2027 Ford F-250 for Recreational Towing: Campers & Fifth-Wheels

If your idea of a good weekend is a camper behind the truck headed for Lake Oahe or the Black Hills, the 2027 F-250 is built for it. With the now-standard 7.3L gas V8 and the right tow setup, it pulls big travel trailers and most fifth-wheels comfortably — no diesel required for the majority of recreational towing.

Here’s what the F-250 tows for RVs, whether the gas V8 is enough for a big fifth-wheel, the tow equipment worth ordering, and how to match a trailer to your exact configuration.

How much can the 2027 F-250 tow for RVs?

Properly equipped, the 7.3L gas F-250 tows up to about 19,500 lbs on a fifth-wheel or gooseneck and 18,200 lbs conventional. The 6.7L High-Output diesel raises that to up to 22,100 lbs fifth-wheel and 22,000 lbs conventional. That covers the full range of travel trailers and the large majority of recreational fifth-wheels.

For perspective, a typical family fifth-wheel runs roughly 12,000 to 16,000 lbs loaded, and most bumper-pull travel trailers come in well under that. Both sit comfortably inside the F-250’s range with margin to spare for gear, water, and the climb out of a river valley.

Maximums require proper equipment and vary by cab, bed, axle, and configuration. Always tow to your specific truck’s door-jamb ratings.

Can the 7.3L gas pull a big fifth-wheel?

Yes — the now-standard 7.3L gas V8 tows a fifth-wheel up to about 19,500 lbs, which covers the large majority of recreational fifth-wheel campers. Unless your rig is a heavy toy hauler or a full-time-living fifth-wheel near the top of the range, the gas truck has the capability.

The number that trips people up isn’t the tow rating — it’s king pin weight. A fifth-wheel puts roughly 15% of its loaded weight down on the truck, so a 16,000-lb fifth-wheel adds around 2,400 lbs to the bed. That has to fit within the F-250’s payload along with your passengers and gear, which is exactly why the payload number matters as much as the tow rating.

What tow package, hitch, and mirrors do you want?

For recreational towing, order the trailer tow equipment that makes the trip easy and safe: the factory trailer tow package with the 7-wire harness, the integrated trailer brake controller, PowerScope telescoping tow mirrors, and the fifth-wheel/gooseneck prep package if you’re pulling either. The F-250’s 2.5-inch receiver is rated to 22,000 lbs and 2,200 lbs of tongue weight.

• Trailer Tow Package — 7-wire harness and connector, the backbone of any RV setup.
• Integrated trailer brake controller — smooth, factory-tuned trailer braking.
• PowerScope telescoping trailer tow mirrors — the visibility you’ll want behind a wide fifth-wheel.
• Fifth-wheel / gooseneck prep package — factory bed prep so the hitch installs clean.
• 360-degree camera and Pro Trailer features where available — a big help backing into a tight campsite.

How to match a trailer to your F-250 config

Match three numbers, not one: your trailer’s loaded weight against the truck’s tow rating, your trailer’s tongue or king pin weight against the truck’s payload, and your total combined weight against the GCWR on the door jamb. The tow rating alone doesn’t tell you if the truck can carry the hitch weight.

Cab, bed, axle ratio, and engine all shift those numbers, so the smartest move is to spec the truck around your actual trailer. Tell us your camper’s loaded weight and we’ll build an F-250 with the right axle and options to tow it with margin — or check it against a truck already on the lot before you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

My Take on Towing a Camper With the F-250

The thing I most want camper buyers to walk away knowing is to bring me the trailer’s real loaded weight, not the brochure dry weight. People load a fifth-wheel up with water, gear, and a generator and suddenly the king pin weight is a different number than they planned for. When we spec the truck around the trailer you actually own, the F-250 tows it beautifully — and most folks are pleasantly surprised the standard gas V8 is all they need.

Headed to Oahe or the Hills this summer? Bring me your camper’s numbers and we’ll build or find the right F-250 to pull it. Stop by Beadle Ford in Bowdle anytime.