Biggest enclosed trailer you guys tow with 2013 F150?

jbozzelle wrote:I'm regretting trading in my 2wd diesel when I got this F150.  They didn't give me much for it either.  I should've kept it and let it sit around just to use as a tow vehicle.  

I'll just be using this to tow a few times a year.  It'll primarily be used by the wife to drag her company's supplies around when she does some large projects once/twice a year and to store it all.  I may use it for a long track trip once/twice a year too.

Thanks for the comments guys.  I think we'll be fine.  And I'm already looking for another 7.3 to buy...

Does it have to be a "Fancy" F250 7.3 Diesel? Dad's estate settles next month and I'll be selling his 2002 F250 4x4 XL. It's not a pretty truck but it only has 50k ish miles on it.

If you are just cruising down I10 it will be fine but drive to TN or KY when it gets hilly even my F350 has to work at it. I couldn't imagine trying to do it with a 5.0l or eco boost. Of course you will just be "that" guy in the slow lane doing 55. lol

D. Sea wrote:

jbozzelle wrote:I'm regretting trading in my 2wd diesel when I got this F150.  They didn't give me much for it either.  I should've kept it and let it sit around just to use as a tow vehicle.  

I'll just be using this to tow a few times a year.  It'll primarily be used by the wife to drag her company's supplies around when she does some large projects once/twice a year and to store it all.  I may use it for a long track trip once/twice a year too.

Thanks for the comments guys.  I think we'll be fine.  And I'm already looking for another 7.3 to buy...

Does it have to be a "Fancy" F250 7.3 Diesel?  Dad's estate settles next month and I'll be selling his 2002 F250 4x4 XL.  It's not a pretty truck but it only has 50k ish miles on it.

Sent you a PM

Jason pretty much nailed it, I towed our 28 Shadow GT  with my 06 5.4 F150. It towed the weight surprisingly well but stopping, and passing had to be planned. And when semis would pass, that was pretty white knuckled sometimes. If it's hilly, you will be that guy going 55mph or slower. That was all with a weight distribution hitch and anti sway. I would at least look at a gas F250, I hear that 6.2 screams rpm wise but does the job. Personally, I wouldn't  tow anything ever again without my 6.7 powerstroke, don't even realize the trailer is back there.



Boo Boo

You will be fine if you only do a few times a year and no crazy hills or mountain terrain. I had the load leveling hitch and anti sway control bars on my 28' triple axle enclosed trailer and it was a must when loaded. I have a 2006 dodge 1500 4x4 with the 5.7L hemi in it. When I decided to use the trailer to move from NC to CA I made some extensive upgrades to the truck. The trailer had electric brakes on all three axles to start. The truck was lifted 6" but I didn't do blocks in the back, I had new leaf springs that we made for the lift. The front part of that kit came with stabilizer shocks as well. The brakes I upgraded to cross drilled, slotted rotors, and ceramic pads. I had the firestone airbag kit installed on the back to level out the load. I replaced the rear end with a Detroit trutrac and 4.56 gears due to the 35" tires. The truck has long tube headers, custom tune, bigger throttle body, and air intake.....all that being said the trailer loaded was 13k pounds and the truck 6,500lbs for a 18k lb total. It had zero issues pulling the weight other than getting 7mpg and with the use of the electric brake controller and the upgraded brakes on the truck had zero issues stopping....even for the asshole in Chicago that cut me off in the rain and then slammed his brakes because of traffic. I bought the truck as salvage title for $14k when trucks like it were selling for $32k. I had no intention of towing that much when I bought it and I haven't towed that much since and don't plan on it, but it did just fine. Follow what the 18 wheelers are doing on steep grades and you're fine. Like most have said if it was something you were doing every weekend it would be time to upgrade trucks, but if done only a handful of times just take it easy and you will be fine.

I towed my 24' enclosed trailer with my '04 F-150 with the 5.4 and it did fine power wise, and even stopping, since the trailer had good electric brakes. The problem was, going down the interstate and a truck passes you and it will suck you into the other lane if you aren't watching close. So, moral of the story from me, is you can get away with a 24', but I wouldn't go much bigger, and sway will be a bit of an issue, but its manageable if your on top things, at least it was for me.

About ten years ago, I was assigned to some times deliver in that year, a couple of the many Ford NASCAR pace vehicles to tracks around the country. I'd fly there, taxi to the track to get the vehicles, drive to the track they were intended to be at three weeks later and then fly home awaiting the next delivery.
This was a 24 foot open trailer with the pace car Mustang being pulled by the pace truck F150 having a 5.4 supercharged engine.
Going through the Denver area on the interstate. I was going up one hill with the accelerator on the floor, in second speed of the automatic trans and unintentionally SLOWING DOWN to under 35 mph till I crested that hill.  But, it did make it.

Weeks later I thought to myself, it would have been better to have the truck on the trailer being pulled by the higher power Mustang.

I hear you Randy. Those hills and mountains out there are brutal. I headed southwest out of Denver and drove those hills and mountains last year in a fully loaded 28' U-Haul pulling an open trailer with a 56 F-100 in tow. 30mph up Wolf Creek Pass cresting 10,000 feet in southern Colorado was all that damn U-Haul could muster.

My truck with this trailer may make it to the race in Kentucky one day. That's about all the hills it'll see...


Both the trucks here at home have the brake controllers from the factory and I've already picked out a weight distribution hitch and sway bar deal.

The trailer is ordered so we'll see how we do with it. Should be here by mid October. I found a great trailer dealer local to me. They sell all of the "good" brands and deal with custom satckers, toters, etc... They race sprint cars too so they're OK in my book.

while in the past I have criticized the 2011-2016 S/D I think the 2016 is the best of the bunch... they've corrected the cracking valve issue,went to a more normal traditional turbo, addressed crank issues,and have different components in the high press fuel sys for durability. the 2011-2016 platform overall is the platform out there today with the 2016 being the best.its just a damn shame we are starting over in 2017 with all the issues the F150 has had. ( water leaks, module issues aside from the engine issues) I can bet FORD will have some pretty good rebates to get rid of the 2016 by years end to move the old enventory. id just get one of the 2016.trying to find an old truck that's not all beat to hell is next to impossible. I have my wife in a 2016 platinum. ive go a delete kit on it. run trans fluid and getting 18.5 mpg. she babies it though.

torino501 wrote:while in the past I have criticized the 2011-2016 S/D I think the 2016 is the best of the bunch... they've corrected the cracking valve issue,went to a more normal traditional turbo, addressed crank issues,and have different components in the high press fuel sys for durability. the 2011-2016 platform overall is the platform out there today with the 2016 being the best.its just a damn shame we are starting over in 2017 with all the issues the F150 has had. ( water leaks, module issues aside from the engine issues) I can bet FORD will have some pretty good rebates to get rid of the 2016 by years end to move the old enventory. id just get one of the 2016.trying to find an old truck that's not all beat to hell is next to impossible. I have my wife in a 2016 platinum. ive go a delete kit on it. run trans fluid and getting 18.5 mpg. she babies it though.

Are you talking about the diesels or the EcoBoost having issues that are now solved?

The diesel... ain't no way I'd pull a enclosed over 20ft with an ecoboost. Esp loaded with 4-5k lbs

There is a 2 year old truck in the stable here with a gasoline RAPTOR engine, (not a "Raptor" truck but an "F" vehicle), which pulls just about everything, anywhere we want to take it.

jbozzelle wrote:I hear you Randy. Those hills and mountains out there are brutal. I headed southwest out of Denver and drove those hills and mountains last year in a fully loaded 28' U-Haul pulling an open trailer with a 56 F-100 in tow.  30mph up Wolf Creek Pass cresting 10,000 feet in southern Colorado was all that damn U-Haul could muster.

My truck with this trailer may make it to the race in Kentucky one day. That's about all the hills it'll see...


Both the trucks here at home have the brake controllers from the factory and I've already picked out a weight distribution hitch and sway bar deal.

Actually it's 10,856'. I grew up in South Fork

Ive been pulling an open trailer with my 2012 F150 4x4 9,000 lb. towing capacity, Coyote powered until Saturday when I used my newly purchased 22ft enclosed race trailer. It has the load leveling system on it and the anti-sway bar. I had no problems other than the gas mileage went from 15.5 open trailer to 9.5 mpg enclosed. On the way home I ran into Michigan football game traffic with more than normal stops on the e-way which is not fun. I'm thinking the load weighs around 7,500 lbs.
On flat ground it never went into 6th gear and I felt comfortable towing at 75 mph except for sucking the gas. There was a slight sway from large vehicles passing when I was moving into traffic. My hitch has provision for two anti sway bars so I will buy another one from Craigslist and put it on.

My truck has Class E tires on it that might make it better for towing.

Thanks Dave. Which engine does your truck have? I have load range E tires on my truck already.

It's got the 5.0 commonly referred as the Coyote engine.

Thanks. Same as mine

Here is what I tow with my Eb.

jbozzelle wrote:Guys

What's the biggest trailer you guys tow with a 2103 F150?  Curious as to enclosed trailers...

I have an 18' open trailer now and it's not big enough to put a golf cart or 4 wheeler across the front to bring to the track.  Was looking at a 22' open trailer by Diamond C but will be moving soon and will have room to store an enclosed deal so I'm looking at that route...

A year and a half ago I was all set to look at a 2013 x-cab 2wd F150 w/5.0 and tow package and 3.73 gears.
The day before tho I saw a listing for the 2011 F-250 cc sb with the 6.2 gasser I have now.

My enclosed is 7700 lbs. loaded
Every time I pull that trailer I am so glad I stepped up to the 3/4 ton.

Plus I get over 17 mpg ( hywy) with the F250 when it is empty.

A F150 could tow that much, but my fear was when it came time to stop.
A 22 footer and a 800 lb golf cart on the front might be close to 6000 lbs. ( assuming your car is around 3200 lbs)
Probably be ok at that amount.

HorsinAround wrote:

D. Sea wrote:IMO

Time to upgrade to a Super Duty F250 or F350

My race car and ATV in my 28' trailer and there's not much room left.

I dont' disagree with you. I would have an SD but won't pay what they are trying to get out of one with 150k miles and can't afford a 50k diesel lol. I will say that with both trailers, my truck will stop with them fully loaded (had to panic stop once so far) but, I am not towing over loaded either.
And yea, with my golf cart and truck, my 28ft trailer is full.

The price of the 2011 and newer 6.2 gasser F250s are coming down.
Mainly because most people want a coal burner so the 6.2 trucks do not get much attention.

I paid $ 17,000 for my 2011 in Jan 2015 with 106K miles.

Very pleased with it

83-88T-Bird Guy wrote:

HorsinAround wrote:

D. Sea wrote:IMO

Time to upgrade to a Super Duty F250 or F350

My race car and ATV in my 28' trailer and there's not much room left.

I dont' disagree with you. I would have an SD but won't pay what they are trying to get out of one with 150k miles and can't afford a 50k diesel lol. I will say that with both trailers, my truck will stop with them fully loaded (had to panic stop once so far) but, I am not towing over loaded either.
And yea, with my golf cart and truck, my 28ft trailer is full.

The price of the 2011 and newer 6.2 gasser F250s are coming down.
Mainly because most people want a coal burner so the 6.2 trucks do not get much attention.

I paid $ 17,000 for my 2011 in Jan 2015 with 106K miles.

Very pleased with it

What kind of fuel mileage are you getting from it?

HorsinAround wrote:

83-88T-Bird Guy wrote:

HorsinAround wrote:

D. Sea wrote:IMO

Time to upgrade to a Super Duty F250 or F350

My race car and ATV in my 28' trailer and there's not much room left.

I dont' disagree with you. I would have an SD but won't pay what they are trying to get out of one with 150k miles and can't afford a 50k diesel lol. I will say that with both trailers, my truck will stop with them fully loaded (had to panic stop once so far) but, I am not towing over loaded either.
And yea, with my golf cart and truck, my 28ft trailer is full.

The price of the 2011 and newer 6.2 gasser F250s are coming down.
Mainly because most people want a coal burner so the 6.2 trucks do not get much attention.

I paid $ 17,000 for my 2011 in Jan 2015 with 106K miles.

Very pleased with it

What kind of fuel mileage are you getting from it?

The truck by itself gets over 17 on the highway.

Pulling my race car on my open 16 footer it got 15 mpg going to indy. ( mostly flat roads)

I can't find any used ones around here. Found a used 2015 Lariat for $44K. Going to see how my F150 pulls it and hitch up to my buddies F250 gasser too and compare.