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[12ptdroptine]

Pulling a 6000 lb Jayco 265RLSW with a 2016 F15 5.0 litre 3:55 gears. Sure seems to work the truck. Screams the motor on hills. Trusk is rated to tow max of 9000lbs. Doesnt handls thewind well at all. Thinking of trading up to a F250 6.2.litre gas. We are headed to the Great Smoky Mountain park and through theCarolina's this summer. Not looking for a white knuckle towing experience. For those who HAVE made this jump. Please tell me your results. We will probably own a fifth wheel a few years down the road.
Thamk You
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[wags999]

Originally Posted by 12ptdroptine

Pulling a 6000 lb Jayco 265RLSW with a 2016 F15 5.0 litre 3:55 gears. Sure seems to work the truck. Screams the motor on hills. Trusk is rated to tow max of 9000lbs. Doesnt handls thewind well at all. Thinking of trading up to a F250 6.2.litre gas. We are headed to the.Great Smoky Mountain park and through theCarolina's this summer. Not looking for a white knuckle towing experience. For those who HAVE made this jump. Please tell me your results. We will probably own a fifth wheel a few years down the road.
Thamk You
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You may want to check your cargo capacity, which typically you reach long before towing capacity. Should have a yellow sticker on the drivers door post, which lists the cargo capacity as built. From that number you need to deduct passengers, cargo in truck, hitch weight and tongue weight as loaded, with propane batteries etc. You may be at or exceeding that number.

Good Luck..

[triplebvalp]

Originally Posted by 12ptdroptine

..... Thinking of trading up to a F250 6.2.litre gas.
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Best move you'll ever make!

[drk98]

Been there... done that....

You'll never regret having more truck. The HD trucks were designed to tow/haul and you'll be a lot more comfortable in one while towing.

[12ptdroptine]

2 adults and "maybe" 250lbs in the.bed plus 150 lbs topper

[2nOZ]

Originally Posted by 12ptdroptine

Pulling a 6000 lb Jayco 265RLSW with a 2016 F15 5.0 litre 3:55 gears. Sure seems to work the truck. Screams the motor on hills. Trusk is rated to tow max of 9000lbs. Doesnt handls thewind well at all. Thinking of trading up to a F250 6.2.litre gas. We are headed to the Great Smoky Mountain park and through theCarolina's this summer. Not looking for a white knuckle towing experience. For those who HAVE made this jump. Please tell me your results. We will probably own a fifth wheel a few years down the road.
Thamk You
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We had a 2017 F150 with the 3.55 gears pulling a 2017 27DSRL and traded to a F250, 6.2L gas in anticipation of getting a 5th wheel.
We just returned from a 2 week trip from KS to Eastern TN pulling our 28.5 RSTS FW. Couldn’t be more pleased. The FW weighs right at 9800 lbs loaded. For the most part, we set the cruise on 65, sat back and relaxed. In the hills, we maintained between 55-65 mph and never dropped below 4th gear even on the longest pull. Never saw over 207 degrees on the transmission temp. Generally ran around 196 degrees. For the 2200 mile round trip, we averaged 8.4 mpg. That includes the flint hills in KS and the hills of TN. Did I mention very pleased? Hope this helps.

[Iraqvet05]

I switched from a Silverado 1500 to a 2500HD and the handling was significantly better. I just replaced the 2500HD with a 2017 F250 gasser and I pulls our camper (roughly 6000 lbs loaded) with very little effort. I haven't pulled at high altitude or up steep grades yet so I can't report on that. My truck has a 3300 lb payload.

[Chiggins]

If you are considering a fifth wheel in the future and you are making the investment in a truck now. I would get a 1 ton SW minimum. Can you use a 3/4 ton? Yes but it will limit your selection of 5th wheels if you don't want a "White Knuck" experience a lot. I love my F350 SW 6.7 diesel. It tows our 13k 325BHQS 5ver GREAT! The jump from a 3/4 ton to 1 ton isn't big. Then you will talk to some that say you need DW but I drive my truck personally not just towing and hate driving DW. Some of the big boy 5vers you would need a DW but I will tell you my 325 is well within the limits of my truck and 39' so you have a lot of options for 1 ton SW trucks.

[12ptdroptine]

Originally Posted by Chiggins

If you are considering a fifth wheel in the future and you are making the investment in a truck now. I would get a 1 ton SW minimum. Can you use a 3/4 ton? Yes but it will limit your selection of 5th wheels if you don't want a "White Knuck" experience a lot. I love my F350 SW 6.7 diesel. It tows our 13k 325BHQS 5ver GREAT! The jump from a 3/4 ton to 1 ton isn't big. Then you will talk to some that say you need DW but I drive my truck personally not just towing and hate driving DW. Some of the big boy 5vers you would need a DW but I will tell you my 325 is well within the limits of my truck and 39' so you have a lot of options for 1 ton SW trucks.

Probably not an option at this time. Going to try an make this truck and trailer last us until retirement in 5 years. Then check out our options
The truck also has to double as an occasional daily driver..... I cant see us going over 30ft in a fifth wheel. But I can see where 350 might be a better option....depending on the $. Right now the diesel option is 9k. Tha puts it out of my $ comfort zone
Thank you
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[deewaltguy]

We had a Ram 1500 Hemi. I have owned several over the years and love 'em.
It was rated to tow 7000, but towed our 5400 gingerly. The motor wasn't the issue, we needed more truck.
Upgraded to a 2500 6.4 and it tows the trailer with authority. I still miss the 1500, just not when towing.

[jimp]

The 5.0 engine will work a bit/lot harder going up/down hills with the rpms, but doesn't hurt the engine at all. Use the tow/haul mode and be safe out there.

[DNelson]

Like deewaltguy we had a Ram 1500 and pulled our Lance travel trailer many miles. I didn't like the fact that I knew we were over payload capacity so purchased a Ram 2500 with the 6.4. It handled the Lance better than the 1500 and now we tow a 2018 Jayco 28.5 HT fifth wheel and handles it nicely.

You would be amazed how much better the 250 would be!

[12ptdroptine]

Some very positive comments so far. Took the trailer to the dealer today for a recall. No real hills....10 to 18 mph quartering and cross winds going there. And about the same coming home tonight. Worked the truck pretty hard with that quartering head wind.....4 th gear and 3k rpms... 7 mpg. How does the larger truck handle in the wind? Trip there and home was pretty stressful.
Thanks
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[deewaltguy]

I would not classify my 1500 towed TT as stressful, but it was a bit iffy. I didn't want to take grandgirls on a trip towing it. It didn't inspire confidence.
With the 2500, there have been zero issues. I wist I could have sprung for the diesel or maybe even a diesel 3500, but the 2500 gasser will have to suffice for now.
We're pleased with it. We took the rig out for the first trip of the season and all was rock solid.

[12ptdroptine]

Originally Posted by deewaltguy

I would not classify my 1500 towed TT as stressful, but it was a bit iffy. I didn't want to take grandgirls on a trip towing it. It didn't inspire confidence.
With the 2500, there have been zero issues. I wist I could have sprung for the diesel or maybe even a diesel 3500, but the 2500 gasser will have to suffice for now.
We're pleased with it. We took the rig out for the first trip of the season and all was rock solid.

"Inspire confidence" is a good way to put it. I live.in Illinois with some rolling hills and quite a bit of windand.my confidence.level is shaken already . We have a TT vacation planned the last week of July and first week of August down to the Great Smoky Mountain national park . And back ip through the Carolina's. Maps out to be about 1600 miles. Sure need my "confidence" as this will be the first "real" trip. Looks like I am going shopping.
Thanks again
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[triplebvalp]

Originally Posted by 12ptdroptine

Some very positive comments so far. Took the trailer to the dealer today for a recall. No real hills....10 to 18 mph quartering and cross winds going there. And about the same coming home tonight. Worked the truck pretty hard with that quartering head wind.....4 th gear and 3k rpms... 7 mpg. How does the larger truck handle in the wind? Trip there and home was pretty stressful.
Thanks
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Any vehicle towing a TT will "feel" the wind. The lighter the TV, the more the wind will be felt. A good WDH with anti-sway will reduce this effect but the "tail wagging the dog" will always be there. On a positive note, you said you were thinking about a FW. The wind affect is surprisingly less noticeable.

[12ptdroptine]

Originally Posted by triplebvalp

Any vehicle towing a TT will "feel" the wind. The lighter the TV, the more the wind will be felt. A good WDH with anti-sway will reduce this effect but the "tail wagging the dog" will always be there. On a positive note, you said you were thinking about a FW. The wind affect is surprisingly less noticeable.

FW is probably quite a ways down the road as we just bought our first TT last fall. But sure in hope a F250 suspension and big block will make this more enjoyable. I uderstand the wind and "tail wagging" but with is truck and setup ...sometimes I wonder who is in charge...the TV? Or the TT...
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[Cyclops69]

If your looking at a new f250 gasser you may want to compare them to a ram diesel. You can find a like for like truck but with a diesel in the ram for about the same $$$. I have been a Ford guy forever and am getting ready to buy a new truck. My old 99 F350 Dually is getting a bit worn out and from what I have been looking at I can get a Ram diesel for about the same price as a ford gasser. Just a thought and might be worth a look for you

[12ptdroptine]

Originally Posted by Cyclops69

If your looking at a new f250 gasser you may want to compare them to a ram diesel. You can find a like for like truck but with a diesel in the ram for about the same $$$. I have been a Ford guy forever and am getting ready to buy a new truck. My old 99 F350 Dually is getting a bit worn out and from what I have been looking at I can get a Ram diesel for about the same price as a ford gasser. Just a thought and might be worth a look for you

I live in Ollinois where they POUR salt and calcium chloride on the roads. I went with Ford last time and love it....my last steel truck literally rusted away in front of my very eyes. Nothing against any brand.
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[12ptdroptine]

Well I have made a deal on a 2018 F250 6.2 gasser. Waiting for approval on dealer transfer. I will post more when and if it happens
Thank You all for your input thus far
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