Vampire

I need to replace my ’04 Durango tow vehicle that I use to pull a 20’ enclosed Featherlight and racecar. I am leaning towards a 2011 Ford F150 Super Cab. It has higher tow capacity at 11,000 lbs and larger wheel base than the Durango which was not the best for towing. I need to use the truck as a winter weather vehicle on occasion as well, so I need to make some compromise (no F450 dually…).

Any words of advice?

Veloce Raptor

Awesome truck IMO.

KaiB

Any words of advice?

I won't join the "get a F250 club" despite my feelings about the subject, but...

Invest in an "Equal-i-zer" hitch and take a bit of time to set it up, you'll thank me later. I've been pulling stuff my entire life and this is the best I've ever seen.

RickBetterley

I like my F-250 (which is a crew cab diesel and not quite the same truck as yours, but close enough for this discussion), and like it a lot. It is a 2008.
I had towed with a duallie, and it was awesome. Incredible stability with the trailer. The F-250 is not a duallie and is only wonderfully stable. I use my stabilizer bars (since I already had them in the basement), but I doubt I really need them.
I am a big believer in real trucks for towing enclosed trailers.
As for the winter DD driving - you will want a lot of weight in the truck bed for winter. You can add sand, cinder blocks, or whatever. I have also heard of some rubber bladder that holds water (with antifreeze, I hope), but that sounds a bit pricey.
I'm guessing there are some good deals on new trucks now?

Paul 996

+1 on the equalizer... it makes a huge difference when I use my 2004 Durango to to tow my enclosed trailer. Also eyeing a truck or diesel truck for when I upgrade tow vehicles.

Veloce Raptor

+2 on Equalizer for an enclosed trailer

PorscheDoc

Plus, the steel bar makes a great rim straightening tool! LOL

rlm328

I have an F150 with a crew cab. I like the truck as it is a comfortable ride. I had one of the gen 1 Durangos. If you had the big dodge v-8 you know it is strong. I personally think it has more power than the ford but the Durango's wheel base was too short for long towing. You really don't need the diesel unless you are going to do a lot of towing.

M758

F150 with 3.5 Turbo V6 seems like a great truck. Max tow gets you 10k tow rating. It will have 3.73 rear end. The only down side is payload of 1800-2000lbs depending on 4x4 and options. FOr a 20' footer you should be ok.

Also watch out as there may be many on dealer lots with 3.55 rear ends. Nice trucks, but for the full 10k towing you want the 3.73 "Max towing" package. Also if the trailer is 8.5 wide get the big towing mirrors. Seems these are rather rare on dealer ordered trucks.

PorscheDoc

A friend of mine was thinking about trading off his audi Q7 diesel that he pulls his enclosed trailex with (shorter in height than a featherlight), so he took an F150 with the ecoboost in it for a day. 19mpg around town, 8-9 towing the trailer, plenty of power and a nice ride. He was making 12 towing with the audi, so it is a bit of a compromise, but said the truck rode very nice with and without the trailer.

The only issue with going to 3/4 ton is you get a 3/4 ton stiff ride. For some people, they don't want that around town if they are using it for more than towing. I think it is the best solution for pulling a big enclosed trailer, but you will have compromises around town. Doesn't bother me at all, but I know some it would.

67King

I'd get one with a 5.0L in an instant. I think you give up 1MPG unloaded, but I see gobs of people reporting single digit MPG's while towing with the Ecoboost. I think you'd get mid teens with teh 5.0L.

Paul 996

For me the jump from single digit mpg is a huge factor in considering a new tow vehicle. I get 6-8 right now and would love to be in the teens for range alone.

PorscheDoc

Getting mid teens towing enclosed isn't going to happen with a 5.0L. I get 13-14 towing open with my 6.0L

M758

I have a 99 Dodge 2500 V10 for towing my 24 ft enclosed. Tows great, ride is fine towing and a bit rough otherwise. The only drawback really is how much fuel it uses empty. Towing an open trailer I got 10 mpg and 8 mph with my 24foot box. What I have seen is an F150 Turbo will get you about the same as my V10 when towing. Hey it takes a certain amout of fuel to tow the trailer and make 450lbs of torque on gas. Where it shines is empty fuel Economy.

I can get only 12 mpg hwy with my V10. I can live with the rest, but my drive is too long to deal with 12 daily. So dodge is just tow only duty. That is why as a 99 it only has 67k on it. Of course unlike a lot of 3/4 ton trucks that 8.0L gas motor is relativly light so I have 3300lbs payload. These days with a diesel motor you need a one ton for that. So in may ways this truck is irreplaceable.

M758

No true. Numbers may appear that good with 5.0L only because they are not towing heavy loads.

It takes a certain amount of full to pull 8,000lbs with 400+ft-lbs of torque using 87 octane gas. You can do it with displacement or forced induction. My 8.0L V10 does it with displacment. Works fine when you need the power, but when you don't it still there sucking gas. That is why turbos are a nice concept. When you are not towing you should not need to be in the boost. A 3.5L V6 can move a 6000lbs truck around.