Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire New Ford Truck Questions?

That's what I was thinking too.


Scott - is 2K the dry weight of the slide-in?

Having a 2011 F250, If I were to do it over, I'd jump right past the 250 to the 350. F250s are soft. By the time you are fully loaded, it may well be more weight than anticipated.

my '14 XLT short bed also has a 36 gallon tank. they all have 36 gallon tanks. the trucks that came with smaller tanks were the short bed superdutys

You ad Sam are correct about that.

2000 payload, plus gear is going to be too much.

Ok! Ususally we let Shrapnel deal with the gas mileage numbers but as a ford owner all my life...,these gas numbers are BS!

THAT..

I've always maintained that you can NEVER have too much truck..

yup, dont do a half ton if you need to haul that weight of camper......you will regret it

Why drop 40k into 1 rig? Craziness. Putting miles on a 40k rig is pissing away money. Get yourself a decent used car that will last forever and sip gas. (toyota, honda) and use that as your everyday driver, sightseer, etc. Then get yourself a used 2005-2008 truck with lower miles. Who gives a [bleep] about gas milage. Use it for hauling boat/wood/whatever. You'll put on about 2-3k a year and have it for a long time. Put the lowest insurance on both rigs. Win/win.

My 2012 F150 FX4 has a 36 gallon tank. 5.0 engine and around town I get about 14.8 mpg. On the interstate running 75 to 80 mph I get 17.8 mpg. Seems to be a great truck. It is for sure comfortable, leather, sunroof, heated and cooled seats, 110 volt plug inside the cab, extended cab, step in the tailgate, fold in mirrors, powered rear sliding window, and whatever else comes on one. Rides great to. I average about 25,000 miles per year on my trucks.

IMO, DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT buy a nissan. Quality is horrible and getting worse by the day. I have several friends that work there and none of them own a nissan and will not even get one through their lease program because they are so bad.

I've also got a 36 gallon tank in my FX4. The shorter wheelbase trucks will have 27's. Once in a while you will see Supercrews with 27's, but they aren't common.

I've had 1200 lbs of feed in the bed of my truck, and it worked fine, but 2000 with a higher center of gravity and I'd think F250 at a minimum, and maybe even dually.

I have done that all my life. Let someone else run the nice miled then but their cast-offs. The last five cars I have owned we ran until they quit. The van that just died has four tires less than ten months old, new wheel barrings, starter and all four headlight and tail light housings replaced. Now it is at least $1400 just to see what it would take to meet emissions standards.

For once in my life I want something that I do not have to nickel and dime be into the poor house.

There has bee a load of good advice given here and I am considering every point made.

We could just cash out another thousand dollar beater and stay home but we kind of wanted to have a little fun before it is to late.

The F150 is rated to carry a 2000 pound slide in camper but I would have to ass rear air bags to the springs. The camper would only be on the truck for trips but it still concerns me. We looked at the Tundra but have not found a used one worth looking at and were not impressed with the "This is the only one, take it or leave it because it will sell today anyway" attitude we found at our dealers. Two and three year old used ones were well used and almost the same price as a new one.

We also understand a new Jetta that gets amazing mileage would be easy to cash out and the price difference would buy a lot of hotel rooms but we want to camp.


All in all we may end up with someones 3/4 ton or 1 ton used beater and the used camper and forget about having something real nice. Broken down seats are easily replaced with nicer seats and I have lived most of my life without a warranty.

At this point we are just looking and thinking. We will hve to get some transportation in the next two weeks but it could be just another junker.

There is a big difference between a "junker" and a good used rig. Buy a new rig, then you are going to get nickled and dimed to death on interest, insurance, and depreciation. That's how it works.

That was my first thought when reading this thread. I've no idea on capabilities of new half ton trucks today, but when I've hauled/towed with them in the past (10+ years ago), I always wished I had more truck. Even when loads are within stated capacities, 1/2 tons are too squirrely under a load for my tastes...

We are looking another direction now, 20 MPG one ton diesel rig, no camper. A tad more a month and a LOT better for travel and camping.

And the 20 MPG is not just made up. Many owners who have had them a while confirm 20 to 22 MPG.

Better choice. Calvin was right on the quality used rig vs new, too. Oh, and you were WAY over the weight for a 1/2 ton, and for a 3/4 ton. You were in 1-ton territory to start with.

Toyota does not make a truck that will do the job. The f150 is factory rated to carry a 2000 pound camper but I would not want to push the limit. Sow a F250 is minimum. Yes I know a half ton is a thousand pounds but the old time ratings are no longer true. Used is an option but not what we really want.

I am liking the numbers on the Airstream a lot better. Payments the same or less as the F350 and the camper but longer term. Resale value a lot better. Comfort for two old people a world of difference and the MPG best option yet.

I've owned the 1/2 ton F150. Will it carry 2k? Yes. Would you want to do it for very long or very often? No. The 250 is getting there, but the 350 is the same size overall as the 250 and nearly the same price with more capabilities.

The camper is a far better idea, though you'll have problems with driving/parking it (not much beyond a 350, though), and any of the small appliances and small electronics/generators, etc., will be a PITA (think of it like a boat on the road).

PM sent

Hi Scott. If you could make it to Kellogg Id. Dave Smith Motors has some sweet deals on Ram 2500's. On the first page of 2015 inventory he has a tradesman (the only trim level with a manual transfer case shift instead of a silly knob or button on the dash)in 4wd and a manual 6 speed with a Cummins for only $39450.

If your not opposed to a Dodge that is alot of truck for the money.

Pull out the camper sheet in the glove box. 1/2 tons will be rated in 1200-1400 LB range at best. If your thinking camper, get a 2500 or 3500. Unless your running a lot of loaded miles, the diesel probably won't pencil out dollar wise. I haul a 11' lance and ATV trailer with a 3500 and a 5.7 gas. I get 2 MPG less with the gas motor than my last diesel and it cost 7k less, plus gas is usually 20% cheaper than diesel.

Good used rigs that are affordably priced for 3/4 and 1 tons are like a four leaf clover. Yes, they do exist but you'll be spending a lot of time trying to find one.

Sometimes you bite the bullet and get a new rig with a warranty. If you're going to be traveling all over with it, there is a value in knowing your odds of breaking down are dramatically reduced and should you break down you'll be covered under a warranty.