303 with F-250 6.2

[fastalkintn]

Thanks to everyone for your replies, it has been very helpful. Let me see if I can answer a few questions.

I am looking for a F-250 Crew Cab 6.2 with either 3.73 or 4.30 gears. I like a higher optioned XLT but my wife is wanting a Lariat. Haven't really thought about bed length but probably 6.75 ft. We pull local, within a couple of hours from the house, 8-10 times a year. Once or twice a year will will take longer trips, maybe 1,000-2,000 miles. We live in middle Tennessee so lots of rolling hills. As a reference, we currently pull a 7,700 lb TT with a Titan XD gas engine. Last weekend we towed to the lake and I got 8.9 going out and 7.5 coming home running ~65 mph. The XD averages 14.5 mixed driving while not towing but it's not a daily driver. I have a Nissan Versa and my wife drives a Cherokee.

We are really wanting a 303rls but our towing range/distance will not change much over the next 5 years or so. After that we will see what happens. My concern is that if for some reason we load the 303 to max GVWR we will be really close to towing max of the 250 with 3.73 but I like the non-towing of the 3.73. I am a member of another RV brand forum and the weight police is strong over there so they have e a little gun shy of towing close to limits.

[Cate&Rob]

We live in middle Tennessee so lots of rolling hills. As a reference, we currently pull a 7,700 lb TT with a Titan XD gas engine. Last weekend we towed to the lake and I got 8.9 going out and 7.5 coming home running ~65 mph. The XD averages 14.5 mixed driving while not towing but it's not a daily driver. . . . a little gun shy of towing close to limits.

Hi fastalkintn,

I am currently towing through "your neck of the woods" . . . on our way back to Canada from Florida. We tow thousands of miles every year . . . running at the "limits" of our truck. I think the days of having to build in a "safety margin" are long gone . . . you can run any recent truck at its spec limits and expect it to do just fine. Our towing average is 10 MPG (across 24,000 towing miles) always towing at 60 MPH. A little lower MPG through the Smokies LOL. I have never bought into the "you need a diesel if you tow a lot" . . . 25% of the miles on my truck are towing . . . this is far more than most. All of the above with a HDPP 3.5L Ecoboost F150 with 3.73 axle ratio. Just say'in . . .

Rob

[slauretani]

We have a 2019 303 and we pull with a GMC 2500 duramax. We use cruise control and it tows like a dream. We have always towed with a Ford F-150 with our TT but so happy with the GMC.

[ROCamper]

Well, I guess I can speak to this thread (see my sig). I pull 8 to 10 times a season, we think that's pretty good for working full time and living in western NY. Since our family is close by, we still spend a lot of weekends doing holidays, birthdays, etc. together. Sometimes we resort to "meet us at xyz campground for a bbq to celebrate your birthday" if they aren't camping with us! Back to the subject ... the biggest concern that I have is that my gasser is my daily drive also, 12 mpg hurts the wallet every 10 days, consider this as you make your decision. My daughter and son-in-law pull a 35' 5er with 3500 Ram diesel. I usually follow behind because the diesel definitely out pulls my gasser uphill and I'm tired of hearing about his mpg. However, consider the up front price of a diesel (+$10k) and the cost of maintenance. I've had no problems with the torque with some of the campgrounds we go to, Adirondacks and the hill going to the state campground at the top of Watkins Glen that is usually from a dead stop.
I'm not one to be on a pedestal. Make sure the vehicle can and should pull your camper and don't take the word of a camper salesman. Do your own calculations and weigh in the day to day usage of the desired truck. It's not an easy question to answer.

[Ozarks]

This is my first post but have been reading for days. We have decided on a 303rls which will require a new truck. I have read lots of posts of folks pulling a 303 with a F-250 with the 6.2 but very few have commented on gearing. The 3.73 is only rated for 12,500 towing and the 303 has a gvwr of 11,995. Are you pulling this with 3.73 or do you have the 4.30 gears? If so, how does it perform? The reason I ask is I can’t find a 6.2 with the 4.20 anywhere and I’m not sure I can stand the wait to order. Thanks in advance for any input.

fastalkintn, I am pulling a 2019 303rls with 2018 F-250 6.2 4x4 that has the 3.73 gearing. I've been pulling the 303 rls all over the hills of SW Missouri without problems ( I keep the fresh water tank full). I am a full timer and the longest I stay in one spot is 5- 14 days, so you can see I move often.

[Jerryr]

Thanks to everyone for your replies, it has been very helpful. Let me see if I can answer a few questions.

I am looking for a F-250 Crew Cab 6.2 with either 3.73 or 4.30 gears. I like a higher optioned XLT but my wife is wanting a Lariat. Haven't really thought about bed length but probably 6.75 ft. We pull local, within a couple of hours from the house, 8-10 times a year. Once or twice a year will will take longer trips, maybe 1,000-2,000 miles. We live in middle Tennessee so lots of rolling hills. As a reference, we currently pull a 7,700 lb TT with a Titan XD gas engine. Last weekend we towed to the lake and I got 8.9 going out and 7.5 coming home running ~65 mph. The XD averages 14.5 mixed driving while not towing but it's not a daily driver. I have a Nissan Versa and my wife drives a Cherokee.

We are really wanting a 303rls but our towing range/distance will not change much over the next 5 years or so. After that we will see what happens. My concern is that if for some reason we load the 303 to max GVWR we will be really close to towing max of the 250 with 3.73 but I like the non-towing of the 3.73. I am a member of another RV brand forum and the weight police is strong over there so they have e a little gun shy of towing close to limits.

OK, Brandon Ford has 25 brand new F250s in stock that match your requirements of XLT, LARIAT wth and 6.2l w/4.30 rear.
https://www.brandonford.com/new-ford...trim,sf_engine

[fastalkintn]

OK, Brandon Ford has 25 brand new F250s in stock that match your requirements of XLT, LARIAT wth and 6.2l w/4.30 rear.
https://www.brandonford.com/new-ford...trim,sf_engine

I had never heard of them until you posted the link earlier. I really appreciate it, they do have a great selection.

[fastalkintn]

fastalkintn, I am pulling a 2019 303rls with 2018 F-250 6.2 4x4 that has the 3.73 gearing. I've been pulling the 303 rls all over the hills of SW Missouri without problems ( I keep the fresh water tank full). I am a full timer and the longest I stay in one spot is 5- 14 days, so you can see I move often.

This is great input, thanks so much for posting.

[GeoffnCheri]

Fastalkintn,



I personally 2nd the notion for going to the F350 but be aware that in certain configurations that an F350 is rated to tow less than an F250. For instance an F250 Crew Cab 4x4 with 6.2L gas and 3.73s is rated to tow 12,500. The same F350 is only rated for 12,200. You gain a good amount of payload but the added weight seems to sacrifice some on towing. Maybe it's a non issue for you right now but perhaps you choose to upgrade and go bigger in the future.

Another forum member here runs an F350 with 6.2L and 4.30s and believes it's really only about 0.5 mpg different. Trucks today have more gears to help improve economy. If I did it again, I'd consider going 4.10s in my Ram. But as I have said and others too, no real comp

This is a very valid point, but once the pin weight is transferred to the payload, it is not longer factored as towing weight It would be factored as payload and live in the GCVWR