What do you think?

[me_camper]

My current tow vehicle is getting a little tired and rusty these days. Found a good deal on a 2013 F150 with 3.5 ecoboost and tow package. How many people out there tow 8500 lbs with this truck, just looking for opinions. Thanks.

[bikendan]

goducks10 wrote:

MFL wrote:
The max tow will also have the bigger elephant ear mirrors on it. Max tow in that year also added 500 lbs to GVWR. Every ones comfort level is different, many would not want an 8,500 RV hooked up to that truck. IIRC in 13 the RAWR on that model was 4,050. If you stay under that, towing trailer in question, it may work for you.

Jerry

I thought the big tow mirrors were still an option. I know they were on my 2010 F150 Max Tow. I had the Max Tow, 3.73 and 1857 CCC.
According to Fords build and price site they're a $275 option on 2018's.

My 2014 has Max Tow Package and power tow mirrors were not part of that package.
They were an separate option.

[kerrlakeRoo]

Grit dog wrote:

kerrlakeRoo wrote:
Is your concern that the GM product is rusting out? I know years ago Maine was hard on folks with checking for rust damage duue to road salt, and many folks were cutting out floors and removing seats to fiberglass or rivet sheet metal in to seal rusted out units.
Yeah I know, these are old memories, but I dont know that this problem isnt what is pressing the sale of the old GMC.

Huh?? That’s a double negative, lol.
But rust is a primary reason to sell a vehicle that still runs.....

we
20 years ago guides I bowhunted up there with and some that I knew from archery tournaments talked about pulling seats out , riveting in sheet metal and then glassing old trucks before putting the seats back to pass state inspections with old units they used primarily for hunting. The OP's truck is 15 years old, in Maine's environment. It may be that he needs to replace it due to cost of patching it up making a 5 year old replacement more reasonable.

[Samsonsworld]

I thought the 3.73 not came with Max tow? It'll do it, the engine is great, but a 3/4 ton would be ideal.

[MFL]

goducks10 wrote:

MFL wrote:
The max tow will also have the bigger elephant ear mirrors on it. Max tow in that year also added 500 lbs to GVWR. Every ones comfort level is different, many would not want an 8,500 RV hooked up to that truck. IIRC in 13 the RAWR on that model was 4,050. If you stay under that, towing trailer in question, it may work for you.

Jerry

I thought the big tow mirrors were still an option. I know they were on my 2010 F150 Max Tow. I had the Max Tow, 3.73 and 1857 CCC.
According to Fords build and price site they're a $275 option on 2018's.

In 2013 model year that OP is looking at, they were part of the max tow package.

Jerry

[Grit_dog]

kerrlakeRoo wrote:
Is your concern that the GM product is rusting out? I know years ago Maine was hard on folks with checking for rust damage duue to road salt, and many folks were cutting out floors and removing seats to fiberglass or rivet sheet metal in to seal rusted out units.
Yeah I know, these are old memories, but I dont know that this problem isnt what is pressing the sale of the old GMC.

Huh?? That’s a double negative, lol.
But rust is a primary reason to sell a vehicle that still runs.....

[Grit_dog]

DutchmenSport wrote:
Me thinks you'll be very sad if you switch that 2005 GMC 2500 HD for an F150. You'll be kicking yourself, especially if you tow. I'd rather keep the rusty 2500 than the shinny 150.

Except that unless the GMC is a diesel, the newer Eco boost performance with good LT tires will flat stomp a mud hole in the Jimmy in all respects except payload.

Give me a rusty old 6.0 Chebby or a newer Eco boost for a cross country trip with a trailer and the Chevy is staying in the pasture.

[goducks10]

MFL wrote:
The max tow will also have the bigger elephant ear mirrors on it. Max tow in that year also added 500 lbs to GVWR. Every ones comfort level is different, many would not want an 8,500 RV hooked up to that truck. IIRC in 13 the RAWR on that model was 4,050. If you stay under that, towing trailer in question, it may work for you.

Jerry

I thought the big tow mirrors were still an option. I know they were on my 2010 F150 Max Tow. I had the Max Tow, 3.73 and 1857 CCC.
According to Fords build and price site they're a $275 option on 2018's.

[MFL]

The max tow will also have the bigger elephant ear mirrors on it. Max tow in that year also added 500 lbs to GVWR. Every ones comfort level is different, many would not want an 8,500 RV hooked up to that truck. IIRC in 13 the RAWR on that model was 4,050. If you stay under that, towing trailer in question, it may work for you.

Jerry

[kerrlakeRoo]

Is your concern that the GM product is rusting out? I know years ago Maine was hard on folks with checking for rust damage duue to road salt, and many folks were cutting out floors and removing seats to fiberglass or rivet sheet metal in to seal rusted out units.
Yeah I know, these are old memories, but I dont know that this problem isnt what is pressing the sale of the old GMC.

[me_camper]

F150 has the factory Ford brake controller in the dash and a 3.73 rear end, not sure if that's the max tow package or not?

[bikendan]

me.camper wrote:
My current tow vehicle is getting a little tired and rusty these days. Found a good deal on a 2013 F150 with 3.5 ecoboost and tow package. How many people out there tow 8500 lbs with this truck, just looking for opinions. Thanks.

I have a 2014 Ecoboost CC with the Max Tow Package and 1828lbs for payload capacity.
I tow a 26'6" TT that weighs at most 6000lbs.

Does the truck you're looking at have the Max Tow Package or the regular factory tow package? Makes a big difference.

Also what is its payload capacity? It'll almost certainly be lower than your 2500.

[brulaz]

me.camper wrote:
My current tow vehicle is getting a little tired and rusty these days. Found a good deal on a 2013 F150 with 3.5 ecoboost and tow package. How many people out there tow 8500 lbs with this truck, just looking for opinions. Thanks.

I did for a couple of years. Added LT-E tires, HD shocks and bump stops so the overload spring engaged earlier. And with a good anti-sway WDH it towed well, was stable and had lots of power. It was also cheap to maintain and gave me 10.2 mpg towing all over.

But eventually traded it in for a 3/4 ton as I always exceeded the truck's rear GAWR (our trailer is ~1300# TW) by a few hundred pounds, the 2" Class IV hitch receiver wasn't hefty enough (kept loosening up), and I disliked going down steep hills at high rpms in first gear (Ecoboost didn't have enough engine braking).

[DutchmenSport]

Me thinks you'll be very sad if you switch that 2005 GMC 2500 HD for an F150. You'll be kicking yourself, especially if you tow. I'd rather keep the rusty 2500 than the shinny 150.