Did I buy the wrong truck for towing?

[Snakebitten]

I agree it's great and there are times I wish I had gotten one. For most of my driving it would be better and then I wouldn't be so skittish about dry camping too. However, I was coming from a 2013 Lariat with 1189lbs of payload, so payload was my primary concern. I wanted 1800+lbs and wound up with 1700 because of the features I wanted and wouldn't give up from my Lariat (I still miss cooled seats). Of course the real irony is had I gotten the standard trailer tow instead of Max Tow I could have another 100ish lbs of payload. The PB with the features I wanted were 1500-1600ish lbs of payload.

You will NEVER find me giving someone smack (serious smack anyway) regarding their choice to bring a bazooka to a gun fight, so to speak. ?
I'm running up to Indianapolis next week (from Texas Gulf Coast area) to grab a little 16' RV that weighs ~2400#

I MIGHT be in my F350 with a 4750# Payload Capacity. ??(depends on if I need the 8' bed vs the 6.5' on my Powerboost)

Anyways, I'm guilty of more truck than necessary, far more often than I'm guilty of towing on the edge. I much prefer the former, but I certainly will and have done both.

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[Zco1]

You will NEVER find me giving someone smack (serious smack anyway) regarding their choice to bring a bazooka to a gun fight, so to speak. ?
I'm running up to Indianapolis next week (from Texas Gulf Coast area) to grab a little 16' RV that weighs ~2400#

I MIGHT be in my F350 with a 4750# Payload Capacity. ??(depends on if I need the 8' bed vs the 6.5' on my Powerboost)

Anyways, I'm guilty of more truck than necessary, far more often than I'm guilty of towing on the edge. I much prefer the former, but I certainly will and have done both.

That thing will be flapping in the wind behind a 350 ?

 

[Davexxxx]

You will NEVER find me giving someone smack (serious smack anyway) regarding their choice to bring a bazooka to a gun fight, so to speak. ?
I'm running up to Indianapolis next week (from Texas Gulf Coast area) to grab a little 16' RV that weighs ~2400#

I MIGHT be in my F350 with a 4750# Payload Capacity. ??(depends on if I need the 8' bed vs the 6.5' on my Powerboost)

Anyways, I'm guilty of more truck than necessary, far more often than I'm guilty of towing on the edge. I much prefer the former, but I certainly will and have done both.

I've noticed, mainly on RV forums but here too, a knee jerk recommendation to, "Just get a 3/4 ton".

And obviously, there are cases where that is the answer but it sure doesn't have to be.

I'm super grateful to the guys who put in the work to go through the build sheets and figure out how to order a truck with the happy balance of features vs payload.

I'd hate for someone to unnecessarily lock themselves out of what is great vehicle, because they took that knee jerk as gospel.

 

[Chris GTO TT]

I've noticed, mainly on RV forums but here too, a knee jerk recommendation to, "Just get a 3/4 ton".

And obviously, there are cases where that is the answer but it sure doesn't have to be.

I'm super grateful to the guys who put in the work to go through the build sheets and figure out how to order a truck with the happy balance of features vs payload.

I'd hate for someone to unnecessarily lock themselves out of what is great vehicle, because they took that knee jerk as gospel.

Honestly it really depends. Most of the time family oriented double axle bunkhouse trailers would be better pulled by a 3/4 ton because of the fact you're usually bringing 4+ people and stuff. On the other side there's a lot more flexibility when it comes to couples camping. You have fewer people to use up payload and then they bring less stuff with them in the truck for the drive days.

If we used our trailer more often I'd want a 3/4 ton.

 

[Snakebitten]

I've noticed, mainly on RV forums but here too, a knee jerk recommendation to, "Just get a 3/4 ton".

And obviously, there are cases where that is the answer but it sure doesn't have to be.

I'm super grateful to the guys who put in the work to go through the build sheets and figure out how to order a truck with the happy balance of features vs payload.

I'd hate for someone to unnecessarily lock themselves out of what is great vehicle, because they took that knee jerk as gospel.

Believe me, the Powerboost is by far my preferred truck. Especially if heading out somewhere on adventure! The comfort, performance, and world leading utility explains why it would be my preference.

But I'm blessed to have a choice of tools just-in-case. There ARE circumstances where climbing (literally) up in that big bone beast is a great feeling too. I give up some comfort and that wickedly convenient mobile power-grid. But I gain that I-can-take-anything-with-me to wherever I am going.

First World decisions and solutions.

(note that I DO need to be able to tow 10-14k on occasion)

 

[Davexxxx]

Honestly it really depends. Most of the time family oriented double axle bunkhouse trailers would be better pulled by a 3/4 ton because of the fact you're usually bringing 4+ people and stuff. On the other side there's a lot more flexibility when it comes to couples camping. You have fewer people to use up payload and then they bring less stuff with them in the truck for the drive days.

If we used our trailer more often I'd want a 3/4 ton.

I agree about families with kids, thats why I've qualified my statements with "inside of it's weight class".

 

[Suns_PSD]

I think you'll be fine. My issue with the Powerboost was the hybrid + high trim + short bed made for the worst possible pay load config. If I was to do it over and go for an F150, I would get a long bed Ecoboost or V8. I now view the long bed as a must for towing a travel trailer on a half ton.

All that being said, we are out in New Mexico right now with the new rig, and I have zero regrets going 3/4 ton. The tow was so much better, and my specs on the trailer are similar to what you are thinking and with the scale on the Weighsafe, we approached 950 tounge weight, which meant with only our bodies in the truck, we would have already been over payload in the F150.

I'm no towing Nazi and I feel that the OEM tongue weights are unnecessarily low as long as tires, shocks and a WDH are utilized correctly. I myself have towed well over what my PB should have towed.

That said, you do enough RVing, your family's safety and others & you have the means, that you did the correct move.

You'd also get like 4mpg pulling that trailer with a PB! Your new set up is really nice, congrats!

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