Ford F-150 5.0 V8 Towing

[georgefarl1945]

I have a 30 ft TT at #7100 wet. I am looking at a 2013 F150 XLT 4x4 Supercrew with the 5.0 v8. How is this truck for towing

Thanks
George

[Hunterred]

Tystevens wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
So I looked it up on the GM website, and it is more than we were told. The 3.08 has a 6300lb towing capacity, and the 3.42 has a 8200lb towing capacity. So there is a 1900lb difference in the 2 gears. The 3.73 was not listed. Nor was a 4.10.
Still to be sure. We will go by a GM dealer and get their input.

I'm not sure (it has been a few years since I've dug in to the topic), but I think the factor you're missing is the "K5L" hd cooling package. In my recollection, that was necessary to get the top ratings along with the 3.42 gears, and without the cooling equipment, it was quite a bit lower.

3.42 is the highest (lowest?) GM is putting in the 1500s with the 6 spd. You have to go back to 2007 to get 4.10 gears w/ the 4 spd transmission.

My 2015 Sierra has 3.73 gears with the 5.3 and 6 speed.

[Tystevens]

go jets go wrote:
I tow approximately 6500 lbs with my 5.0 and 3.55's and it does really well. I generally lock out sixth gear. I think it's funny that people generally view the GM 6.0 as a really good towing motor yet the 5.0 with almost the exact same horsepower and torque ratings is viewed as somehow lacking.

I don't think anyone is saying that the 5.0 is lacking. It is just that you have to rev it quite a bit more to get power out of it. Different power delivery characteristics, that's all.

You may or may not like that. Personally, I prefer the low end torque of the ecoboost better, but that's just me (and, apparently, a lot of other people on this thread!).

[Tystevens]

Terryallan wrote:
So I looked it up on the GM website, and it is more than we were told. The 3.08 has a 6300lb towing capacity, and the 3.42 has a 8200lb towing capacity. So there is a 1900lb difference in the 2 gears. The 3.73 was not listed. Nor was a 4.10.
Still to be sure. We will go by a GM dealer and get their input.

I'm not sure (it has been a few years since I've dug in to the topic), but I think the factor you're missing is the "K5L" hd cooling package. In my recollection, that was necessary to get the top ratings along with the 3.42 gears, and without the cooling equipment, it was quite a bit lower.

3.42 is the highest (lowest?) GM is putting in the 1500s with the 6 spd. You have to go back to 2007 to get 4.10 gears w/ the 4 spd transmission.

[Buzam]

I had a similar set-up. The power was great, no problem there, transmission in tow/haul mode works perfect, rev that engine and you've got all the power you need. (3.73 gears)

I recently switched to a 3/4 ton because I was constantly adding/upgrading components and playing with my WDH. The suspension just wasn't where I wanted it to be, it just always felt mushy and I couldn't get rid of the constant porpoising. I also hated playing the payload game, I had a 1500lbs payload and I basically couldn't load anything in the box of my truck due to tongue weight+ family+ canopy+ dog.

[pappcam]

I tow my 6500lb. TT with a 2011 5.0 F150 and I've never had a complaint. Sure it gets revving on long inclines but the engine is designed to do so so I'm not worried.

[Samsonsworld]

Here is another comparison. The 5.0l has less torque until almost 3k rpms than the 5.4l.

[go_jets_go]

I tow approximately 6500 lbs with my 5.0 and 3.55's and it does really well. I generally lock out sixth gear. I think it's funny that people generally view the GM 6.0 as a really good towing motor yet the 5.0 with almost the exact same horsepower and torque ratings is viewed as somehow lacking.

[Goldstar225]

I've owned and towed with both the 5.0 and 3.5 ecoboost (both with 3:73 gears) while towing a 7700# GVWR travel trailer. On level ground there is very little difference. In hilly terrain the 3.5 really demonstrates it's lower RPM torque production. To keep it brief, the 3.5 can accomplish at 2,500 RPM what takes the 5.0 4,000 RPM and lower gears.

[Samsonsworld]

Sure you do.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/04/how-we-dyno-tested-fords-3-5-liter-ecoboost-v6-and-5-0-liter-v8...

[rightyouareken]

Samsonsworld wrote:
Agreed. Depends how many rpms you are comfortable towing at. If you don't mind turning over 3k to hold 65mph or with frequent downshifts, then it's an OK tow engine. Personally, I wouldn't be happy with that combination. The ecoboost or 6.2l Ford (which was available in the F150 in 2013) would be a better match for that trailer, imo.

That's nonsense. Have you run this combo? My truck turns a lazy 2,000 RPM in 5th at 63 MPH all day long with my TALL 7500lb gross trailer. Maybe an occasional drop to 4th or 3rd on steep hills. The most RPM I've ever seen on any hill I've pulled has been about 3800 RPM. I've towed over 6k miles all over the PNW including the Canadian Rockies and Crater Lake. My complaint with the truck is not powertrain, it's the soft suspension and tires.

[Terryallan]

So I looked it up on the GM website, and it is more than we were told. The 3.08 has a 6300lb towing capacity, and the 3.42 has a 8200lb towing capacity. So there is a 1900lb difference in the 2 gears. The 3.73 was not listed. Nor was a 4.10.
Still to be sure. We will go by a GM dealer and get their input.

Any way. I told him. He may would be better off looking at a smaller Motor Home, than buying a TV, and TT. Cause he ain't towing much of anything with that Burb

[Terryallan]

Well. All I can say is. Y'all gonna have to argue with the Ford, and GM engineers. I have the Ford Factory towing specifications right here, and there is a HUGE towing capacity difference between the 3.31, and the 3.73, and the 3.15 is NOT even listed with a towing capacity.

[Tystevens]

APT (as usual!) is right on point. Gears probably mean less than ever with these six speed transmissions. My '10 w/ the 6 spd and 3.42 gears (same 5.3 engine) tows the pants off my prior '05 w/ 4.10 gears and the old 4 spd. Without those huge gaps between 2-3 and 3-4, I'm able to find the right gear for the occasion all of the time.

FWIW, my F150 has 3.55 gears, and for what I tow (6500 lb TT), I would see no reason to go higher. With the Ecoboost, I can tow in 6th gear 90% of the time.

Of course, with the 5.0, you're going to be down a gear or two under similar situations, I expect, since it makes it power much higher up the rpm range.

[Ductape]

X2. New trans have deeper first gears. Much better off the line under load.