Last week I sold my Yuma pop-up camper, and bought a very sightly used travel trailer. This is a first for me pulling a travel trailer. I have pulled 3 horse trailers with half ton trucks, with 3 horses aboard.
I bought an 06 Pioneer 180CK. Dry weight is 3900 lbs. I am asuming that is the weight when I pull off the lot this coming week. Then I add water, at 8.3 lb per gallon, propane, food, and all my gear. I have caculated that for a three day weekend boondocking with no hookups, so I need about 35 gal of water, at least one full 30 lb propane tank and I have two large batteries. I figure I am going to add about 1000 to 1200 lbs. I think that sounds right, so if I use the 1200 lb number I am at 5000 lbs. Plus the wd and anti sway stuff. Puts me at about 5300 lbs. I hope I am alright. I am looking forward to a drop to the bottom of Death Valley this weekend. It is supposed to be in the 80s so when I come up Sunday It will still be fairly cool. This is my test run.

 

Oh Geez, I meant to ask a question. My truck is stock. Nothing at all added
What do I need for beef ups or mods if any. Like I said in my first post I am testing this coming weekend with a pretty hard pull coming out of Death Valley, albeit at low elevation. This should let me know if I need that tuner ya'all been talking about, or some adda leafs in the rear, ya know what I mean, I can't remember the brand name. Any way if anyone can think of something I am forgetting before I embarrase myself this weekend, let me know.

 

Doesn't seem like that bad of a pull. You should be fine with your truck. My uncle is pulling a 26 foot travel trailer with his F-150 4 door 5.4 liter with no problem. I think he weighing in dry about 4300 lbs. My dad is towing a 25 foot travel trailer with a ford expedition 5.4 with no problems. The springs and everything in the back should be fine to tow that.. Maybe a little sag but nothing at all. Put some equalizer bars on their and ur fine..

 

Thank you for the reply. I just get nervous with something I have not done before.

 

You will be fine.

 

Dry weight is about 15-20% under the weight you'll bne picking it up from an RV dealer. It never incluides options. But, you'll still be fine with just about any automatic F-150 (I have no idea what you have).

With a well adjusted WD hitch, you should not need any suspension help.

 

Well, the tow got done about three hours ago. Everything went well. In fact I am suprised at the torque this 5.4 has. I pulled some darn steep grades, and almost never had more than one or two cars behind me, but down grades, I like shifting down a bit, and not wearing out the brakes. (they ain't cheep now days.) So I got a few stacked up then. But I drove safe, and the perfomance of the 5.4 was excellent.

Give me three or four years and I will upgrade to an F-350. But then I will want a bigger travel trailer!

Over all this truck pulls 5000 LB. great. Would I want to pull 8000 lb. No. But this truck can do so!