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Re: [Fot] Tow Vehicle Musings

To: "Barr, Scott" <sbarr@McCarty-Law.com>, "Barr, Scott via Fot" <fot@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Fot] Tow Vehicle Musings
From: Curt Johnston via Fot <fot@autox.team.net>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2020 11:16:53 -0700 (PDT)
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: fot@autox.team.net
Importance: Normal
References: <DM6PR15MB3420DA53AE930711A5560E6CE1380@DM6PR15MB3420.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>
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Scott,

I ended up trading a 2017 Chevy 1500 for a 2003 Dodge Ram dually last month=
.  My wife thought I was crazy, but I found one with just 87k miles and in =
great shape.  I can now haul both of my cars in a larger trailer.  The olde=
r Dodges of that era don't have all the smog equipment or use DEF that kill=
s fuel mileage.=20

I thought using a dually as a regular driver would be too impractical.  But=
 around town I get nearly 20 MPG, which is better that the Chevy with the V=
8.  I targeted Dodges in the year range of 2003 to 2006 and waited until I =
found one in great shape.  Still cost over $20k however.  But that's better=
 than $60-$70k for a new one that gets 10 miles per gallon.  Newer trucks h=
ave higher horsepower, but an engine programmer on an older Cummings diesel=
 gives great results.=20

Curt Johnston

>     On 09/23/2020 10:31 AM Barr, Scott via Fot <fot@autox.team.net> wrote=
:
>=20
>=20
>=20
>     Hi all,
>=20
>     =20
>=20
>     I=E2=80=99ve been towing a 24-foot toy-hauler style trailer for a few=
 years now.  It=E2=80=99s 14 feet of =E2=80=9Cgarage=E2=80=9D space in the =
back and 10 feet of RV in the front (toilet, shower, fridge, kitchen area).=
  All in, full of water, car loaded, it weighs about 9,500 lbs.  I load the=
 trailer so I have about 1,750 pounds of tongue weight, which is technicall=
y a little over the payload limit of the truck, but not too bad.
>=20
>     =20
>=20
>     I=E2=80=99ve been towing with a 2017 F-150, with a max tow package pu=
tting towing capacity at about 12,000 lbs. V6 twin turbo EcoBoost with 375h=
p and 470 ft lb torque.  I use a good weight-distributing hitch and a sway =
control strut.  And I added Air Lift air suspension to help with the extra =
load.  Generally speaking, the F-150 has been doing just fine.  But when it=
=E2=80=99s windy the trailer gets a little tail-happy, wagging enough somet=
imes to set off the truck=E2=80=99s automatic trailer sway alarm (it=E2=80=
=99s a big baby=E2=80=A6).
>=20
>     =20
>=20
>     So I=E2=80=99ve been trying to determine whether moving up to an F-25=
0 super duty would make an appreciable difference in the towing performance=
.  An F-250 is 1000-1500 pounds heavier than my F-150, depending on specs o=
f both trucks.  Is that enough to make a noticeable difference?  Are there =
other factors that would make it that much better than an F-150?
>=20
>     =20
>=20
>     The F-150 with the twin turbo V6 and 10-speed trans makes for a nice =
street car, with reasonable mileage (about 19 average) =E2=80=93 and it=E2=
=80=99s what I drive all winter.  The F-250 Super Duty will get considerabl=
y crappier mileage and will be a less friendly daily driver (I assume).  No=
t to mention that my F-150 is pretty close to paid off and I=E2=80=99d be t=
aking on another boatload of debt to move up to the F-250.  Which is all to=
 say that the towing performance improvement would need to be considerable =
before I would make the move.=20
>=20
>     =20
>=20
>     What say you, towing brain trust?  Is it worth the move?
>=20
>     =20
>=20
>     Scott (B.)
>=20
>     _______________________________________________
>     fot@autox.team.net
>=20
>     http://www.fot-racing.com
>=20
>     Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
>     Archive: http://autox.team.net/archive http://www.team.net/pipermail/=
fot
>     Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/fot/curt.jo=
hnston@comcast.net
>=20
>=20
>=20

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<!doctype html>
<html>
 <head>=20
  <meta charset=3D"UTF-8">=20
 </head>
 <body>
  <div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;=
 color: #333333;">
   <span style=3D"font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Scott,</span>
   <br>
  </div>
  <div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;=
 color: #333333;">
   <span style=3D"font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"><br></span>
  </div>
  <div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;=
 color: #333333;">
   <span style=3D"font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">I ended up trad=
ing a 2017 Chevy 1500 for a 2003 Dodge Ram dually last month.&nbsp; My wife=
 thought I was crazy, but I found one with just 87k miles and in great shap=
e.&nbsp; I can now haul both of my cars in a larger trailer.&nbsp; The olde=
r Dodges of that era don't have all the smog equipment or use DEF that kill=
s fuel mileage.&nbsp; </span>
  </div>
  <div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;=
 color: #333333;">
   <span style=3D"font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"><br></span>
  </div>
  <div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;=
 color: #333333;">
   <span style=3D"font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">I thought using=
 a dually as a regular driver would be too impractical.&nbsp; But around to=
wn I get nearly 20 MPG, which is better that the Chevy with the V8.&nbsp; I=
 targeted Dodges in the year range of 2003 to 2006 and waited until I found=
 one in great shape.&nbsp; Still cost over $20k however.&nbsp; But that's b=
etter than $60-$70k for a new one that gets 10 miles per gallon.&nbsp; Newe=
r trucks have higher horsepower, but an engine programmer on an older Cummi=
ngs diesel gives great results.&nbsp;</span>
  </div>
  <div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;=
 color: #333333;">
   <span style=3D"font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"><br></span>
  </div>
  <div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;=
 color: #333333;">
   <span style=3D"font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Curt Johnston</=
span>
  </div>
  <blockquote type=3D"cite">
   <div>
    On 09/23/2020 10:31 AM Barr, Scott via Fot &lt;fot@autox.team.net&gt; w=
rote:
   </div>
   <div>
    <br>
   </div>
   <div>
    <br>
   </div>
   <div class=3D"WordSection1">
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">Hi all,</span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">&nbsp;</span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">I=E2=80=99ve been towing a 24-fo=
ot toy-hauler style trailer for a few years now.&nbsp; It=E2=80=99s 14 feet=
 of =E2=80=9Cgarage=E2=80=9D space in the back and 10 feet of RV in the fro=
nt (toilet, shower, fridge, kitchen area).&nbsp; All in, full of water, car=
 loaded, it weighs about 9,500 lbs.&nbsp; I load the trailer so I have abou=
t 1,750 pounds of tongue weight, which is technically a little over the pay=
load limit of the truck, but not too bad.</span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">&nbsp;</span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">I=E2=80=99ve been towing with a =
2017 F-150, with a max tow package putting towing capacity at about 12,000 =
lbs. V6 twin turbo EcoBoost with 375hp and 470 ft lb torque. &nbsp;I use a =
good weight-distributing hitch and a sway control strut. &nbsp;And I added =
Air Lift air suspension to help with the extra load. &nbsp;Generally speaki=
ng, the F-150 has been doing just fine.&nbsp; But when it=E2=80=99s windy t=
he trailer gets a little tail-happy, wagging enough sometimes to set off th=
e truck=E2=80=99s automatic trailer sway alarm (it=E2=80=99s a big baby=E2=
=80=A6). </span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">&nbsp;</span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">So I=E2=80=99ve been trying to d=
etermine whether moving up to an F-250 super duty would make an appreciable=
 difference in the towing performance.&nbsp; An F-250 is 1000-1500 pounds h=
eavier than my F-150, depending on specs of both trucks.&nbsp; Is that enou=
gh to make a noticeable difference?&nbsp; Are there other factors that woul=
d make it that much better than an F-150?</span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">&nbsp;</span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">The F-150 with the twin turbo V6=
 and 10-speed trans makes for a nice street car, with reasonable mileage (a=
bout 19 average) =E2=80=93 and it=E2=80=99s what I drive all winter.&nbsp; =
The F-250 Super Duty will get considerably crappier mileage and will be a l=
ess friendly daily driver (I assume).&nbsp; Not to mention that my F-150 is=
 pretty close to paid off and I=E2=80=99d be taking on another boatload of =
debt to move up to the F-250.&nbsp; Which is all to say that the towing per=
formance improvement would need to be considerable before I would make the =
move.&nbsp; </span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">&nbsp;</span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">What say you, towing brain trust=
?&nbsp; Is it worth the move? </span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">&nbsp;</span></p>
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: '=
Century Gothic',sans-serif; color: black;">Scott (B.)</span></p>
   </div>_______________________________________________
   <br>fot@autox.team.net
   <br>
   <br>http://www.fot-racing.com
   <br>
   <br>Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
   <br>Archive: http://autox.team.net/archive http://www.team.net/pipermail=
/fot
   <br>Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/fot/curt.j=
ohnston@comcast.net
   <br>
   <br>
   <br>
  </blockquote>=20
 </body>
</html>
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