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  1. #1
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    is an F350 SRW enough to pull a 380

    Hi all (first post here).

    We just bought a 380FL and towed it home behind my 2019 F250 (with max tow packages). I think the 380 is too heavy for that truck. We came down Hwy 14 from Brianhead into Cedar City, 4000 vertical drop - steep canyon, 8% grades - and about lit the front brakes on fire. I changed the gain on the trailer brakes until they started to get hot and "not smell too good". I ended up having to take a lot of breaks to let things cool down, and using the transmission in 2nd to help keep speed down. LONG DAY!

    I'm looking at an F350 Platinum, long bed (not a dually), and with max towing packages, and trying to gauge if it is "enough" truck. I've been told that the 10 speed transmission will help take some of the load off of the brakes - better than the 6 speed. And, that the F350 brakes are bigger/better. Anyone out there with experience with a similar set up? I'm trying to not get a dually if I can help it, but, could do that if I need to for safety.

    Thanks, Rich

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Too hot in Vegas
    2019 Ford F-250 (SRW), Lariat, Tow Package
    2022 Solitude 380FL, MORryde IS, disc brakes...
    First RV, life long camper

  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper Thorvald's Avatar
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    12k GVWR? I see F150’s pulling that daily… scary but true. Either way that doesn’t strike me as heavy for even an F250.

    Not a Ford guy but I assume Ford’s diesel would work the same as Ram, I am absolutely in love with how my 3500 single rear wheel tows. With the engine brake in tow haul mode I almost never have to touch the brakes. It simply handles the rest without any fuss. I only have to touch the brakes the last few seconds to come to a stop. Up and down crazy hills the engine brake does the rest.

    Is your F250 by chance a gasser?
    Last edited by Thorvald; 07-23-2021 at 03:59 PM.
    2022 Momentum 25G (aka "Baby Mo")
    2020 Ram 3500 Laramie SRW | 6.7 HO Aisin | 6’4” bed | 3.73 gears | air suspension | 3694# Payload
    Blog Post: 1500 Pickup’s and Towing - The REAL numbers with example
    Blog Post: 2016-2018 Imagine 2800BH - 3500 lb Axles Tire Rubbing Issues

  3. #3
    Rolling Along
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    Quote Originally Posted by Richcornia View Post
    Hi all (first post here).

    We just bought a 380FL and towed it home behind my 2019 F250 (with max tow packages). I think the 380 is too heavy for that truck. We came down Hwy 14 from Brianhead into Cedar City, 4000 vertical drop - steep canyon, 8% grades - and about lit the front brakes on fire. I changed the gain on the trailer brakes until they started to get hot and "not smell too good". I ended up having to take a lot of breaks to let things cool down, and using the transmission in 2nd to help keep speed down. LONG DAY!

    I'm looking at an F350 Platinum, long bed (not a dually), and with max towing packages, and trying to gauge if it is "enough" truck. I've been told that the 10 speed transmission will help take some of the load off of the brakes - better than the 6 speed. And, that the F350 brakes are bigger/better. Anyone out there with experience with a similar set up? I'm trying to not get a dually if I can help it, but, could do that if I need to for safety.

    Thanks, Rich

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Welcome aboard, Rich!

    You'll get lots of opinions on whether an SRW is enough truck to pull or even stop your 380. I'm not going to go there specifically, but instead, I can give you some real world weights for our 378. Before I do, you should have a build sheet that was included with all the documentation that lists your "as manufactured and delivered, UVW pin weight" along with weights of both sides of your rig. Depending on options you ordered, including the IS and disc brakes (nice!), your pin weight will be significantly higher than the GD advertised weight of 3052 lb, especially with batteries and propane.

    For our rig, the advertised pin weight was 2686 lb. As manufactured and optioned pin weight was 3250 lb. That included gen set, dual pane windows, and factory solar, but no propane or batteries. We added a washer/dryer combo, two 200ah LiFePO4 batteries, and propane. Scaled pin weight with empty fresh and waste tanks and mostly unloaded for camping was 3640 lbs. For me, that's dually territory, especially when loaded for camping and heading out to boondock with nearly full freshwater tank (edit to say, I guess I went there after all). I still haven't had a chance to CAT scale it when loaded for camping.

    I suspect you will be in the 3700+ lb range for pin weight depending on how you load and your options. I could be wrong. Fortunately, there are several board members with 380s and hopefully they can give you their real world numbers.

    Look for the yellow payload sticker on any truck to understand your load carrying capacity (which will also include you, your wife, kids, dogs, cats, firewood, etc).
    Last edited by Fsalmy; 07-23-2021 at 04:10 PM.
    2022 Solitude 378MBS-R
    2021 Ford F450 CC Lariat Ultimate FX4
    1966 Shasta Astroflyte (1 year restoration project that is going on year 6)

  4. #4
    Fireside Member Geodude's Avatar
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    The 380FL is front living room design so you won't quite get the same loading as a front bedroom/bathroom 5th wheel. In the 380FL that giant rear basement area gobbles up all sorts of stuff so that's where the weight goes. The washer and dryer, if equipped, is over the rear as well. Right now there are two 14'4" kayaks and space for three bikes in mine (all at the same time, which is pretty cool). My previous truck was a 2011 F-350 SRW and I ran the numbers and the F-350 of that era wasn't enough truck so we bought a dually, which has been great for towing. Great for any kind of hauling for that matter.

    I think you just have to run the towing and payload numbers for any truck you're considering and see if it's enough to tow the 380FL. You'll usually run out of payload before tow capacity on almost any truck. The payload on the new 1-ton SRWs is pretty high so I wouldn't be suprised if the numbers work out. The other issue will be handling such a big trailer. We just came back from a six-hour tow, each way, on very hillly and twisty roads and the dually made the towing effortless. The first time we towed on the route with the dually my wife remarked that she wouldn't know there was a big 5er behind us if she didn't turn and look.
    2020 Solitude 380FL with B&W Companion 20K hitch
    2018 GMC Sierra Denali HD 3500 DRW

  5. #5
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    With a 16,800 lb GVWR on the 380FL, that is the number that you should use to do an estimate of what you may encounter for pin weight. 20-25 % of that weight should be used to come up with a range of possible pin weights for the that trailer. Using the GVWR number is like doing a "Worst Case Senario" as the trailer should never be loaded to more weight than GVWR. So, if you do the numbers, 20% would put you at 3,360 lbs. 25% would put you at 4200 lbs on the pin. Almost all 5ver camping trailers will have at least 20% and some range all the way up to the 25% area. My Momentum 394M (fresh off the scale a week ago) is right at 21%....and that is before I got it loaded for a regular camping trip. It will certainly go up when loaded, it's just a matter of how much.

    So the thing to do, check out the white sticker with the Yellow highlighted areas on the driver side door post and see what your actual Payload (Cargo Carrying Capacity) is and use that for a guide to what you have available to put on the truck. And remember, anything and everything that goes IN the or ON the truck will count against your carrying capacity. Only you will know what all that will be, but it could include items like a toolbox in the bed of the truck with tools, extra fuel (aux. tank), firewood, all passengers, pets, etc..anything and everything. When you get a handle on how much weight all that stuff will likely be, plus the weight of the hitch, plus the pin weight of the trailer, you will have a much better idea of whether the SRW truck will do it for you.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
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    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

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  6. #6
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    Thanks for the on point responses. After "drinking from a fire hose," and learning WAY more about the multi-variant calculus that goes into towing legality/safety/function...

    It seems that my F250 just can't make the grade legal, and maybe not safely, but probably functionally. That the F350 I'm looking at will definitely be "enough," though maybe not 'the best'. And, the dually would be great, and make it feel that much safer/more comfortable.

    I'm going to try my E rated tires that are rated to ~3980 lbs. on the SRW 350 and see how it goes. If I regret it, I'll sell it in 3 months and, apparently, make a great deal of money over what I paid (LOL), and then buy the dually I should probably buy anyway. Vanity confession -- I can't take the dually through the car wash near me. I love clean vehicles and get mine washed 1-3 times per week (all you can eat car wash). I'd have to wash the dually myself, or pay a lot for hand washes. Vanity wins, I hope I'm happy with the SRW 350.

    Thanks for your help
    Too hot in Vegas
    2019 Ford F-250 (SRW), Lariat, Tow Package
    2022 Solitude 380FL, MORryde IS, disc brakes...
    First RV, life long camper

  7. #7
    Rolling Along
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    Was/is your F250 a diesel? if so, I presume it has a diesel exhaust brake? If so, you should have it engaged on downhill, which helps save your brakes.

    I have it engaged whenever towing and even on steep grades, works well.

    Mike
    Im Mike Willoughby, and I approve this message.
    2017 Ram 3500 CTD (aka FRAM)
    2019 Grand Design Reflection 367BHS

  8. #8
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    it is a diesel - but it's my first diesel (I've had about 10 gassers). I explained to my wife on my way up the mountain, that the tow/haul mode helped it downshift less often and aided in the climb. I then told her "I don't know if it does anything on the descent." Well, I know now. I'm glad I didn't learn by going over the edge in a fiery crash after the brakes failed.
    Too hot in Vegas
    2019 Ford F-250 (SRW), Lariat, Tow Package
    2022 Solitude 380FL, MORryde IS, disc brakes...
    First RV, life long camper

  9. #9
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    The 380FL is a lot of trailer. I would not consider anything but a dually to tow it. Glad I had the dually for high crosswinds on I-70 in Kansas.
    New: 2021 Solitude 380FL
    Prior: 2016 Alpine 3600RS
    Tow: 2017 F350 Diesel Dually

  10. #10
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captcolour View Post
    The 380FL is a lot of trailer. I would not consider anything but a dually to tow it. Glad I had the dually for high crosswinds on I-70 in Kansas.
    That would be my choice also. Almost 17,000 lbs if loaded up all the way is asking an awful lot from a SRW truck.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

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