Just bought my first travel trailer

[RickG64]

I just bought a 2020 Keystone Outback 330RL Length 37.83 ft, width 8 ft, height 11.33ft
Dry weight 8,839 lbs, payload capacity 1,661 lbs, gvwr 10,500 lbs, hitch weight 1,100 lbs
My question is how much truck am I going to need to pull this? My wife and I are considering a Ford F-250 with a 6.7L diesel or a Dodge Ram 2500. The trailer dealer suggested a Ford F-150 with the EcoBoost engine. I’ve never owned a trailer and don’t want to buy the wrong vehicle to tow it. What do you suggest?

[deltabravo]

RickG64 wrote:
The trailer dealer suggested a Ford F-150 with the EcoBoost engine.

RV dealers always spout off nonsense like that.

There's no way I'd tow a 37' long trailer with a V-6 gas engine or a half tone series truck.

[Ride_S40T]

RickG64 wrote:
I just bought a 2020 Keystone Outback 330RL Length 37.83 ft, width 8 ft, height 11.33ft
Dry weight 8,839 lbs, payload capacity 1,661 lbs, gvwr 10,500 lbs, hitch weight 1,100 lbs
My question is how much truck am I going to need to pull this? My wife and I are considering a Ford F-250 with a 6.7L diesel or a Dodge Ram 2500. The trailer dealer suggested a Ford F-150 with the EcoBoost engine. I’ve never owned a trailer and don’t want to buy the wrong vehicle to tow it. What do you suggest?

Oh and after you make your decision, maybe contact that salesperson and let them know (in a polite way) that sage advice across the board recommend at least a 3/4 ton and probably a long bed at that to be safe. There is a specific formula for length of trailer coupled with length of wheel base. That's science, not guesswork.

That advice should come with a caveat that it would have to be something properly rated, not giving you that info is irresponsible and quite possibly dangerous. You can find 1500s that go up to and beyond 13,000 tow capacity with MAX TOW PKG but again, you need to run the numbers on hitch weight, GVWR, etc. to be sure. Your average 1500 would not be safe with that trailer, IMO.

I've been to a few RV shows where I heard some of the most outrageous claims made by very green salespeople, one had no clue at all about the equipment or safety aspects of towing. Knew zip. It was scary. Tried to help him out, to no avail.

You will not regret having the right truck, a safe truck not just something that will "pull it".

[bid_time]

flyflotr wrote:
A 3/4 ton diesel should be the minimum for your consideration. I have a 3.5 Ecoboost F150 and while the engine is sufficient to pull a trailer that size, you would exceed your payload package and have not safety margin.

The payload capacity of my F150 is 2500 lbs. It would handle that trailer, my family of 4 and still have 500 lbs leftover.

[Las_Vegas_Proud]

If you get a RAM 2500 with the diesel make sure you check the payload. I bought a 2011 Ram 2500 with the diesel in November and after the purchase noticed the payload is only 1910lbs. The heaviness of the motor eats up a lot of payload. The same truck with a gas engine has a payload of almost 3k.

[bjkb1f]

hondapro wrote:
If you go with the diesel skip the 2500 and go with the 3500 the diesel engine is heaver than the gas engine. So the 2500 with the diesel will have a low payload capacity

This. 2500 gas or 3500 diesel. There are 250/2500 series diesel trucks out there with the same payload has a 1/2 ton. For only a couple thousand more, you'll end up with a much more capable truck with a 350/3500 SRW.

I haven't seen payload numbers, but maybe check out the 2020 F250 with the 7.3 if you're not sold on Ram/diesel.

[Denbark]

Diesel for sure, you can pick up a decent rig for 20-30K that’ll last years.

I pull mine with a 2008 Ram 3500 (Single rear wheel) and barely notice its back there, the newer ones are super nice but they want a lot of coin for them! It’s well worth it to me, my truck has 120K on it and I’ve had it since 2009. I’ve replaced brakes and deleted the emissions ****, that’s it.

[Dennis58]

I would not touch that trailer with anything less than a 3/4 ton diesel truck, personnly I would buy a 1 ton DRW diesel truck and be one and done but thats just me.

[flyflotr]

A 3/4 ton diesel should be the minimum for your consideration. I have a 3.5 Ecoboost F150 and while the engine is sufficient to pull a trailer that size, you would exceed your payload package and have not safety margin.

[Ride_S40T]

What Vintage said ^^^

If ever there is a time to bring a gun to a knife fight, a tow vehicle is the time...IMO. 🙂

There's really no such thing as "too much" power (tq), stability, safety, etc. when choosing the TV.

Good luck and let's hope we can start scooting around again soon as we're well as a nation. Stay safe everyone.

[Vintage465]

RickG64 wrote:
I’m leaning towards the Ram 2500. I already own a Dodge and I’m happy with it. The next step will be a 6.4L Hemi vs a 6.7L Cummins.
A little about myself. I’ve been driving trucks for UPS for about 27 years. We use Freightliner tractors with Cummins engines. I’m mostly pulling a 53’ trailer with 30,000+ lbs. I don’t like these trucks going up hills. Going over the Devore pass I sometimes slow down to about 30 mph. Since I’m not a linehaul driver and do all local work I frequently run into the regen light coming on which I hate because it’s usually a parked 30-40 minute wait for this process to finish. I understand it will do a regen while driving on the highway but I never drive enough miles for this to happen.
What I like on the diesel is the engine and transmission brakes for coming down a steep incline.
For comfort level I’m leaning towards the gas although the diesel has better towing capabilities. I’m planning on test driving both just to get a feel of how they drive. I’m basing all my knowledge of diesel trucks on the rig I drive. I know a pickup will not be as loud. But want to see the difference if there is any on cabin noise at freeway speeds between gas and diesel. The comfort level on big trucks has come a long way with air ride suspension and air seats.
The one plus that is huge for me on a diesel is the engine braking function. Overheated brakes are no fun.

Either engine will do the trick. But there is no (none, zero) comparison to the ease that diesel will pull the trailer you're speaking of. The Diesel will go up the hills and down the hills just as easy as driving on flat roads with a tail wind. They make just about as much engine noise going up and down the hills as on flat roads too. It is truly "deluxe towing". But it comes at a price. If you have your mind made up that trailering is a "solid" in your future, try and go the diesel. You'll never be sorry.....once it's paid for. Also, IMHO, don't get caught up in trying justify a diesel from a maintenance or cost to operate or better MPG perspective. You will never make up the cost of a diesel,(unless you drive it more that 500,000 miles) but it is a far better tow experience.......assuming you're not always driving 30 miles on flat ground to your destination.

[Vintage465]

opnspaces wrote:
You've probably seen enough recommendations to buy a 250 or 2500 so my only input is to make sure your new truck has towing mirrors, not soccer mom mirrors.

And the factory installed brake controller. So Nice to just plug and play!

[hondapro]

If you go with the diesel skip the 2500 and go with the 3500 the diesel engine is heaver than the gas engine. So the 2500 with the diesel will have a low payload capacity

[opnspaces]

You've probably seen enough recommendations to buy a 250 or 2500 so my only input is to make sure your new truck has towing mirrors, not soccer mom mirrors.

[Terryallan]

RickG64 wrote:
I’m leaning towards the Ram 2500. I already own a Dodge and I’m happy with it. The next step will be a 6.4L Hemi vs a 6.7L Cummins.
A little about myself. I’ve been driving trucks for UPS for about 27 years. We use Freightliner tractors with Cummins engines. I’m mostly pulling a 53’ trailer with 30,000+ lbs. I don’t like these trucks going up hills. Going over the Devore pass I sometimes slow down to about 30 mph. Since I’m not a linehaul driver and do all local work I frequently run into the regen light coming on which I hate because it’s usually a parked 30-40 minute wait for this process to finish. I understand it will do a regen while driving on the highway but I never drive enough miles for this to happen.
What I like on the diesel is the engine and transmission brakes for coming down a steep incline.
For comfort level I’m leaning towards the gas although the diesel has better towing capabilities. I’m planning on test driving both just to get a feel of how they drive. I’m basing all my knowledge of diesel trucks on the rig I drive. I know a pickup will not be as loud. But want to see the difference if there is any on cabin noise at freeway speeds between gas and diesel. The comfort level on big trucks has come a long way with air ride suspension and air seats.
The one plus that is huge for me on a diesel is the engine braking function. Overheated brakes are no fun.

With the new "quiet" diesels you should have little noise, unless you put a aftermarket "loud" muffler on it. As for the engine braking. Gas engines naturally have great engine braking, as long as you gear down. There is nothing you have to add on a gas engine to make the engine brake.