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?

[itguy08]

Turbos are what give you the low end grunt. It's what makes both gas and especially Diesels so powerful.

[greydawg00]

I still haven't decided. I am test driving an f250 with gas 6.2 now. Planning to hook it up this morning to see how it tows. The empty truck drives very different than my current f150 Eco. No turbo feels very strange. It just does not have the reaction when you hit the gas. I am used to almost never having to rev the Eco but even empty the 6.2l has to downshift to go up moderate hills in Texas hill country.

[wing_zealot]

I have an F250 with the 6.8. If I could convince my wife to spring for a new truck I'd buy the F150 ecoboost, with the HD payload package and max tow in a heartbeat.

A 9500 lbs trailer with 13% tongue weight is 1235 lbs. Even if it comes out of the factory with an actual weight of 2600 lbs on the rear axle, your still along ways from exceeding the 4800 RAWR. And with 2740 of payload, and a 1235 tongue weight, you still got lots of room for family and firewood.

I only have an 8,000 lbs trailer so i'm 1500 lbs lighter than what you're looking at. But I'd get rid of my beast and downsize in a heartbeat if my wife would let me.

[TomG2]

APT wrote:
...snip.......Comparing the max payload F-150 package to my 3/4 ton Suburban shows the half ton is more capable in nearly every ratings. My receiver rating is lower by 15-250 pounds. My payload is lower by about 100 pounds. I have 40ft-lb less peak torque, and at much higher engine speeds. I'd pull 7500 pound dry TT with my truck as long as the dry TW was under 800 pounds. So I have no problems recommending the HD F-150 for it either.
..snip.......

Aren't most of the differences simply because you are comparing a Suburban to a pickup truck? How do the two vehicles compare in empty weight for instance?

[APT]

Before I bought my 2500 Suburban, I cross shopped max tow (not max/HD payload) F-150s. I really liked that Ecoboost. I test drove a couple of them, even hooked up my TT. If Ford offered the 3.5L Ecoboost in the 2012 Expedition, I may have that instead.

Comparing the max payload F-150 package to my 3/4 ton Suburban shows the half ton is more capable in nearly every ratings. My receiver rating is lower by 150-250 pounds. My payload is lower by about 100 pounds. I have 40ft-lb less peak torque, and at much higher engine speeds. I'd pull 7500 pound dry TT with my truck as long as the dry TW was under 800 pounds. So I have no problems recommending the HD F-150 for it either.

Since I'm coming in late and it seems like the OP has already mentally accepted a 3/4+ ton, please go straight to the 1-ton especially if you want the diesel. They can have less payload than the HD F-150!

[spud1957]

greydawg00 wrote:
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?

Good thinking. The diesel option is your decision. I have the 6.2 with 3:73s and pulling over 10k, I wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere.

I didn't see the need spending $10k+ for a diesel when the 6.2 would meet my needs. If I were to get a heavier 5th wheel I would consider either changing gears to 4:30s or finding a gently used diesel (maybe).

[shum02]

TexasChaps wrote:

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

Seriously?!

Night and day, apples and oranges on these two trucks and engines :R

[AMG1978]

Samsonsworld wrote:

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?

My 2015 F-150 MaxTow with 20" PVD chrome wheels was P rated Goodyear tires. Yeah not surprising that Max Payload would have E rated, as it should.

[schwipps324]

greydawg00 wrote:

spud1957 wrote:
Where are you getting these payload numbers for the F150? Is that from the payload label on the door post or from the brochure.

2740 is from the sticker on the door. 2015 f150 XLT Screw 4x2 with max tow and heavy duty payload.

The 2013 f250 diesel I test drove was 1940 by sticker but it was a lariat. The 2015 f250 xlt diesel 4x4 is around 2300 by sticker I think.

I will be pulling my Sprinter 295 home today with my 15 F-150. Dry weight around 7800 and loaded is around the 10,000 mark. I will let you know how it handles.

schwipps324, this would be great. Let me know MPG, type of driving, hills, wind, etc. Also what type of F150, what options.

I paid less than $4k more than your F150 price for the truck in my sig about two months ago.

IdaD, what was the config of your RAM? Do you like the 2500 better than the 250? what were your reasons for going with the RAM over the 250?

Pulled the 35' foot sprinter home just a few hours ago. Id say it was weighing in around 8000. Have a blue ox WDH installed. 15 F150 Lariat 157" wheel base Crew Cab with max trailer tow, no HD payload. The drive was about 40 miles all highway mostly up and down the hills of northern kentucky. I did about an average of 65 mph I would say. Locked it out of 6th gear and ran 5th and 4th. The truck pulled the hills in 4th with ease at about 2800 rpm. never even felt like it was working. On the flats 5th gear pulled at 65 at around 2100 rpm. Only complaint about the trip is the semis. If youre next to one you will feel it suck you in or push you out. Overall 8.5 mpg. All in all pretty happy with it. All depends on what type and how much driving you plan on doing. I would suggest though if you get a SD go with a diesel. The 6.2 gassers dont impress me and I honestly think your fuel economy would be even worse the ecoboost.

[ib516]

You're probably right.

[IdaD]

ib516 wrote:
I truely believe (and studies have proven) that driving style can vary mpg up to 30%. My wife consistently gets less mpg in the same vehicle than I do. She's on the gas until she needs to brake, and I coast a lot more and look further down the road, she takes off more aggressive than I do too. That's just a couple minor examples of how a person's driving affects mpg. I'm pretty easy on my stuff when I can be, but -- when I need it to perform, I let it rev and push it.

I'd believe that a 2 (on the low end) and 4 (on the high) is about the mpg difference between the 6.4L Hemi and the 6.7L Cummins. But, remember that the Cummins makes 370 - 385hp and 800 - 900tq and the Hemi makes 410 hp and 430tq. That's a big tq delta.

The driver makes a huge difference. My wife and I have the same exact situation. I really have to bite my tongue when I ride with her.

Fuelly is probably a pretty accurate gauge on average mileage because you've got enough people submitting info that you're going to round out a pretty good average of what the vehicle is getting real world. From that point, I'd agree you can probably take it 25-30% in either direction based on driving habits. Fuelly might actually penalize the CTD a little bit extra as I'd wager your average trailers are a little bigger and your towing % is a little higher with the diesel.

[ib516]

I truely believe (and studies have proven) that driving style can vary mpg up to 30%. My wife consistently gets less mpg in the same vehicle than I do. She's on the gas until she needs to brake, and I coast a lot more and look further down the road, she takes off more aggressive than I do too. That's just a couple minor examples of how a person's driving affects mpg. I'm pretty easy on my stuff when I can be, but -- when I need it to perform, I let it rev and push it.

I'd believe that a 2 (on the low end) and 4 (on the high) is about the mpg difference between the 6.4L Hemi and the 6.7L Cummins. But, remember that the Cummins makes 370 - 385hp and 800 - 900tq and the Hemi makes 410 hp and 430tq. That's a big tq delta.

[IdaD]

ib516 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.

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

On Fuelly there's about a 4 mpg difference between them, although you and I are both doing considerably better than the Fuelly averages for our respective engines. Terrible was probably the wrong word to use on my part. The current emissions setup on the Cummins motor does seem pretty good at this point, and hopefully that'll be the case in the long run since my county does emissions testing so doing certain...modifications...would be tricky.

[ib516]

They both have their pros and cons.

You have to choose the one that works for your needs and budget.

I was skeptical when I bought my truck, but I have been very pleasantly surprised at how it has performed and how much it cost me. Here is Canada, the diesel (and associated auto trans) is about a 10k upcharge. Not worth it to me, and I was less interested in diesel for a number of reasons I detailed in this thread......LINK

That doesn't mean I'm right and people who drive diesels are "wrong". Far from it. It's just that FOR ME, the gas engine was a better fit at this point.

[IdaD]

greydawg00 wrote:
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?

My biggest piece of advice is don't make a decision based on which one you think might be cheaper. The diesel will run you more up front, may be a little cheaper to operate (but not much) and you'll get more on the back end when you sell it. When you look at the total cost of ownership for either truck, the difference isn't worth worrying about.

Drive both and see which you like better, and then buy the one you prefer driving. As I mentioned before, they're quite different from the driver's seat. The towing experience will be different too and it might not be a bad idea to poke through some old threads where people have posted their experiences since you can't really test drive with a trailer. The exhaust brake on the diesels is a pretty cool feature if you'll be towing in mountains much. But for the size trailer you're looking at, a big gas truck would perform pretty adequately too (just different).

Go drive them, and don't settle cause you'll never be happy if you do!