Advice on Ford F150 Ecoboost

[seekingsummits]

Today I have a 1/2 ton Yukon XL Denali AWD. It does ok with my 6000lb lightweight TT here in the midwest but I dont really trust it across country and my tranny is getting close to needing replaced. Have heard a lot of good things about the V6 Ecoboost and it looks like the 2012 F150 with the 3.73 is even rated between 11000-12000lbs. Just curious what folks think about this vehicle and if its up for the challenge. I dont need an every day work truck by any means as Im in IT sales. We get out about 6 times a yr and 99% of the time its 2-7 hours away from our home and relatively flat, but I would like to hit Yellowstone next year and there are some good passes out that way. Any thoughts would be great.
Thanks
Adam

[n0arp]

carringb wrote:
Try to find the HD model (max payload package) if you can. If you can't find one, make sure it has the "Max Tow" package, and plan on upgrading to decent LT tires. A lot of the "pushing around" people feel is tire squirm with the soft P-rated stock tires.

I upgraded mine to LT tires - didn't fix the issue. The only thing that stopped it from being pushed around was the Propride. YMMV.

[carringb]

Try to find the HD model (max payload package) if you can. If you can't find one, make sure it has the "Max Tow" package, and plan on upgrading to decent LT tires. A lot of the "pushing around" people feel is tire squirm with the soft P-rated stock tires.

[coolmom42]

You will be fine. You WILL need a GOOD weight-distributing sway control hitch, like an Equalizer or ProPride. Also, make sure you have your truck tires inflated correctly for the weight they are carrying.

[n0arp]

JAC1982 wrote:
Our original TV was a 2013 F150 Ecoboost. Our camper is 6885 shipping weight, so closer to maybe 8,000-8,500 loaded up. It was not fun to pull with that Ecoboost. The motor itself was not a problem, it had plenty of power.

The issue was that the truck was too light and that trailer would push it around. The only time it was easy to pull was with no wind, on a flat road, with no big rigs or buses or anything going the other way. It was so bad on our final trip with that truck, that we left it with my father in law and came home without it, and he brought it back later with a larger truck. The worst part of that trip was on Highway 191 north of Rock Springs (ie one of the roads you can take to go into Yellowstone). The next summer it was traded in for a F250, and now we have a 350 dually as we are planning on upgrading to a fiver in the next few years.

I had the same experience with my 7600# trailer and a 2014 EB. It got a lot better with a Propride 3P, but I much prefer my fifth wheel now.

[IdaD]

I think you'd be fine with a 6000 lb trailer. If you think you want to get into longer tows regularly and/or are considering upgrading, a heavy duty truck shouldn't run much more and will give you a lot more capability and room to grow. Just food for thought.

My first truck ever was an F150, and it's the last half ton I'll own.

[ShinerBock]

Not a 3.73, but PUTC did a test a few years back on some 3.55 Ecoboost towing 9,000 lbs up and over the Rockies.

Road Test Review: 2011 Ford F-150 FX2 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, Part 1

Road Test Review: 2011 Ford F-150 FX2 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, Part 2


I had a 2011 Ecoboost that was tuned that I still miss. The engine itself would pull anything you put behind it with power to spare. The reason I had to get rid of her is because my towing needs increased and I had to step up to something bigger than a half ton.

[JAC1982]

Our original TV was a 2013 F150 Ecoboost. Our camper is 6885 shipping weight, so closer to maybe 8,000-8,500 loaded up. It was not fun to pull with that Ecoboost. The motor itself was not a problem, it had plenty of power.

The issue was that the truck was too light and that trailer would push it around. The only time it was easy to pull was with no wind, on a flat road, with no big rigs or buses or anything going the other way. It was so bad on our final trip with that truck, that we left it with my father in law and came home without it, and he brought it back later with a larger truck. The worst part of that trip was on Highway 191 north of Rock Springs (ie one of the roads you can take to go into Yellowstone). The next summer it was traded in for a F250, and now we have a 350 dually as we are planning on upgrading to a fiver in the next few years.