I have a 2006 F-150 XLT 5.4L V8 Supercrew 5.5' bed. My wife and I are wanting to get a travel trailer, and I know that a gooseneck hitch allows you more comfortable towing capacity. Saying this, I don't know what to do.
I guess I can start with by asking what weight can my truck be comfortable with while pulling with traditional hitch? I know the owners manual says, I believe, 8000 lbs. But is this something that I can go over mountain passes and steep roads with? My truck has about 97,000 miles on it and I feel I have taken good care of it.
Now, is a gooseneck hitch recommended for my truck? I'm sure i can make it work, but do I need to be careful with turning?
What is your opinion on what I should get?
Thanks

 

I would never use a gooseneck or 5th wheel with a 5.5' bed. I would stick with "lightweight" conventional trailers. You are going to run out of payload capacity long before you reach the max tow rating no matter what type of trailer you get. I would especially look a "lightweight" if you are going to be in the mountains.

If you want a 8000# travel trailer and want to go to the mountains, you need a 3/4 ton truck with a turbodiesel or an Ecoboost with the HD payload/max tow package. At high altitudes and on steep roads, you will be down to 30 mph with that 5.4 with that kind of load.

 

30mph: unless you keep it floored all the way up..which I don't mind with my 7000#

I was even passing EB with 30' TT that weight about the same as my 23' toy hauler.

but you don't want to go over your ratings...which a 5th wheel will that's for sure!
You can get up to 28-30' bumper pull TT in the 8000# range (Gross weight..not dry...always!!)

 

At what altitude, and what was the grade percentage?

 

I vote with the above post, Goose Neck no FFFNNNN way, 5th wheel very few good options can be done but barely worth the hassle. Lots of nice travel trailer with 7000lb max weight you can tow all day and be happy with. Still gonna struggle on steep grades but you can live with it. Do not look at the dry weight look at GVWR for the trailer if it is more than 80% of your towing rating you are pushing it , if it is 100% or more you will be the guy we all complain about on every hill.
http://rvsafety.com/
lots of info on that site about what RV's actually weigh and how to remain safe towing.

 

Thank you all for the advice. From the sounds of it, I think what I would rather do is invest in a different truck before I get the trailer. My current truck has just developed some problems, and not sure why. Check engine light on...
I'm stuck between a F250 or 350. I don't need overkill, but the power of the 350 would be nice, but Im sure the 250 Diesle will handle anything I throw at it. . Eh screw it, why not go all out and get the 750.

 

The 350 doesn't have any more power than the 250 - they both offer the same engines.

 

Same engine..only payload is different.

 

Actually the 250 350 450 all have the same GCVRW at least on several years as such the towing capacity is lowered based on the weight of the truck. For that reason I bought a 99 F250 diesel in 01 got a great deal on a used truck 2wd and serious tugboat. Prior to me it belonged to a cattle hauling company in TX and all they bought were F250 Long box 2wd Diesels. The only gain in a dually is how much pin weight you can carry on the axle. 4wd crew cabs and heavier frames all subtract from your towing capacity. Next max towing is a ideal condition that really never occurs as you always exceed limits somewhere before you can get to max weight. For example I live in MI and we can plate a semi to 160k however we spent month's with the engineers designing our new fleet of trucks and we could not get one legal beyond 153k so even though we were plated for 160k there was no combination of axles and spacings that let us haul that much and be legal.

 

5.5 options add a lot of cost to things for some of these guys. Spend a few hundred bucks and if you hate it, you just go trade for a different truck (be it 1/2 ton 6.5 or 8ft bed, or 3/4 ton 6.75 bed). You'll still be able to take the rails out and put them in your new truck.

 

If you actually did pass a Ecoboost up a steep hill it was only because he let you pass...

 

Yeah - the EB was prolly still in 6th gear idling up the hill........

 

Or he was affraid to floor it.

 

^ Baby'n his new truck. Haha

 

Well, I think I found something. A 2003 F350 6.0L Diesel with 68,000 miles on it for $22,000. I have looked up reviews and they are not that good though. The deal is hard to turn away from for this price. What should I do here?