I tried a search on this subject, but wasn't successful. I am looking at changing out my TV with something newer and would like to go with a Ford since there are only a Ford or Toyota dealer in the desert town where I live; the nearest other dealers are 80+ miles away; I lost my local Dodge and Chevy dealers in the downsizing a few years ago. The Chevy 6.0s appear to be a nice TV, but again 80+ miles to the dealer is just too much. Even though I have access to a Navy base auto hobby shop with lifts, transmission and coolant exchangers, etc, and do most of my own services, it would be nice to have a dealer around for the times when I just don't want to crawl around and get dirty. I would like to spend less than $30k on a used gas truck and have run across the F250s with the 5.4, but am unsure of their towing abilities, especially in the mountains; every trip I am towing up 6% grades. The Ford V10 will definitely do the job, but since my current trailer and any future trailer will be max 20-23', the V10 may be overkill, but then again maybe the V10 is what I should be looking for. Does anyone have any experience with the 5.4? What gearing should I look for? I’m sure there were improvements thru the years so is there a certain year and after that I should be looking for? Thanks for any help.

I had an '04 Expedition with the 5.4. You'll just have to get used to driving uphill slowly at 4,000 RPM. V-10 is nice, but thirsty all the time.Have you thought about a used diesel? Lots of nice ones around that would fit your budget.

I have experience with the 5.4 in the F150 and the V10 in a F350 dually. As with any of the modern gassers the 5.4 will do the job just fine, it may be a little slower on the hills but thats to be expected. Let the motor rev and do its job and you will get where you are going. In the SuperDuty you may get 1-2 mpg difference between the V10 or the V8... maybe... over on FTE most users of the V10 and the 5.4 report about the same MPG.. in a f250 it will be 10-14 depending on you. 7-8 ish towing pretty much anything. Either way, I recommend going for an 08 and up V10. Towing guides for 08 rates the 5.4 F250 from 9400 lbs all the way up to around 11k lbs on the trailer weight. The V10 model gets rated all the way up to around 15k lbs depending on the trucks configuration. Thanks and good luck!Jeremiah

Thanks for the reply. From the few postings I have found on other websites, I am concerned that the 5.4 is only adequate in the mountains. I am only interested in a gas powered TV so I am leaning more towards the V10.

I had an F-150 with the 5.4 towing a 24' Prowler I hated it! It worked fine driving on flat ground and at highway speeds but any hills and it sucked bad. We had gone to a lake about 3 hrs away on the 4th of july one year and the wind was blowing 30+ on the way back I was on the interstate bucking a head wind got almost all the way around a semi at 65+/-mph had it all the way to the floor with bumper to bumper traffic and I could not get by him. That was the last time I towed my camper on the interstate. We got rid of the truck and bought our Chevy 2500HD duramax diesel! I use to get a new truck every 3 years or so and have had the chevy for going on 10 years and not looking to get one anytime soon.If you get the 250 get the diesel or the V-10 so your not kicking yourself later.Good luck

BIL has one, I beleive it's a 2010 f250 5.4 gas job. He pulls 8k plus loaded and doesn't complain about it. Seems like a good engine and will do the job. Very reliable from what I know. V 10 would be nice but a 5.4 should do the job nicely with what your planning on towing.

Towing with an F250 with the 5.4 | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

skipnchar
Explorer
Dec 06, 2013
I have done a"TON" of mountain towing with a 5.4 in an HD F150 and much of it with my current ~8,000 lb trailer. With the three valve engine it WILL do the job. It would struggle with that much weight sometimes on grades of 6% to 8% but it always got me there. Over 80,000 towing miles on the truck and 150,000 T
Total miles and only one repair ever needed (exhaust manifold cracked). I would think that with your smaller trailer it would do very well.

All that being said there is nothing like the ecoboost fir mountain towing because there is almost ZERO altitude loss due to the twin turbos but not within your price range.
spoon059
Explorer II
Dec 06, 2013
For that small of a trailer you might want to consider a Tundra too. I bought my Tundra new in 2010 with the 5.7 V8 for $30,500. For the small weights you are considering, the Tundra really performs very well with 381 HP and 400+ ft/lbs of torque.

Just an option to consider.
path1
Explorer
Dec 06, 2013
2003 Small class c on f350 frame with 5.4 Leaves drive way 13,800 pds. Not a ball of fire but gets us wherever we want to go.
jerem0621
Explorer II
Dec 06, 2013
I'm going to throw another idea out here. I just noticed the TT that you plan to pull with.

Why not consider a new or newer F150 with a 5.0 or the 3.5 EcoBoost. Your budget will get you a new or newer F150 with the max tow package and that will EASILY handle your planned trailer.

Thanks!
kw_00
Explorer
Dec 06, 2013
BIL has one, I beleive it's a 2010 f250 5.4 gas job. He pulls 8k plus loaded and doesn't complain about it. Seems like a good engine and will do the job. Very reliable from what I know. V 10 would be nice but a 5.4 should do the job nicely with what your planning on towing.
calamus
Explorer
Dec 06, 2013
I had an F-150 with the 5.4 towing a 24' Prowler I hated it! It worked fine driving on flat ground and at highway speeds but any hills and it sucked bad. We had gone to a lake about 3 hrs away on the 4th of july one year and the wind was blowing 30+ on the way back I was on the interstate bucking a head wind got almost all the way around a semi at 65+/-mph had it all the way to the floor with bumper to bumper traffic and I could not get by him. That was the last time I towed my camper on the interstate. We got rid of the truck and bought our Chevy 2500HD duramax diesel! I use to get a new truck every 3 years or so and have had the chevy for going on 10 years and not looking to get one anytime soon.If you get the 250 get the diesel or the V-10 so your not kicking yourself later.Good luck
DesertTracker
Explorer
Dec 06, 2013
Thanks for the reply. From the few postings I have found on other websites, I am concerned that the 5.4 is only adequate in the mountains. I am only interested in a gas powered TV so I am leaning more towards the V10.
jerem0621
Explorer II
Dec 06, 2013
I have experience with the 5.4 in the F150 and the V10 in a F350 dually. As with any of the modern gassers the 5.4 will do the job just fine, it may be a little slower on the hills but thats to be expected. Let the motor rev and do its job and you will get where you are going.

In the SuperDuty you may get 1-2 mpg difference between the V10 or the V8... maybe... over on FTE most users of the V10 and the 5.4 report about the same MPG.. in a f250 it will be 10-14 depending on you. 7-8 ish towing pretty much anything.

Either way, I recommend going for an 08 and up V10.

Towing guides for 08 rates the 5.4 F250 from 9400 lbs all the way up to around 11k lbs on the trailer weight.

The V10 model gets rated all the way up to around 15k lbs depending on the trucks configuration.

Thanks and good luck!

Jeremiah
mbutts
Explorer
Dec 06, 2013
I had an '04 Expedition with the 5.4. You'll just have to get used to driving uphill slowly at 4,000 RPM. V-10 is nice, but thirsty all the time.

Have you thought about a used diesel? Lots of nice ones around that would fit your budget.

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Towing with an F250 with the 5.4

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