed tranny with towhaul mode does a great job braking. Plenty of pulling power. I do have the maxtow with 1800lb payload.

Don't overlook payload, it's as important as tow capacity... think about persons in the truck + hitch weight +tongue weight + camping gear + accessories you or the dealer added to the truck like tonnau covers etc...

My F150 is pulling roughly 7200-7500lbs quite well. I wouldn't feel comfortable pulling much more though, feel like I'm at the upper limit and still safe (while driving very carefully).

Atlee · 05-01-2019, 03:00 PM

I tow a 2017 Jay Flight 23RB with a 2014 F150, 3.5L EB, Super Cab, 4x4, Max Tow and Heavy Duty Payload Pkg which comes with an 8' box (163" wheel base).

Tough maneuvering in a parking lot, but a great stable tow vehicle.

Trailer is GVWR 6,500#, and the Truck is GVWR 8,200#. The truck's rear axle RGAWR is 4,800# and the front axle FGAWR 4,050#.

The cargo capacity on the sticker on the truck door is 2086#. So my payload is a little lower since I added the running boards and the fiberglass cap.

ShawnR · 05-01-2019, 03:55 PM

I tow an 8k 26’ Jayco with a 2017 F150 Super Crew 3.5 EB Lariat. My truck gross is 7050 and I’m right there with this trailer. The heavier payload package would be nice but they’re hard to find on a lot. Usually have to order to get that feature. Mine is a good pairing.

Retire- · 05-01-2019, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarge1965

Does anyone tow a Jayco with a Ford F150? If so, which one? We are looking at Jayco and wondered what tow vehicle we should buy. Thanks

We tow a Jayco Jay Flight 212QB with a 2018 F-150 CC 2WD 2.7L Eco-Boost. Our F-150 tows our 212QB very well. I wondered if it would be a bit bogged down with only being the 2.7L; but with cruise set in tow haul mode it stayed right at 60 mph or 65 mph with no problems. There were a few hills but none were real steep grades. We go to Arkansas and travel up Hwy. 49 through the Ozarks the first week of June and that will test it but I feel as if it will do just fine. Blessed and Happy Travels to you and yours. Good Luck in selecting the right TV and RV for you and yours!

DocBrown · 05-03-2019, 03:06 PM

OP never came back...

ALJO · 05-03-2019, 03:26 PM

yeah one wonders sometimes......

Super Eagle · 05-04-2019, 05:34 AM

Buy an F350 diesel, or competitor truck, you won’t regret it. No one ever complained because they have too much truck, and if they did....

TWP723 · 05-04-2019, 05:47 AM

It depends on what you're towing. The F150 is a very popular towing vehicle and is more than capable considering the application. I'm a safety guy so I like to stay at about 70%-ish of my towing cap. For instance, if my trucks tow cap was 9900lbs., I wouldn't tow anything more than say...7000 lbs. loaded. That's just me though. There are plenty of folks towing in the upper range of their capacity and are doing just fine. The EcoBoost is a darn nice truck. I think if I was gonna buy a F150, it would have the 5.0L though.

ezzog · 05-08-2019, 12:26 PM

Towing a Jayco 273 Toy Hauler with a F150 with tow package and 5.0 engine.
Trailer weighs about 6500lbs

ifallsguy · 05-08-2019, 12:32 PM

Go to Ford.Com, then vehicles and then trucks. You can configure a F-150 to meet your needs. I just ordered a '19 Lariat 4X2 with 5.0L. Tow package, technology package, tow mirrors and Trailer Brake Controller (must have) and Navigation. Then talk to a dealer who should be able to give you approximate capacity for towing. Then you can determine if it meets your needs.

hainey · 05-08-2019, 12:35 PM

hi..I am towing a 30ft. jayco super lite fifth-wheel 7000lbs. with a 2017 gmc 1500series 5.3 engine 342 rear end..i have firestone airbags..6speed trans..i only do about 5 trips a year 2500miles..my fifth wheel is model 26rk fifth wheel..the truck does towing this camper..thanks..alan(cape Breton nova scotia)

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