[DougD]

I have owned a '96 F-250 w/351w for 7 years, and it towed my open trailer and '87 Mustang without a problem, even over the Rocky Mountains. Last year I swapped my open trailer for an enclosed 20-footer. Talk about a world of difference! What was more than adequate before was suddenly inadequate. In fact, the '250 actually shut down and died along I-80 last summer on a 95 degree day on a particularly hilly section. I had to unhook the battery, let the computer power down, hook up the battery again to reboot the computer, and limp home. This was a low mileage, excellent condition truck with the Trailer Package and 4.10:1 gears.

An enclosed trailer is WAY different than an open one. The wind resistance makes a huge difference. I don't personally think ANY of the trucks on your list will be adequate. I wouldn't even consider anything less than a V-10 or Diesel. I bought an F-250 SD Diesel this spring, and it pulls the enclosed trailer like a champ. It yields 20mpg hwy. unloaded, 12-15 pulling the trailer vs 15/6-8 with the old one. On the overkill idea, be aware that you don't have to go with a crew cab dually to get the diesel. I bought a std. cab long bed that fits in my garage but has the diesel/6speed combo I wanted (smallest truck with largest engine). I ordered it so I could get just the options I wanted without paying for all the extras I didn't want, and ended up with the perfect puller (IMO) for a relatively inexpensive $29,000. If you're willing to go 2 wheel drive, you can whack another $2000-3000 off the price.

Don't underestimate what it will take to pull an enclosed trailer. I did, and had to swap vehicles, which cost me more in the long run. Torque is king when pulling. The new Ford modular 4.6/5.4 engines are just not up to the task if you're using the vehicle as a truck, not a car. My experience is with Fords, but Chevy and Dodge both have powerful Diesels that should also do the trick. Buy a Toyota/Nissan truck? NOT!

I thought my old F-250 was overkill when I bought it. An F-150 would have worked fine for hauling our dirt bikes, occasional loads of gravel/dirt, back and forth to work, etc. And if I had stayed with an open trailer, it would have been fine. But going to the enclosed trailer changed the requirements. The last thing you want is to have problems with your tow vehicle while on a trip to enjoy that Cobra!