Have 27 ft., 6,600 lb. (dry weight) Camper, need truck--which one?

[cghall77]

EV is just not a feasible option for many of us with travel trailers. If you are just a weekend warrior, travel a couple hours to your site that is one thing. For us, we like to hit the road and depending on our adventure, we are no stranger to spending 24hrs in the vehicle with a few 10 minute breaks for full up and stretching the old legs. Our annual trips, Toronto to Tampa area, not a chance I am stopping every hour to charge the vehicle. No doubt the lightning will fit the needs for 80% of the population, just not those that like to hit the road. As technology improves, I'm willing to buy into the EV trend but I need to see like 500km towing range and a 5 minute charge time.

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[Whiskey]

What trim level do you have? I don't know how you can get that payload on a PowerBoost, I would have to see that door jam sticker. The only PB capable of that payload is a 2021 XL PowerBoost with 6.6 bed and ZERO options added to the truck. If that's you, great, but please don't use that chart to determine payload of YOUR truck. That number is the absolute best payload possible on the lowest trim truck with no options.

For example, my Lariat 502a PowerBoost payload is 1400, NOT the 1830 on that chart, because my truck is a higher trim and has options added. You need to go by the door sticker, not the advertising material that very clearly says maximum payload, not standard.

Thanks I’ll go check now.

 

[Whiskey]

M

Thanks I’ll go check now.

My XLT weighs in at 4,465lbs, stickers says GVWR 7,350lbs. I don’t see why the XLT isn’t rated for 2120 payload? Something with selection of tires maybe?

 

[F150Eh]

M

My XLT weighs in at 4,465lbs, stickers says GVWR 7,350lbs. I don’t see why the XLT isn’t rated for 2120 payload? Something with selection of tires maybe?

Check out the Tire and Loading sticker (also in the door jam). This will have the max payload amount for your vehicle. Here's a sample.

 

[Mengel]

I have the platinum power boost my payload sticker says 1600 and some change. I’m looking to buy at 27’ trailer with gwcr 7800 trailer. I rented a travel trailer last week and only got 7-9 mpg. Honestly I drove way to fast up to 80. Did some research and should have stayed around 60-65. Also heard best gas mileage is at the 7th gear so next time I will try it again and hope to get better gas mileage while towing.

 

[mustanga10]

I have a very similar size and weight travel trailer and chose to go with the 3.5 EB for the very fact that the torque come on at much lower rpms. Rpms that you will actually be running in while pulling. This makes the power of the EB much more usable than the 5.0 when towing. I so far have only about 400 miles towing my trailer with my new truck but it has not disappointed.

 

[Osky]

I have a very similar size and weight travel trailer and chose to go with the 3.5 EB for the very fact that the torque come on at much lower rpms. Rpms that you will actually be running in while pulling. This makes the power of the EB much more usable than the 5.0 when towing. I so far have only about 400 miles towing my trailer with my new truck but it has not disappointed.

Which axle ratio did you go with?

 

[mustanga10]

I have the 3.55, the 3.73 was not available with the 3.5eb and max tow when my truck was produced. (Might be now, not sure.) It did great. On my last trip I had a heavy head wind and it seemed to like 7th and 8th gear with the occasional 6th gear for up hill climbs at 70mph.

 

[DaHealey]

Mustanga10, Are you towing in flat areas?

I’ve found my Tacoma gets great reviews from people in flat areas, but where I I’ve (Seattle), it’s a disaster. Just can’t tow my 3k trailer, even tho well rated.

I’m also looking at a 8k GVWR trailer and starting to wonder if my 3/15 never-ending-build will be able to tow it.

 

[cghall77]

I have the 3.55, the 3.73 was not available with the 3.5eb and max tow when my truck was produced. (Might be now, not sure.) It did great. On my last trip I had a heavy head wind and it seemed to like 7th and 8th gear with the occasional 6th gear for up hill climbs at 70mph.

I ordered the start of March with the max tow / 3.5eco and only the 3.55 was available. I would have had to go with the 5L to get the 3.73. Again, things may behave changed since then and it may be determined by other factors as well.

 

[mustanga10]

Mustanga10, Are you towing in flat areas?

I’ve found my Tacoma gets great reviews from people in flat areas, but where I I’ve (Seattle), it’s a disaster. Just can’t tow my 3k trailer, even tho well rated.

I’m also looking at a 8k GVWR trailer and starting to wonder if my 3/15 never-ending-build will be able to tow it.

No not flat, not mountains but large hills yes, plenty.

 

[SomebodyInGNV]

Stick with a 3.5L EB, which means an F150.

I have a '16 F150 500A RWD MaxTow w/ EB and 3.55 rear end. The sticker payload says 1736# and GVWR is 6800#, but I added an after-market hard tonneau cover, so the available payload is less.

People who tell me I need a 3/4 ton truck also say I should get a diesel. The extra weight of that engine eats the additional payload, so what's the point? And you can't get an EB in a SuperDuty. Besides which, it costs a lot more to buy and especially to maintain.

I tow a 26' Mini-Lite with a sticker GVWR of 6785. It tows best (for how I load it) with the 60 gallon fresh tank full, skewing the tongue weight to the heavy side (900-1000#). My weight-distributing hitch is a Propride P3 which is a heavy chunk of steel but aids stability. CAT scales show that I'm at, but within, all weight limits.

We're in the middle of a 3 month, 6K mile trek from Florida to Colorado. We've been in CO for about 2 weeks so far. That has included pulling the trailer over multiple high passes which the truck has handled smoothly without strain. We've also had some serious winds in NM. I'm not a risky driver but never felt that conditions warranted stopping.

I typically drive about 5 MPH below the speed limit, not exceeding 60. The transmission and engine temps have never exceeded 215, and that was brief. Normal operating temp for the transmission is 195-203. I'm averaging around 10 MPG including driving around without the trailer but the majority of that is towing.

I plan to replace my Lariat with a '22 302A HDPP, if Ford ever gets around to building it. I'm buying that to get 4WD (not FX4), an extra 500# of payload and an extra foot of bed space, plus all the electronic driving aids I can add to a 302A, the highest trim Ford allows with the HDPP. The HDPP also compensates for the added weight of 4WD over my current RWD.

If you feel you need the extra payload an HDPP is the only way to get that and keep the EB. Unfortunately, that limits you to a 302A at most. Alternatively, get a Lariat Low (500A) w/ MaxTow and don't add things that like FX4 that add weight unless you really do drive off-road through rocks and brush, and need the skid plate.

 

[daemonic3]

Just to toss out my personal experience as a data point...

I have a fully loaded powerboost KR with payload just under 1300#, and I tow a Grand Design Imagine 2500RL with these specs:
UVW: 5,857 lbs | GVWR: 7,495 lbs | Hitch Weight: 581 lbs | Length: 29' 10"

Some will say this is too much but I'm pretty comfortable with it from my experience towing a slightly heavier (and 2' longer) 2800BH with my 2017 Ecoboost that had 400# more payload (but I offset it with a 250# camper shell!)

The truck has no issues pulling the weight. I have however been over payload by a few hundred pounds on some trips, but that is now a thing of the past as my girls are leaving the house or staying home. That being said, payload is a spec not a precise failure point, and it will not drive/feel any different if you are 200# over or 200# under. The thing that WILL affect your comfort is the "tail wagging the dog" when the trailer weighs more than the truck!

My WDH has regular sway control (not a hensley/propride that eliminates it) and I drive a max of 60-61mph, always using cruise control. That is a very conservative speed but always feels very safe and in control, even with winds. If you want to tow at 70-75mph, I would absolutely recommend a 3/4 ton so the trailer isn't heavier than the truck! But if you can live with 60mph then you may be ok with the trailer outweighing the truck by that much.

Note that my truck has 7350# GVWR (and I fully use it!) and trailer 7495#. You have a 9000# trailer and if you want an Ecoboost or V8 I think that maxes at around 7000#. So even if you manage the payload by cutting features, you STILL have the big weight difference for trailer controlling the truck...

(final note... this is an F150 forum and probably biased as such. If you go on a travel trailer forum, you will most likely be attacked by the "payload police" for even considering a 9000# trailer with a 1/2 ton. So you can seek and find whatever confirmation bias you want to back your preference, just make an informed decision for yourself with appropriate knowledge of risks)

 

[{tpc}]

I won't get into the payload number aspect of things, as I find that people make their own decisions, right or wrong, regardless of that discussion. The good news is if that is a definite consideration for you, you have not bought anything yet, so you can make up your mind on that first.

I've had a f150 since 2018, primarily as my daily driver but I got it for towing my trailer. Started with a 2.7eb, went to a 5.0 v8, and now have a 3.5eb. If you used to towing with a eb, you probably will not like the v8 unless you can really wrap your head around the power being in the higher rpm band and dealing with that aspect.

That said, once you step up from a xlt (i'll say 302a) to a lariat 502a your probably going to loose some payload. My 302a is in the mid to upper 1800's (I don't remember exactly right now). If you get the onboard scales it will show you how close you are to overloading payload or if you are overloading payload. Personally I find those scales a little less than useful, because I can't get an exact number like I can at a cat scale or even with my own tongue scale. I'd like to know exactly how under or over I really am if I am that close.

Back to the engine. My 2018 2.7 got around 19 mpg for me daily. My 2020 v8 got around 17 mpg, and my 2022 3.5 gets around 19 mpg. The v8 was billed as having more towing capacity (which I wanted) and better gas mileage than the 3.5eb. I have found that not to be the case. I think they have made improvements to the 5.0 in the current model year, so maybe that will help. But the power of the 3.5 (or even the 2.7) is so smooth and easy I don't think I'd go back to a v8. The v8 never struggled or got hot or anything, its just the 3.5 eb is just better. For towing. In my opinion anyway.

 

[DOUGIE0426]

I tow a 6800lb (dry) TT with my XLT 302a Powerboost and have no complaints. My max payload is about 1900lbs and I like to leave a 10% margin for error when loading up everything. The PB is a beast of truck and I'd put it up against any engine/trim fir towing...just my opinion. For your purposes I'd stick with the EB over the V8...

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