Towing with a 2022 Ford 150 3.5 EcoBoost

[mdcamping]

Hello everyone

How is everyone's experience towing with this truck, as I am considering ordering the truck. Specs: GCWR 17,500, Max Payload 2,190 Max towing 12,300


Also considering ordering/towing a 2022 Jay Flight 24RBS

Specs: https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2021-jayco-jay-flight-travel-trailer-floorplan-24rbs-tr48456

Thanks for your replies
Mike

[philh]

ronharmless wrote:

philh wrote:
My 2018 F350 3.5L did a wonderful job towing a 6k trailer. I noticed a HUGE improvement when I upgraded to LT "E" tires.

I'm pretty sure there was no 3.5L available in a 2018 F350

DOH! I have a 2022 F350 on order since March, it is definitely on my brain. I corrected my post to F150 🙂

[mdcamping]

mkirsch wrote:

mdcamping wrote:
Hello everyone

How is everyone's experience towing with this truck, as I am considering ordering the truck. Specs: GCWR 17,500, Max Payload 2,190 Max towing 12,300


Also considering ordering/towing a 2022 Jay Flight 24RBS

Specs: https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2021-jayco-jay-flight-travel-trailer-floorplan-24rbs-tr48456

Thanks for your replies
Mike

How can anyone have experience towing with a truck that isn't even available to buy yet? At least, not at the time the original post was written...

Maybe if you were asking in January or February, but not early August.

yeah that was my mistake as I should have posted 2021, also hadn't looked into the Heavy Duty

Mike

[ronharmless]

philh wrote:
My 2018 F350 3.5L did a wonderful job towing a 6k trailer. I noticed a HUGE improvement when I upgraded to LT "E" tires.

I'm pretty sure there was no 3.5L available in a 2018 F350

[Bionic_Man]

So not exactly what you are asking about, but I’ll still throw in my experience because some of it will still be relevant for you.

I use a 2019 Expedition MAX as a secondary tow vehicle for my boats. My Malibu is right at 7000 pounds. Also use it to tow a 18’ fiberglass Ranger, probably 3000-3500 pounds.

The good: power is never lacking. Pretty impressive here. The 10 speed transmission is one of the better ones that I have driven. Shifts smooth and doesn’t really hunt for gears. When running empty, MPG is better than the competitive V8s.

The bad: my biggest complaint with the set up is the transmission (and I assume coolant, but there really isn’t a good gauge available for that) temps. Running I70 through the passes of Colorado it will get up to about 235* for transmission temps. My Ex does have the tow package, and maybe the truck has a better cooling system than the SUV, but I would never feel comfortable towing more weight than 7000 pounds. Fuel economy towing is simply bad. Towing the bigger boat at 70 MPH, the last few trips it gets around 9 mpg hand calculated. The worst I’ve seen was about 7 MPG with cruise at 70 with some decent grades. We are on vacation right now with the little boat, and with cruise set 70-75, my last tank was 11.1 mpg. Is be shocked if anyone towing a high walled RV could pull down 10 MPG on a regular basis. I am not impressed at all with the grade braking. I would also attribute that to the small engine. The 6.2 I had before was much better there.

The EcoBoost is a good engine, but like anything else, it has its limitations. Personally, I’ve moved into the camp of if you are going to tow decent weight with any frequency, a HD pickup is simply a better tool for the job. I wouldn’t want to be stuck with my Ex MAX as a primary tow vehicle.

[Groover]

philh wrote:
My 2018 F350 3.5L did a wonderful job towing a 6k trailer. I noticed a HUGE improvement when I upgraded to LT "E" tires.

What size wheels do you have. I had my 2016 F150 with 18" wheels factory equipped with LT tires which are still on it and have been pleased with them. However, to get the highest tow ratings Ford now requires 20" wheels and P series tires. With the larger rims the P series 20" tires may be more stable than the 18" LT tires.

[philh]

My 2018 F150 3.5L did a wonderful job towing a 6k trailer. I noticed a HUGE improvement when I upgraded to LT "E" tires.
***Edit, corrected truck model

[Groover]

It is highly unlikely that there will be any major changes in the F150 from the 2021 model and since the op isn't getting the hybrid even the 2020 is a good reference. The 2021 and 2022 will have a little more power but that shouldn't be a big problem. And since we have a good feel for how the 2021 compares with Flapper's 2012 even that info is very useful. Especially the part about the fifth wheel vs the bumper pull.

[mkirsch]

mdcamping wrote:
Hello everyone

How is everyone's experience towing with this truck, as I am considering ordering the truck. Specs: GCWR 17,500, Max Payload 2,190 Max towing 12,300


Also considering ordering/towing a 2022 Jay Flight 24RBS

Specs: https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2021-jayco-jay-flight-travel-trailer-floorplan-24rbs-tr48456

Thanks for your replies
Mike

How can anyone have experience towing with a truck that isn't even available to buy yet? At least, not at the time the original post was written...

Maybe if you were asking in January or February, but not early August.

[Flapper]

Just for a data point or two:

2012 F-150 Eco, with HDPP. 2160 payload.
With the old Jayco fifth wheel (~8,500 lbs), I got 10.5 mpg over 15,000 miles.
With the current Grand Design 2670MK tow behind (same weight), I get 8.5 mpg over 12,000 miles.

The fifth was much higher above the truck. With the trailer I'm guessing I'm getting a lot of swirl as the air comes over the cab, hits the cover over the bed, and then goes up the front of the trailer - hence lots more drag, despite the lower height. Maybe a topper would help, but I have no need for one other than that, so I live with it.

Out west mountain towing with the fifth was great - I could pass any lumbering truck I wanted to. No issues with really long 6-7% downhills for engine braking. Haven't challenged the trailer out west, but in the Appalachians, there have been no issues.

BTW, with the 3.73 gearing, empty, I get 17.5 city, and 20-21 highway.

Your new one will be better.

(When we had the fifth totaled due to a roof tear/delamination, we found all newer fifths had gained weight, putting me over payload. Hence the TT. Jealous - the 2560# would've gotten me back into a fifth)

[mdcamping]

Groover wrote:

mdcamping wrote:

joshuajim wrote:
I’ve been towing my 8000# (scale weight) trailer since 2013 with my HDPP F150 Eco. Payload is 2560#. Many many miles in the mountain west and I have never had an issue with engine braking being insufficient. I down shift early keeping RPM in the 4000 range and have never experienced beyond moderate use of the service brakes.

Now mileage, it sucks. At 60 MPH it’s 8 to 9 calculated because the lieometer is always 1 to 1 1/2 higher. LOL Bare mixed mileage rarely exceeds 14. I think the combination of LT tires and 3.73 diff kills it.

Keeping my expectations in check but would be happy if I got 10 MPG towing, put in a order for F150 3.5L HD Ecoboost 4X4 Supercrew with the 3.73, 13,800 towing, Payload 2640, 19,500 GCWR

Mike

Did you spec out the trailer tow mirrors?

Getting 10mpg depends mostly on aerodynamics and how fast you drive. As I mentioned before you may want a camper shell to keep the wind off of the front of the trailer.

I that that you will be happy the truck. Let us know how it works in real life.

Tow mirrors.. yes

My present tacoma & past F150 got c**p for gas millage, not expecting anything different 🙂

Mike

[Groover]

mdcamping wrote:

joshuajim wrote:
I’ve been towing my 8000# (scale weight) trailer since 2013 with my HDPP F150 Eco. Payload is 2560#. Many many miles in the mountain west and I have never had an issue with engine braking being insufficient. I down shift early keeping RPM in the 4000 range and have never experienced beyond moderate use of the service brakes.

Now mileage, it sucks. At 60 MPH it’s 8 to 9 calculated because the lieometer is always 1 to 1 1/2 higher. LOL Bare mixed mileage rarely exceeds 14. I think the combination of LT tires and 3.73 diff kills it.

Keeping my expectations in check but would be happy if I got 10 MPG towing, put in a order for F150 3.5L HD Ecoboost 4X4 Supercrew with the 3.73, 13,800 towing, Payload 2640, 19,500 GCWR

Mike

Did you spec out the trailer tow mirrors?

Getting 10mpg depends mostly on aerodynamics and how fast you drive. As I mentioned before you may want a camper shell to keep the wind off of the front of the trailer.

I that that you will be happy the truck. Let us know how it works in real life.

[mdcamping]

joshuajim wrote:
I’ve been towing my 8000# (scale weight) trailer since 2013 with my HDPP F150 Eco. Payload is 2560#. Many many miles in the mountain west and I have never had an issue with engine braking being insufficient. I down shift early keeping RPM in the 4000 range and have never experienced beyond moderate use of the service brakes.

Now mileage, it sucks. At 60 MPH it’s 8 to 9 calculated because the lieometer is always 1 to 1 1/2 higher. LOL Bare mixed mileage rarely exceeds 14. I think the combination of LT tires and 3.73 diff kills it.

Keeping my expectations in check but would be happy if I got 10 MPG towing, put in a order for F150 3.5L HD Ecoboost 4X4 Supercrew with the 3.73, 13,800 towing, Payload 2640, 19,500 GCWR

Mike

[Grit_dog]

^Location location location!
TN vs Mojave desert, mpgs could very well be the difference between how fast one drives.
TN = not much for straight long middle of nowhere drives. Mojave = 2 hours to the next source of water and so desolate you could probably watch your dog run away for 2 days straight in many places!
When I’m in N WI ( think Tennessee driving) most highways are 55mph limit and practical limits is maybe 65-70 in open areas. Combined with many backroads which are slower.
When I’m in the desert SW, most road trips are 80-100mph on a freeway or long 2 lane that you could take you hand offf the steering wheel for 15 minutes and not even drive off the road!
Guess where I get better mpgs?

[Groover]

joshuajim wrote:
I’ve been towing my 8000# (scale weight) trailer since 2013 with my HDPP F150 Eco. Payload is 2560#. Many many miles in the mountain west and I have never had an issue with engine braking being insufficient. I down shift early keeping RPM in the 4000 range and have never experienced beyond moderate use of the service brakes.

Now mileage, it sucks. At 60 MPH it’s 8 to 9 calculated because the lieometer is always 1 to 1 1/2 higher. LOL Bare mixed mileage rarely exceeds 14. I think the combination of LT tires and 3.73 diff kills it.

I don't think that the LT tires are the problem but the tread might be. I get much better mileage with my LT all-terrain tires than what you are reporting and I don't think that the 3.55 gear ratio is that much different either. In stop and go it does about as well as I expect a 5,600lb vehicle to do, which is in the lower teens when empty.

[joshuajim]

I’ve been towing my 8000# (scale weight) trailer since 2013 with my HDPP F150 Eco. Payload is 2560#. Many many miles in the mountain west and I have never had an issue with engine braking being insufficient. I down shift early keeping RPM in the 4000 range and have never experienced beyond moderate use of the service brakes.

Now mileage, it sucks. At 60 MPH it’s 8 to 9 calculated because the lieometer is always 1 to 1 1/2 higher. LOL Bare mixed mileage rarely exceeds 14. I think the combination of LT tires and 3.73 diff kills it.