# F150 Towing 312Bh



## Sparky14

Looking to purchase a 312BH and planning on towing with a 2013 F150 super crew with 3.31 axle. Unsure if I have enough truck. Dealer says load distribution hitch will give me plenty of ability. We are new to pulling anything this large.

Keith Holmes
Henderson, TX


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## NDKoze

Sparky14 said:


> Looking to purchase a 312BH and planning on towing with a 2013 F150 super crew with 3.31 axle. Unsure if I have enough truck. Dealer says load distribution hitch will give me plenty of ability. We are new to pulling anything this large.
> 
> Keith Holmes
> Henderson, TX


That's a lotta camper for a half-ton without the Max Tow and Max Payload package.

Unless your only traveling short distances on relatively flat terrain, I think you're pushing it.


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## Dave-Gray

Try this new web-based app called RV Tow Check. You can search for it here.


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## jasonrebecca

That is a huge trailer for the 150. Is it EcoBoost or 5.0? The 3.31 won't help you on any hills for sure. I see you are in TX, if you stay in the flats you will be fine, but hitting the long hills or mountain passes will strain your truck. #1 would be upgrade the tranny cooler, #2 change to 3.73 gears, #3 get airbags.

I had an 02 F150 and it didn't like our 21rs going up any mountain passes, my 11 F150 did a little better but still struggled on the passes (we are very minimal campers, don't pack more than we need).

Check your max towing capacity of the truck and compare to the weight of the trailer packed for camping, not the label on the trailer and try to stay at 75-80%


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## Todd&Regan

Check out this thread. A lot of good opinions on gas v. diesel, and SUV or 1/2 ton pickups v. 3/4 ton or 1 ton pickups. Keep in mind, a dealer would tell you a Ford Ranger will tow a 35' camper if it means selling the unit.

Todd


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## therink

Personally, I wouldn't do it long term. That is a lot of trailer for any 1/2 ton, especiallywith 3:31 axle and P rated tires. That trailer is well suited for a 3/4 ton based on tongue weight and length.


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## tlraymann

Sparky14 said:


> Looking to purchase a 312BH and planning on towing with a 2013 F150 super crew with 3.31 axle. Unsure if I have enough truck. Dealer says load distribution hitch will give me plenty of ability. We are new to pulling anything this large.
> 
> Keith Holmes
> Henderson, TX


When we bought our 2010 312BH, our TV was a new 2013 F-150 FX4 Super Crew Ecoboost with tow package. After 5,000 miles, we traded for a 2014 F-250. It is night and day better. Mind you the F-150 pulled it fine up and down WV mountains. I felt the engine was plenty but the transmission would probably not last. What I do think is that when the wind blew it was a white knuckle drive. That is what we upgraded.


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## Jewellfamily

I have a 1/2 ton chevy with the 6.0 and 3.73 gears. Had to put airbags on too and go with an Equal-I-zer 4 point hitch. I can do it but I wouldn't do I this way again given the choice.


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## GRegh

We are having the same issues/concerns. We bought a 323BH back in July. The TV is a 2010 F150 with 5.4l V8, 3.73 gears, 145" wheel base (5.5' box) and a Blue Ox hitch. It seems our trip planning timing is impeccable. There always seems to be a direct cross-wind where ever we go. The truck does a fine job power-wise, but on these windy Illinois days, highway driving seems treacherous at times. On non-windy days it's not an issue, but we don't want to limit our trips based on wind forecasts. I tightened the WDH one chain link which sort of helped. I think it just made the whole truck/trailer combination tighter and took a little weight off the rear axel.

We are ready to upgrade to a F250 diesel, but don't want to drop 30 grand and have the same problem or marginally solve the problem by simply adding 12" to the wheel base. I'm sure it is a fantasy to think I will be able to eliminate wind driven sway completely.

tlraymann (or anyone else for that matter), it seems you had the same issues. Did the new truck solve the problem? Anything you would do different?

I remember seeing a thread on this forum a few months back with a helpful formula using truck wheel base to determine max trailer length, but I can't find it anywhere. Seems like a guy much smarter than I came up with this formula.

Thanks to all for the wealth of information on this forum!

-Greg


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## NDKoze

GRegh said:


> We are having the same issues/concerns. We bought a 323BH back in July. The TV is a 2010 F150 with 5.4l V8, 3.73 gears, 145" wheel base (5.5' box) and a Blue Ox hitch. It seems our trip planning timing is impeccable. There always seems to be a direct cross-wind where ever we go. The truck does a fine job power-wise, but on these windy Illinois days, highway driving seems treacherous at times. On non-windy days it's not an issue, but we don't want to limit our trips based on wind forecasts.
> 
> We are ready to upgrade to a F250 diesel, but don't want to drop 30 grand and have the same problem or marginally solve the problem by simply adding 12" to the wheel base. I don't want to go with an 8' box.
> 
> tlraymann (or anyone else for that matter), it seems you had the same issues. Did the new truck solve the problem? Anything you would do different?
> 
> Thanks to all for the wealth of information on this forum!
> 
> -Greg


My SOB Innsbruck 277DDS is a little bit shorter and lighter (6,700lbs Dry / Hitch 958 / 31'2") than your 323BH, but I can tell you that the wheel base does help.

I went from a 2011 Chevy Avalanche LTZ (130" WB) to my 2013 F-150 Platinum (157" WB) with Max Tow and there is a world of difference in towing in a cross wind. I attribute most of this to the wheel base. I know the truck suspension versus the more car like Avalanche/Suburban suspension helps as well. But, I think the biggest thing was the extra wheelbase. I used to constantly be monitoring wind speeds on Departure and Return because I was so worried about towing in the wind.

A 3/4 ton truck is probably the best option. But, an 157" Wheel Base F150 with Max Tow and Max Payload may be worth considering too. I don't have the Max Payload as it wasn't an option on the Platinum, but with the Max Payload that would probably help your towing as well.


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## TexanThompsons

So, i'll give you my $.02 in pulling my 312BHS with 4 different vehicles...and a couple of conclusions...

2003 Ford Expedition 5.4 L v8 - power was OK, but I had to ratchet my equilizer hitch so tight that when I turned, it kept the rig torqued and the steering would get off-center. Yes, miserable in wind, every semi was dragging us into it

2005 Ford Excursion 6.0 PSD - power was fine, sway was not as prevalent with this vehicle. Very much improved drive. Had to get rid of it after I was run off the road and into a culvert...front end never recovered and would veer all over the road with teh trailer even after being taken to 6 different front end shops

2004 Chevrolet crew cab 1500 z71 with 5.3L v-8 - dumbest move I've ever made in my towing career...barely got on a 4-lane city road before it started pushing my truck around...didn't even make it to the highway

2012 Silverado 3500 dually duramax - power of course was plenty...no sway whatsoever and pulls like a dream...forget its there (truck is a farm truck and I don't get to use to pull my camper often)

2010 GMC Yukon XL 2500 with 6.0L v-8 (current TV) - power is just fine and the sway is minimal. Shorter wheelbase than the excursion but is heavy enough to offset some of the push of that trailer.

Some conclusions...longer wheelbase will suit you well, but one thing you have to keep in mind, that trailer is about as big as you're gonna get when it comes to a bumper pull. The sheer ability of an 8900 lb trailer to have a 30 mph gust of wind knock you around can only be offset so much with a longer wheelbase...you also need weight in a TV to absorb that as well. The two diesels I used did a MUCH better job of keeping the trailer in check because of the weight. That is an issue you don't wnat to overlook in getting a 1/2 ton. At some point a trailer that weighs twice as much as your TV is going to get a gust of wind that will drag you both in a direction you don't want to go. That was my experience and I wanted to share. Your are considering one heck of a trailer and we love ours, but would NEVER again pull it with a 1/2 ton. NEVER.


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## GRegh

GRegh said:


> I remember seeing a thread on this forum a few months back with a helpful formula using truck wheel base to determine max trailer length, but I can't find it anywhere. Seems like a guy much smarter than I came up with this formula.
> 
> -Greg


I'm not a fan of quoting myself, but I wanted to update this. I found the article mentioned above. It's pinned in a thread in this section under 'RV Towing Tips' and might be helpful in this thread. I don't know how to link a link or I would.

Thanks to all who replied with their experience. We traded in the F-150 for a Super Duty.

-Greg


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## blue

Have a Supercrew 2012 F-150 3.5 ECOboost with 3.55 rear that pulls my 312BH without any issues. Pull it to the coast and back home which is approx. 380mi with absolutely no strain to the truck. Also, I pull it up to the highest mountain in Alabama to camp at the state park and the ride is at least 15miles up with steep inclines and the truck strains very little. My hitch system is the Equalizer and the combo stays straight even with semi's passing. On the interstate I stay 65-70 mph an get about 10-11 mpg and I get 19-21 avg MPG solo. I also keep track of the trans/engine temp which stays at normal when pulling. And the 3.5 has at the moment 39k on it and I have yet to have any issues with it. Key in my opinion is keeping the oil change schedule as tracked by the computer which varies anywhere from 6-9k miles and any other scheduled maintenance as required. I also have a 2001 Silverado that I bought new with the 5.3 and it has 150k miles w/o any problems and still doesn't use oil between changes. My chevy could no way handle my 312BH. I could be lucky or the maintenance I do works, which I think is the main reason my vehicles last so long. Probably some luck is involved. Hopefully, I haven't jinxed myself by writing this experience.


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## DURTDIVER

Good to hear; I'm looking at the 2015 ecoboost to tow the same trailer. How much does your trailer weight (meaning have you taken it to any scales?)


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## tundradan

im towing a 2016 312bh with a 2010 Tundra and an Andersen Hitch. works great no problems.


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## Bishopss

Owning a 323BH I would NEVER consider towing it with a 1/2 ton. It may pull just fine to start but get into a bind and you'll need the extra weight and braking ability not found in any 1/2 ton.

My TV of choice 2013 2500HD Silverado


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## rjkobbeman

TexanThompsons said:


> So, i'll give you my $.02 in pulling my 312BHS with 4 different vehicles...and a couple of conclusions...
> 
> 2003 Ford Expedition 5.4 L v8 - power was OK, but I had to ratchet my equilizer hitch so tight that when I turned, it kept the rig torqued and the steering would get off-center. Yes, miserable in wind, every semi was dragging us into it
> 
> 2005 Ford Excursion 6.0 PSD - power was fine, sway was not as prevalent with this vehicle. Very much improved drive. Had to get rid of it after I was run off the road and into a culvert...front end never recovered and would veer all over the road with teh trailer even after being taken to 6 different front end shops
> 
> 2004 Chevrolet crew cab 1500 z71 with 5.3L v-8 - dumbest move I've ever made in my towing career...barely got on a 4-lane city road before it started pushing my truck around...didn't even make it to the highway
> 
> 2012 Silverado 3500 dually duramax - power of course was plenty...no sway whatsoever and pulls like a dream...forget its there (truck is a farm truck and I don't get to use to pull my camper often)
> 
> 2010 GMC Yukon XL 2500 with 6.0L v-8 (current TV) - power is just fine and the sway is minimal. Shorter wheelbase than the excursion but is heavy enough to offset some of the push of that trailer.
> 
> Some conclusions...longer wheelbase will suit you well, but one thing you have to keep in mind, that trailer is about as big as you're gonna get when it comes to a bumper pull. The sheer ability of an 8900 lb trailer to have a 30 mph gust of wind knock you around can only be offset so much with a longer wheelbase...you also need weight in a TV to absorb that as well. The two diesels I used did a MUCH better job of keeping the trailer in check because of the weight. That is an issue you don't wnat to overlook in getting a 1/2 ton. At some point a trailer that weighs twice as much as your TV is going to get a gust of wind that will drag you both in a direction you don't want to go. That was my experience and I wanted to share. Your are considering one heck of a trailer and we love ours, but would NEVER again pull it with a 1/2 ton. NEVER.


Great comments. People get caught up in abilities, but forget about tow vehicle mass.


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