F150 w/ Eco Boost Enough

fiveorover wrote:

I have been on other forums (other topics) and always seem to get a cluster of sarcastic and/or PIA people posting and even taking over my thread but you all have been very helpful.

Hang tight, this thread ain't over yet. :(

fiveorover wrote:

I am not surprised that most everyone recommends the 250 but am a little taken aback by the fact that it seems the 150 would struggle (my interpretation from the posts) and/or be too small to pull it.

I don't think it would struggle pulling it in the least. The EB coupled with the 6-speed transmission is an amazingly powerful combination. But it is on a half-ton chassis, so you need to be smart. My combination is as big and heavy as I'd want to go without the HD payload option. With the HD payload option, I'd be comfortable pulling your trailer, but I'd also be aware that I'd be right at the limit of the truck's capabilities.

There are a lot of reasons not to prefer a 3/4 ton, especially if it's your daily driver like mine is. With my 2003 Ram 1500 Hemi, I got 12 MPG in my around-town daily driving (I do almost no highway driving). I imagine a modern 3/4 ton would be similar. With my new truck, I'm getting 16 MPG doing the same driving. That's a huge (33%) difference.

fiveorover wrote:

Every time I tow with my camper I feel like a schmuck for putting my family inside and risking all of our lives in the process. We don't camp more than 4 hours away and have only been going about 5 times a year, but it still puts a strain on the LTZ. If I get her rolling on flat ground, she will haul it down the highway pretty good. Of course it has weight distribution and sway bar control on the hitch too, plus auto leveling on my truck. But it still down shifts hard on hills and I can really feel it whip me around.

The whipping around part is the point of concern. That's due to low payload and short wheelbase, and maybe even improper loading of the trailer. You want to make sure you've got 12-15% of the trailer's total weight on the tongue. A lot of folks with weak payload capabilities try to solve their problem by shifting weight to the rear of the trailer. Bad idea. That sets up a weight imbalance that will help induce trailer sway.

fiveorover wrote:

I really didn't want to buy my next vehicle based on the needs of the camper, since we only go a few times a year, but it also doesn't make sense to own 3 vehicles right now. I was really hoping to find something that serves my non camping needs and while it may not be the ideal tow vehicle would still easily tow the camper safely.

If I were in your situation, I'd get an F-150 EB with the max tow and HD payload options (those are two different things). It would be a significant improvement over your Tahoe. You'll probably have to order it, but IMO it's the perfect combination for your needs.


-- Rob