Will this truck be steady and dependable

[SRD]

A family member has a Keystone Summerland bunkhouse trailer. Don't know model but I do know it is 30' and about 7800 lbs dry. Last weekend they went truck shopping and while at the dealership called me to ask my opinion on a 2013 F150 6 cyl. ecoboost. Personally I thought the truck was not right for them but the salesman reassured them it was. Later I watched YouTube videos of people towing 9000 lb trailers. This is a truck that will take some long hauls. It is the payload that they don't understand. What are others opinions

[JRTJH]

You're going to get varied opinions on the suitability of a half ton truck to tow a 9000 pound trailer. Before you buy it, there's some things you should consider.

It's going to have a 10-15% tongue weight. That's 900-1350 pounds plus the weight of the hitch (usually 100+ pounds).

Now, since it's a bunkhouse model, I'd guess you have more than just your spouse that will be in the truck. Kids NEVER get lighter and as they grow, so will their weight AND the weight of the toys they want to take camping. What starts as a rattle and a teddy bear quickly turns into a tricycle, then a bicycle, then a motorbike, then an ATV. About age 9 or 10, they won't go camping (and remain pleasant) unless you allow their friend to tag along, so if you have 3 kids, expect to have 6 on most weekend camping trips. If you get the impression that your truck is likely to be "full seats", you're right. And every one of them adds weight which must be deducted from your payload....

So, with a 1500-1700 pound payload, 1450 pounds of trailer tongue and hitch, your spouse at 150, leaves 1600 pounds to deduct. Hopefully your kids, their toys, the generator, cooler, bikes and grill weigh less than the remaining 100 pounds of your payload.....

Hopefully, you'll realize before buying "too little truck" that a half ton is simply inadequate to tow a 9000 pound trailer AND carry the people and cargo that you'll have with a bunkhouse trailer.....

[sourdough]

The salesman is doing what salesmen do; talking out of the backside of his head about something he knows nothing about. He is trained to tell folks the max tow weight - the number that absolutely has no meaning in the real towing world. The biggest thing the salesman has probably ever pulled is his Radio Flyer down the driveway.

As John mentioned, since it is a bunkhouse there are probably kids involved. That being the case a 1/2 ton is just not suited for a 9k+ trailer....no matter which one it is, plus the load today is only going to grow larger. Obviously there are some that will say they pull one that big and it "tows great". That's simply because they have no point of reference and have not pulled it with a suitable TV.

[Daryles]

Originally Posted by jrtjh

you're going to get varied opinions on the suitability of a half ton truck to tow a 9000 pound trailer. Before you buy it, there's some things you should consider.

It's going to have a 10-15% tongue weight. That's 900-1350 pounds plus the weight of the hitch (usually 100+ pounds).

Now, since it's a bunkhouse model, i'd guess you have more than just your spouse that will be in the truck. Kids never get lighter and as they grow, so will their weight and the weight of the toys they want to take camping. What starts as a rattle and a teddy bear quickly turns into a tricycle, then a bicycle, then a motorbike, then an atv. About age 9 or 10, they won't go camping (and remain pleasant) unless you allow their friend to tag along, so if you have 3 kids, expect to have 6 on most weekend camping trips. If you get the impression that your truck is likely to be "full seats", you're right. And every one of them adds weight which must be deducted from your payload....

So, with a 1500-1700 pound payload, 1450 pounds of trailer tongue and hitch, your spouse at 150, leaves 1600 pounds to deduct. Hopefully your kids, their toys, the generator, cooler, bikes and grill weigh less than the remaining 100 pounds of your payload.....

Hopefully, you'll realize before buying "too little truck" that a half ton is simply inadequate to tow a 9000 pound trailer and carry the people and cargo that you'll have with a bunkhouse trailer.....

you nailed it!!!!!

[pdaniel]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

You're going to get varied opinions on the suitability of a half ton truck to tow a 9000 pound trailer. Before you buy it, there's some things you should consider.

It's going to have a 10-15% tongue weight. That's 900-1350 pounds plus the weight of the hitch (usually 100+ pounds).

Now, since it's a bunkhouse model, I'd guess you have more than just your spouse that will be in the truck. Kids NEVER get lighter and as they grow, so will their weight AND the weight of the toys they want to take camping. What starts as a rattle and a teddy bear quickly turns into a tricycle, then a bicycle, then a motorbike, then an ATV. About age 9 or 10, they won't go camping (and remain pleasant) unless you allow their friend to tag along, so if you have 3 kids, expect to have 6 on most weekend camping trips. If you get the impression that your truck is likely to be "full seats", you're right. And every one of them adds weight which must be deducted from your payload....

So, with a 1500-1700 pound payload, 1450 pounds of trailer tongue and hitch, your spouse at 150, leaves 1600 pounds to deduct. Hopefully your kids, their toys, the generator, cooler, bikes and grill weigh less than the remaining 100 pounds of your payload.....

Hopefully, you'll realize before buying "too little truck" that a half ton is simply inadequate to tow a 9000 pound trailer AND carry the people and cargo that you'll have with a bunkhouse trailer.....

I know a person who the sales critter was trying to convince the ecoboost was a better engine in the F150 than the 2500 Ram Hemi. Yes, he too was told the big story about 9000 lbs weight. He opted to keep his hemi. He towed a 22 foot Lance...

[teacherman]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

You're going to get varied opinions on the suitability of a half ton truck to tow a 9000 pound trailer. Before you buy it, there's some things you should consider.

It's going to have a 10-15% tongue weight. That's 900-1350 pounds plus the weight of the hitch (usually 100+ pounds).

Now, since it's a bunkhouse model, I'd guess you have more than just your spouse that will be in the truck. Kids NEVER get lighter and as they grow, so will their weight AND the weight of the toys they want to take camping. What starts as a rattle and a teddy bear quickly turns into a tricycle, then a bicycle, then a motorbike, then an ATV. About age 9 or 10, they won't go camping (and remain pleasant) unless you allow their friend to tag along, so if you have 3 kids, expect to have 6 on most weekend camping trips. If you get the impression that your truck is likely to be "full seats", you're right. And every one of them adds weight which must be deducted from your payload....

So, with a 1500-1700 pound payload, 1450 pounds of trailer tongue and hitch, your spouse at 150, leaves 1600 pounds to deduct. Hopefully your kids, their toys, the generator, cooler, bikes and grill weigh less than the remaining 100 pounds of your payload.....

Hopefully, you'll realize before buying "too little truck" that a half ton is simply inadequate to tow a 9000 pound trailer AND carry the people and cargo that you'll have with a bunkhouse trailer.....

What I think about when I see references to the ecoboost 3.5 and towing is the load on the engine. I suppose with the best in load leveling/stabilizing hitches and the Canadian mindset of configuring lightweight vehicles to tow big trailers, it could be safely done, after a fashion anyway. But that much sustained twin turbo-boosted load on a limited piston and bearing area does not seem the formula for longevity. My minivan has a 3.3 in it. Subaru lost me when they insisted on throwing a twin turbo 2.5 in the new Ascent, then listing some big tow numbers to boot. No thanks, and I'm a diehard Subaru loyalist.

Seems to me it would be a false economy to ask that much of a little motor. But what do I know, except that I know precious little.

[blubuckaroo]

Towing a 5th wheel or travel trailer is different from towing other loads like boats and car transports. The higher center of gravity and large surface area of an RV needs different considerations when selecting the tow vehicle and equipment.

We had a Tacoma (rated to tow 6500 pounds) that towed our 3000 pound travel trailer, 12' U-Haul, and even a car transport with a small car without any issues. But, when we bought our new 4700 pound Passport this year, we found that while the power was adequate, it felt like the load was pushing us around a bit on curving downgrades.

Now I draw the line at half of the tow rating when pulling an RV, no matter what the RV and car dealer try to tell me.

On the other end of this decision, there are those that think a 3/4 or 1 ton is needed to tow their small travel trailer and jet ski. That's ridiculous!
Your decision should be made on honest thought about how much you'll be packing, and how often you'll be doing this towing.

So, here's the before and after...
Oh, and by the way, I just loved that little Tacoma Truck! And it matched the blue on our Passport too!

[wiredgeorge]

John did good to ask ANYONE other than an RV salesman. In general, these are not campers nor do they know squat about pulling a trailer. They know they work off commission!

[SRD]

That's exactly the point I tried to get across to them. Being a member of this forum has opened my eyes to a lot of situations that some rv owners never even consider. So now they have this truck that is not right for there trailer. Thanks to every member of this forum as I have learned a lot

[LynnGlaze13]

Originally Posted by SRD

That's exactly the point I tried to get across to them. Being a member of this forum has opened my eyes to a lot of situations that some rv owners never even consider. So now they have this truck that is not right for there trailer. Thanks to every member of this forum as I have learned a lot

So I guess they bought the 7 year old truck that doesn't fit their needs?


If they were buy an old used truck they should have gotten an SD/HD gas or diesel.

[markdol1]

Hell NO! ECO boost are about good enough for a pop up trailer,take that 9000 pound up any substantial hill and it will fry that motor. Salesmen are as trustworthy as a lawyer or politician. I honestly suggest an f 250 0r f350 if you can afford it I have a ram hd 3500 cummins diesel after my suburban died. When towing remember its all about torque and keeping engine and tranny cool!

[travelin texans]

WHAT!!! Just saw a video of a F150 electric truck pull a million pounds!!
Thought there wasn't anything they couldn't tow

[Bamabox]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

WHAT!!! Just saw a video of a F150 electric truck pull a million pounds!!
Thought there wasn't anything they couldn't tow

Hahahahaha. Good one.

[busterbrown]

I see the rationale on both sides of the fence regarding a half tons worthiness. Specifically with the F150, if properly equipped with the heavy towing and heavy payload packages (not typically found on dealers lots), these trucks are very capable at pulling a load. The EcoBoost is a torquey engine providing adequate power to the wheels to move the load. That's why so many folks swear up and down with its capability. But again, these "tow-worthy" optioned trucks are such a rarity.

But the segment of RV owners those who idolize and compliment their TYPICAL F150s when towing 9000 lbs are either turning a blind eye to the safety numbers and just don't give a damn or take the Ford salesman's word as he/she tell the prospective owner go watch the YT video 'F150 pulls a million lbs'. Very convincing to the general public to say the least.

On the other side of the coin, however, there are even more folks who fail to realize the dynamics of towing beyond that of HP and torque. Pulling a 9000 lb boat to the lake is one thing. Controlling and arresting heavy, tall loads when at speed on America's highways is something completely different.

All too often these forums are inundated with real world accounts of F150 owners moving up into the heavy duty world of trucks after a brief stint with their ecoboost, 5.7L Hemi, and 6.2L vortec. Why? From my perspectove, the overwhelming reason isn't due to lack of power to the wheels. The "big 3" and foreign truck makers are all making good, competent engines these days. Coupled to a 8 or 10 speed gear box, downshifting to 1st or 2nd gear on big ascents isn't the norm as it once was with gassers. Modern day trucks hold their speed along with the help of a larger rear end.

The majority of those who "upgrade" to a larger class truck do it for control, stability, and overall capability. My Hemi 6.4 RAm 2500 wont win races against an EcoBoost 3.5L climbing up Eisenhower pass on I-70. But the trip overall will be a much more relaxed, safe, and rewarding experience for me and my family, especially when winds kick up and semis pass us from both directions. This is in the inherent nature and design of a HD platform truck.

What boggles my mind is the propaganda that is spread on social media regarding capabilities without any concern for the manufacturers specifications. "Truck is rated to tow 12,000 lbs, guess I can tow 11,999 lbs no problem; you can too". That's the common response I read when 1/2 ton owners (not just Ford) talk about how much their truck can tow. When axles ratings. GvWRs, GVCWRs, payload capacities, and tire ratings are referred to, the room gets awfully quiet and not many have much to say.

To be honest, it gets a bit old reading and responding to the same owner propaganda. Now, my canned response includes check all the specs, take a trip to the scales loaded up and then make a decision with due diligence. Your road sharing friends sure would appreciate it!

[notanlines]

Overall, I agree with what has been said, but you are NOT into diesel territory. There are those out there who, once they own a diesel, think they need to push them on everyone. (Like some reformed smokers)
You do need to step up to a 250/2500, but save buying the one ton diesel until next year when your wife wants a bigger RV. Yes, that is how it works. It's good for the national economy and insures that both you and Momma stay employed.....

[Badbart56]

Boom! Here ya go:

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/08/01/...cs/?yptr=yahoo

Look for 430 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 475 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. That should bridge the gap between the EcoBoost and the 6.7 for all those that are afraid of diesels.

[GMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by Badbart56

Boom! Here ya go:

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/08/01/...cs/?yptr=yahoo

Look for 430 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 475 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. That should bridge the gap between the EcoBoost and the 6.7 for all those that are afraid of diesels.

Saw that. Advantage this has over the GM (and I'm a GM guy) is the 10 spd. Wish the new GM gas wasn't a 6 sp.

[Badbart56]

Originally Posted by GMcKenzie

Saw that. Advantage this has over the GM (and I'm a GM guy) is the 10 spd. Wish the new GM gas wasn't a 6 sp.

You should be able to get the ten speed with GM too. They jointly developed it.

https://www.tfltruck.com/2018/12/202...-transmission/

Just saw this. Interesting. GM will use a 10 speed but not the one they developed with Ford. It will be an Allison. Go figure! Either way, a 10 speed is available.

I see! 10 speed diesel only. uhh.

[Beast2017]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Overall, I agree with what has been said, but you are NOT into diesel territory. There are those out there who, once they own a diesel, think they need to push them on everyone. (Like some reformed smokers)
You do need to step up to a 250/2500, but save buying the one ton diesel until next year when your wife wants a bigger RV. Yes, that is how it works. It's good for the national economy and insures that both you and Momma stay employed.....

Don’t wait until next year just move up to the 1 ton diesel now. You’re going to get there anyway. 😉

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by busterbrown

Specifically with the F150, if properly equipped with the heavy towing and heavy payload packages (not typically found on dealers lots), these trucks are very capable at pulling a load. The EcoBoost is a torquey engine providing adequate power to the wheels to move the load.

Yup -- what I found is that they will pull massive loads all day, but the engine doesn't help the frame carry the tongue weight (payload) any better than any other half-ton. That's where the trouble lies.

Case in point is the recent "pull a train" video. They pulled with a "magic"* strap -- therefore, no tongue weight, and no problem.

Pull strength is simply not the problem link in this problem chain.

*I'm in awe of the breaking strength of this strap, whatever it was.