New owners of a 2016 28BHBE

IceOnFire · 10-12-2015, 02:30 AM

We've been eyeing the 2016 28BHBE for months now, and after checking it out at a local RV show, we finally pulled the trigger on an upgrade. They were all sold out at the show, so we placed an order for one equipped with the Elite Package. Since we are worried about tow capacity pulling with a 1/2 ton, we decided against the fiberglass walls. I understand from other posts pulling this rig with a 1/2 ton will be challenging. We would consider upgrading in the near future to a F-150 with HD Payload package & 3.73 axle ratio. I'd like to know if this an option worth pursuing given the hit we'd take trading up. Unfortunately, a 3/4 ton is out of the budget this time. Thank you for your suggestions in advance.

need-a-vacation · 10-12-2015, 06:55 AM

Congrats on the new rig!!!!

Probably the best thing you could do is load up like you're taking a trip (less trailer), normal passengers, anything that normally is in the truck bed, throw the hitch in, and to weigh the truck. That will let you know how close you are to the gvwr of the truck.

Chances are depending on how you pack (truck and trailer), you may need to run with very little in the bed with your current 150.

As for the 150 with the HD payload, don't rule out a 250/2500.... Can't remember if it was here, rv.net or maybe a sled forum, but a guy just recently priced both and they were the same price (close enough to call the same- same trim and options)!!!! That trailer does not need a diesel, the gas motor is plenty. Any of the 3 250/2500 gas trucks are plenty.

Good luck!!!

Jhowemca · 10-12-2015, 08:16 AM

You'll definitely feel the weight of your trailer with a 1/2 ton.

I don't pull mine with anything but some wood blocks in the bed and I'm almost over payload.

My trailer is lighter and my truck is heavier and I'm at the top end of my truck and I can feel it.

Congrats and good luck!

lhpelton · 10-12-2015, 08:26 AM

With your TV, this rig is going to push you around. Loaded up, you will most likely be over your limit.
The HD package is not going to do much for you. If you are going to upgrade, you need to consider the 250/2500.

x2 on pulling with an empty truck bed.

Pcschwenke · 10-12-2015, 11:01 AM

I'm towing the exact same trailer with my 2016 RAM 1500 with the 5.7l hemi. It does not push me around! I can say that the trailer itself is on the heavy side for a half ton and I do not carry water with me. I do carry 4 bikes, wood, and my family of 5. As long as you distribute the weight evenly, I think it's fine. Be sure to get a weight distribution hitch and airbags. They are amazing!

If you plan to tow it long distances or a full timer, I would say get a 3/4 ton diesel. My truck will tow with the best of them, but it's not a diesel.

hboy · 10-12-2015, 12:16 PM

You will soon enough figure out what you are comfortable with when towing. I have the same trailer. When towing with F150, I would get pushed/pulled around by every pickup and large SUV that passed me on the highway. If your comfortable with that, then great. If you don't travel the highway much, it may not even be an issue for you.

A 250/2500 pick up will be a night/day difference in towing.

DetroitFD · 10-12-2015, 12:52 PM

Another vote to add airbags. It won't increase your trucks gvwr, but it'll do wonders for the ride, as well as take some of the squat off the back.

Iraqvet05 · 10-12-2015, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hboy

You will soon enough figure out what you are comfortable with when towing. I have the same trailer. When towing with F150, I would get pushed/pulled around by every pickup and large SUV that passed me on the highway. If your comfortable with that, then great. If you don't travel the highway much, it may not even be an issue for you.

A 250/2500 pick up will be a night/day difference in towing.

My thoughts exactly when I towed the 5k lb 26BH with a 1500. Glad I switched to a 2500.

Northern Jay · 10-12-2015, 01:39 PM

Sorry to have to say it, but it does not matter what you "add" to a 150/1500 series light duty truck. It is still a light duty truck. You have to realize that at gvw and max tongue weight, the 28BHBE TT will have approx 1350lbs on the tongue. That IS the max payload of a lot of 150/1500 series trucks. You are overweight before you leave the yard. This is a large heavy trailer and a 1/2 ton regardless of which manufacturer is not suitable to tow it safely. I am not saying you need an oil burner to tow it, but a 3/4 is a minimum. If it is a diesel, watch your numbers closely as the engine is heavy. We also have the 28BHBE and our usual numbers are 8800lbs gvw,1200lbs tongue. Just my 0.02.
Happy Camping

Pcschwenke · 10-12-2015, 06:40 PM

Northern Jay, no one is saying that the maximum weight & tongue of the trailer could be over the rating of a 1/2 ton or air bags add extra payload. They do help level the truck. Heavy duty shocks wouldn't hurt either.

If you be conservative, you will be fine. Be sure a qualified person sets up the hitch. There a lot bigger trailers being pulled around the US with 1/2 tons! Not saying it's right.

gcloss · 10-12-2015, 07:33 PM

There was a long thread here back in August about towing a 28BHBE with a F150. After many suggestions by experienced people the OP smartly decided on a F350 to tow their 28BHBE.

I have an Eagle 284BHBE that is conservatively loaded and I tip the CAT scales at about 8700#. I tow it with a Ram 2500 and would never tow with anything less. I've owned two Ram 1500's before the 2500 and would never tow my 284BHBE with a 1/2 ton truck. My family's safety is important.

Start reading the thread

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f7...150-29642.html

Pcschwenke · 10-12-2015, 07:58 PM

Myself and many others who have experience with NEW 1/2 tons were part of the discussion as well. Things changed in vehicles in the past year. Towing especially.

Talked to your local dealer for both the trailer & truck and decide. No regrets here!

BigJohnD · 10-12-2015, 08:17 PM

I'm sticking with tow vehicle in signature. Won't go any less. You still know the 28BHBE is behind you. We travel all over the US, so 4wd, and the diesel is a must for us. I don't like to wonder if I ever have enough TV. Guess it depends on what type of traveling you do, or where you go.

Swinepartner · 10-13-2015, 11:02 AM

We just got this model n a 2015. Yellow weight sticker on door is 6911. We tow it w/ a 2012 1500 burb w/ towing package. I upgraded tires on burb so far and it towes fine. I max out tire pressure on both TV and TT, travel dry, little to nothing in TV. We are a family of 4 bad have been from NC to FLA with no trouble. I know it's heavy, we drive 55-60 and take our time. So far, so good. I have the equalizer hitch and little to no sway. I know I could use a 3/4 but that's not in the cards right now. Hope this helps.

olyelr · 10-13-2015, 11:36 AM

A 3/4 ton would be ideal, but a 1/2 ton will work (although it most likely will technically be overloaded).

We have the exact same trailer. We currently tow it with a 2015 Yukon (1/2 ton). It has air shocks from the factory for leveling, and we also have a equalizer hitch. It came with a factory brake controller as well. We have only went for two trips so far (roughly 700 miles total) and have had absolutely no issues at all. Stops wonderfully. Has never so much as even swayed a smidgen yet (past by many big rigs, and one trip was very windy). The last trip I filled the water tanks (90 gallons) before we left the house - still no issues, but definitely could tell the added wight was there.

All that being said, I am pretty sure the rig is a bit overloaded (I have not ran the numbers) - any I don't like that. A 3/4 ton is in out near future for sure.

And like someone else stated... don't sell yourself short for the 3/4 ton. They really aren't that much more money unless you go with the oil burner.

Ottawasteve · 10-14-2015, 02:45 PM

Here we go again with if you tow anything more than a 2000 lb garden trailer with a half-ton you are putting your family and all of North America in imminent danger (the explosion will wipe out at least 2 city blocks!).

I have been towing my 2015 Eagle 28BHBE for two years with a 2010 F150 with a max tow package and the 5.4 Triton which was the gas motor in 2010 for the F250. I'll take my F150 with airbags and Propride hitch over a gas F250 and other brand of hitch any day of the week. IMHO there is currently little or no advantage to a gas engine F250. On the other hand, I would really like a new 6.7 Powerstroke with double the torque for towing, but it wouldn't make me and my family safer and the speeds I have seen some of the diesels cruise at while towing would do exactly the opposite.

With half-tons you challenge is payload and a F150 with the payload package (In a Supercrew configuration) will have very close to the same or even more payload than an F250 with a diesel motor, especially if you are looking at the new aluminum F150's. The new transmissions and payload packages make the new half-tons a completely different beast than those of decade ago.

BigJohnD · 10-14-2015, 07:41 PM

Guess I always look at it as mass vs. mass. Everybody has there reasons for picking what they pick, and I respect that, but the prices are so close between the choices. Big difference in a heavy cross wind with different tow vehicles. Too light of one and a trailer will make a rag doll out of a truck regardless of the WD hitch. I'm just used to towing a lot bigger trailers, but still would rather have the 8000 lb plus of truck in the front. It can be done safely with any of them, provided common sense plays a big roll.

Ottawasteve · 10-15-2015, 12:52 PM

John I agree with everybody being entitled to their preferences and I would prefer to have your F-350 PSD for pulling the 28BHBE. Pinning the accelerator while climbing a steep grade would make me grin from ear to ear, but we are just not ready to invest that much for a PSD TV at this time. As far as mass vs mass, there really isn't a significant weight difference between the earlier gas F250's and F150's in supercrew with the larger gas tank. When looking at trucks this spring, there was still about $5,000 (in Canada) in difference between similarly equipped F150's and F250's even without the PSD.

I think it is uninformed and misleading for some of the above posters to offer as advice to the OP that he would be putting his family in jeopardy and that no half-ton is capable of towing this trailer safely and he should follow the advice of the "many suggestions by experienced people the OP smartly decided on a F350 to tow their 28BHBE" (If you actually read this thread, this OP asked whether he/she should tow with a half ton with 7700lbs tow capacity and was NOT asking about an F150 with HD Payload and tow package as this OP is)

I would presume that the OP is looking at an F150 Supercrew to store the cargo from the back bunks of the 28BHBE while travelling. So the halfton that the OP was asking about is presumably a 2016 F150 Supercrew, and with HD Payload and Tow Package it has a GVWR of 7850 lbs, 3010 lbs of payload and 420 ft/lbs of torque (with the 3.5 Eco). I guess I just don't see how a gas powered 2500 Ram with a cap is safer or smarter. If there is something I am missing that puts me and others on the road in danger, please let me know.

BigJohnD · 10-15-2015, 01:11 PM

Was just throwing 2 cents worth of useless info out there as to why we tow with what we tow with. Helps people think, just like me reading other's posts and taking in why they do what they do. Not trying to convince anybody of anything, just know what I've dealt with in heavy winds and bad weather.

bsubia2011 · 10-15-2015, 02:07 PM

ice, you will have to let me know how it tows. i am eyeing the same trailer. i will be pulling it with a Nissan armada with factory tow package. the tongue weight is what i was mostly worried about. i too plan on upgrading to a 2500 a couple of years after i get the trailer and would also recommend the same to you. i really like this trailer and would really like your feed back on it. congrats!

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