I have an F150 with 7700# tow capacity. It has the 5L and 3.55 gears. It has the tow package. I am starting to look at for my next TT, and had been looking to stay at or below 5000# dry weight. However, I have found a camper we really like that is right at 5500# dry weight. I do not want to be limited in where we pull it (flat land vs. mountains). Would you pull this camper with this pickup? I can manage the cargo weight and GVWR of the pickup. Just looking at pulling.

Do you mind higher engine rpms in the 3000-4000 range on the grades? That's really the question you need to determine for yourself...The 5.0 is a great engine.. It just produces it's peak power in the higher rpm ranges, so you can't be afraid to rev it when needed..The #500 difference in "dry" weight figures isn't really going to make any difference IMO.. I tow a #5000 GVWR TT with the F150 in my sig and it does fine, but I have a different engine and rear gear, so I can pull the grades in 4th gear, going 60 mph and pulling around 2600 "easy" rpms.. :)If I ever get a new TT, my max GVWR on it will be #7500. Don't care about "dry" weights, because between me and my wife, we will stuff it full of stuff and not look back! :)Good luck!Mitch

No reason why not really, as long as you stay in your weights. It should go up the hill with power to spare, but at some pretty good RPM. But in truth. My 5.0 sounds GREAT at the high rpms. I love it.

I believe with the limited info you provided that your GCVWR is 13500#. When you load the trailer, add the W/D hitch, full propane, battery, passengers and misc. weight in the bed you will find yourself at or close to the GCVWR. That being said you will be able to tow it but your comfort level can only be determined by you. Being in the plains states you will probably be OK but heading into the mountains you may be disappointed. If you feel that strongly about the new TT go for it but set your expectations low and suffer little disappointment. Go into it with the thought that you may want to upgrade your TV later and you will be OK. The truck won't fall apart towing that TT but keep an open mind about your expectations and if you wind up not being satisfied don't throw money at your TV for what I like to call snake oil cures since most of the time that solves nothing and just takes money away that could be used to upgrade to a new TV. Good luck.Doug

I have pretty much the same truck. I also have a transmission cooler, which you may have as well. Our TT is round 6500 lbs. My truck has zero problems on the flats, very comfortable. There are some mountain grades that spike the RPM's a bit! I have not had any problems so far. I just take it slow and let the truck/tow mode do the work. I'm certainly at the higher end of my towing capacity.

Skiles, you say your TT is around 6500#. Is that dry weight or loaded and on the road? I am thinking I can pull it and handle it OK. I don't mind letting the 5L rev and do it's work.Thanks.

F150 Again | Good Sam Community

tragusa3
Explorer
Nov 18, 2016
Mine is 5300 dry and 7500 max loaded. We've towed 20k miles covering most of the country. Not only does it do it, it does it well. With tongue weight and a family of 4, I am about 175 pounds over on my rear axle on extended trips.

Note: I've got a different engine and rear end.
iagary
Explorer
Nov 18, 2016
Yeah I am not serious about a gearing change. Was waiting on service for the F150 and was just visiting with the service manager. I am of the same opinion that I can just drop a gear and achieve the same result (per what I wrote in an earlier post in this thread).

Another guy had an F150 in for service also. He had 3.31 gears and the 5L. he was planning to tow an 8,000# plus TT. If he can do that I can do 6500#.
joshuajim
Explorer II
Nov 17, 2016
On the newer multi speed trans (i.e. 6 speed), it doesn't make any sense to me to change the differential gearing at a very high initial cost and increased lifetime cost. If you downshift a Ford 6 speed with a 3.55 trans to 5th gear, you then have the equivalent of a 4.42 differential. Sure, you have one less gear, but so what!

This isn't the old days of the 3 speed.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Nov 17, 2016
theoldwizard1 wrote:
iagary wrote:
Skiles, by the way, mine is also a 2014 and does have the trans cooler, tow/haul and integrated brake controller. I wish I had 3.73 gears, but the transmission can take care of that IMO.

If you tow through hilly areas, I would get a 3.73 installed and then have the dealer re-calibrate the speedo (software change).
Well if you're honestly thinking about dropping 1 or 2 grand into changing your gear ratio, you really ought to go with something numerically larger than 3.73. It's only marginally better than 3.55. Not worth doing. And as already pointed out, 3.55 should be just fine for your needs.
Adam_H
Explorer
Nov 17, 2016
mkirsch wrote:
spud1957 wrote:
Speedometer does not need to be adjusted for gear change. Needs to be changed for tire size change.

Incorrect. The speedometer sensor is in the transmission, and is counting transmission revolutions, then doing a calculation based on tire size and final gear ratio.

If you change the final gear ratio, you need to change the calculation that the computer does to determine speed.

Nope, picks it up of the exciter bolted to the ring gear. Unaffected by gear changes unless something has changed in the last 3 years but I doubt it. That being said, you may need to calibrate for transmission shift strategy but the "accuracy" of the speedo is unaffected.

I wouldn't hesitate to tow that trailer with my F150 and yours is much more capable....

Adam
iagary
Explorer
Nov 15, 2016
I spoke to my Ford dealer service manager. He is getting me the information on the gear change. He confirmed that a software change is needed if the gear is changed, and that is included in the project.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Nov 14, 2016
spud1957 wrote:
Speedometer does not need to be adjusted for gear change. Needs to be changed for tire size change.

Incorrect. The speedometer sensor is in the transmission, and is counting transmission revolutions, then doing a calculation based on tire size and final gear ratio.

If you change the final gear ratio, you need to change the calculation that the computer does to determine speed.
spud1957
Explorer
Nov 14, 2016
theoldwizard1 wrote:
iagary wrote:
Skiles, by the way, mine is also a 2014 and does have the trans cooler, tow/haul and integrated brake controller. I wish I had 3.73 gears, but the transmission can take care of that IMO.

If you tow through hilly areas, I would get a 3.73 installed and then have the dealer re-calibrate the speedo (software change).

Speedometer does not need to be adjusted for gear change. Needs to be changed for tire size change.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Nov 11, 2016
I also think you'll be just fine. The 3.55 gears are worst thing you listed, but the 6 speed transmission more than compensates for that. I would do it.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Nov 11, 2016
^Or drop a gear, 2 or 3. That 5.0 will run down the highway in 3rd gear if it has to.
Fwiw, I wouldn't be skeered of towing 6-7klbs TT anywhere with a 5.0 F150. Had great luck with one, and frankly I believe it towed as well as my next 2 6.2 F250s from a power standpoint.

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