Towing

[dlee]

I am considering buying a Jayco Fifth Wheel 30.5 CKTS. I have a 2020 Ford F250 SRW 4x4 with a 6.2/3.73 gas engine with a fifth wheel towing package.
I am concerned about towing and wondering if I should go to a F350. What I'm worried about is towing on the hills. We go into the Smokey Mountains alot. I will not be happy towing if I slow down going up the mountain. Right now I tow a travel trailer and keep the speed at 65 mph at all times. I don't loose speed. Does anyone have this set up and do you loose speed on the hills?

[Marko]

I have a 2016 Jayco Eagle HT 27.5 RLTS and when I bought it new I had a Chevy Silverado 1500 gaser. I did add air bags, vented rotors and heavy duty brakes pads. This worked. I kept it for three years but I started to be concerned with braking / stopping and I was only getting 200 miles to a tank (20 gallon tank). So I switch the truck out to a new 2018 Chevy Silverado HD 3500 diesel. I like the low end torque and the diesel exhaust brakes that the HD 3500 diesel offers. Plus 36 gallon fuel tank. I know it's more truck then I need but I am not sure how long I keep this rig for and I will want to go to 32 foot fifther. So I am very happy with this set up. Plus getting 400 miles to tank full (36 gallons tank) or about 13 miles per gallon. Don't feel the rig behind at all.

Good luck!

Marko

[ShotgunZ71]

Originally Posted by dlee

I am considering buying a Jayco Fifth Wheel 30.5 CKTS. I have a 2020 Ford F250 SRW 4x4 with a 6.2/3.73 gas engine with a fifth wheel towing package.
I am concerned about towing and wondering if I should go to a F350. What I'm worried about is towing on the hills. We go into the Smokey Mountains alot. I will not be happy towing if I slow down going up the mountain. Right now I tow a travel trailer and keep the speed at 65 mph at all times. I don't loose speed. Does anyone have this set up and do you loose speed on the hills?

You have plenty of truck for that camper, no worries there, so no need to get a 350 unless you're going up substantially in camper size. Just remember to let the engine sing when climbing, that's where it makes it's power. I pulled our TT with the same setup you have, and also pulled our 5th wheel with a gas-powered truck. Keeping the RPM in the 3000-4000 range when climbing will keep you at speed. Don't worry, they can run like that all day, every day without issue. That's what they were designed to do.

[2nOZ]

We have a 2017 F250 gasser with the 6.2 and 4.30 gears. We pull our 28.5 RSTS fifth wheel through the Smokies without any problem. Yeah, it can get a little loud going up steep grades but we’re very happy with the performance.

[Mchartier3718]

The real answer to this question is simply- know your weights. Know what payload capacity is for YOUR truck. Know what the GVWR/GCWR of YOUR truck is. Know your curb weight is (full tank/passengers/hitch/gear) of YOUR truck. Know what the pin weight of trailer is, know what GVWR of the trailer is.

[TCNashville]

I have a '17 F-250, 6.2L with the 3.73 rear end and after looking at the weights of the 30.5CKTS, that trailer easily fits the towing weight/payload capacity of my truck so you should be fine. As stated above, the 6.2 will do some screaming but it's designed for that. Locking out 6th gear will help as well to prevent transmission gear hunting.

[goducks]

I've towed to trailers with loaded weights around 9200 and 9500 lbs with a Ram 6.4 and 4.10 gears. I'm in the PNW and we have lots of hills and mtns to cross. I hated it. I had a 12 Ram diesel for 6 years prior and got spoiled.
While most of the time the Hemi 6.4 was @2300-2500 rpms and not making much noise, the rest of the time it was going between 2500-4200 rpms. MPG's sucked as well.

After 2.5 years with the 6.4 I went back to a diesel. Sooo much more relaxing and easy. The exhaust brake just puts the icing on the cake too.

While your 6.2 is within the ratings, it will work hard with nearly 11,000 lbs behind it going up anything over a 3% grade. Since you have the truck you may as well try it.

[Marko]

Originally Posted by goducks

I've towed to trailers with loaded weights around 9200 and 9500 lbs with a Ram 6.4 and 4.10 gears. I'm in the PNW and we have lots of hills and mtns to cross. I hated it. I had a 12 Ram diesel for 6 years prior and got spoiled.
While most of the time the Hemi 6.4 was @2300-2500 rpms and not making much noise, the rest of the time it was going between 2500-4200 rpms. MPG's sucked as well.

After 2.5 years with the 6.4 I went back to a diesel. Sooo much more relaxing and easy. The exhaust brake just puts the icing on the cake too.

While your 6.2 is within the ratings, it will work hard with nearly 11,000 lbs behind it going up anything over a 3% grade. Since you have the truck you may as well try it.

X2

[CAG]

This is another one of those, you won't know until you try it. You can get feedback from others but until you pull the hill you will not know. Do it. If you don't like it start looking.



I pulled a 14K toy hauler up and down some pretty good grades here in Arizona and would not have tried that with a gasser. Just the turbo brake is worth the extra but on the long hauls up, nothing beats a diesel.

[Shokyle1]

I pulled a 29.5 bhds eagle ht with a 2016 f250 6.2. It did ok but pulling 16 in the big horns and rabbit ears in Colorado it was down to 40 miles an hr in second gear at 5700 rpm. Now I have a f350 6.7 powerstroke. The elevation with the naturally aspirated engine is a killer. Your 2020 has more hp and more importantly tq. So it should do a little better. Don't expect to win any races up serious grades.

[Skidawg]

dlee, I believe you will be fine with your current truck. I see not issues with the proposed 5th wheel and you towing it up and down hills. Go have fun. SKIDAWG

[darryl]

I have a 2018 with a 6.2 and 4.30 gears and it pulls our 2015 jayco 26.5 Rks with no problem. We go to pigeon forge all the time.