Difference for towing between F150 and superduty

[DRH1175]

I am starting to look at new trucks as we just bought a 29' Travel Trailer. My wife loves the F150 and I like the superdutys. The 2010 f150 with the Max trailer tow package can tow 11300lbs and has like 1910 in payload. For 2011 the f150 will get the new 6.2 gas which I will bet will increase the towing. The F 250/350 in the 6.2l gas version can tow 12000lbs and has a payload of 2690/3960. I drove the new 2011 6.7 diesel and that is Sweet to say the least. What do I do? Will I be sorry if we go the route of the f150?

[muddpuppy]

I want to say the Superduty is a wider truck that with double the payload and the few hundred pounds of towing you will better off with the Superduty.

How heavy is the trailer loaded for a trip? coolers etc.

[Ufatz]

This all depends on the ACTUAL weight of your trailer and the truck with whatever is loaded into it. Tow ratings are in the Ford materials. Get the right truck and THEN get the right tire and the RIGHT hitch. A Superduty diesel F-250 might be more than you need.

Proceed slowly; let the numbers guide your decision. As an aside: just sold my 30' Airstream and am trying to sell my HD F-250 Power Stroke. It pulled that trailer for ten years and you'd never know there was a trailer back there!!

[DRH1175]

I drove the New diesel and it was super quiet and powerful!! I love diesels as I drive one everydat at work. This one was far supieror. But at close to 8K I might look at the new 6.2l instead. Price wise surprising the superdutys and the f150 really aren't much different in price. My Wife fell in love with the f150. but If I am going to upgrade. I want a truck that I will be happy with for many years.

[shizzy]

doesnt the Super Duty have much beefier brakes and steering? more pulling power with the Superduty?

they both might have similar tow ratings, but personally I belive the Superduty would pull the trailer without breaking a sweat whereas the F150 will do it, but I can see slow acceleration, hot brakes and a wobbly ride on the interstate with a good crosswind.

[Scott K]

That new 6.7L SuperDuty is awesome!! I really recommend anyone that is thinking about a new diesel, take one for a test drive. I will guarantee you will leave impressed. I think Ford dumping Navistar was the smartest thing they have ever done. They should have done it in 03, when Navistar messed up on the 6.0's.

I dont have any personal experience with the new 6.2 yet, beyond just reading the material on it, it sounds impressing as well.

[fishing tech]

I think you will be happy either way. I pull a 29ft travel trailer with my 01 F150. Yes it works a little but it is an 01. The ride without the trailer behind is great. The new diesel is great, they have come along way but they are made to work, not short trips. You can buy alot of gas for $8000.

[Wanderer]

DRH,

You and I are in the same shoes! I've been working on those same types of questions as you can see in my thread.

A few questions:

Is the 29 feet overall length including the tongue or just the length of the box on the trailer frame?

What is the GVWR of the trailer?

How many times per year do you expect to tow it?

How far would your tows be? Average length? Longest length?

Will you be driving the truck for much else besides towing?

An answer:

Yes, the Super Duty F250 is a larger truck in overall size than the F150, not just a heavier suspension. It's a big truck with a stiff ride. It makes our Tahoe feel like a car. You'll likely be just fine with the 150.

[DRH1175]

My trailer has a gvwr of 7700. I know a f150 with the max trailer tow will work out great. But in the back of my mind the next trailer will be a fifth wheel with the intention of pulling my boat behind that. I would still be under the 11300 rating. The 5th wheels I have been looking at have gvwr of around 8000 boat weighs 2000. Question will the f150 have enough payload? I won't be doing that but once or twice a year. I drove a 2011 f250 today with the 6.2. That engine seems to be much stronger than the 5.4. It was quite impressive. With that being said.

[Wanderer]

The Super Duty I borrowed over the weekend had a 5.4L in it. It seemed light on power for that size truck. I didn't check my towing mileage because I expected it to be terrible but the unloaded mileage on the way home for 230 miles was only 15 mpg.

If I were to buy that truck I would get the 6.2L.

With your plans/desire to go 5th wheel and boat combo in the future it would seem to make sense to go with the F250 if you expect to keep the truck for a long time. Besides that, it seems that's what you really want anyway.

FWIW, my opinion is that you'd be fine with the gas engine also for your expected use.

The F150 Max claims to have 11,300 pounds of payload. That may be but when we tried hooking up our 11,300 GVWR trailer to a 2008 F150 (not a Max model, I know) it looked like we were trying to kill the truck. It was just too small compared to the overall size of the trailer.

Get the bigger truck if you can afford to.

[DRH1175]

Wanderer, I read your post on the gas vs diesel truck. I am pretty sure if new it will be gas probably the f250/350 with the 6.2. Or a used 3 or 4 yr old 2500hd with duramax. I love diesels but can't afford a new one. This truck will be my camper hauler/ hunting and fishing vehicle. It won't be a daily commuter.

[KatoMike]

The frame on the Super Duty's is much heavier and thicker. The front axle is solid and the rear axle is a full floater (much smaller semi-floating rear axle in the F-150 - the full floater takes the weight of off the axles allowing them to support more weight with more reliability and less wear and tear). The Super Duty's are made to tow and haul heavy loads all day everyday - the F-150's are not.

If you are thinking 5th wheel in the future you really need a 3/4 ton or 1 ton - the axles on a half ton are not up to the task. The bed on a half ton (if you get a crew cab) will also be too short to work with a 5th wheel (unless you like popping out your rear window when turning sharp).

The tires on the 1/2 ton are likely p-rated (meaning they are basically passenger car tires). A 3/4 ton or 1 ton will have LT tires with load rating E tires - they are designed to tow and haul heavy loads. They have much stronger sidewalls. Also, look at the rear spring pack on a half ton - two, maybe 3 leaf springs...my 1 ton superduty has 6 wider leaf springs.

You will be much happier with a truck made to pull what you are pulling not one that will be maxed out and scary to try to stop. The F-150 is a great truck, but there is no comparison to the Super Duty's when considering ability to tow and haul.

[Jeremy airjer W]

The Super Duty I borrowed over the weekend had a 5.4L in it. It seemed light on power for that size truck.

It didn't seem light on power it was light on power. Both the 5.4 liters are disappointments. I've driven a few of the newer 3 valves and there is nothing there.

[Scott K]

The new f150's have the towing ability for up to 11300 lbs, the SuperDuty's are 24000 lbs. The frames, tires and brakes are more then enough to handle their max amounts.

[Scott K]

As for the new 6.7, I really like them myself, if I had to pull a large trailer, and I could justify the cost, I would be all over it. The new f150's with the 6.2 is suppose to be rather impressive, but I have not driven one, to give you an opinion on them. I would think with the minimal amount of times you would be towing, the new f150 would be the wisest choice.

[KatoMike]

The Ford HSOforum only lists 5th wheel towing capacity for the Super Duty, not for the F-150 - this should tell you something.

Just because a truck can do something, it does not mean it should (or that you should). My truck is rated for 4,050 pounds of cargo...would I put two tons in the box on a regulary basis? Nope.

Get a Super Duty and never second guess your decision.

[Scott K]

I agree the SuperDuty would be the best for towing the 5th wheel, but he did state, he would only be towing it 2 times a year. So for the 2 times a year, would it be worth the extra amount? When the f150 is rated to handle the capacity? If it was an every weekend thing, I would see the justification of the diesel/SuperDuty.

[DRH1175]

After looking at a few used trucks today. I am going to get either a 2006/2007 f350 with the 6.0 diesel or 2005 to 2007 duramax 2500. They fall in my pricerange and will do anything i will ever need to do!

[Valv]

I would chuck the 6.0l Ford and go for the Duramax or Cummins, you won't regret it.

I hauled a 11500 GVW 29ft 5th wheel today from Duluth to MPLS, I had a 3500 Chevy dually, I can guarantee using a 1/2 to to haul such a large trailer would have never crossed my mind.

I haul for a living, and I would limit any 150 or 1500 truck for small boat and small trailer towing. Modern 3/4 tons are much more comfortable than the past, and safer to tow with.

The rig below is 11800lbs, how would you like towing it with a F150 :

[sdpikehntr]

I have had Chevy 1500 and the transmissions are not good, I have had a f-150 with the 5.4L and it was ok. I now have a superduty with the V-10 and it has all the ability to pull a 27'travel trailer, a 26' stocktrailer loaded, and a 30 ' flatbed. The control is great and the truck is made for it. The others couldn't handle the weight and they were unstable towing.

Go with the superduty, you won't regret it!

[Scott K]

But, we arent talking a normal 1/2 ton, we are talking about the Max. It is actually rated higher then a lot of 3/4 tons out there. Again, I do agree the bigger the better, I was just saying that since he will only be using it to possibly tow big with it 2 times a year, the f150 Max may be the logical answer here.

[sdpikehntr]

I agree the max is a beefed up truck... but I understand that is still has the standard box that all f-150 crews have, it is a super short box. If he anticipates going to a 5th wheel down the road the superduty with a short or long box will accomidate the 5th wheel much better.

[Scott K]

The max comes in the 6.5 foot, and the 8 foot box. I have an 02 f150 with a 6.5' box, I pull a 5th wheel camper with it on rare occasions, and I never had an issue with it hitting the back of my cab. I wouldnt use it as an everyday hauler, but for those couple time a year heavy pullings, I think it would be just fine, as that is what the Max was designed for.

Again, I am not saying the ideal truck wouldnt be a 1 ton with a diesel, just stating, a 1 ton, maybe an overkill for the 2 times he will tow with it.