Who's towing with a F-150 5.0 Liter

[stevepk]

Looking at buying a new TV a 2014 F-150 5.0. Very new with this RV and our current truck a 2000 Silverado 4.8 won't handle it. We have a 96 Mallard 24 foot that is advertised at 3840 (yeah I know meaningless but that all I have just now)

Just looking for what other 5.0 owners think of there truck. What rear end also.

Thanks
Steve

[AlmostAnOldGuy]

What gears on the truck? Does it have a transmission cooler and integrated trailer brake controller? What is the payload on the door sticker? Each of these are important too.

MikeUp may be along shortly. He has been happy towing with his 5.0. It looks to be a good engine but I would want the 3.73 gears and other items above with enough payload for the hitch, tongue weight, gear and family.

Good luck,
Stu

[EcoBullet]

Another Ecoboost lover here! I hated the constant downshifting and high revving of the 2008 Chevy with 5.3L. Towing power of the Eco is awesome in comparison.

[Tystevens]

This is turning into an Ecoboost advertisement ...

and with good reason, I might ad.

The 5.0 would tow that trailer just fine. But there will be lots of shifting, higher rpms in all situations, and it will just feel like it's working harder overall.

The EB would cruise along in 6th gear under nearly all highway/freeway situations, resist downshifting and will tow it perceptibly easier.

Like I said, the 5.0 should do just fine. It is more about what kind of towing experience you are looking for. I know that for me, the EB is a no-brainer when considering 1/2 ton options. I love mine.

[AndyW]

Two years ago I 'downgraded' from a 3/4 ton Dodge diesel to a 2012 F150 Ecoboost with max payload and max tow packages. Now the Dodge was almost 20 years old and had 250k miles on it, but it was a solid, well maintained truck that I was towing with regularly up until the day I traded it in.

I found the F150 to be a HUGE improvement in every respect. Power, braking, stability, everything. I don't know how the rated capacities compare, but I expect you'll see the same - or bigger - improvement over your 2000 Silverado.

[snowedin]

Have had a Silverado 5.3 with the 3.42 axle ratio, an F150 with the 5.0 V8-3.55 axle ratios, and two F150 3.5 Ecoboosts with the 3.55 axle ratios. At first I had a KZ CL180 travel trailer (3850 lbs empty) and while this was not a very heavy camper I was not happy at all with the way the Silverado handled the load as it was shifting up & down a lot, engine roaring, and getting 9 mpg. Traded the Silverado for the Ecoboost F150 and loved it as it lugged like a diesel and hardly ever shifted down. On our trip to Alaska the Ecoboost averaged 10.4 mpg which is the kind of gas mileage a person gets when pulling anything. Then I traded the F150 for another with the 5.0 V8 engine, 3.55 axle ratios, and while it was acceptable in pulling the trailer, it did a lot of shifting up & down to do so (still got the 10 mpg). Then we got a bigger trailer, a Keystone Passport 2510RB weighing 4720 lbs empty, and I really did not like the way the 5.0 pulled the new camper so traded for an F150 SuperCrew, 4x4, 3.5 Ecoboost V6, and am happy again. The 5.0 V8 was fine for towing on fairly level ground but on the hills needed to shift down & rev up to get over the hills. I don't tow fast either, usually 60-65 mph. The turbocharged engine pulls like a beast and I like it. I was completely happy with the 5.0 V8 except for the towing part and got the same mileage when not towing with both the 5.0 & 3.5 Ecoboost F150's (17-18 mpg Hwy, maybe 19 occasionally). In no way am I attempting to bash the 5.0 V8 as it is a good engine. Am just telling my experience with towing. Have had turbo chargers on farm tractors & combines for years without any trouble on any of them so I personally am not worried about that, Hope this helps but it is just one mans opinion.

[tragusa3]

I assume you intentionally left the EB out of your post for a reason. However, I have to put in a word for it! I came from an '03 Silverado with the 4.8l and went to the EB. It is not an incremental improvement, it is monumental in comparison. I would strongly resist ever going back to an engine that needs to rev to find the torque. Setting the cruise in the rolling hills and holding 5th gear is nice. So is pulling 4k pounds up a 10% grade at 9k foot elevation and 2200rpm.

The EB has got to be considered.

[Cv67cheng]

I had a 2012 F150, 5.0, SC, SB, 4X4, 3:55 rear gears and was pulling a 6K enclosed trailer. The truck pulled the load fine on level ground, but when encountering hills is was working hard, down shifts, revving high, and was just adequate (my opinion only) doing the job. I would have liked to have had more power for merging and negotiating the hills. The suspension felt a bit squishy, and when braking hard, you could tell something heavy was behind you.

[dockmasterdave]

I went with the ecoboost because it makes more hp and torque at lower rpms than the 5.0 can make at any rpm.
Even with a 3:17 ratio they are rated for 9000lb max, without the max tow option.
My TT is 3500lbs advertised, about 4500 ready to tow. It tows like it's not there.
You may want to look it up. There seem to be a lot of happy owners, and a lot of disgruntled owners of other brands.
You'll see.