Max Trailer Wt. Recommendations for F-150 5L or Eco/Boost

[YankeeBP]

I am new to RV-ing and would like some candid advice from some of you experienced RV-ers.

I am in the TV and TT research stage.

I plan to do some long distance towing. For example, Chattanooga, TN, to the Canadian Rockies and back (5000 plus miles). There will only be my wife and me, so we are thinking that we want a smaller ultralite TT (<= 24 feet).

I plan to tow with a Ford F-150 4x4 either with the 5.0L v8 or the v6 Eco/Boost. I am undecided at this point.

If I understand Ford's towing charts correctly, the F150 with the 5.0L V8 and a 3.55 rear-end has a maximum loaded trailer weight for towing of 7700 lbs. I have seen a recommendation that one not exceed 80% of that weight, which is 6160 lbs. I have not checked the same stats on the v6 eco/boost.

I would like to keep my TT as light as possible because I would rather be over-powered than under-powered. Consequently, I am focusing my attention on Ultralite TT's whose dry weight is in the range 3000 lbs to 4000 lbs. with a slide-out.

What experiences and advice can you give me?

[BarneyS]

My son has been towing a fairly heavy long trailer for about two years with his EcoBoost Ford F150. He posted about his rig here.
Later on, he made a long, detailed post about it which may help you out a bit.
Barney

[TNRIVERSIDE]

Lots of information already posted. My only addition is to remember not all F150s are created equal. I would go to the Ford site and look at the specks. The towing package you chose will change the towing capabilities considerably. I have a 2009 F150 with a 5.4 with the towing package and I love it. My TT is 22'. Good luck.

Okay I have one more thought to share. I ordered my F150 with the built in trailer brake controller. IMO the after market controllers can not offer all the features that the built in unit offers. This unit works with the computer to control sway and I believe the anti-lock breaking.

[fla-gypsy]

A properly equipped F-150 with either motor will easily pull a TT in the size you are considering. The key phrase is "properly equipped". Payload will be the biggest limiting factor so go back and read more about that issue. IMO, the 3.5L EB will easily outperform the 5.0 in all towing aspects and cost much more. Towing MPG will be about the same, unloaded MPG will favor the EB depending on your driving habits.

[JIMNLIN]

I am focusing my attention on Ultralite TT's whose dry weight is in the range 3000 lbs to 4000 lbs. with a slide-out.

and

Max Trailer Wt. Recommendations for F-150 5L or Eco/Boost

Lets see if we can give you a answer instead of the usual opinion of what what it can't do nonsense.

1. Either engine will have no problems with a 3k-4k dry weight trailer.

2. Agree with Skip.
The F150 with either engine can handle Fords tow rating for that truck. As any 1/2 ton or a DRW pickup that carries weight in the bed the biggest safety issue is keeping loads on the rear axle under the trucks RAWR/tire load ratings.

[tomkaren13]

IMHO any 150/1500 TV owner shold not be looking to tow more than 6000 lbs original weight! You always put more pounds inside than you would think.

[APT]

Most half tons towing RVs are limited to their payload or receiver ratings, not tow ratings. All gas engines get about the same fuel economy towing any high walled RV, 8-10mpg. It isn't the weight as much as poor aerodynamics of pulling two vertical sheets of plywood through the air at 65mph. Ecoboost is no different when working. It's the unloaded times when it can be better than V8s. Without details, I generally recommend under 6k dry for a travel trailer and the more capable half tons.

I highly recommend the Ecoboost for towing. It has all 420ft-lb of torque at 2000rpm, right where we tend to tow anyway. Owners report towing in 6th and 5th great, with very few downshifts required to 4th unlike some competitors. Also, forced induction engines loose less power at altitude than naturally aspirated.

[skipnchar]

Your tow rating with EITHER engine will depend on how you equip your truck.F150 has a maximum trailer weight of 11,500 lb. and may be as low as you describe in your post, it's completely up to you. The so called 80% rule is complete nonsense. The truck is perfectly capable of towing 100% of its ACTUAL rating. That means you have to do the work to find the true trailer size it can handle. For what it's worth, they don't MAKE a 24 footer that would tax your truck with EITHER engine choice. The ecoboost will type MUCH better in the mountains though because there is NO power loss due to elevation (just like with a diesel).
Good luck Skip

[Peg_Leg]

I'd sit down and figure out what you plan to do with the TT. Gonna keep 10 yrs? How much do you plan on using it? What floor plans do you want? Narrow down the TT choices and then buy a truck to fit.

[brulaz]

The F150 with an Ecoboost is a great tow truck.

But not so much for the mileage when towing (I get the towing mileage in my sig below). It's the low end torque that that justifies its higher price over Ford's 5L V8. The low-end torque (<3000rpm) comes close to the 3L V6 German diesels and is better than most big gas V8's, including Ford's 6.2L.

And when you're not towing you can get very good mileage, better than the big V8s and close to Ford's 5L V8. I get 20-21 mpgUS on our country roads.

By the way, all the mpgUS numbers I'm reporting are not just for occasional trips. They are long-term numbers, hand calculated, covering 55,000km of travel, including 35,000km of towing from Florida to Ontario to the West Coast.

But, for the light weight trailers you are talking about, the 5L will be fine. If you ever want a heavier TT, maybe up to 8500#, you will want the F150 Ecoboost, or maybe a Superduty.

Don't forget the truck's payload. With these trucks, payload is more important than towing capacity. With travel trailers you want at least 12% of the trailer's loaded weight on its tongue. That can be a lot and suck up most of your truck's payload leaving little for people and gear.

EDIT: and as for costs. My new truck cost me can$32K (less tax) in 2011 and less than $100 per year to change the oil/filter and rotate tires since then. I have spent $$ to stiffen the suspension though.

[Steeljag]

Well it always seems someone has a brother, sister, friend, next door neighbor etc......who knows or has heard something about the Eco- Boost.

I have the Ford Eco and TT listed in my signature. I get approx. 10.5 MPG pulling that TT @ 65 MPH. I have not had the TT weighed, but I'm pretty sure I'm at approx. 6500lbs.

Good luck on your search, and I'm sure more Eco owners will post their thoughts, and some more people who have heard things from their co-workers, brothers, uncles, nephews neighbor who one time drove a Eco and............

[donn0128]

CavemanCharlie wrote:

There is a big difference in purchase price between a 1/2 ton eco-boost and a 3/4 ton diesel pickup. For what he is looking at a 3/4 ton diesel would be overkill. I'm not knocking them I'm just saying that if you use your truck like a car when not towing and you want to pull a smaller trailer the 3/4 ton diesel is over kill.

To the OP. You need to talk to a reputable pickup dealer that is use to selling tow vehicles, tell him what you want to do, and hope he points you in the right direction. Ask around and see which dealer in your area has a good reputation and which ones are bad.

Well, that is not really true. A reasonably loaded Eco is going to set the OP back between 35 and 40K new. A decent 3/4 ton gas motor pickup is going to be nearly the same price. A really nice used Diesel pickup it is probably going to be less.

[mguay]

I can't tell you about towing but I can tell you about lack of MPG's. I borrowed a friend of mine's F150 Eco-Boost and went on a 400 mile ride. 95% was the interstate. I had all I could do to get 16.5mpg empty. I have driven that same route many times with my DRW Duramax and get 18-19mpg. My point is, that if I were in your shoes I would steer clear from the Eco-Boost.

[CavemanCharlie]

donn0128 wrote:
Eco- thingy numbers vary all over the place. With that motor just don't expect any better towing fuel economy than a much more capable truck with a diesel motor. Unloaded they can achieve decent numbers. Met up with my brother last summer, He had his eco-boost pulling a Jayco untralight around 17 feet. He mentioned that he got 10.5 from home to where we were. WOW I says, that's no better than I get with my Cummins dually pulling 13,500 pound fiver. HE goes silent after that. It will probably be better than the 5.0L Furd though. HAve you considered the new Dodge 1500 with a Cummins and 8 speed auto? or even the GM twins with the 5.3l?

There is a big difference in purchase price between a 1/2 ton eco-boost and a 3/4 ton diesel pickup. For what he is looking at a 3/4 ton diesel would be overkill. I'm not knocking them I'm just saying that if you use your truck like a car when not towing and you want to pull a smaller trailer the 3/4 ton diesel is over kill.

To the OP. You need to talk to a reputable pickup dealer that is use to selling tow vehicles, tell him what you want to do, and hope he points you in the right direction. Ask around and see which dealer in your area has a good reputation and which ones are bad.

[donn0128]

Eco- thingy numbers vary all over the place. With that motor just don't expect any better towing fuel economy than a much more capable truck with a diesel motor. Unloaded they can achieve decent numbers. Met up with my brother last summer, He had his eco-boost pulling a Jayco untralight around 17 feet. He mentioned that he got 10.5 from home to where we were. WOW I says, that's no better than I get with my Cummins dually pulling 13,500 pound fiver. HE goes silent after that. It will probably be better than the 5.0L Furd though. HAve you considered the new Dodge 1500 with a Cummins and 8 speed auto? or even the GM twins with the 5.3l?