# Travel trailer for half ton F150



## Ronnie T

I'm looking for suggestions for travel trailer that can be successfully pulled with halfton truck.

Prefer something in 26 ft long.

Thanks.


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## NE GA Pappy

Pulling isn't the biggest problem, it's the stopping.  You would be better off with one of those all aluminum light weight trailers if you have to stick with the F150


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## Ronnie T

NE GA Pappy said:


> Pulling isn't the biggest problem, it's the stopping.  You would be better off with one of those all aluminum light weight trailers if you have to stick with the F150



I don't have to stick...... , but I'm going to stick.
I live in Florida, very very flat terrain, and I don't want a truck that drives like a dump truck. My F150 with trailering package is already bad.

I'm thinking I could be happy with a light weight.

Thanks.


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## T-N-T

Plenty of aluminum frame campers out there now.  But you are going to be in the 4000+ lbs range I would think at that length.  Maybe up to 6k.  I traded my half ton for a 3/4 ton because of my 6,000lb camper.  Most all half tons are "rated" to the 6-9,000 lb range.  But it can get hairy fast.  Sway bars and trailer brakes are a must.  IMO.  
I have seen more than one 30 ft camper hooked to a half ton facing south bound in the north bound ditch.  And they didnt cross the median either.  
Plenty of light weights out there now.


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## T-N-T

And to answer your original question....   Look at Hybrids.  Shorter length and lighter weight campers that open to make LOTS of room.


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## Greene728

Practically every manufacturer makes light weight models that are half ton capable. A half ton well equipped with good equalizer hitch, sway bars, good brakes on the trailer, and a good driver should be able to handle 6500-7000#. There are plenty of F-150's with the Eco Boost engines safely pulling this much and then some. Best advice is to see what the specs are on your current pick up and go from there. Jayco is one very reputable company making some very nice light weight rigs.


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## Milkman

Ronnie T said:


> I'm looking for suggestions for travel trailer that can be successfully pulled with halfton truck.
> 
> Prefer something in 26 ft long.
> 
> Thanks.



Ronnie,

If you haven't already done so, look in your owners manual and determine what your truck is rated to tow. Which engine and rear end you have are key factors in this. The Ford (real truck) owners manual has a page that gives you this info in a chart.

Then you know pretty close what your limits are on trailer weight.  Example..... If your truck is rated for a 7000 lb trailer you may want to consider not buying a trailer over 6000 lbs. Most campers have a plate or sticker somewhere inside stating this weight.

The 1000 lb safety number is due to all the stuff you will put in the truck and put in the camper. Fishing rods, bicycles, firewood, luggage, groceries, etc. etc. Water weight in either of the holding tanks adds up too. 

You would be surprised how many people own trailers that have no idea how much it weighs. As others stated above load level bars and trailer brake control is a MUST. Load level bars and the sway bar are different things. Load levelers distribute trailer hitch weight on the front and rear of your truck. The sway bar is to check the swaying of the trailer if it starts swaying or fish tailing. I dont know the market down in Florida, but around the Atlanta area there are lots of individuals and dealers advertising on Craigslist that will fit your needs. 

Hope this helps.


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## T-N-T

What kind of F-150?  I mean body style?  Reg cab?  4 door?  6 ft or 8 ft bed?  The longer truck the better the towing will be.  Short trucks dont do well.  I used to have a regular cab 6 ft bed truck.  TERRIBLE towing heavy weight.  I now have a long truck, and if I could have found an 8ft bed when I was buying I would have gotten it,  Just for towing.
Short trucks will "waggle" easier than long trucks.  But sway bars help that.  Also why I got a 3/4 ton truck...  They are much heavier and stiffer framed, thus taking sway and waggle out.


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## 1222DANO

enclosed trailer with bunks in it.. i always thought that be awesome to haul a four wheeler or whatever, the just have fold down bunks and a grill.. plus it could be used for more than just camping.. plus its light as you want it to be..


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## papachaz

there are plenty of half ton towable's available. I pull a 27 ft layton with one slide with a half ton dodge (a real truck) and have never had any problems. I'm rated to tow 8000 lbs, the camper weighs 5800 empty, loaded is probably around 7k? it has brakes and yes I use a weight distribution hitch and anti sway bar.

First time I pulled this camper was to Gatlinburg. I've pulled it to New Orleans. Never once had a problem with it. Find out what your truck is rated to pull and shop accordingly. 

As someone mentioned above, there will be a specs plate inside, most likely inside one of the cabinets. It will tell you what that particular unit weighed off the assembly line, and should give you the weights of the fresh water tank full and the propane tanks. Don't forget you're most likely gonna put around 1000 lbs of gear in it without even realizing it.

Good luck and let us know what you wind up with!


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## Milkman

Milkman said:


> Ronnie,
> 
> If you haven't already done so, look in your owners manual and determine what your truck is rated to tow. Which engine and rear end you have are key factors in this. The Ford (real truck) owners manual has a page that gives you this info in a chart.
> 
> Then you know pretty close what your limits are on trailer weight.  Example..... If your truck is rated for a 7000 lb trailer you may want to consider not buying a trailer over 6000 lbs. Most campers have a plate or sticker somewhere inside stating this weight.
> 
> The 1000 lb safety number is due to all the stuff you will put in the truck and put in the camper. Fishing rods, bicycles, firewood, luggage, groceries, etc. etc. Water weight in either of the holding tanks adds up too.
> 
> You would be surprised how many people own trailers that have no idea how much it weighs. As others stated above load level bars and trailer brake control is a MUST. Load level bars and the sway bar are different things. Load levelers distribute trailer hitch weight on the front and rear of your truck. The sway bar is to check the swaying of the trailer if it starts swaying or fish tailing. I dont know the market down in Florida, but around the Atlanta area there are lots of individuals and dealers advertising on Craigslist that will fit your needs.
> 
> Hope this helps.





papachaz said:


> there are plenty of half ton towable's available. I pull a 27 ft layton with one slide with a half ton dodge (a real truck) and have never had any problems. I'm rated to tow 8000 lbs, the camper weighs 5800 empty, loaded is probably around 7k? it has brakes and yes I use a weight distribution hitch and anti sway bar.
> 
> First time I pulled this camper was to Gatlinburg. I've pulled it to New Orleans. Never once had a problem with it. Find out what your truck is rated to pull and shop accordingly.
> 
> As someone mentioned above, there will be a specs plate inside, most likely inside one of the cabinets. It will tell you what that particular unit weighed off the assembly line, and should give you the weights of the fresh water tank full and the propane tanks. Don't forget you're most likely gonna put around 1000 lbs of gear in it without even realizing it.
> 
> Good luck and let us know what you wind up with!


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## T-N-T

No one makes REAL trucks anymore.  They are all car like in one way or another.  
But at least my truck didnt come with a center console shifter like a CAR.  (ford)
Or a sissy step/handle on the tail gait.  (ford)



Sorry MilkMan


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## Milkman

TopherAndTick said:


> No one makes REAL trucks anymore.  They are all car like in one way or another.
> But at least my truck didnt come with a center console shifter like a CAR.  (ford)
> Or a sissy step/handle on the tail gait.  (ford)
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry MilkMan



So its on now.......... how big an ole boy are ya anyway


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## JKnieper

I pull a 29 foot Passport ultra light with my Chevy Avalanche with no problem. It's about a 7,000 lb trailer when loaded.  That's a pretty light trailer considering the length and that it has a big slide out.  The folks who are making modern trailers are getting really good at shaving weight and there are a lot of ultra light units being built specifically for 1/2 ton trucks or even smaller SUVs.  My Av is rated at 8,100 lbs and I wouldn't want to pull any more than then a 7k trailer.  I would bet your f-150 is rated higher than my Av.  An ultra light in the length you are considering would be no problem for your truck.  One other thing to consider is sometimes a longer trailer will actually pull better than a shorter one. Also the ultra lights typically have a more aerodynamic front to them than some shorter (cheaper) trailers.  That makes a big difference in tow-ability too.  I went from a 5000 cheap 24 foot trailer to the 29 foot 7000 pound passport that is more aerodynamic and from a handling perspective there is hardly any difference.  Going up hills I can tell a difference with the weight but stopping and sway are about the same.

Good luck.


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## Ronnie T

2006 F150, Regular cab(4 door with storage behind front seat).
Trailer tow package.
3.55 ratio limited slip axle.
6650# GVWR package (whatever that means)
4.6L V8


I bought a 26' Outback(Keystone) yesterday.
5400 lbs unloaded.

Truck pulls it with no problem but I have to pick up a load level/anti sway hitch.
Even with stiff trailer tow suspension, this trail pushed my rear bumper down almost 3 inches.
I did the snake crawl coming home.

Thanks so much for the help, and anymore you might offer to me.
.
I'll only towing this on very level road and will probably no go more than 100 miles from home.  Just wanted to stay on lake Seminole in my own place.

Thanks.


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## Milkman

Ronnie T said:


> 2006 F150, Regular cab(4 door with storage behind front seat).
> Trailer tow package.
> 3.55 ratio limited slip axle.
> 6650# GVWR package (whatever that means)
> 4.6L V8
> 
> 
> I bought a 26' Outback(Keystone) yesterday.
> 5400 lbs unloaded.
> 
> Truck pulls it with no problem but I have to pick up a load level/anti sway hitch.
> Even with stiff trailer tow suspension, this trail pushed my rear bumper down almost 3 inches.
> I did the snake crawl coming home.
> 
> Thanks so much for the help, and anymore you might offer to me.
> .
> I'll only towing this on very level road and will probably no go more than 100 miles from home.  Just wanted to stay on lake Seminole in my own place.
> 
> Thanks.



Ronnie,

Congrats on the camper purchase 

  Depending on which wheelbase you have that truck is rated for towing a trailer somewhere between 6300-6700 lbs.  That 5400 lb trailer should be fine after you get that hitch setup. On that flat ground down there you wont even experience any slowdowns due to inclines.

We have an Outback trailer also that is called a 29 ft. I pull it just fine with my 2006 F-150.  I have not tried pulling it in mountainous terrain yet.


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## Ronnie T

Thanks Marvin.
I'm very excited about have a travel trailer.  My wife has always been a motel/resort kind of person so I limited my camp time.  At 65 years old, I'm thinking this is just what I need.  I'm hoping the wife isn't going to become all that excited about going with me on every trip.      I see some relaxing fishing trips ahead for me.
Now I've just got to get the hang of setting this thing up with the least hassle.

Load leveling hitch is a must for me.


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## Milkman

Ronnie T said:


> Thanks Marvin.
> I'm very excited about have a travel trailer.  My wife has always been a motel/resort kind of person so I limited my camp time.  At 65 years old, I'm thinking this is just what I need.  I'm hoping the wife isn't going to become all that excited about going with me on every trip.      I see some relaxing fishing trips ahead for me.
> Now I've just got to get the hang of setting this thing up with the least hassle.
> 
> Load leveling hitch is a must for me.



If you don't have one already the battery powered hitch lift is a good thing to have.  It saves lots of arm work for us "mature" guys. I put one of mine and love using a switch instead of a crank handle. 
I don't have one yet but I intend to fix up a tool for using my battery powered drill to extend and retract the leveling jacks too. Little tricks like leveling boards to place under the tires on one side in un-level spots, etc. will come with time.  Setting that thing up and breaking it down are all part of the total experience and can be a fun and learning experience. 

You can get some mirror extenders for that F150 at Amazon if you think you need them.


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## T-N-T

I too have an Outback.  25 ft closed  and 29 open.  I love it!!!  I am sure your will love yours too.
Milkman is right,  go ahead and get some blocks for the tires to jack up the whole side easily.  Look around on Ebay and Amazon for some good prices.  They are usually bright colored Lego looking kinda things.  
As for the mirrors-  The add on extensions are good most of the time,  but I went ahead and bought the bigger "tow mirrors" That slide out when I tow and retract when I am not.  I got a good price on Ebay for some aftermarket ones.  They have a slight vibration in the glass at speed but they where half the cost of OEM mirrors so I am happy with them.
Good luck on your camping adventures!  I know that even though you drive a Ford, you are probably an alright guy since you bought an Outback!  (Same for you Milkman)


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## 7 point

I would look into A aluminum frame 26ft 5th wheel A 5th wheel has no tail waggin .


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## king killer delete

Trailmanor 31/24, 3200   hundred pounds tow weight. Pull mine with a half to Silverado all day long.


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## riprap

Milkman said:


> If you don't have one already the battery powered hitch lift is a good thing to have.  It saves lots of arm work for us "mature" guys. I put one of mine and love using a switch instead of a crank handle.
> I don't have one yet but I intend to fix up a tool for using my battery powered drill to extend and retract the leveling jacks too. Little tricks like leveling boards to place under the tires on one side in un-level spots, etc. will come with time.  Setting that thing up and breaking it down are all part of the total experience and can be a fun and learning experience.
> 
> You can get some mirror extenders for that F150 at Amazon if you think you need them.



I learned the hard way when I first started camping about leveling boards. I would take a jack by the wheels until I got it level and then put the hand screw jacks in the back. I bet guys were laughing at me.

I take a small battery power impact with me and picked up a 3/8 drive socket adaptor and a cheap 3/4 in. extra socket at harbor freight for my jacks. Works great and saves some sweat in the summer.


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## T-N-T

riprap said:


> I learned the hard way when I first started camping about leveling boards. I would take a jack by the wheels until I got it level and then put the hand screw jacks in the back. I bet guys were laughing at me.
> 
> .





At least you figured it out.  Out there some where is a guy doing that same thing,  for the 10th year in a row....


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## Ronnie T

Well, I had a "haul master weight distribution hitch installed on the F150 today. (Along with a new set of tires).

Truck tow's 100 times better than before, but I still don't have the "I can't tell there's a trailer back there" feel.

But it's totally tolerable.

Now, gotta make a camp ground reservations.
.


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## jonkayak

Look into some air ride suspension air bags. Even though my truck is rated for towing right at 10k when the loads are heavy the air bags and a few psi keep the truck nice and level.


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## Oldstick

Call me over cautious, but my vehicle is rated for max 6400 lb as well.  But I don't plan to attempt anything much more than a 3000 lb trailer or thereabouts.  You have to remember the max value they publish is for an unloaded and pretty much empty truck as well.  If you get up into the 5K range you are pushing the max limit when you add passengers, cargo, an even a full gas tank to the truck.

Also, a travel trailer has a high wind resistance factor that adds to the apparent weight of the trailer when going down the highway.  Not to mention the increased weight factor up and down hills.

Just my opinion, I know many will jump in and say they have towed horses all over the US with no problems but I figure any towing puts extra wear on the transmission so I want to limit that as much as possible.


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## Milkman

Ronnie T said:


> Well, I had a "haul master weight distribution hitch installed on the F150 today. (Along with a new set of tires).
> 
> Truck tow's 100 times better than before, but I still don't have the "I can't tell there's a trailer back there" feel.
> 
> But it's totally tolerable.
> 
> Now, gotta make a camp ground reservations.
> .



You dont want to forget that big sucker is back there    I drive more cautiously when hauling my camper, tractor on a 16ft, or even my 14 ft utility.   You have to always be aware of what kind of places you stop due to the turning radius, height, etc.   Some gas stations are laid out to accommodate trailer towing others are apparently laid out to discourage those towing. 

 You will notice lots of folks stop the camper at a suitable parking lot and walk a block or two to shop or eat. 

Some folks will absolutely not get on an interstate due to speeds and truck winds. I have to agree that good wide "state" highways are much preferred over narrow county roads or the busy interstate for me too.


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## T-N-T

Oldstick said:


> Call me over cautious, but my vehicle is rated for max 6400 lb as well.  But I don't plan to attempt anything much more than a 3000 lb trailer or thereabouts.  You have to remember the max value they publish is for an unloaded and pretty much empty truck as well.  If you get up into the 5K range you are pushing the max limit when you add passengers, cargo, an even a full gas tank to the truck.
> 
> Also, a travel trailer has a high wind resistance factor that adds to the apparent weight of the trailer when going down the highway.  Not to mention the increased weight factor up and down hills.
> 
> Just my opinion, I know many will jump in and say they have towed horses all over the US with no problems but I figure any towing puts extra wear on the transmission so I want to limit that as much as possible.



I am with you OldStick.  I dont want to be any where near MAX capacity.  Its not safe.  Max capacities are nothing more than a balance between an "experts Opinion" and sales propaganda...  An average half ton will get 20,000 lbs to the end of your street,  but I wont pull 9k with a half ton across town.  But I see people do it all the time.  call me crazy,  but I dont want to die.  Or worse,  kill the other family as I walk away.  
But, with caution and proper equipment,  you can get a nice camper down the highway.


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## Ronnie T

I've pulled trailers all my life but nothing has ever compared to towing this house.  Speed limit will always be 55.  No texting while towing this thing.

I drove down and checked out "Three Rivers State Park" at Sneads, Florida today.  It sits on the shores of Lake Seminole.  It will be the place I camp 99.9% of the time.
I'm EXCITED.


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## T-N-T

Ronnie T said:


> I've pulled trailers all my life but nothing has ever compared to towing this house.  Speed limit will always be 55.  No texting while towing this thing.
> 
> I drove down and checked out "Three Rivers State Park" at Sneads, Florida today.  It sits on the shores of Lake Seminole.  It will be the place I camp 99.9% of the time.
> I'm EXCITED.



Congrats on getting out there Ronnie!  I know many more trips in the future with that Outback.  Like I said, I Love Mine!


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## Milkman

Ronnie T said:


> I've pulled trailers all my life but nothing has ever compared to towing this house.  Speed limit will always be 55.  No texting while towing this thing.
> 
> I drove down and checked out "Three Rivers State Park" at Sneads, Florida today.  It sits on the shores of Lake Seminole.  It will be the place I camp 99.9% of the time.
> I'm EXCITED.



Check into any incentive or membership plans that Florida State Parks may have. Ga has a couple of things like the Friends membership and the State Park club that will help you earn free camping nights.  I bet Fla has it too.


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## Ronnie T

Milkman said:


> Check into any incentive or membership plans that Florida State Parks may have. Ga has a couple of things like the Friends membership and the State Park club that will help you earn free camping nights.  I bet Fla has it too.



They do.  50% off for senior citizens(65 and older) in all state parks.  I just barely qualify.


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## Oldstick

TopherAndTick said:


> I am with you OldStick.  I dont want to be any where near MAX capacity.  Its not safe.  Max capacities are nothing more than a balance between an "experts Opinion" and sales propaganda...  An average half ton will get 20,000 lbs to the end of your street,  but I wont pull 9k with a half ton across town.  But I see people do it all the time.  call me crazy,  but I dont want to die.  Or worse,  kill the other family as I walk away.
> But, with caution and proper equipment,  you can get a nice camper down the highway.



I agree, it's a misconception neither the car dealer nor the trailer salesman is going to tell you about.  The published maximum tow rating for a vehicle does not really tell you "how heavy of a trailer can I tow?".

You also cannot exceed the published combined weight of the trailer + tow vehicle.  Also the tongue weight of the trailer is a big factor because you shouldn't exceed the published loads for either the front or rear axle of the vehicle, so cargo/passenger weight and distribution plus tongue weight affect that.

And the total load the vehicle transmission has to pull is trailer loaded weight + vehicle loaded weight + wind drag + hills etc, etc.  The car company is trying to publish as high as possible to sell their trucks without lawsuits but still get it through the warranty period without transmission claims.


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## papachaz

Milkman said:


> If you don't have one already the battery powered hitch lift is a good thing to have.  It saves lots of arm work for us "mature" guys. I put one of mine and love using a switch instead of a crank handle.
> I don't have one yet but I intend to fix up a tool for using my battery powered drill to extend and retract the leveling jacks too. Little tricks like leveling boards to place under the tires on one side in un-level spots, etc. will come with time.  Setting that thing up and breaking it down are all part of the total experience and can be a fun and learning experience.
> 
> You can get some mirror extenders for that F150 at Amazon if you think you need them.



double the emphasis on putting an electric tongue jack on it if it doesn't have one. That helps tremendously when putting the weight distribution bars on it.

Congrats on the camper BTW! We love ours. WE put over 50 nights in it in 2012, last year and this year our time has been cut way back due to the wife's mother battling cancer and passing in Sept. now her and her sister alternate nights taking care of her dad. Looking like I'm going to pull it over to Allatoona sometime this week maybe and come back and get the pontoon and stay a couple days nights.

But if your wife is a motel kinda person, one thing about this. She's sleeping in her own bed, using her own potty, and staying at a campground is usually a LOT cheaper than a motel/resort. a lot of them will have cable tv hookups and a pool. We pulled ours to Gatlinburg a few years ago and stayed a week for LESS than what it cost our daughter and son in law to stay 4 days and 3 nights in a motel. That's counting the gas to pull it.


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## Jeffriesw

Welcome to the camper owner world Ronnie! 
I pulled my 29 foot crossroads cruiser (6000 pound empty) with a dodge ram 1500 w/hemi (7600 pound capacity) for 7 or 8 years with little or no problem all over Florida but I never tried to take it up into Georgia. I limited what and who I would put in my truck and trailer to stay under my limit and a small safety margin, but A weight distribution hitch and dual sway bars were a tremendous help.


3 years ago I bought a F-250 super duty, what a difference that made!


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## REDFOXJR

I pull a premier 28rl, its a ultra lite, but still weights in at 7600 lbs with a dodge ram 1500. I have a distribution hitch and double sway bars. I had a 24 foot bunkhouse that swayed more than this one. One thing I can suggest that has not been mentioned is the pressure created in and around the camper as your towing it down the highway. If you slightly crack a window towards the front of the camper and open a roof vent towards the rear, it will take some of the wind drag off of you going down the road. Eliminating (some) drag and a little sway. Happy camping!


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## AM1

This thread piqued my interest as we are looking to perhaps invest in a camper. I have an 01 F150 2wd supercab, but with the 4.2 V6 engine, so my options are even more limited. I'm researching the lightweights and ultra-lights, and doing the math, it looks like I need to find one less than 4k lbs. (preferably 3500), and load carefully from there. We are a family of 4 and we aren't really interested in the expandables or pop-ups. We want to get a hard-sided camper. Our ultimate goal is to take a week-long trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or maybe even up into Amish Country in Pa. I'm just not sure my little 6-banger would be up to that task, even if added a tranny cooler, all the required items (brake controller, WD hitch, etc.) But I'm also not to the point where I want to invest in another truck just so I can turn around and buy a camper. My dad has a '98 Dodge 2500 extended cab with the diesel cummins, but asking to borrow stuff is not really desirable either (although I know it could do the job).

Also, I always had thought that 5th wheels and goosenecks were only to be used with 3/4 tons and duallys. Can they be safely mated to 1/2 tons?


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## 7 point

AM1 said:


> This thread piqued my interest as we are looking to perhaps invest in a camper. I have an 01 F150 2wd supercab, but with the 4.2 V6 engine, so my options are even more limited. I'm researching the lightweights and ultra-lights, and doing the math, it looks like I need to find one less than 4k lbs. (preferably 3500), and load carefully from there. We are a family of 4 and we aren't really interested in the expandables or pop-ups. We want to get a hard-sided camper. Our ultimate goal is to take a week-long trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or maybe even up into Amish Country in Pa. I'm just not sure my little 6-banger would be up to that task, even if added a tranny cooler, all the required items (brake controller, WD hitch, etc.) But I'm also not to the point where I want to invest in another truck just so I can turn around and buy a camper. My dad has a '98 Dodge 2500 extended cab with the diesel cummins, but asking to borrow stuff is not really desirable either (although I know it could do the job).
> 
> Also, I always had thought that 5th wheels and goosenecks were only to be used with 3/4 tons and duallys. Can they be safely mated to 1/2 tons?[/QUO
> 
> your truck would tow A fifth wheel or gooseneck better than it would a bumper pull for the fact that the weight is over your axle not hanging off the bumper in my op if you plan on towing it on long trips the 5th wheel is a better option.


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## Milkman

AM1 said:


> This thread piqued my interest as we are looking to perhaps invest in a camper. I have an 01 F150 2wd supercab, but with the 4.2 V6 engine, so my options are even more limited. I'm researching the lightweights and ultra-lights, and doing the math, it looks like I need to find one less than 4k lbs. (preferably 3500), and load carefully from there. We are a family of 4 and we aren't really interested in the expandables or pop-ups. We want to get a hard-sided camper. Our ultimate goal is to take a week-long trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or maybe even up into Amish Country in Pa. I'm just not sure my little 6-banger would be up to that task, even if added a tranny cooler, all the required items (brake controller, WD hitch, etc.) But I'm also not to the point where I want to invest in another truck just so I can turn around and buy a camper. My dad has a '98 Dodge 2500 extended cab with the diesel cummins, but asking to borrow stuff is not really desirable either (although I know it could do the job).
> 
> Also, I always had thought that 5th wheels and goosenecks were only to be used with 3/4 tons and duallys. Can they be safely mated to 1/2 tons?



You will be limited with the 4K max weight.  Don't forget to allow for all the "stuff" you will put in the camper too.

Are you already a camper?  What I mean is do you know you like the camping life already?  

If not you may want to consider renting a small motor home and trying it before making the investment.


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## Bob Shaw

Ronnie, just watch your temperature gauge. When I towed with a 1/2 ton, I sometimes had to slow down when I got a heavy headwind, and in Florida, it always seemed like I had a headwind. I've actually found towing in Florida to be a harder tow sometimes than towing in the mountains, mainly because of the wind.

Congratulation on you new trailer, Have a great time. Now you can go to Fort Wilderness. Florida is a great camping state. I enjoyed Long Key State Park, in the keys, Manatee Springs, Port St Joe, and Juniper Springs (no electric), but, Salt Springs is supposed to be a good place to camp, although I've never been there. If you're up near Tallahassee, I liked Mexico Beach. We currently spend part of the winter near Sebring at Lake Letta RV Park. That's a nice area with lot's of orange groves and lakes to fish in, and it's central to a lot of things. Have fun, life's too short to not have fun.


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## AM1

Milkman said:


> You will be limited with the 4K max weight.  Don't forget to allow for all the "stuff" you will put in the camper too.
> 
> Are you already a camper?  What I mean is do you know you like the camping life already?
> 
> If not you may want to consider renting a small motor home and trying it before making the investment.



That's a good idea, Milkman.


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## Milkman

Milkman said:


> You will be limited with the 4K max weight.  Don't forget to allow for all the "stuff" you will put in the camper too.
> 
> Are you already a camper?  What I mean is do you know you like the camping life already?
> 
> If not you may want to consider renting a small motor home and trying it before making the investment.





AM1 said:


> That's a good idea, Milkman.




Here is a camper rental option at Stone Mountain park 

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/rvs/4775914016.html


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## AM1

Milkman said:


> Here is a camper rental option at Stone Mountain park
> 
> http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/rvs/4775914016.html



Thanks, I have been researching online and have found many manufacturers who build campers in my weight range.

The truck specs are:
4.2 V6
curb weight 4200 (already has fiberglass bed cap, not sure what those weigh)
3.55 rear-end gear
4 speed auto tranny
KBB says 8600 max. towing (I'm doubting that) Manual and bumper says 6000 with 500 tongue weight.

What we are looking for in a camper:
Dry weight 3500 lbs or less
queen bed for adults
double or triple bunks for kids
micro/fridge/ range/oven, etc.

I have found several that fit this niche, and we have spent enough time (thru supper invitations) in other folks' campers to know that it really appeals to us.


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## Rabbit Runner

I have a 2011 ford f150 Eco Boost with the max tow package
we tow a crossroads 32QB zinger with it and have had no problems.


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