Towing MPG

AlmostAnOldGuy wrote:

twodownzero wrote:

danrclem wrote:

Eric 18 wrote:
Thank You All for the responses!
I'm pretty set on truck size. I'll be buying new. We're going to go with a lighter weight trailer, per the majority of thoughts.
The truck will be my daily driver, and will be trading in a 14 GT Mustang for it.
My wife & I love the sense of community we find RVing. It seems to be the same here!
Thanks Again, Happy New Year!

I think you're on the right track here. If you get a 3.5 ecoboost and a heavy duty package you should be set. It may not get the greatest mileage while towing but would be a lot better than a gas 3/4 ton when empty. If you're getting a bumper hitch camper make sure you get the rear view camera. It makes it so much easier when you're hitching it by yourself.

Couldn't more strongly disagree with this if I tried. Towing anywhere close to what they say you can tow with a 1/2 ton truck is scary. Doing it with a 3.5L V6 in insane.

I don't own one, but from what I have read online, the engines are worked to death even empty. I doubt you'd see more than 1-2 mpg over a 3/4 ton gasoline truck empty. And the torque difference, loaded or unloaded, is not trivial.

Do the research on what people really are getting for fuel mileage with these things. The ecoboost is not doing any better in the real world than a small V8.

From those of us who own and operate the 3.5L EcoBoost it is not 'worked to death'. I came from a Chev 8.1L (good engine) so I am familiar with good V8s. In the recent post on the Ike Gauntlet you can see the EcoBoost pull the hill at more than 1,000 rpms less than the 5.7 and 6.2 V8s. And I can tell you I really like how it runs at those lower rpms and holds the gears due to the low end torque. The EcoBoost does not have as good of engine braking. Again as seen on the Ike run it had the same number of brake applications as the V8s but was running at higher rpms. This seems accurate to me based on my real world experience.

As for handling payload the Max Payload / HD Payload with the higher GVWR is a more capable truck than a 'typical' 1/2 ton. Let me be clear this does not make the truck an F250, but it is none the less very capable. I have towed 8k for 6 years with no complaints. If I was going to go heavy with a new F150 I would seek advice from someone doing this in the real world on this forum.

As for mpg it gets the same as V8s towing and I get 19mpg with the 3.73 running at 65mph. I would expect the newer trucks do a bit better.

Take it easy,
Stu