Are you wondering what type of truck is best for towing a food trailer? If YES, here are 6 best trucks for towing a food trailer. Food trailers offer numerous benefits over traditional food trucks especially in terms of interior space to prepare food.
However, those benefits may not even matter unless you have a vehicle that can effectively tow your food trailer from one place to another. Have it in mind there are many options available to tow your food trailer, but this will depend on the weight of your food trailer.
To even decide on the best truck to tow your food trailer, you have to first understand how much your trailer and equipment will weigh. According to experts, a good starting estimate would be around 5,000 and 6,000 pounds – but this weight could vary depending on your menu and equipment required to prepare your food.
Using that weight as a guideline, have it in mind that there are three basic options to tow your food Trailer. Your very first option will be to tow your food trailer with a pickup truck. A good number of people use trucks to tow anything from campers to construction equipment.
Therefore for most trucks, tagging your food trailer along shouldn’t be a problem. However, if you don’t have a truck, you can also consider going with your family SUV.
Have it in mind that midsize or compact SUVs won’t work for a food trailer, you will have to get a full-size model with at least a V6 engine. Note that the only GMC SUVs that can comfortably tow your food trailer are the Yukon and potentially the Acadia Limited.
But it is always advisable you consult your owner’s handbook to know your SUV’s towing capacity before hooking up your food trailer. Meanwhile, if you can’t access a truck or a good SUV, you can use a big RV to move your food trailer.
Have in mind that bigger RVs have the towing capacity to transport your food trailer, but it will need a bit of math to understand if it will safely work. But if your RV can tow your trailer, it also offers you the advantage of traveling longer distances primarily because you can bring your home base with you.
Note that when using an RV to tow your food trailer, it will be quite difficult to maneuver in tight areas – such as narrow, winding roads or in-between other vendors to position your food trailer in a prime location. However, if you are able to handle this downside, towing with an RV is one of your very perfect options, especially if you intend to be serious with your food trailer business.
If after considering your various options and you decide to make a pickup truck purchase specifically for towing your food trailer, there are numerous truck options to pick from. Have it in mind that most new trucks on the market today are rated to tow at least 6,000 pounds.
The larger the engine and bigger the truck, the more it is generally able to tow. Nonetheless, here are some of the options to pick from.
Best Truck for Towing a Food Trailer
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2020 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 2500HD
According to reports, this Truck comes with either a 401-hp, 464-lb-ft 6.6-liter gasoline V-8 or a 445-hp, 910-lb-ft 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V-8. Although the former or its six-speed automatic is not recommended when you want to tow your food trailer, but when equipped with the latter, you get the slick-shifting 10-speed automatic and a towing capacity of up to 18,500 pounds on a conventional hitch.
In addition, the Silverado HD features a transparent trailer view system, which leverages two cameras (one on the tailgate and one that has to be installed on the trailer) to offer you the opportunity to virtually see through whatever you are towing.
Note that those features make the Silverado HD one of the best trucks for towing a travel trailer or other large, sight-impeding object hanging off your hitch ball.
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2020 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty
This remains one of the best Trucks for towing a Food Trailer, primarily because the Ram 3500 HD dually excels at towing with a fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch. When it comes with the 6.7-liter Cummins diesel inline-six that makes 400 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque, the Ram 3500 with dual rear wheels can tow a trailer weighing up to 35,100 pounds.
The disadvantages are the top-dog diesel is an $11,795 option over the base gas V-8, and to handle that huge 1,000 lb-ft, you are expected to get a high-torque version of the old six-speed automatic transmission instead of the new eight-speed.
However, even with the $2,695 cheaper 850-lb-ft Cummins or the 6.4-liter Hemi V-8, the Ram 3500 is a good choice for towing with a fifth wheel or gooseneck thanks to available features like a high-res in-bed camera and the air suspension’s trick Alt Trailer Height ability.
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2020 Ford F-150
There is a reason why this truck remains America’s best-selling pickup and this is mainly due to its track record for dependability and versatility. Note that the F-150 engine line features a capable base 3.3-liter V-6 (290 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque); two turbocharged EcoBoost V-6s, a 2.7-liter (325 hp and 400 lb-ft) and a 3.5-liter (375 hp and 470 lb-ft); a 5.0-liter V-8 (395 hp and 400 lb-ft); and a 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel V-6 (250 hp and 440 lb-ft).
In addition, there is a high-output version of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost (450 hp and 510 lb-ft) in the F-150 Raptor. Nonetheless, to tow your food trailer, consider the EcoBoost V-6s and naturally aspirated V-8 better than the new Power Stroke diesel option.
Have it in mind that the diesel feels stressed when towing on the highway, and may not offer the grunt required to pass or maintain speed uphill. Ford’s handy Pro Trailer Back-Up Assist feature also aids in moving and reversing more easily when towing, simplifying back-up maneuvers with an intuitive knob that takes all the guesswork out of steering by doing it for you.
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2020 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra
This is also another truck to consider when thinking of the best to tow your food trailer. When fitted with the 445-hp, 910-lb-ft 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V-8, and the 3500HD can tow up to 35,500 pounds. The GMC also has the advantage of extra gears to choose from with its Allison 10-speed automatic transmission.
According to experts, the Sierra 3500HD out-tow the Ram during Truck of the Year testing and also ensured that it remained one of the more pleasant trucks to tow with. Owing to how easily the GMC handled a gooseneck trailer loaded up to 10 tons, the Sierra 3500HD is one of the best trucks for towing food trailers.
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2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty
Have it in mind that the F-250 is the workhorse of the Super Duty range. The F-250 is available in a range of bed and cab configurations, and it can be fitted with a 6.2-liter V-8, the new 7.3-liter V-8 with 430 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, or the same 1,050-lb-ft Power Stroke diesel found in the 350 and 450—a more expensive option at $10,495.
However, when properly equipped, the F-250 has a max conventional towing capacity of 20,000 pounds. For what you intend to use it for, it is more than enough.
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2020 Ford F-450 Super Duty
Over many years, the truck industry has been quite dedicated to its all-out torque war, and the prize is “best-in-class” bragging rights. Presently, the leader in the towing arms race is Ford, with its well-crafted F-450 Super Duty that produces 475 hp and a breathtaking 1,050 lb-ft of torque from a 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V-8.
In the industry, that’s 50 lb-ft more than the Ram’s Cummins and 140 lb-ft more than GM’s Duramax. With a claimed max towing capacity of 37,000 pounds, it is ideal for your food trailer.
Food trailer towing isn’t as easy as just towing around a trailer on the back of your truck. It is imperative that you understand weight limits and also leverage the correct hitch, especially since using correct hitch equipment are the key to safe food trailer towing for your mobile food business.