Anybody towing 36', 9000lb TT with F150 HD payload ecoboost

[greydawg00]

I have a new travel trailer (Cruiser Enterra 327RLS) that is 32'box, and just under 36' total length. It has a dry weight of 7500lbs and GVWR of ~9500. I am trying to decide between a 2015 F150 3.5l ecoboost with heavy duty payload package (2740 lb payload) or a 2015 F250 either gas or diesel (2700lb or 2300lb, payload).

My trailer is under all the specs of the F150 heavy duty but is very long and weighs more than the truck curb weight. Is the difference between TT weight and TV weight an issue?

Will I have any issues with the F150 or do I really need the F250? Anybody currently towing a large bumper pull with an F150 ecoboost that can give recommendations and real world MPG?

[Samsonsworld]

Nice thing about diesel is they really hold their value. If you buy a few years old, you'd likely never be upside down.

[greydawg00]

I think you have all convinced me. The 250 seems safer all around. Now gas vs diesel I think the diesel is not worth the extra cost for the weight I am towing. I don't expect to go bigger anytime soon. Also based on fuel cost, maint cost and mpg, the diesel only saves me about $300 per year so i would have to use it for 26 years to recoup the $8000 premium. And that is with todays prices in Austin.

Gas Diesel
Cost/gal $2.50 $2.75
MPG City 13 16
Towing 9 12
Hwy 16 20
Maintenace $0.00955 $0.0276

Any thoughts?

[ib516]

IdaD wrote:
The heavy gas trucks do get terrible mileage, but that's offset at least some by the cheaper oil changes and the fuel filters you have to do on diesels. And the 6.4 supposedly does a little better unloaded because it has cylinder deactivation. Still, you're definitely going to be paying a bit more for fuel.

A more practical difference between the two might by towing range - with the gas truck, you're going to need to be more careful about planning for fuel stops and you'll be stopping more often. You live in a more populated state, but if you plan on traveling out west that becomes a bigger factor. Just something else to think about.

Edit - go drive both too. Some just flat prefer gas or diesel. On the Ram, the 6.4 and CTD feel like very different trucks from the driver's seat.

Yes the 6.4L Hemi gets less mpg than my previous diesel (5.9L Cummins), but I certainly wouldn't call it "terrible". I have no experience with the newest crop of diesels, but from what I have read, they are gaining back some of the huge mpg hit they took in 2008 when the DPF was added - that mpg was terrible LOL. DEF seems to really help, though it is an extra thing to worry about.

Towing range is also correspondingly a little less with the Hemi when compared to the Cummins I had.

I have a few videos of my mpg and I have tracked it a number of times. Mpg stories are like fish stories though, so I prefer to use video evidence :).

See for yourself....Here's a few videos of performance and mpg

[Samsonsworld]

AMG1978 wrote:
the tires on the MaxTow are "P" rated tires, not "E" rated,

The HD package gets you E rated tires and a whole lot of F150's come with LTs, not passenger tires?

[TomG2]

IdaD wrote:
...snip....
I get that city with limited freeway and no highway driving. Highway I get 22 if I stick to 65-70. That's a material difference. But like I said, the towing range may be the bigger factor, especially if you put a transfer tank on the diesel.

With a 34 gallon gas tank, I have always been able to find a gas station within my 300 plus mile range when towing or over 500 miles when running empty. I usually stop every couple hundred miles for a break and I don't have to look for a station with diesel. I am not interested in joining the gas/diesel wars, but want to state some facts.

[AMG1978]

Samsonsworld wrote:
The 6.7l has better MPGs towing, similar highway, worse in stop and go. Nice engine, as is the Ford, but some of you are stretching the truth a bit.

But for 9k lbs, I would go with the 3/4 ton. The eco will do it, and it is cheaper, but the bigger diesel truck won't get pushed around as much.

I don't think the 3.5L EcoBoost would lack on power. I pulled my 8600lbs dry trailer up a steep hill and it felt like I could easily have done 80 up it if it I really wanted to be in high boost (way low mpg), but of course 55mph is the speed limit and I did 50-55. Like I said, the 35' trailer was a huge sail, and the F-150 is much lighter than the F-250 diesel. Also, the tires on the MaxTow are "P" rated tires, not "E" rated, so spec in the cost of better tires on an F-150, you can get stock on the 250. Then I question too, stopping the load on a steep hill should be easier on the 250, and long-term wear-n-tear on the components in the 250 will be better with a heavy load.

Besides, it's sure nice to be able to use the bed of your truck for what it's meant for, rather than having to try to keep the F-150 as light as possible just to barely squeek by on the payload. As far as power goes, the 800ftlbs of torque on the diesel, is sure nice too. Can you ever have TOO much tow vehicle? No. While a truck may be able to barely pull something, it sure is nice to be able to pull it with ease. I also have more valuable load as my wife and daughter in my F-250, so I upgraded for safety.

[IdaD]

TomG2 wrote:

IdaD wrote:
The heavy gas trucks do get terrible mileage, but that's offset at least some by the cheaper oil changes and the fuel filters you have to do on diesels. And the 6.4 supposedly does a little better unloaded because it has cylinder deactivation. Still, you're definitely going to be paying a bit more for fuel.

....snip.........

2013 Silverado 2500HD 6.0 gas engine here. What's so terrible about 16-17 mpg highway and 10 mpg towing? It may not be ecoboost or diesel economy, but with today's gas prices, I can go a long way on $1,000.

I get that city with limited freeway and no highway driving. Highway I get 22 if I stick to 65-70. That's a material difference. But like I said, the towing range may be the bigger factor, especially if you put a transfer tank on the diesel.

[goducks10]

Why are you looking at and comparing an F150HD vs an F250 diesel? They're not even in the same league. You need to stick to gassers. Only advantage to an F150HD over any 3/4 ton gasser is mpg's. And when you order the HD package you get the 3.73 gears and your mpg will drop. Towing mpg will be the same on either the 150 or 250 6.2 3.73. Other than that it ain't close. There's no upside to the F150. Once you hit the payload rating you're at the RAWR. Not so with 3/4 tons. The RAWR is 6100-6500 on most.
Go price out any F150HD against any of the big 3 3/4 tons and you'll see that they're all within a couple $100 of each other. I know for a fact that you can get an F250 6.2 for almost the same and maybe less than an F50HD.

Now throw in that Xlarge TT and any 3/4 ton would be way better.

[TomG2]

IdaD wrote:
The heavy gas trucks do get terrible mileage, but that's offset at least some by the cheaper oil changes and the fuel filters you have to do on diesels. And the 6.4 supposedly does a little better unloaded because it has cylinder deactivation. Still, you're definitely going to be paying a bit more for fuel.

....snip.........

2013 Silverado 2500HD 6.0 gas engine here. What's so terrible about 16-17 mpg highway and 10 mpg towing? It may not be ecoboost or diesel economy, but with today's gas prices, I can go a long way on $1,000.

[IdaD]

The heavy gas trucks do get terrible mileage, but that's offset at least some by the cheaper oil changes and the fuel filters you have to do on diesels. And the 6.4 supposedly does a little better unloaded because it has cylinder deactivation. Still, you're definitely going to be paying a bit more for fuel.

A more practical difference between the two might by towing range - with the gas truck, you're going to need to be more careful about planning for fuel stops and you'll be stopping more often. You live in a more populated state, but if you plan on traveling out west that becomes a bigger factor. Just something else to think about.

Edit - go drive both too. Some just flat prefer gas or diesel. On the Ram, the 6.4 and CTD feel like very different trucks from the driver's seat.

[TomG2]

Take a walk through any RV park that caters to the bigger trailers like yours and see how many are towed with half ton pickups. Another test is to borrow or rent a 3/4 or one ton for a weekend of towing before spending a lot of money on the wrong tow vehicle. It gets expensive to upgrade, ask me how I know. Fuel cost is not totally to be ignored, but a couple hundred dollar extra in the right vehicle is not much when you have sixty thousand plus linvested in your rig.

[greydawg00]

ib516 wrote:
If you're open to other options, I have a RAM, 2500/6.4L Hemi that is loaded up and has just over 3000# payload and a 6500# rear GAWR. Plenty of power for my 12,000# 5er.

When compared to my previous (2007) 3500 SRW diesel, this 2014 2500 gasser has higher: GAWRs, GCWR, and max tow rating. The only rating that is lower is the truck's GVWR. The 3500 was 10,100#, this truck is the class max 10,000#.

I am starting to think about the gas, the diesel is overkill. Unless the gasser MPG is so much worse that the cost of the diesel is worth it.

[ib516]

If you're open to other options, I have a RAM, 2500/6.4L Hemi that is loaded up and has just over 3000# payload and a 6500# rear GAWR. Plenty of power for my 12,000# 5er.

When compared to my previous (2007) 3500 SRW diesel, this 2014 2500 gasser has higher: GAWRs, GCWR, and max tow rating. The only rating that is lower is the truck's GVWR. The 3500 was 10,100#, this truck is the class max 10,000#.

[Samsonsworld]

The 6.7l has better MPGs towing, similar highway, worse in stop and go. Nice engine, as is the Ford, but some of you are stretching the truth a bit.

But for 9k lbs, I would go with the 3/4 ton. The eco will do it, and it is cheaper, but the bigger diesel truck won't get pushed around as much.

[TexasChaps]

shum02 wrote:

TakingThe5th wrote:

Also, you are relying heavily on some newer technologies that are not yet well proven. I would temper my expectations a bit to allow for any possible shortcomings.

If you're referring to the EB engine it is by now a very proven and reliable technology. Power wise it will most certainly get the job done.

I used to think that too.. until I ran out of payload..
now I have a RAM 2500 with the cummins 6.7L

night and day difference towing.. and better mpg as well..
wish I had bought the Ram earlier..

do yourself a favor and ditch the F150