Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Welcome to KeystoneForums.com! > New Member Check in!
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-01-2013, 11:36 AM   #1
Sandra Brindamour
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Niantic, CT
Posts: 2
New Member needs advise

Hi to All,

My husband and I are very excited to be a new owner of a 2012 Keystone 30RLS. It may have been the wrong sequence to purchase the trailer first before the truck, but so be it. We are now asking advise on whether to purchase a 150 or 250 V8 to haul our new travel trailer. The salesman and specifications in the manual note that a 150 V8 is more than adequate; however, friends are holding their breath when we mention that is our intent. As we intend on traveling to the southwest and along the Canadian border, it has been suggested that a 250 V8 is the right vehicle to acquire. Our gut is telling us they are correct, but we don't want to spend any more money than is necessary and it appears that a 250 V8, even used (which it will be), is more expensive than 150s.

Setting aside our desire to be frugal, your candid advise is greatly appreciated.

Sandy and Paul
Sandra Brindamour is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 11:53 AM   #2
Festus2
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
To be both brief and candid ....... I would recommend a 3/4T for that Keystone 30RLS. A Dodge, Ford or GMC would all be good choices. Even though you may have to spend a bit more money for a 250 and it may be less "frugal", I think that it is, by far, the right and best-sized tow vehicle. IMO, you would regret having made a decision to tow that TT with a 1/2T ---- despite what the salesman and brochure are telling you.

And welcome to the forum!!
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
Festus2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 12:02 PM   #3
chartrand
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Coldwater, Mi
Posts: 386
I agree, the f250 is the better choice. If it were me, I would even go so far as to get the diesel instead of the gasser. The difference in mileage and torque is night and day. I wish I had one...
__________________

2014 Keystone Bullet Premier 22RBPR
2017 Chevy Colorado (Baby Duramax)
Propride P3 Hitch
chartrand is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 12:06 PM   #4
RdRmr
Senior Member
 
RdRmr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Canyon Country, Calif.
Posts: 130
X2 on the 250 or 2500, you can never have too much truck. If for nothing else, the increased payload capacity is worth it. You may wind up in a situation where you'll need it for one reason or another. Just my 2 ˘.
Happy Campin...
__________________

2016 KZ Durango 315RKD
2015 Dodge 3500HD SRW, CCLB, 6.7L Cummins, Aisin.
Curt puck legs w/Curt Q16 head
VET/USMC
RdRmr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 12:23 PM   #5
Sandra Brindamour
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Niantic, CT
Posts: 2
Cool Great advise!

Thanks so much for the quick response. I'll look forward to more responses to validate the recommendations I've been receiving. Shopping tomorrow morning with our son and may come home with a 250, probably from our local Ford dealer.

Quick question. When I signed up, I didn't see an option to put a cool handle on my postings like I am seeing on yours. I typed my full name and that is what everyone sees - just not feeling "cool!" Where in the forum format can I make this change so I don't appear so formal? Many thanks!

Sandy
Sandra Brindamour is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 12:23 PM   #6
fla-gypsy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: North Florida
Posts: 1,241
You are getting solid advice from those of us who do this regularly. Get the 3/4 ton of your choice with the biggest V-8 available in that brand.
__________________
2006 Keystone Hornet 29RLS (The Cracker Cabana)
2009 F-250 SuperDuty CC 6.8L/4.10 (The Black Pearl)
fla-gypsy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 12:51 PM   #7
azlee56
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 616
Sandra, go click on your user name on the top right corner, then look to the top left corner where it says "user cp". If you click on signature you can be creative there.
__________________
"just ride away into the black and white sunset"
azlee56 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 12:52 PM   #8
SteveC7010
Senior Member
 
SteveC7010's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Northville NY in the Adirondacks
Posts: 2,128
Quote:
Originally Posted by chartrand View Post
I agree, the f250 is the better choice. If it were me, I would even go so far as to get the diesel instead of the gasser. The difference in mileage and torque is night and day. I wish I had one...
Actually, the gasser's usually have higher payload ratings due to the added weight of the diesel which is subtracted from the truck's overall payload capacity. The Fords are for certain.

But the mileage and torque issues are important, too. Tough choices all around.
__________________

'11 Cougar 326MKS loaded with mods
'12 Ford F250 SuperCab 6.7 PowerStroke Diesel
Amateur Radio: KD2IAT (146.520) GMRS: WQPG808 (462.675 TPL 141.3)
SteveC7010 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 12:56 PM   #9
Festus2
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
Sandy - -
To edit your signature, avatar and other "cool things", look at the blue bar at the top of the page and find User CP (Control Panel) just as azlee indicated. Click on this.

A new set of options appears on the left-hand side. Look at Settings and Options.
Find Edit Signature or Edit Avatar, etc. Select the one you want and follow the directions.

Then you'll be "cool".
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
Festus2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 01:44 PM   #10
therink
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 1,605
Definitely 3/4 ton minimum. If going with gas, please consider 4:10 axle. You won't regret it. The Gm 6.0 and Ford 6.2 are good strong gas motors. If you plan on owning truck for years to come and long distance towing, diesel would be good investment. My gasser tows my 12k fiver fine for my weekend towing needs.
Steve
__________________
Steve Rinker
Rochester, NY
2013 Outback Sydney 340FBH (12,280 lbs loaded-scale)

2015 GMC Sierra Denali 3500HD, SRW, Duramax, CC, SB (payload 3700)

https://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/...65/340FBH1.jpg
therink is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 02:12 PM   #11
GaryWT
Senior Member
 
GaryWT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: MA
Posts: 3,153
I tow with a F150 and it does what I needed it to but down the line when it is time to upgrade it will most likely be a 250. Good luck and welcome. Also the way you did this is good now you can buy the right truck vs having a truck and buying a trailer that is too heavy for it.
__________________
2013 Premier 31BHPR
2014 F350 6.2L
Soon to be just DW and I
GaryWT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 02:23 PM   #12
Bugle Boy
Senior Member
 
Bugle Boy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Columbia, Missouri
Posts: 197
Without doubt, the F250. If you get into mountains the F150 will be inadequate. Been there-did that. Never take for gospel what a salesman says.

Allow me to explain. We have a Sunline 276SR (soon to be traded for a Cougar 31RKS). I lived in the Sunline for 18 months in SE New Mexico on a consulting job. When done, Jan came out and we headed north toward Yellowstone. Well, between Hobbs, NM and Yellowstone there are these Rocky Mountains. Upon reaching the top of the passes the transmission was stinkng to high heaven. Upon our decent down the Million Dollar Highway into Ouray, Colorado by the time we got to the bottom the brakes were stinkin to high heaven.

I can't imagine owning a TT for long and not encountering either the Rockies out west or the Applechain mountains back east.
__________________
Paul "Bugle Boy" and
Jan Hobbs Quilts of Valor member
US Navy Submarine Veteran
2014 Cougar 31RKS
TV 2012 Ford F250

https://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps6b1f8d57.jpg
Bugle Boy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 04:57 PM   #13
davidjsimons
Senior Member
 
davidjsimons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 865
You can never have too much truck. With that said, too much trailer for the truck makes for some long days towing and eventually the ruination of an otherwise nice 1/2 ton. Go with the 250.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
davidjsimons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2013, 05:18 PM   #14
wbatto
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Morgantown Wv
Posts: 93
Welcome

Make sure your Tow Vehicle is big enough as it makes it a lot more enjoyable to go camping. My 297 Sprinter weighed around 9500 loaded and the first year I towed it with a 2009 Toyota Tundra 1/2 ton. I took the dealers word that it would tow it ok. After that first summer of white knuckle driving it didn't take me long to buy a bigger truck. Congrats on the new camper and have fun this summer
wbatto is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:52 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.