Specifications of the Ideal Towing Vehicle for an Imagine 22MLE

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I am in the market for a new tow vehicle for our 2022 Imagine 22MLE. I retired not long ago, and we intend to take some longer trips from here in Wisconsin to the West and Southwest over the next couple of years. Our current tow vehicle is a 2014 F-150 Supercrew that is starting to show its age and is ready to be retired as well.

My other uses for this vehicle will include carrying enough alpine ski gear for four individuals during the winter and some rather bulky telescopes and other astronomy equipment the rest of the year. We frequently travel with 4 adults for both skiing and astronomy related adventures. Because we frequently travel in upper peninsula of Michigan during the ski season, 4WD is a must. If I were to replace the 22MLE in the future the replacement would be the same size or smaller.

My question for the forum is what are the characteristics of the ideal tow vehicle for this trailer while considering the other uses? I am not looking for a Ford vs Chevy vs Ram argument, but rather what specifications would you recommend that I be shopping for in either a new or used vehicle? How would you rank those specifications in order of priority? The empty weight of the 22MLE is 5,286 lbs.

  • Wheelbase
  • Engine Type / size
  • Transmission
  • Axle ratio
  • etc.

I hope that I am not opening a massive can of worms, but that I can instead get a variety of opinions from individuals more experienced that I am in pulling travel trailers extended distances. My best guess is that for any given year, we would be pulling the trailer for about 15-20% of the total miles.

Thanks in advance for the help.
 
For the trailer above you could get any of the Big 3 3/4-ton crew cabs with a gas engine. Make sure it has a tow package (most come with one standard now).
Short bed or long bed, your choice. One advantage of the long bed is they might have a larger fuel tank.
 
That is undoubtedly a can of worms. If you are buying a late model truck you're likely going to be fine with any of them. The tow ratings are going to show you'll never be wanting in that department. The payload is the key number to pay attention to. The bigger and heavier the truck, the more comfortable the towing experience will be. The more power the engine has, the easier it will climb hills/mountains and fight the wind. Engine/exhaust brakes make going downhill more comfortable. Some like gas and don't like diesel. Some like diesels and prefer those. Some like both. Budget also comes into play.

Personally, I love my diesel because it is so much more truck than I need and that is perfectly fine with me. Budget was not a concern. I like it more since I replaced the OEM fuel tank with a 60 gallon tank. Two months traveling through the mountains in CO was very different and pleasant after never owning a diesel before. Maintenance costs more for sure, along with fuel.

Others will have the exact opposite opinion from me. Have fun trying to navigate it all. Again, payload is the first number you need to understand. Just my $.02
 
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We own a 2023 22MLE. The delivered weight of ours was a couple hundred pound more than the published dry weight and the tongue weight was more. I tow ours with a 2023 F-150 3.5L XLT FX4 Screw with the max tow pkg. We have 1840 lbs of payload. Our outfitted and loaded weight centers around 6K lbs with tongue weights between 700 - 750 lbs (varies based on trip type loading). Add 100 lbs for the WDH and that leaves us with approximately 1K lbs for passengers and anything else we carry in the truck. We don't travel with full fresh water or holding tanks so that weight is not a factor for us. I've been happy with the performance so far and the truck did well taking the trailer up and down I-40's Black Mountain grade. I'll get a longer mountain test next month when we head up to the Chicago area to visit family and head up I-77 and the WV Turnpike but I don't expect any problems.

When we first picked up the 22MLE I was driving a 2015 F-150 Scab 2.7L XLT with the 53A tow pkg. The payload was 1641 lbs. The truck was able to handle the trailer and it did a great job in the coastal plain and Eastern Piedmont where I live. I was not happy with its performance in the mountains as it didn't have the uphill acceleration I like to see. It was an adequate truck and if I had not been in a situation where I could replace it it would have met our tow vehicle needs.
 
For me, THE question is - Do I want to drive an HD truck when I am not camping/towing?

My F-150 does a good job, has tons of power, is smooth and quiet but, is maxed out payload wise. And, gets pushed around a bit more than I like.

So do you put up with getting pushed around OR do you put up with a less comfortable ride when not camping/towing.

Only you can decide. Some folks like the ride of an HD truck and others don't.

Also - depending on the trim level of the new 1/2 ton, you may not be able to put four folks in the truck, and stay under payload anyway (depending on how big the four folks are) so you may have to go up to a 3/4 ton anyway. My wife and I are average size and with our 80 lb. shorthair, we don't have much margin on payload.
 
For me, THE question is - Do I want to drive an HD truck when I am not camping/towing?

My F-150 does a good job, has tons of power, is smooth and quiet but, is maxed out payload wise. And, gets pushed around a bit more than I like.

So do you put up with getting pushed around OR do you put up with a less comfortable ride when not camping/towing.

Only you can decide. Some folks like the ride of an HD truck and others don't.

Also - depending on the trim level of the new 1/2 ton, you may not be able to put four folks in the truck, and stay under payload anyway (depending on how big the four folks are) so you may have to go up to a 3/4 ton anyway. My wife and I are average size and with our 80 lb. shorthair, we don't have much margin on payload.

You bring up being pushed around. I noticed a big difference when we went from our 2015 Scab to the 2023 Screw. The extra 800 - 900 lbs made a big improvement in how the rig reacts to crosswinds and semi trucks passing. I also think the stiffer suspension of the FX4 pkg helps when compared to the standard RWD suspension I had in the 2015.
 
You say your planing traveling in the west and have a lot of bed stuff and 4 people. While this is a Ford the others make a comparable model. I would go 1 ton F350 diesel SRW crew cab in the 8' bed. Diesel for better fuel mileage solo/towing and the engine breaking in the mountains. Long bed to accommodate everything plus extra room if needed and for the larger fuel tank. CC to keep the back seat folks happy. Now be sure you take the time to really sit in the newer models. To me seat comport is important and dash layout - especially for the longer trips.

Hope this helps
 
I'd look for an F150 Supercrew with the 6.5 bed and max tow package. Should be able to find one with a 1900 lb CCC.
A 3/4 ton would easily fit the bill but it's a bit overkill IMO. That TT is kinda in between a 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton. Loaded to the max go 3/4 ton, only loaded to 6-6500 lbs a 1/2 ton with the long WB would be good.
If you do go 3/4 ton you'll never question what you can pack.
 
Rick, you may have noticed that we all have differing opinions and experiences. What we have in common is that we like spending someone else's money. <grin>

That said, if you read the answers carefully and apply the pertinent parts to your needs, wants, and budget, you ought to come pretty close. When we bought our truck (2016 F350, December 2022), we were specifically looking for an F350. I searched for some time before we found this truck, but I rarely found more than one truck with a gas engine or without 4WD. If you are looking for a new truck, you can order it exactly as you want it. Our truck is the King Ranch trim, which adds a couple hundred pounds to the base weight.

Your post gave the empty weight of your trailer. Are you planning on towing it that way, or will you put some clothes, bedding, food, water, etc. in it? Most of us use the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for our trailers as the weight we're dealing with. My trailer, for example, has a GVWR of 11,295 pounds. If my truck can handle that, then it can handle the trailer when it weighs less that the maximum. When we bought the truck we didn't know for sure which trailer we would get, but we knew the GVWR for the trailers we were looking at, and bought the truck that could handle the heaviest trailer. Since you already have the trailer, and your next one will be smaller, you can use the numbers for your current trailer knowing that your truck will handle the next trailer as well.

As you can tell from the answers, weight is the important part. Four adults is probably 6-800 pounds. The gear in the back is maybe another 2-300, so you are using 8-1100 pounds of the truck's payload before you hook the trailer to the truck. Will you have a cover on the bed? Add another 1-200 pounds. You might find that an F150 is pretty well maxed out at that point, even though Ford says it will tow a lot.

While you can get ridiculous (think tow truck for a semi), most people say they would rather have too much truck than too little. As far as ride is concerned, Tuesday and Wednesday we drove nearly 900 miles in our pickup without the trailer, and yesterday and today we reversed the route. We were comfortable with the ride. The car we traded in for this 2016 F350 King Ranch was a 2015 Lincoln MKT. The MKT got better fuel economy and was somewhat more comfortable, but can't pull much of a trailer. The F350 tows our trailer just fine, is almost as comfortable, and does fairly well on the fuel. I've gotten 20 mpg a couple of times (not towing and lightly loaded), but overall fuel mileage is just over 13 mpg, which includes both towing and not towing. I figure on 10 mpg towing.
 
RV towing? Oh boy here we go again. That is a small light trailer. If you NEVER plan to upgrade past this, the advice above works great. If you plan to keep RVing and move up.... you just wasted your money.


Q. Are you on your last trailer ever and never plan to upgrade? (Yeah right...we ALL say this... then we are back at the dealer 2 years later looking at nicer trailers).
A. Get whatever fits that trailer and your needs. However I'd NEVER buy another 150/1500 again. Not enough payload, not enough brakes, not enough engine, etc etc etc. That is a grocery getter.


Q. Do you plan to upgrade later and enjoy RVing?
A. 3500 / 350 Single Rear Wheel (be done with it and just buy one truck instead of a 1500 then a 2500 and then a 3500) so you can move up in trailers later and not worry. Skip all the 150/250/2500 "do I have enough payload?" and just get a 350/3500 now and save all the drama. You can get short box 1 Ton trucks that fit in the same parking spots as 1500's.


Q. Do you really really like RVing? Do you plan to keep RVing? Retired and plan to keep moving up in RV size/models?
A. 3500 / 350 / 450 Dual Rear Wheel (again, be done with it and just buy the "One Truck to Rule Them All"), now you care future proof and get any RV you want.


You can spend days searching the forums... "Do I have enough truck".... 9 times out of 10 no you do not, just skip all the years of wasted payments, worry, posting, drama, etc and go straight to a 3500.

"One Ton and Done"
 
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RV towing? Oh boy here we go again. That is a small light trailer. If you NEVER plan to upgrade past this, the advice above works great. If you plan to keep RVing and move up.... you just wasted your money.


Q. Are you on your last trailer ever and never plan to upgrade? (Yeah right...we ALL say this... then we are back at the dealer 2 years later looking at nicer trailers).
A. Get whatever fits that trailer and your needs. However I'd NEVER buy another 150/1500 again. Not enough payload, not enough brakes, not enough engine, etc etc etc. That is a grocery getter.


Q. Do you plan to upgrade later and enjoy RVing?
A. 3500 / 350 Single Rear Wheel (be done with it and just buy one truck instead of a 1500 then a 2500 and then a 3500) so you can move up in trailers later and not worry. Skip all the 150/250/2500 "do I have enough payload?" and just get a 350/3500 now and save all the drama. You can get short box 1 Ton trucks that fit in the same parking spots as 1500's.


Q. Do you really really like RVing? Do you plan to keep RVing? Retired and plan to keep moving up in RV size/models?
A. 3500 / 350 / 450 Dual Rear Wheel (again, be done with it and just buy the "One Truck to Rule Them All"), now you care future proof and get any RV you want.


You can spend days searching the forums... "Do I have enough truck".... 9 times out of 10 no you do not, just skip all the years of wasted payments, worry, posting, drama, etc and go straight to a 3500.

"One Ton and Done"

To add to this if considering 250...we were actually planning on an F250, but then I heard about the difference in annual registration fees, which I assume will vary by state. In MN, if I purchased the same trim package in F250 vs F350, I would have paid $750/year in registration fees, which over years would decline based on age/value I guess. But with the F350, it's a flat $140/year. I called our insurance provider to see what the cost difference would be between the two, and it was $25/year more for the F350. Then the price of the truck...$1,500 more, so the break even is 2-3 years. And well 1 ton vs 3/4 ton; works for me.
 
All good advice above. Make sure you get the largest fuel tank you can along with towing mirrors. I'm in the camp of at least a 3/4 ton based upon your usage.

All of your questions are covered by a 3/4 ton for your trailer.

Safe travels!
 
RV towing? Oh boy here we go again. That is a small light trailer. If you NEVER plan to upgrade past this, the advice above works great. If you plan to keep RVing and move up.... you just wasted your money.


Q. Are you on your last trailer ever and never plan to upgrade? (Yeah right...we ALL say this... then we are back at the dealer 2 years later looking at nicer trailers).
A. Get whatever fits that trailer and your needs. However I'd NEVER buy another 150/1500 again. Not enough payload, not enough brakes, not enough engine, etc etc etc. That is a grocery getter.


Q. Do you plan to upgrade later and enjoy RVing?
A. 3500 / 350 Single Rear Wheel (be done with it and just buy one truck instead of a 1500 then a 2500 and then a 3500) so you can move up in trailers later and not worry. Skip all the 150/250/2500 "do I have enough payload?" and just get a 350/3500 now and save all the drama. You can get short box 1 Ton trucks that fit in the same parking spots as 1500's.


Q. Do you really really like RVing? Do you plan to keep RVing? Retired and plan to keep moving up in RV size/models?
A. 3500 / 350 / 450 Dual Rear Wheel (again, be done with it and just buy the "One Truck to Rule Them All"), now you care future proof and get any RV you want.


You can spend days searching the forums... "Do I have enough truck".... 9 times out of 10 no you do not, just skip all the years of wasted payments, worry, posting, drama, etc and go straight to a 3500.

"One Ton and Done"

A 350/3500 is overkill. The OP stated in their post, " If I were to replace the 22MLE in the future the replacement would be the same size or smaller." My wife and I are in a similar boat that when it comes time to replace our 22MLE it will be with a similar sized or slightly smaller travel trailer. We don't need a lot of space to be comfortable traveling together. In fact we would have stuck with a newer version of our Micro Minnie if Winnebago hadn't changed so many things we consider needs.

I also read their post as traveling with the trailer will be a couple's only activity. The skiing and astronomy are a different use that does not involve the trailer. For that usage a properly equipped 1/2 ton is more than adequate however some folks might find more comfort with a 3/4 ton and be willing to live with its tradeoffs.
 
I am in the market for a new tow vehicle for our 2022 Imagine 22MLE. I retired not long ago, and we intend to take some longer trips from here in Wisconsin to the West and Southwest over the next couple of years. Our current tow vehicle is a 2014 F-150 Supercrew that is starting to show its age and is ready to be retired as well.

My other uses for this vehicle will include carrying enough alpine ski gear for four individuals during the winter and some rather bulky telescopes and other astronomy equipment the rest of the year. We frequently travel with 4 adults for both skiing and astronomy related adventures. Because we frequently travel in upper peninsula of Michigan during the ski season, 4WD is a must. If I were to replace the 22MLE in the future the replacement would be the same size or smaller.

My question for the forum is what are the characteristics of the ideal tow vehicle for this trailer while considering the other uses? I am not looking for a Ford vs Chevy vs Ram argument, but rather what specifications would you recommend that I be shopping for in either a new or used vehicle? How would you rank those specifications in order of priority? The empty weight of the 22MLE is 5,286 lbs.

  • Wheelbase
  • Engine Type / size
  • Transmission
  • Axle ratio
  • etc.

I hope that I am not opening a massive can of worms, but that I can instead get a variety of opinions from individuals more experienced that I am in pulling travel trailers extended distances. My best guess is that for any given year, we would be pulling the trailer for about 15-20% of the total miles.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Well...I had a similar situation in 2022 where I was pulling a 2021 Imagine 2600RB with a new Tundra. It just did not have enough power. I ended up buying a 2022 F250SD with 10-speed, 6.7L Diesel. This was probably an overkill but it has made my towing almost enjoyable since I can use the cruse control even in hilly areas. From the standpoint of specs, the Tundra had 400fp of torque and the Ford has 1080fp, and i believe that this is the source of my enjoyment. I probably could have gotten away with less truck but comparing specs, I think 800fp of torque would have been okay but the heavier truck also contributes to my pulling satisfaction. Anyway, as you can see, I am happy with the rig. BTW, I also can get 12-13 MPG in relatively flat land giving me a relaxed 300-mile range between fuel stops (34-gal tank and 160" W:cool:.
 
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You don't need anything bigger than a half ton to tow a 22mle with some caveats. You should make sure you have the payload spec on the truck for the load you are carrying. The 4 adult passengers may put you over the top and get you into 3/4 ton territory. Plan on a tongue weight of 750-1000 lbs plus all the occupants, and anything else including fuel you plan on loading into the truck for travel. You'll find you run out of payload long before you hit the manufacturer's max towing #. You will also need your weight distribution hitch set up properly. It will be key for making it all work well.

I do tow my 22mle with a 2017 Ram 1500 and it is the best towing vehicle I've ever had. In our case, the trailer has a lot of tongue weight with a heavier mattress, second battery, and a couple of Honda generators in the pass through. Because of the tongue weight and that trucks pretty meager payload capacity, we're bumped up right near the gvwr but neither axle is close to capacity and we have no issues and it's really stable. They keep increasing payload on the newer trucks, so you may find a half ton that will have enough capacity for the extra passengers. Get the hitch setup right and you shouldn't have any issues.

Concerning axle ratios, with the newer 8 and 10 speed transmissions it doesn't really matter. The payload capacity will limit what you can tow, the axle won't likely even come into play. Mine has a 3.22 in it and it's nice to have essentially and extra overdrive gear over the 3.92 axle when I'm not towing and am on the highway.
 
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My recommendation would be, as others have mentioned, a 3/4 ton 4x4 - but Diesel in lieu of gasser. With the 4 party load and gear you will greatly appreciate the difference in pull power and gas mileage over a gas engine. We have a 2021 22 RBE and originally had a 2013 F-150 Eco Turbo - it was capable, but with gear and added load - it seemed it was always running in Turbo - and the 7 to 8 MPG showed that. Our F-250 6.7 Turbo Diesel 10 speed averages 14 mpg in tow and around 20+ unleashed. Thru the mountains - hands down we were easily passing large block gas trucks with ease. You won't regret a diesel - AND if you upgrade the fuel tank to 55 or 60 gallons - you will spend less time at truck stops.
 
I tow a 2150RB with my 2015 SC 2.7L Ecoboost. It does well but eventually I will upgrade to F150 crew cab Powerboost hybrid with 7200 watt onboard generator. This is important because we camp where there are no hookups. My truck is my daily driver and is capable of 20+ mpg on the highway when not towing. When towing it gets 9.5 mpg

My recommendations are a 4x4 with long wheelbase: crew cab with 6.5ft bed. Axle ratio 3.55 or 3.73 only. Stay away from 3.31 ratio. Tow package that can include larger trans cooler and HD front sway bar. I added these parts to my XLT. I also upgraded to 20 inch wheels, air bags, and tow mirrors. If you look at the Lariat trim or higher, you are more likely to find the tow package as an option.
For extended Ford Care warranty coverage, look online at these Ford dealerships: Ziegler, Flood, and Granger. Their online prices are usually lower than your local Ford dealer.
 
I would recommend to also add a bed topper to secure your astro gear as you mentioned bulky so I suspect it will not fit in the 22MLE. If I'm assuming correctly, you do not ski/astro with 4 adults AND pull the trailer at the same time, then a nicely equipped F150 Platinum like ours should work fine. You do lose some payload when getting the 4x4, which for you is a must. We get ~1,800# payload without. Get the long wheelbase to fit the astro gear, Ecoboost is strong, 3.73 w/10sp works very well.
 
I have had 4 trucks in the last 12 years and 4 trailers in the last 9 years. Traded up on trucks as we upgraded each trailer. Upgraded our Ram 1500 twice before going to a 2500, then my current 3500. Im glade I made decent money at the time because I sure threw a lot away. If you have ANY doubt that you just might upgrade in the future, I strongly recommend a 2500 or F250. You can’t go wrong.
 
I am in the market for a new tow vehicle for our 2022 Imagine 22MLE. I retired not long ago, and we intend to take some longer trips from here in Wisconsin to the West and Southwest over the next couple of years. Our current tow vehicle is a 2014 F-150 Supercrew that is starting to show its age and is ready to be retired as well.

My other uses for this vehicle will include carrying enough alpine ski gear for four individuals during the winter and some rather bulky telescopes and other astronomy equipment the rest of the year. We frequently travel with 4 adults for both skiing and astronomy related adventures. Because we frequently travel in upper peninsula of Michigan during the ski season, 4WD is a must. If I were to replace the 22MLE in the future the replacement would be the same size or smaller.

My question for the forum is what are the characteristics of the ideal tow vehicle for this trailer while considering the other uses? I am not looking for a Ford vs Chevy vs Ram argument, but rather what specifications would you recommend that I be shopping for in either a new or used vehicle? How would you rank those specifications in order of priority? The empty weight of the 22MLE is 5,286 lbs.

  • Wheelbase
  • Engine Type / size
  • Transmission
  • Axle ratio
  • etc.

I hope that I am not opening a massive can of worms, but that I can instead get a variety of opinions from individuals more experienced that I am in pulling travel trailers extended distances. My best guess is that for any given year, we would be pulling the trailer for about 15-20% of the total miles.

Thanks in advance for the help.

I have a 2018 Imagine 2150rb unit and used to tow with a Chevy Tahoe, now a Chevy Silverado 2500, long bed. What a difference for hauling golf clubs, screen gazebo, Blackstone grill, camp chairs, etc. Lots of room.

I was intrigued by your astronomy comment. We live in MN and are also planning some trips to dark sky country including up north as well as the southwest.
I am in the market for a new telescope- I currently have a 12" Schmit Cassegrain which is too bulky and heavy to haul around. I'm thinking a Celestron 8" or 6" schmitt cassegrain and would be curious as to what you own.
Larry Morgan
 

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