Pulling With The Ford 3.5L Ecoboost.

[Drewski Canuck]

While there is an up charge on the diesel, the past experience on diesel re sale value is that you never really lose the value.

try to sell a Gasser at 200K and look at the blue book value. Now look at the same truck as a Diesel.

For the Dodge Cummins, it is crazy that a truck with 250 K is still north of $10 K, but that is what it is.

As for the price on the diesel, just offer them a bit more and they can take it or leave it. It might be a few years before the no charge up grade is offered, but eventually, it will be.

if you do not keep it long, then who cares. if you keep it past 250 K and the new Diesel proves to be a good engine, then you will be happy.

You simply do not face such punishing mileage towing with a diesel that you guys are talking about with this gasser block.

Drewski

[Suzukisam]

Face it most half tons are grocery go getters one person to work and back. Might tow garden trailer once a year. That is why the smaller engines. If it was so good for towing why are they not in the f350 and 250. And don’t say that f250 can tow more. In some cases they are only rated for 10,000 lbs. so why not use the eco. Maybe it’s because the echo can do it occasionally but the others can do it all day long.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by Suzukisam

Face it most half tons are grocery go getters one person to work and back. Might tow garden trailer once a year. That is why the smaller engines. If it was so good for towing why are they not in the f350 and 250. And don’t say that f250 can tow more. In some cases they are only rated for 10,000 lbs. so why not use the eco. Maybe it’s because the echo can do it occasionally but the others can do it all day long.

Took my trailer down to Northern California and back in +30C weather two years ago with my 2013. She worked pretty hard, but did well. I did make sure to change the fluids right before, and then after the 4300km's of towing i did over 3 weeks.

Would I like a big chevy 3/4 ton Diesel? Sure! Just found that the F150 suits my needs nicely, because as you noted, 80% of the time it's my commuter vehicle.

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

Took my trailer down to Northern California and back in +30C weather two years ago with my 2013. She worked pretty hard, but did well. I did make sure to change the fluids right before, and then after the 4300km's of towing i did over 3 weeks.

Would I like a big chevy 3/4 ton Diesel? Sure! Just found that the F150 suits my needs nicely, because as you noted, 80% of the time it's my commuter vehicle.

How big a trailer are we talking?

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

How big a trailer are we talking?

http://www.keystonerv.com/cougar-hal...e/model-mobile

About 8000lbs fully loaded. We would try not to have very much water when travelling.

[Suzukisam]

Yes 4300k is not a lot of towing distance. I have 145,000 on my truck and 135,000 is all with 10,000 lb trailer and 1400lb camper in box have a car for day to day driving. So no echo would never hold up for me. And I tow at 115kph. Not worried about fuel milage that’s what the car is for. Maybe AMA will buy them for thier tow truck. They only tow short haul. But I do like the look of the F150

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by Suzukisam

Yes 4300k is not a lot of towing distance. I have 145,000 on my truck and 135,000 is all with 10,000 lb trailer and 1400lb camper in box have a car for day to day driving. So no echo would never hold up for me. And I tow at 115kph. Not worried about fuel milage that’s what the car is for. Maybe AMA will buy them for thier tow truck. They only tow short haul. But I do like the look of the F150

When I sold my truck, it was around the 100k mark, and the computer on fords tracks the mileage of specific trailers you can program in. I think I was somewhere around 8000k when I sold my trailer, so yep, I'm only towing around +/- 10% of overall use.

I'd like a bigger truck 'just cause', but for my actual usage I'm pretty happy with the F150's.

[campingnut]

for what you are looking to do both the eco and 5.0 in a hdpp (heavy duty payload pack) will pull both together no problem, I have a 18 lariat eco max tow and my payload wouldn't be enough for a 30' fifth wheel at 1800#s payload but the HDPP bumps it up to around 3000# payload and a 11700 tow rating,
I wanted the LED headlights and you cant get that package with HDPP

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

http://www.keystonerv.com/cougar-hal...e/model-mobile

About 8000lbs fully loaded. We would try not to have very much water when travelling.

That’s a nice trailer. Glad to see the f150 will tow it for you. My trailer weighs about 2/3 of that o I would think a new f150 would fit the bill just right.

[walker1]

The big problem with 150................. 1500 trucks and towing capacity is this.
You will run out of all your other ratings long before you get to this imaginary tow capacity. Been there done that. Had a max tow f150 and my fifthwheel was a x lite model. I researched this quite a bit. Tow rating was 11,100 on my lariat. With trailer weighing in around 8000 (weighed on scales) I was over on rear axle while 3000 lbs under towing. Not good. Skipped 250 and went rught to 350 as small difference in price but 1000 lbs more payload.

Someone else made a good point. The 3.5 has the guts and torque but...... how long will this hold up on continuous use???

There is a reason SD has Duty in its name ..... the Duty cycle is ment for the continuous use.

PS I think your trailer and truck are a compatible combo. Best of luck.

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by walker1

The big problem with 150................. 1500 trucks and towing capacity is this.
You will run out of all your other ratings long before you get to this imaginary tow capacity. Been there done that. Had a max tow f150 and my fifthwheel was a x lite model. I researched this quite a bit. Tow rating was 11,100 on my lariat. With trailer weighing in around 8000 (weighed on scales) I was over on rear axle while 3000 lbs under towing. Not good. Skipped 250 and went rught to 350 as small difference in price but 1000 lbs more payload.

But if you pay attention to the numbers, you can get close to the tow ratings (legally). I owned a 2014 F150 Screw w/Eco and HD payload pkg & max tow. I had 2150# payload available (I actually weighed it). Mind you, I wouldn't actually tow that much trailer (11,100#) , mine was 7500#, but they are out there. The problem is, no one wants a basic truck. Mine was XLT with no carpet. Every option (owner, dealer and/or factory installed) reduces the payload. Most 1/2t on the road, have less that 1000# payload.

I used to have a sierra 1500HD, and that thing was awesome. It had more payload than 2500HD with the diesels, even though the tow rating was only 7300#'s.

[Suzukisam]

Well said JB AOL. I was looking at the specs and combinations of the 2108 F 150 and was having hard time finding the model with the 11,000 lb tow rating. All I could find was 5000 lb with optional towing package of 7700 lb. but I did not look at the plain Jane trucks I was in platinum and Larry’s and king ranch. So most of the ones you see on the road would technically be overloaded.

[walker1]

Originally Posted by JB_AOL

But if you pay attention to the numbers, you can get close to the tow ratings (legally). I owned a 2014 F150 Screw w/Eco and HD payload pkg & max tow. I had 2150# payload available (I actually weighed it). Mind you, I wouldn't actually tow that much trailer (11,100#) , mine was 7500#, but they are out there. The problem is, no one wants a basic truck. Mine was XLT with no carpet. Every option (owner, dealer and/or factory installed) reduces the payload. Most 1/2t on the road, have less that 1000# payload.

I used to have a sierra 1500HD, and that thing was awesome. It had more payload than 2500HD with the diesels, even though the tow rating was only 7300#'s.

You are right. the bare bones truck can do it. But Ford for example has maybe 15-20 configurations of their 150. I don't say 1/2 as it is really obsolete now. A person runs into the problem when they hear 1/2 towable and only one ( like yours was) is actually good to tow..... within the ratings.

Also RV tow ratings are really out of wack reality wise . I could have towed a flat deck with rebar weighing around 10000 pounds and be fine but my fifthwheel at 8000 is over.

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by Suzukisam

Well said JB AOL. I was looking at the specs and combinations of the 2108 F 150 and was having hard time finding the model with the 11,000 lb tow rating. All I could find was 5000 lb with optional towing package of 7700 lb. but I did not look at the plain Jane trucks I was in platinum and Larry’s and king ranch. So most of the ones you see on the road would technically be overloaded.

Yep. I specifically sought out a HD payload, and at the time, they only came on the XLT, and no body wanted rubber flooring (which is awesome with a family btw), so I got a sweet deal on it.

Yes. The majority of them are overloaded. Alberta transport doesn't care, but BC does, and I've seen on many different occasions LEO's with scales under RV's on the side of the highways.

[walker1]

Originally Posted by Suzukisam

Well said JB AOL. I was looking at the specs and combinations of the 2108 F 150 and was having hard time finding the model with the 11,000 lb tow rating. All I could find was 5000 lb with optional towing package of 7700 lb. but I did not look at the plain Jane trucks I was in platinum and Larry’s and king ranch. So most of the ones you see on the road would technically be overloaded.

I bet over half are overloaded and the driver has no idea.

[Suzukisam]

Yes your right. Fords rv rating is based on 60 square feet of frontal area and the truck blocking it does not count. Well most rv’s are 8 feet wide so that means it can’t be very tall. Great for short people I guess

[calgarygringo]

Payload is the killer to the whole I can tow the space shuttle story. Many trucks can pull the weight but once you drop a 10 or 11k trailer on the hitch it is a different story. How many actually realize what their loaded pin weight is and then have a loaded truck, add the wife, 2 kids, the dogs firewood then whats left or you are way over. Many have been pulled over in BC and had to leave their trailers. I have heard many say that the truck can pull it but payload is the safety factor that is built in.

[Suzukisam]

Wind drag is the not seen killer here. Pull a boat that is 6000 on trailer now try same thing with holiday trailer. And then try stand up front fifth wheel. That frontal cottage will get you every time. And holiday trailers are not Aerodynamic no mater how you shape the box

[Suzukisam]

Best one I saw was a Nissan Frontier pulling a 5th wheel ant it was like a 1990 frontier. Almost could not see truck from front and his mirrors needed 3 foot extensions

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by Suzukisam

Best one I saw was a Nissan Frontier pulling a 5th wheel ant it was like a 1990 frontier. Almost could not see truck from front and his mirrors needed 3 foot extensions

Saw a late 90's Dodge Dakota doing the same, trying to get to the top of the pass on HWY 93 between Banff and Radium. He was doing about 45km/hr in a no passing lane. A lot of very happy folks (including myself) behind him.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by calgarygringo

Payload is the killer to the whole I can tow the space shuttle story. Many trucks can pull the weight but once you drop a 10 or 11k trailer on the hitch it is a different story. How many actually realize what their loaded pin weight is and then have a loaded truck, add the wife, 2 kids, the dogs firewood then whats left or you are way over. Many have been pulled over in BC and had to leave their trailers. I have heard many say that the truck can pull it but payload is the safety factor that is built in.

This ^^^^^

I was driving into BC this summer for vacation towing my boat and they had set up a "check stop" for light trucks hauling trailers/boats etc...

There was a dozen or so trailers "parked" in the rest area that were the results of trucks (like f150's being overloaded) and in talking to the guy scaling me I was surprised to learn that some pretty light trailers (like 24-28 trailers including some 5th wheels) were overweight due to the "payload" issues on trailers weighing far less than the "towing capacity" 90% of the people focus on when determining what their truck is actually capable and allowed to tow.

I'm not an expert in this area - but if your truck claims a towing rating of 11,000lbs (or whatever) you are probably closer to 60%-70% of that in real life (based on our brief conversation with the DOT dude.

[JB_AOL]

I saw a 2015ish ford raptor towing a 35ft toy hauler, yes, bumper pull, it had a bent tongue jack.. lol. Pretty sure there was a hole (or two thousand) in the highway from him.


I really wish Alberta would get their crap together and go after these people.

[walker1]

This one is famous....... just add air bags and drive it..... camp on.

Let me know the days you are going so I can stay home. Some of the most guilty are the 250 and 2500 trucks. The diesel option is catch 22. It will tow better buts eats the payload. I have seen 2500 with 1700-2200 payload and some properly equipped 150 1500 with 500 more!!!

When I see 250 trucks with 14-16 k trailers I have to wonder some . Mine is a 2017 f350 and I know after 16k I would be pushing the limits!

Not many mention brakes but I sold my 2012 diesel as it did not have a true exhaust brake that my 2017 does.

The engines pull them no problem but seldom do some think of the stopping part................. scary !!!

[nast70]

There's no magic one vehicle that will be a daily driver and a towing beast. There's compromises you will have to make.
For me it was a F250 with the small 5.4 V8. It was until recently a daily driver. Got around the 19L/100km mark around town, but when I towed (9000lb 5th wheel), it would skyrocket to over 30L/100 km. The truck would cruise down the highway at a steady 2800 rpm, then scream up to over 4000 up any little incline. But for the half dozen times I do it a year, I can live with it.
Next time around I'm just going to find a rusty old Cummins and make it my dedicated tractor.

[walker1]

Originally Posted by nast70

There's no magic one vehicle that will be a daily driver and a towing beast. There's compromises you will have to make.
For me it was a F250 with the small 5.4 V8. It was until recently a daily driver. Got around the 19L/100km mark around town, but when I towed (9000lb 5th wheel), it would skyrocket to over 30L/100 km. The truck would cruise down the highway at a steady 2800 rpm, then scream up to over 4000 up any little incline. But for the half dozen times I do it a year, I can live with it.
Next time around I'm just going to find a rusty old Cummins and make it my dedicated tractor.

Nothing wrong with 4000 rpm .................. for a bit......... it being a gasser it has to rev up........... but I hear you. That is what makes the ecoboost popular. Great unloaded mileage (not what they claim) but down the toilet when you tow. The new diesels can get real life 18-20 mpg and 11-12 towing buts comes with the big price tag. Can't have both.

[calgarygringo]

You are correct as I have done lots of research on this subject and talked to the weight police too. They are less concerned about tow weight as they are about the truck itself overloaded.

Most dont realize the weight a trailer puts on the truck and that effects steering and braking. Some advertise they can pull a spaceship but totally illegal as they have no payload and makes driving potentially dangerous. People should learn how to calculate weights properly especially half ton with big trailers and even bigger trucks with huge fifth wheels.

Originally Posted by EZM

This ^^^^^

I was driving into BC this summer for vacation towing my boat and they had set up a "check stop" for light trucks hauling trailers/boats etc...

There was a dozen or so trailers "parked" in the rest area that were the results of trucks (like f150's being overloaded) and in talking to the guy scaling me I was surprised to learn that some pretty light trailers (like 24-28 trailers including some 5th wheels) were overweight due to the "payload" issues on trailers weighing far less than the "towing capacity" 90% of the people focus on when determining what their truck is actually capable and allowed to tow.

I'm not an expert in this area - but if your truck claims a towing rating of 11,000lbs (or whatever) you are probably closer to 60%-70% of that in real life (based on our brief conversation with the DOT dude.

[coyoteman]

Yes, and then theres the mountains. I worked for Brewsters for 12 seasons and the killer hills, such as Big Ben. Got to be about 10k.The transmission fluid spots common.A very expensive situation to get yourself into.

[fordtruckin]

All this talk about overloading makes me feel I need a 1 ton diesel just to pull my 3500-4000# camper...

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

All this talk about overloading makes me feel I need a 1 ton diesel just to pull my 3500-4000# camper...

Don't feel that way.. do your homework and you'll be fine. Most people assume weights of everything.. go to a weight scale, and get the actual weight of your camper. It really is eye opening.

[calgarygringo]

Not quite like that but as just said it does open your eyes when you see the real weights on your truck especially trailers because of varying tongue weights plus all the extra stuff in the bed plus people. There is more weight on these trucks than most think especially the half tons.

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

All this talk about overloading makes me feel I need a 1 ton diesel just to pull my 3500-4000# camper...