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Old 01-29-2016, 10:32 AM   #1
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F150 toad

Anyone have issues with towing an F150 as far as hills and long distances. I want to tow my F150 behind our 2014 Itasca 34B with 360HP and 880 ft. pounds of Torque. I will be installing an air assist braking system that mounts behind the F 150's master cylinder. I really don't want to buy another toad, for those that are towing the F 150 - any issues?
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Old 01-29-2016, 02:51 PM   #2
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My F-150 weighs 5,340 lbs. That's one heavy toad.
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Old 01-29-2016, 02:55 PM   #3
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I used a 2011 F150 Super Crew with the Long bed as my Toad for several years. It was behind a 2003 Monaco Windsor with the ISL I believe. The 2011 required a remco driveline disconnect, and I used a 10,000 tow bar from RoadMaster with an air brake kit, it worked awesome no issues at all, and the Monaco never really noticed the toad.
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Old 01-29-2016, 09:00 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by 46490 View Post
Anyone have issues with towing an F150 as far as hills and long distances. I want to tow my F150 behind our 2014 Itasca 34B with 360HP and 880 ft. pounds of Torque. I will be installing an air assist braking system that mounts behind the F 150's master cylinder. I really don't want to buy another toad, for those that are towing the F 150 - any issues?
46490,
First off, you'll need to tell us what year of F-150 you're thinking of towing and, whether or not it's 4-WD. You see, any F-150 before 2012, IS NOT FLAT TOWABLE. Now, that's not to say it's flat out not possible to tow one. As a previous poster stated, modifications needed to be done, to tow his.

But, in 2012, Ford, in its infinite wisdom, made changes to the transfer case operations so that a "N" or, Neutral could be obtained. And with that, the truck could be flat towed, with no modifications. Just hook it up, follow the procedures outlined in the owners manual for prep for towing and, you're off to the races. Now, of course, this only applies to the 4x4 version, not the 4x2 version.

As for the weight involved, if your F-150 is close to the same layout as one of our present toads, an '11 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab 4x4, it's probably hovering around 5200-5400 lbs. or so. Our GMC tips the scales right at 5300.

Our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP and 860 ft. lbs. of torque, hauls that truck all around the western U.S. with no issues at all. And, not only that, but, often that truck is carrying a 900 lb., 2008 Honda GL 1800 Goldwing, on a 300 lb. Rampage lift, mounted in the back of the truck. So, that coach is dragging approximately 6700 lbs. behind it.

Your engine should and will, do just fine with that F-150 behind it. But, again, I don't know what year yours is.
Scott
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Old 02-01-2016, 07:52 AM   #5
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46490,
First off, you'll need to tell us what year of F-150 you're thinking of towing and, whether or not it's 4-WD. You see, any F-150 before 2012, IS NOT FLAT TOWABLE. Now, that's not to say it's flat out not possible to tow one. As a previous poster stated, modifications needed to be done, to tow his.

But, in 2012, Ford, in its infinite wisdom, made changes to the transfer case operations so that a "N" or, Neutral could be obtained. And with that, the truck could be flat towed, with no modifications. Just hook it up, follow the procedures outlined in the owners manual for prep for towing and, you're off to the races. Now, of course, this only applies to the 4x4 version, not the 4x2 version.

As for the weight involved, if your F-150 is close to the same layout as one of our present toads, an '11 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab 4x4, it's probably hovering around 5200-5400 lbs. or so. Our GMC tips the scales right at 5300.

Our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP and 860 ft. lbs. of torque, hauls that truck all around the western U.S. with no issues at all. And, not only that, but, often that truck is carrying a 900 lb., 2008 Honda GL 1800 Goldwing, on a 300 lb. Rampage lift, mounted in the back of the truck. So, that coach is dragging approximately 6700 lbs. behind it.

Your engine should and will, do just fine with that F-150 behind it. But, again, I don't know what year yours is.
Scott
My F150 is a 2013 FX4 super crew short bed, so with your info I should be fine. What kind of braking system do you use? I was thinking of the M@G system so that I would not have to install or move something from the brake pedal. Thanks for the info.
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Old 02-01-2016, 08:30 AM   #6
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Towed 7500# with 330HP and 850 torque and did fine. Just make sure the hitch on the MH side is rated for the weight. Towing 4500# now with v10 and doing fine. As to the hitch and braking system look at the ready brute, mechanical with EZ install. Cost is less by nearly half of tow bar plus braking system.
With your combination on steep mountain pass condition you may be slowed to truck climb speed but your only talking 10-15 minute climb time.

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Old 02-01-2016, 10:01 AM   #7
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Years ago I used to tow my 2000 F150 4x4 with manual transfer case, behind my motorhome. It was never my fulltime toad, but I pulled it back & forth occasionally when I was building my future winter ranch and needed it to haul lumber at the ranch work site.
The only special requirement (in addition to the normal flat towing setup) was it needed a transfer case vacuum line blocked off, or the electrical feed cable to the solenoid that controlled that vacuum line disconnected. Instructions were written up right in the owners manual.
To the OP, my coach had a Cat C7 330HP engine and it barely new that 4500 lb truck was back there. On long steep climbs obviously you're going to slow down more pulling a 5500 lb toad than you would pulling a 4500 lb one. But as long as you're in no hurry and your coach & hitch is rated for whatever weight you're pulling, no problem.
Likewise, if your radiator face is clogged up with oil or debris, its more likely to overheat sooner when pulling a heavier load but its going to overheat eventually even with no load, if its clogged up.

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46490,
First off, you'll need to tell us what year of F-150 you're thinking of towing and, whether or not it's 4-WD. You see, any F-150 before 2012, IS NOT FLAT TOWABLE. Now, that's not to say it's flat out not possible to tow one. As a previous poster stated, modifications needed to be done, to tow his.
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Old 02-01-2016, 10:06 AM   #8
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My F150 is a 2013 FX4 super crew short bed, so with your info I should be fine. What kind of braking system do you use? I was thinking of the M@G system so that I would not have to install or move something from the brake pedal. Thanks for the info.
46490,
Thanks for getting back here with your truck specs. So many fail to do so when others are trying to help with an issue. Anyway, Yep, you're '13 F-150 4x4 IS authorized for flat towing. If I recall, there's a couple more steps in the prep for towing than our '11 GMC. But, you'll find all you need in the owners manual for procedure.

Now, I use a Blue Ox Aventa Steel tow bar that's rated at 10,000 lbs. And, I recently changed from the Ready Brake system to the M & G system. I should have gone to the M & G system decades ago, when we first purchased our Itasca DP. Without a doubt, it's by far, the nicest, simplest system to use and, with ZERO intrusion in the interior of the cab of the truck.
In other words, there's absolutely NOTHING in the inside of the truck that pushes on the brake pedal, no robot, not air cylinder, no cable, nothing.

In prep for towing, all you do is hook up one, curly cue air hose from the coach to the toad and, YOU'RE DONE! No adjustments, no electrical, no drain on the toads battery system.

But, it surely does help if you own a diesel coach with air brakes. I haven't checked to see if M & G makes a unit for the '13 F-150. If they do, it's not very hard to install. We presently have two different toads. We haul the '11 GMC and, we also tow, depending on our intentions when we arrive at our destination, an '03 Jeep Rubicon.

I installed the M & G units in both vehicles. The install of the unit is easy. The hard part is "tweaking" all the brake lines, AT ONE TIME in order for the master cylinder to move forward enough to make room for the M & G unit. There's enough room and, with a little perseverance, you'll make it work. That is IF, you plan on doing the install yourself.

As far as the coach side, that is REALLY simple. I read the instructions and, sill had a bit of a question so, a quick call to M & G for clarification and, all was well. The install part on the coach took me all of about 45 minutes. If you have any questions, surely ask.
Scott
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Old 02-04-2016, 06:48 AM   #9
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I have a 2014 Ford F150 4wd I installed the roadmaster bracket. The tow bar is a Demco Excabar tow bar and a roadmaster brakemaster brake.
I just returned from my first tow 3000 miles. It towed great no problems.
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Old 02-04-2016, 10:35 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by FIRE UP View Post
46490,


In prep for towing, all you do is hook up one, curly cue air hose from the coach to the toad and, YOU'RE DONE! No adjustments, no electrical, no drain on the toads battery system.

Scott
Scott, no electrical - how about the turn signals, tail lights? Wireless?

Bob
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Old 02-04-2016, 07:01 PM   #11
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Scott, no electrical - how about the turn signals, tail lights? Wireless?

Bob
Bob,
What I meant in that statement was, no additional work or hooking up anything, electrical pertaining to any robot pushing on the brake pedal that has to be placed, then removed and stored when you've arrived at your campsite/RV park, no battery drain from the toads braking system that needs an electrical hook up to work, and things like that.

Yep, I still need to hook up the safety cables, pig tail for lighting and the tow bar. But, the little curly cue air hose with quick disconnect fittings at both ends, is all that's needed for the M & G.
Scott
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Old 02-04-2016, 09:24 PM   #12
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Anyone have issues with towing an F150 as far as hills and long distances. I want to tow my F150 behind our 2014 Itasca 34B with 360HP and 880 ft. pounds of Torque. I will be installing an air assist braking system that mounts behind the F 150's master cylinder. I really don't want to buy another toad, for those that are towing the F 150 - any issues?
One of our friends full-times, used to tow a F150 behind his W Journey, traded it for a 1/2T CC dodge. He's never said anything about lack of power. We've traveled with them, he's right about having enough power.
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