First tow with Ecoboost
2013 F-150 SCREW 4x4, 3.5L Ecoboost, 3.73, max tow, but not max payload
2004 Springdale 295BHL, 31'5", 7500# loaded
Hensley hitch
After trading in my 2003 Ram 1500, I had my first tow this week. Mostly flats, but some rolling hills. On the way out, I engaged tow/haul, set the cruise at 62mph, and let it go. I was stunned at the towing performance. It held 6th gear (1600 RPM) for most of the trip, occasionally dropping to 5th (2100 RPM), and down to 4th (2800 RPM) only a few times. It never had to reach for 3rd. The entire trip was a very quiet, smooth tow. The integrated trailer brake was flawless, and the engine braking during tow/haul worked very well. Overall, I was very impressed.
Mileage, on the other hand, was not what I had hoped for, but still not bad. I got 8.5 MPG on the way out. On the way back, I locked out 6th gear and saw a pretty dramatic improvement to 9.2 MPG.
For reference, my 2003 Ram was a 4x2 with the 5.7L Hemi and 3.92 gears. It did not have a tow/haul mode, but rather an O/D lockout, which locked out both 4th and 5th gears. There was no ability to lock out just 5th. On this same trip, the Ram would pull fine, but I had to run in 3rd (2600 RPM), and it would drop to 2nd (3900 RPM) almost as often as the Ford dropped to 5th. I averaged 8-8.5 MPG.
I don't have enough data yet with the Ford to know if locking out 6th was the reason I saw the improvement coming back home. There wasn't any wind to speak of either way, but the ambient temperature was 15-20 degrees higher on the return trip. In any event, the Ford did do better with mileage, just not as much as I had hoped. Maybe my expectations were just a little off.
The towing performance, however, was a significant improvement, not because the Ram couldn't do the job, but because the Ford can do it at a lower RPM, and therefore more quietly. And there's a lot more to it than just the engine. The Ford has a 6 speed tranny, whereas the Ram had a 5. With the Ford, I can lock out any gear, but with the Ram I had to run in either 3rd or 5th (whereas 4th probably would've been perfect). The Ford has computer-controlled engine braking and an integrated brake controller, but the Ram had neither. And the Ford has a slightly stronger chassis. All of these things help add up to a better towing experience.
The bottom line is that a lot has improved in 10 years. But I guess you still have to feed the horses....
2004 Springdale 295BHL, 31'5", 7500# loaded
Hensley hitch
After trading in my 2003 Ram 1500, I had my first tow this week. Mostly flats, but some rolling hills. On the way out, I engaged tow/haul, set the cruise at 62mph, and let it go. I was stunned at the towing performance. It held 6th gear (1600 RPM) for most of the trip, occasionally dropping to 5th (2100 RPM), and down to 4th (2800 RPM) only a few times. It never had to reach for 3rd. The entire trip was a very quiet, smooth tow. The integrated trailer brake was flawless, and the engine braking during tow/haul worked very well. Overall, I was very impressed.
Mileage, on the other hand, was not what I had hoped for, but still not bad. I got 8.5 MPG on the way out. On the way back, I locked out 6th gear and saw a pretty dramatic improvement to 9.2 MPG.
For reference, my 2003 Ram was a 4x2 with the 5.7L Hemi and 3.92 gears. It did not have a tow/haul mode, but rather an O/D lockout, which locked out both 4th and 5th gears. There was no ability to lock out just 5th. On this same trip, the Ram would pull fine, but I had to run in 3rd (2600 RPM), and it would drop to 2nd (3900 RPM) almost as often as the Ford dropped to 5th. I averaged 8-8.5 MPG.
I don't have enough data yet with the Ford to know if locking out 6th was the reason I saw the improvement coming back home. There wasn't any wind to speak of either way, but the ambient temperature was 15-20 degrees higher on the return trip. In any event, the Ford did do better with mileage, just not as much as I had hoped. Maybe my expectations were just a little off.
The towing performance, however, was a significant improvement, not because the Ram couldn't do the job, but because the Ford can do it at a lower RPM, and therefore more quietly. And there's a lot more to it than just the engine. The Ford has a 6 speed tranny, whereas the Ram had a 5. With the Ford, I can lock out any gear, but with the Ram I had to run in either 3rd or 5th (whereas 4th probably would've been perfect). The Ford has computer-controlled engine braking and an integrated brake controller, but the Ram had neither. And the Ford has a slightly stronger chassis. All of these things help add up to a better towing experience.
The bottom line is that a lot has improved in 10 years. But I guess you still have to feed the horses....
