Great looking rig. Can you give me an assessment of your towing experience thus far? I have a 2007 F150 5.4L super crew "rated" to tow up to 9200lbs. I have no worries about the weight of the 31BHD, but the length concerns me a bit.
Thanks in advance.
I have posted about my experiences on RV.net and Northtrail.com you may be interested in.
We had a 2007 Jayco 26L that was 5 feet shorter and about 1,900# lighter (fully loaded) than our current North Trail 31BHD. The 31BHD literally beats the snot out of the Jayco in the towing department. I would almost swear the NT is much lighter, although it isn't. The wide track axles, enclosed underbelly, better balance, better aerodynamics (sloped front cap), and less tongue weight make towing our 31BHD with our 2008 Ford F-150 Supercrew an unbelievably different experience. No, it doesn't tow like it would behind the diesels I am accustomed to, but for a 1/2 ton gasser, it is great. It changed my whole outlook.
I have a 2008 Ford F-150 Supercrew, King Ranch, long bed (6-1/2 foot), 4X4, 5.4L 3V V-8 with the 3.73 limited slip rear end. Mind you, I have larger tires 20" tires by Michelin as I wanted LT rated rubber. They are E-rated and weigh ALOT more than the stock Pirelli's, and have messed my gear ration a bit due to their larger diameter. Their weight alone has impacted my out-of-the-hole towing, but I still think the North Trail pulls great. That is all with the stock engine.
I now run Troyer and VMP towing tunes (like Troyer best) with SIDO MBRP dual exhaust and an AF-1 3-1/2" intake, and love the even better towing. Still not a diesel, but for the close to 50,000 to 60,000 miles a year I drive, the cost of gas alone is a big savings over diesel.