Newby to towing - Cougar 26RBSWE and F150

[Johnnyv505]

We currently have a 2019 F150 crew cab Lariat 4x4 Max tow with 3.5 ecoboost, gvwr of 7000 lb, payload 1746 lb, as the tv.

We are considering the purchase of a new Cougar 26RBSWE. It is 26 feet but considering hitch and bumper puts it at 29 ft 11 inch total length. Estimated hitch weight is 690 lb dry which will depend on unit as it leaves factory. The advertised dry weight, subject to actual build, is 6670. My F150 has 1746 lb payload.

If I take the 690 rv tongue weight of dry rv, add 100 lb for wdh, add 60 lb for propane, and add 100 lb for batteries the sum is 950 lb.

Truck contents - 360 lb 2 people and dog plus 60 lb truck bed cover plus 100 lb estimated Rhino bed spray plus 50 lb misc equals 570 lb.

570 + 950 = 1520 lb.

Payload 1746 - 1520 = 226 lbs left if optimal ratings are correct. Of course scales would be the check.

226 lbs - assuming 15% loading of weight added to RV hitch weight is 1500 lbs maximum for water (very little fresh while rolling), clothes, bedding, chocks, leveling blocks, pots and pans, etc.

Is this a reasonable approach to evaluate possible purchase?

[flybouy]

Welcome to the "gret lie", the 1/2 ton towable advertisement. I would anticipate a tongue weight of 1,000 lbs , and at least 120 lbs for a good wdh with built in sway control. If, and it's a big if, you make the weight work that much trailer behind a 1/2 ton truck will push the truck around . I would advise installing LT tires on the truck if it currently has P tires.

I don't know where you got your payload number from but there's only one way to know what your REAL remaining payload is. Load the truck up as you would if you were going camping with people, pets, ice chests, and everything else you would take in the truck and visit a Cat Scale. Weight the truck, add about 120 lbs to that scaled weight. That will give you the curb weight.

Now look at the label on the driver's side door jamb and note the gvw number. That number is the MAXIMUM weight the truck can safely operate at. Subtract the scale weight (with hitch weight added) from the GVW and that's your available payload. That's the first number you'll run out of so you can ignore the towing capacity or most any other number.

[markcee]

While I generally agree with Marshall that the '1/2 ton towables' are a great lie, (I have one) and even though I consider myself a junior weight policeman....you should be OK, IMveryHO. I do highly recommend you go hit the CAT scale and weigh out your truck when fully loaded for camping, to ensure your estimates are correct....However:

Even if you figure 1100 lbs for TW (13% of 8800 GVWR) plus all your other add-ins, you are right at your payload limit....again ONLY if you are loaded up to the maximum GVWR.

Plus, in this scenario...and I think this is a big deal....it's not like you are towing a 38' travel trailer....you are under 30' OAL.

Many will contest, but I say double-check your loaded weights and if all is well, go out and have fun.

[travelin texans]

The 1st lie is the "1/2 ton towable", 2nd any tongue weight posted on the rv website, 3rd the tow capacity for any truck if used for a rv.
From 45+ years of experience rving you will be very close to the rated GVWR of your rv after about a season of use if you're like most folks. So calculating from that number is the safest to ensure you know the max.
That rv has a GVWR of 8800lbs = 1100lbs tongue weight + WDH + the weights for cargo & occupants you've listed subtracted from your posted payload.
You are going to be right at the max for your truck.
At this point what you choose to do with this information is totally up to you!
So far you've got 2 that agree you will be at the max of your truck, 1 that says you'll be OK cause I am & I sure more advice, for or against, to come!

[NH_Bulldog]

Our 240BH has a gvwr of 7,000 lbs, and a published tongue weight of 550 lbs. We towed it with our 2015 F150 3.5L Ecoboost Super Crew with max tow and it had a 7,000 lb gvwr. Our cargo capacity was 2,300 lbs. Our tongue weight was measured at 982 lbs loaded. Add the WDH, two adults, one 8 year old daughter, two 50 lb English Bulldogs, one bunny rabbit, 3 bikes and other miscellaneous items and we were at our max rating with little if any room to spare. We just picked up our new 3/4 ton truck a few weeks ago and just went on our first camping trip last week and the difference was incredible with the new truck. I know it’s not a good time to try to find a new truck, but I think it would be a good idea for the sake of the safety of you and others.

[wiredgeorge]

Ahhhh heck! Half Ton Towable. What could go wrong. The trailer is 30' long (29' 11") and even with the best wdh that thing will be a chore to drive with a 1/2 ton.

We go to RV shows and my wife like certain campers more than our camper. The ones she likes are usually 45' long and cost more than my house did. Why? Longer campers offer more space and a better livability. Our camper is 28' long and we camp 3-4 days generally but both of us agree we wouldn't want to full time in that little space. Now if we had that 45' Montana (wife favors front living room) we might get by without tripping over each other; guess what I am saying is that it is normal for the gals to like the bigger camper.

I would shoot for something 4-5 shorter if you are going to drag it with a 1/2 ton. You might or might not be within "numbers" but you will not enjoy getting to where you are going to camp. By the way, the camper you are looking at has a wonderful floor plan and if you get it make sure it is 50A service and has a 2nd A/C as I hear it gets toasty in NM. Good luck.

[NMRandy]

A half ton, "will tow it", but if there is any wind, and there always is in Albuquerque, it will be an uncomfortable drive. If you want to be able to tow "comfortably", as one person told me, "Half tons are for single axle trailers,(under 5000 lbs), 3/4 tons are for tandem axle trailers, (up to 10,000 lbs), and lighter fifth wheels, anything over 10,000 lbs should be on a 1 ton, and if you RV has 6 wheels, your tow vehicle should also." There is also the issue of brakes, the most important system on any vehicle, and half tons typically don't have great brakes. This just an opinion gained from many miles of towing. JMHO

[Balvar24]

If you go for it, be sure to report back here and let us know. I've always thought, especially for long distance towing, I wouldn't want much more trailer than I have with my current 1/2 ton truck, but you always wonder what might be.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by NH_Bulldog

Our 240BH has a gvwr of 7,000 lbs, and a published tongue weight of 550 lbs. We towed it with our 2015 F150 3.5L Ecoboost Super Crew with max tow and it had a 7,000 lb gvwr. ...

We just picked up our new 3/4 ton truck a few weeks ago and just went on our first camping trip last week and the difference was incredible with the new truck. I know it’s not a good time to try to find a new truck, but I think it would be a good idea for the sake of the safety of you and others.

I think the above comments pretty much sum it up for anyone who started with a half ton truck and a "close to the limit trailer". They tow and think, 'this is the way it's supposed to be" because they have nothing to compare "OK towing to Great towing"....

The comment: "and the difference was incredible with the new truck" is the same way I felt after upgrading my half ton truck for a F250.

The differences in "relaxed towing" just can't be measured until you have both experiences under your belt.... I can't begin to count the number of people who have upgraded their truck (or downgraded to a smaller trailer) and experience "that lightbulb moment".....

You'll likely be OK with your current truck and that trailer, provided you pay close attention to how you load, and when/where you tow. Heavy crosswinds will not be "your friend" with that rig, regardless of the anti-sway features of your hitch.....

It's "do-able" but will take a lot of work... When you get "tired of the performance" consider an upgrade to a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck and you'll experience the significant improvement.

[NH_Bulldog]

I might add that the F150 is so light and the suspension is so squishy, that the camper moved the truck, sometimes dangerously. Several times it triggered the electronic anti-sway in the truck, and by then it was a white knuckle, white face ride. It wasn’t sway in a conventional sense so much as it was the wind pushing the trailer from the side which in turn moved the whole truck/ trailer combo sideways. In that situation, wind from the right side actually makes you steer to the left to compensate for everything moving. Wind lets up, and you have to re-compensate quickly. E-rated tires, upgraded springs, and Timbren’s combined with new shocks made things tolerable but it was very expensive and was not as effective as I had hoped.

This past trip was the first time since we had this camper that I actually drove with only one hand on the wheel and that is a nice relaxed feeling.

[dutchmensport]

More to consider than just weights... really.

Can your truck stop the truck and trailer at 60 mph in the event you loose trailer brakes. I've lost trailer brakes in 4 different trailers when traveling and the truck had to work for both truck and trailer. My current Fifth Wheel lost brakes last fall when a relay went out in the truck. I lost brakes once before when i forgot to plug in the trailer pig tail and it dragged the ground, making it unusable. I had to limp the trailer home with no brakes.

It happens. You will experience trailer brake loss someday. When that happens, will the truck have enough weight and braking power itself to handle the job?

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

More to consider than just weights... really.

Can your truck stop the truck and trailer at 60 mph in the event you loose trailer brakes. I've lost trailer brakes in 4 different trailers when traveling and the truck had to work for both truck and trailer. My current Fifth Wheel lost brakes last fall when a relay went out in the truck. I lost brakes once before when i forgot to plug in the trailer pig tail and it dragged the ground, making it unusable. I had to limp the trailer home with no brakes.

It happens. You will experience trailer brake loss someday. When that happens, will the truck have enough weight and braking power itself to handle the job?

On sort of a tangent but about braking;

Braking with a med/large RV attached to you with 1/2 ton brakes is not only "iffy", it can be downright dangerous. Even with a 3/4-1 ton a sizeable RV can be hard to bring down. The drum brakes in most RVs "help" but they just aren't strong and generally, IMO, undersized. Throw in the fact that some folks want to use the EZ lube zerks that can contaminate the drum/pads and you have potential issues. All that to say;

Disc brakes. I've never had a trailer with disc brakes until I put them on this one. I HAVE experienced many "oh crap" moments as I hoped to bring the rig down with some scary moments - disc brakes have been one of the most beneficial, comforting, safety mods I've ever done to anything (traveling cross country). We talk about upgrading trucks and the difference that brings, and it is unbelievable, but the disc brake upgrade is even better and more confidence inspiring in traffic IMO.

I was going to start a new thread but seemed like the topic would fit here. Still in transit cross country and those brakes have been called into use so many times and SO effective. Just thought I would share is something like that might help someone.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by Johnnyv505

We currently have a 2019 F150 crew cab Lariat 4x4 Max tow with 3.5 ecoboost, gvwr of 7000 lb, payload 1746 lb, as the tv.

We are considering the purchase of a new Cougar 26RBSWE.
...
Is this a reasonable approach to evaluate possible purchase?

Short answer: almost certainly no.

I had an F150 crew cab Ecoboost with a 26RBSWE, and after I did the real-world numbers, I was hella underwater on payload. Upgraded to an F250 to make my numbers.

So I've been exactly where you are, and it wasn't right.

[sourdough]

To the issues of a 1/2 ton and the 26rbswe;

Can it be done? Most assuredly; I pulled one with a 10k gvw with a 1/2 ton. Should it be done..is it safe? Probably not in my opinion.

A 17xx payload will disappear quick on the truck and the 2130lbs. of carrying capacity in the trailer will fill up far quicker than one would think; the more trips, the more stuff goes in and stays - it just happens.

8800lb. gvw x .23% = 1144lbs. A fellow that actually scaled his truck loaded fairly light in another thread had well over 600lbs. reduced from his payload due to that load so let's just say 650 (which isn't a heavy load). 1144 tongue weight + 650 truck load = 1794 which exceeds the payload (safety) of the truck.

Can the trailer be loaded lighter? Yes. Will it be? Maybe. Over a long term? Probably not. There is a reason that the gvw is used to calculate the SAFE load a truck can carry, not an unknown, unrealistic "load" that will probably never materialize.

If the choice is made to go ahead with the combo the truck needs, at the very least, new LT tires (OE P rated "car" tires won't cut it), HD shocks (I like Bilsteins), air bags (to stabilize the load) and prayers (btdt). I also added a Hellwig HD anti sway bar to mine. With those mods, and the 1/2 ton as good as it could be made, it was still an EYE OPENER when I upgraded it to a HD truck after 1st trip (the 1/2 ton was too white knuckle, brakes not strong enough, very "squishy/squirmy"). I also traded in a 1 1/2 year old truck with less than 20k on it because it just wasn't up to the job - the price of playing in an expensive hobby. Just some food for thought.

[flybouy]

A popular saying I haven't seen recently is "we don't know what we don't know". You hitch up your shiney new trailer trailer to your trusty "tow beast" of a truck and go about your way in total bliss. Some might go as far as say ignorant bliss but I prefer "uninformed of inexperienced bliss". A large truck or bus speeds by and things start moving without your input. Typically the inexperienced driver over compensates until it's wrestled back under control.

After an experience like that many will tell their concerned wife "it's ok, just happens when you play tractor trailer driver, er, I mean towing". You may portend to beilve it yourself but deep down you question it. Then the thoughts, ego, fear, whatever go to "We've just spent all this money and now we need a different truck".

Often these folks come here looking for the "cure" to fix the inadequacies of their truck". Folks will recommend thousands of dollars in "upgrades to the hitch, tires, springs, shocks, brakes, etc. At the end of potentially spending several thousand dollars you still have a 1/2 ton truck that will NEVER tow as well as a 3/4 ton truck.

The only way to tell the difference is to borrow or rent a 3/4 ton truck and tow the camper. In my experience I've seen 2 basic types that come along and as the question "AM I ok to tow ABC trailer with xyz truck. One group is truly concerned and looking for "real world, experienced people for advice. The second group asks the question looking for affirmation that it'll be "just fine". Those answers will become "gospel" even if it's one out of twenty where 19 say "nope, get a larger truck".

I was one of the ostriches that thought towing a long camper at max or over max payload was OK, until one trip it wasn't. Came close to loosing it all including our lives on top of a windy mountian. You've been given information that mostly supports the very possible need for a more robust truck. It's up to you to decide which path to take now.

[wegone]

I'm still on my first ever rig......
I did LOT'S of reading sites like this.

First off, you never read much about the "good stuff" on such sites, as most folks tend to only seek advice or complain, when things go awry.

But you'll find one commonality that is consistent no matter where you search, be it a truck forum or trailer forum....

You can NEVER have too much truck.

I am not made of unlimited wealth, and did my research with that constraint.
But what I came away with is this area of towing is not where you want to make concessions.

I am not even close to my payload, and my towing is fun....
My peace of mind is priceless.

Good luck, be prudent, if you want to get the maximum enjoyment from trailering, go bigger, you can go more places safely.

[TimC]

I might have a bit of a unique perspective (at least compared to others here) as I picked up my 26RBS last December and immediately took it on a 4,000 mile road trip with my 2018 F150 3.5L Ecoboost. From a towability perspective I thought the F150 did great. I had no tail wagging the dog scenario and we towed through some very windy conditions, but it’s worth mentioning that I also have the Propride hitch. I also had no problems with stopping the rig. The 3.5L EB was plenty of engine for pulling it up some 6% grades (in 7th gear usually), and I had plenty of control going down the grades. I personally think that truck was spectacular for towing.

That said, I did end up upgrading to an F350 a couple months ago. Main reason was because I had the opportunity to snatch up almost the exact truck I’ve wanted for a while and figured I’d take advantage of the low interest rates and high trade value on the F150. Also is very nice to have that extra payload… and that’s where you’ll have fun with the F150.

I could’ve continued to keep within my capacities, but I was very limited on what I could do. Your calculations are fine, but I’d say incomplete. Based on my experience with the 26RBS so far you will end up with more weight on the tongue when you load it up. What caught me off guard a bit was how far back the axles are compared to my old camper. So much of the storage is in front of the axles so most of what you add will add some tongue weight. I was going to help balance it out by taking advantage of the hitch on the rear bumper and mount some of my stuff back there, but no worries now with the F350.

So, my thoughts being a 26RBS owner who towed with a F150. Definitely can be done, but if you want to stay within your payload you’ll need to watch that closely (get a tongue scale) and you’ll be quite limited in what you can add to the camper.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by TimC

I might have a bit of a unique perspective (at least compared to others here) as I picked up my 26RBS last December and immediately took it on a 4,000 mile road trip with my 2018 F150 3.5L Ecoboost. From a towability perspective I thought the F150 did great. I had no tail wagging the dog scenario and we towed through some very windy conditions, but it’s worth mentioning that I also have the Propride hitch.

I had to laugh when you said "unique."

When we picked up our 2019 26RBS, we took it Phoenix/Tampa R/T on an F150 Ecoboost and a ProPride hitch...!

It also towed without apparent issue. But when I found out I was underwater on my payload numbers, that was all the excuse DW needed to upgrade to a full double cab F250. She hated the F150's suicide doors with a passion, as she had to fight with them to load her groceries every time she wasn't parked in an end space.

Had I known then what I know now, I would have gone for the F350 instead. But the F250 is plenty of truck for this trailer.

[TimC]

Originally Posted by LHaven

I had to laugh when you said "unique."

When we picked up our 2019 26RBS, we took it Phoenix/Tampa R/T on an F150 Ecoboost and a ProPride hitch...!

It also towed without apparent issue. But when I found out I was underwater on my payload numbers, that was all the excuse DW needed to upgrade to a full double cab F250. She hated the F150's suicide doors with a passion, as she had to fight with them to load her groceries every time she wasn't parked in an end space.

Had I known then what I know now, I would have gone for the F350 instead. But the F250 is plenty of truck for this trailer.

So maybe not quite unique.

I had the crew cab so no suicide doors for me. I was a really big fan of that truck. But, I love my F350 so far. I will say though that I have yet to have that “aha” moment that others have mentioned here. I’m not yet seeing that world of difference in towing experience. I don’t see it as a bad thing because I thought the towing experience with my F150 was great. Biggest difference now is I don’t have to worry so much about weight, but I still do anyway. Weighed the tongue of my trailer probably 10 times the other day just to see impact of certain things on tongue weight (like filling the 60 gallon fresh tank… that adds a lot )

[CaptnJohn]

Can you, sure. Should you? Would I, hell no. Gotta do what your wallet and most importantly your wife wants.