Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Recommendations needed for next truck

Says the kid that isn't old enough to drive.

Naw.... It's a Tundra. Bad ass.

Nothing from Gov'tMotors or Cryslur. Ever.

For comfort, the F150 or F250 wins, hands down.

remfak,

The new Tundras are actually 3/4 ton trucks. Texas makes you register them as such due to the weight, load capacity, and towing capacity.

With the 5.7L you can expect around 15-17mpg unloaded IF you keep your foot out of it (tough to do since they are FUN!) and around 12mpg towing.

My suggestion is, whatever you go for, have at least an 8' bed. The longer wheelbase makes for MUCH safer towing.

I have been doing a lot of research as I am about to pull the trigger on one and I wanted to make sure I got what I needed to tow a flatbed trailer with my tractor & bushhog or a two-horse bumper-pull trailer.

I really wanted an F-150 but all they want to make is "sissy trucks" that are nothing more than SUV's with a small pickup bed.

If you want a real truck, buy a 3/4 ton truck.

Just my $0.02

Ed

The 150s are half-tons; the 250s are 3/4 ton.

As for the 150 being a "sissy" truck, I'd take one 2:1 over a Toyota, and did. Aside from the Tundra being one of the most uncomfortable vehicles I've ever been in, it just didn't have the ass to do what the 150 can and does do.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I have owned & driven F-150s and F-250 since 1986 (still have my F-250PSD).

I need a long bed truck. Ford doesn't make a real, working F-150 that can haul sheets of plywood(with the tailgate up)or tow long trailers safely.

I have 189K miles on my '06 Tundra and have driven several of the new style Tundras as well as two new F-150s, one a 2010 and a 2011 with the 6.5' bed.

The new Tundra was comfortable to me although I DO like the F-150's empty ride better.

I found the 5.7L Tundra to have more torque than the F-150s, maybe axle ratio difference?

That's where I'm coming from. My "sissy truck" comment wasn't meant to antagonize anyone, just lament the passing of a truck you can work out of.

Ed

Yes indeedy.


An 11,300# max towing capacity is a 'sissy' truck??? Might wanna do more research there, son..

http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/specifications/towing/

2011 Tundra website shows a max tow capacity of 10,800# Nothing wrong there, but you say it's more of a 3/4T truck.. The Ford F-250 can tow 14K..

http://www.ford.com/trucks/superduty/specifications/towing/


Tundra lacks a bit there - but still obviously a good vehicle..

Redneck,

I didn't label the Tundra a 3/4 truck, the state of Texas did. In my opinion, Toyota has tried in everyway to copy the F-150, sometimes poorly, sometimes well.

I hadn't seen the max towing #'s for the F-150 since they don't make an extended cab, 8' bed, I quit looking.

I dislike the F-150's for two reasons, purely personal. One. the bed height is too tall to reach into from the side and retrieve someone unless you are well over 6' tall with orangutan arms (Tundra now has the same problem)and second, they don't make a long bed.

Back to the F-150 towing specs, are the brakes and suspension really up to safely handling that? Again, I go back to wheelbase:trailer length/weight.

Ed

My F250 PSD is a 4WD, Crew cab, 8' bed. It is too long. When I finally replace it I will get a 6.5' bed. I have pulled with both. The crew cabs are long enough without the 8' bed.

The guy I work with has an F350 with the 6.5' bed. I pulled a 26,000# trailer with it several times. Pulled just fine.

I don't like to pull over 10K without a gooseneck hitch though!

I took a 4-horse slant, Featherlight aluminum trailer to Montana and back (north of chinook). I got an average of 11 MPG for the whole trip. Sure was nice to have a place to sleep while traveling.

I have slept many nights in my F-150 Supercab, but now that I'm older I prefer hotels or the living quarters in our three horse slant.

Ain't it great to live in a place with so many options and there are so many opinions?

Ed

I agree - you did not.. That's why I provided specs on the F-150 re: towing, along with 3/4 ton ratings..

??? On the Ford website they show the specs for a supercab (they call it 'Extended cab' and an 8' bed.. Here:
http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/specifications/

For guys MY height - they're all too tall..

My only beef with my truck (and the '04 DRW CC I traded in) is that they have no way to add or provide a step just behind the cab so one can step up and reach items near the front of the box.. I don't know why they can't solve THAT problem.. See link above..

I believe they are - but I think that applies to all trucks made now.. Keep in mind that if/when you're towing you better have a trailer with adequate brakes.. It doesn't matter how good the truck brakes are - if you don't have brakes on the trailer - or they fail - you ain't gonna stop... Many states have laws re: trailer size/wt minimums where brakes are mandatory.. I think WI sez anything over 3K must have at least one axle with brakes.. I'll have to double check that..

One of my trailers is a bit weak on brakes - it's a twin-axle, 20' flatbed rated at 7K.. But it has brakes only on one axle.. Since I have no inclination to ever overload it in the first place, I don't worry about my truck not having enough brake capacity to overcome this issue.. My F-350 DRW CC weighs #8600 wet (w/o me in the cab) and with DRW I have more rubber on the road.. Plus, this new truck has trailer sway control.. Hope I never have to check out how it works.. Hehehehee..

The 30' 5er camper has brakes on both axles and they work VERY well.. However, I won't go on the road with it this year until I check 'em out real well the first time I hook up and ensure they're in full functioning mode..

Quote:
I hadn't seen the max towing #'s for the F-150 since they don't make an extended cab, 8' bed, I quit looking.
??? On the Ford website they show the specs for a supercab (they call it 'Extended cab' and an 8' bed.. Here:http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/specifications/

OK, now it's my turn to be embarrassed. I took the word of the Ford salesman when I went to my local dealer and asked why he didn't have a Supercab F-150 with an 8' bed. I was told that Ford didn't build them anymore.
At that point, I left and turned my back on Fords for a 1/2ton P/U.
Looks like I'll have to go take another look. I certainly did NOT want to buy a GM product and it was looking more and more like Toyota was going to be my choice.

I will slink away now...

Thanks for the link!

Ed

Oh, my Lord.. Ed, never visit that dealership again.. If the moron didn't know what trucks they offer you NEED to go to a Tundra... Or at the very least, find another dealer..




Best wishes..

Ed, You really ought to give a new 2011 F-150 a test ride. I have a SuperCab 6.5ft bed 4x4 with the 5.0 liter V-8 with 3.55/1 axles and Tow Package.
I was trying to wait till I could get an EcoBoost but other factors made me order mine before I could get one.
I'm super impressed with this truck, I drove all the full size trucks, GM, Toyota, Nissan, Dodge and Ford. The Ford is IMHO the best of the lot, by a pretty wide margin.
I'm very impressed with the mileage so far during the first 3900 miles. It has averaged 16.9 mpg including a fair amount of towing (550-600 miles). The best I've gotten so far is 20.8 on a 60 mph trip of 350 miles. The worst was 13.4 towing a 4800 lb. dual axle trailer.

Redneck,

Thanks...I will go look again.


m_stevenson,
Thanks for the input. Those numbers certainly beat the heck out of the new Tundras. They sound like my '06 Tundra, which I put mostly Interstate miles on.

Thanks again guys, I hope the OP has gotten as much out of this thread as I have!

Ed

You must have not driven the new style Tundra's if you think they can't out perform/out tow a F150.

I have the older style Tundra 2000-2006, and can definetaly see where you'd think they can be uncomfortable if you're over 5'10". not a lot of room. Much different on the new trucks.

I have a '11 f150 for a work truck and it is plenty comfortable, I'd say a wash between the Tundra and ford.

You're flat wrong. I drive one every day.

Tzone,

Please read my last few posts.

Thanks,

Ed

I also have one of the newer style Tundras and find it very comfortable to drive and ride in. I stand 6'1" and weigh about 270 so I am not a small person by any stretch.

I also pull a 25' Jayco travel trailer and have never felt it was too small a truck. And yes, I do travel through the mountains at times. It is a regular cab with the long bed and I use a towing hitch for both weight assist and sway. I feel very safe with the whole package. Mileage does suffer pulling but I expected that.

Overall I really like the Tundra and so far with a tad over 20,000 miles on it I am not sorry I bought it rather than a F150. Truthfully I think it is hard to buy a really bad truck in today's world. It boils down to a lot of personal preference the way I see it.

Pushing trucks to their towing limit is not a good practice. I agree with the posts on tongue weight. Not good to have the hinge overloaded. That's why fifth wheels handle so much more weight than bumper hitches. Better control. Nothing like having a semi on the interstate come from behind you at high speed, then pull out to pass at the last second. That getting goosed feeling is not one I liked with my half ton. I now run a 2005 F250 Ext Cab 6.0 diesel, and I like it. I am lucky in that I have some great mechanics to work on mine, so she is kept in fine shape. Everything on that truck is heavier than the half ton. And the tow haul transmission setup is great. My mechanic put it to me, when you are out in really hot, summer weather, which trucks are towing loads with the windows shut, and the A/C on? It's usually a diesel.