Interstate 15

[RowdyRoadie]

Hi all, my wife and I (Florida flatlanders) are planning our first trip out west.  We would appreciate any insights on towing our travel trailer on Intertstate 15.

[td1837]

Sell the gas truck as it will struggle going west. Get a diesell!

[nickthehunter]

“Struggle”? I tow a 7600 lbs trailer with a fully loaded truck (2500 lbs payload, HDPP, max tow) with a 3.5 ecoboost effortlessly. As long as he is within his ratings without exceeding any ratings there is no reason for him to consider buying a different truck. Is I see it, the biggest consideration he may have is payload, and that has nothing to do with the V6 ecoboost or struggling.

[td1837]

3.5 ? you got to be kidding me...i guess anything can tow anything anywhere its just how safe you want to be. Going 20mph up a 6% grade at 7000 ft is not safe as you will be run off the road by semi's and all the other folks.

[nickthehunter]

Before you get in too deep, maybe you should educate yourself about the 3.5 ecoboost and the J2807 standard. I assure you, “l’m not kidding you”. 
On the other hand, if you would like to provide some factual information rather than your “opinions”, I’d be more than happy to have that fact based discussion with you. As my basis in fact, I provide J2807 standard that the F150 adheres to.

[SuperBus]

If you subscribe to RV Life and use their trip wizard, it has a really cool feature that shows the elevation and grade across your entire route.    That can also give you a good idea of what to expect.   You'll know if you have a 6,000 ft. gain over the course of a relatively short period of time, for example.  Here s is an example of an upcoming trip I have out west.

[Papamgreid]

You will likely have a great trip. There are many wonderful places to explore and enjoy along Interstate 15. To echo RickLight, it would be a good idea to provide your intended routing along I-15. Since it stretches from the Canadian border to San Diego, I-15 covers nearly every type of terrain and climate you can imagine. We could provide more specific information with more detail. 

[RickLight]

I'm glad you're asking! Being aware of the differences of wherever you are is the essence of safety. Mountains make all sorts of things different; temperature, oxygen, road surfaces, inclines etc. but that's why you're asking. 

I15 is a full interstate that meets all the regs. Everyone will suggest going slow, paying attention to weather forecasts and similar basics. I suggest taking a good look at the truck towing specifications and overall condition, especially the brakes. Pulling up is hard, but stopping downhill is much harder. Gravity will give the trailer its own engine. 

My favorite trick is to follow a reasonable trucker. They won't go faster than you can, and know what's coming up. #2 tip is to be willing to pull off and wait for better conditions. Whether it's for an hour or a day or two, don't push yourself or your gear. 

Post some specifics (rig, route, plans) and we can be more helpful. 

[RowdyRoadie]

We're towing an Alliance Delta 30' travel trailer, about 8,000 lbs loaded with a 2023 Ford F-150 4x4 Eco-Boost V6 rated to tow 11,300 lbs. The truck seems to have all the bells and whistles for towing. We'll be traveling in June from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone and on to Glacier Mountain NP on I-15 (unless there is a better, more trailer-friendly route).  My steepest decent to date has been 350' in the "Northern Florida Highlands" 😀. Any info you can provide on grades, descents, RV parks, etc. would be greatly appreciated.