2017 ford F150

[busterbrown]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Have you considered a F150 EcoBoost? More power all the time and more payload. I believe the 2017's with the Max/Max tow and payloads top out at 7,800# GVWR, haven't looked at the payload numbers, will a bit later. That said some F150 with good trim have Payloads as good or better than 250/2500's.

I looked at buying a new F150 Max tow prior to buying my 3/4 ton RAM. Pricing was not in my favor as the it exceeded what I paid for my new, similarly-optioned RAM by $6-7K. The ride comfort was what I was looking for out of the F150. Instead, I got more payload, a higher stance, larger mega cab, and a much lower payment. This was a no-brainer for me.

[kcamp99186]

I have a 34' Bullet Premier weighing about 6700lbs. My first tow vehicle was aF150 with the Ecoboost engine. It would pull very well at 65 to 70mph with no problems. Stopped well too. I did however bust a rear shock, due to overloading I expect. I installed towing shocks that had springs on them and it did help but I always watched what I loaded. Just traded it in on a F250 diesel and boy what a difference! Pulls just as well but much more stable feel. Go bigger if you can.

[ftrupe]

Would never think of towing a 5ver with my 2017 f150. I will stick with a trailer of a max weight of 6000 lbs. I drive the truck for pleasure more than towing, and the ecoboost mileage is pretty good. Towing about 11.5, non towing 18 local and 22 highway.

[ncgrl1]

I know I am going to get flamed here but we towed our 2015 Cougar 26SAB all over the place with my 2012 Ram 1500 regular cab 2WD short bed, and I was very pleased with the way it handled it. It was much easier pulling the 5th wheel than it was pulling the lighter travel trailer we had before the Cougar. My truck had the 5.7 Hemi with 3.92 rear axle ratio. The only thing I added other than the hitch was a set of Airlift 1000 air bags for $89.00. I pulled it through the mountains of WV, NC, Ky, and SC. and never felt the least bit uncomfortable. I would have no problems at all doing it again. The truck had plenty of power and the Cougar 26SAB pulled like a dream. I even got better mileage pulling the 5th wheel than I did the lighter travel trailer...

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by ncgrl1

I know I am going to get flamed here but we towed our 2015 Cougar 26SAB all over the place with my 2012 Ram 1500 regular cab 2WD short bed, and I was very pleased with the way it handled it. It was much easier pulling the 5th wheel than it was pulling the lighter travel trailer we had before the Cougar. My truck had the 5.7 Hemi with 3.92 rear axle ratio. The only thing I added other than the hitch was a set of Airlift 1000 air bags for $89.00. I pulled it through the mountains of WV, NC, Ky, and SC. and never felt the least bit uncomfortable. I would have no problems at all doing it again. The truck had plenty of power and the Cougar 26SAB pulled like a dream. I even got better mileage pulling the 5th wheel than I did the lighter travel trailer...

Not going to get flamed....just knowing nods of the heads of the folks that have been there done that. If you could read my posts on this forum when I first joined.....well, you may have because they sound just like me.....when I didn't know better

[theasphaltrv'er]

Everyone says you can't tow a 5er with a 1/2 ton.

[notanlines]

Those of you interested in the tow factor of the F-150 can glean a little info at this site:
http://www.f150ecoboost.net/forum/17...-ecoboost.html

[ctbruce]

A trailer is a huge investment. Using the right sized TV makes more sense than trying skimp by with a might work truck. A lot of us on this forum have tried to tow over weight with a 150/1500, me included. That, for me only lasted until I could buy the right sized truck.

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[jonnyaiks]

Let's not conflate safety with comfort. If the trailer is within the 1/2-ton's specified limits then it's safe - if it's not then it isn't. When I upgraded to a hd diesel for my old TT, it wasn't because the F-150 couldn't do it safely, it was because I got tired of redlining her up all those big hills.

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[JRTJH]

The situation is, I think, that many novice (and too many experienced) RV'ers tend to either confuse (or use as evidence) the half ton specs to equal trailer capacity. In other words, payload equals tongue/pin weight and max trailer weight equals trailer GVW. Where that falls short is that many omit other cargo, trailer cargo/equipment weight, passengers, and additions to the truck such as running boards, bed liners, heavier tires, and other mods that "eat up" the payload.

Just because a truck has a payload of 1600 pounds doesn't mean you can tow a trailer with a 1300 pound tongue weight and say you have a 19% safety margin. By the time you add the 100 pound hitch, mom, the kids, the pooch, two ice chests, firewood, the bikes and that tool chest.... well, hopefully you get the point I'm trying to make......

I agree, half ton truck can tow safely, in fact, nearly any vehicle can "tow safely" if they are properly equipped and the trailer is within that vehicles capacity and specifications. But nobody can "tow safely" by following "all the maximums for the truck" and applying them to the trailer while ignoring "the rest of the stuff we all carry on every trip. There are two or three current threads on the forum that "apply that concept" to "well, the brochure says the truck payload is 3,000 pounds and Keystone's website says the fifth wheel I want has a pin weight that's only 1700 pounds, so I'm only about half of my payload". It just don't work that way......

[jonnyaiks]

I would hope that would be obvious... <he says knowing the truth>

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[Javi]

Originally Posted by jonnyaiks

I would hope that would be obvious... <he says knowing the truth>

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You need to read some of the towing threads...

[B-O-B'03]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Those of you interested in the tow factor of the F-150 can glean a little info at this site:
http://www.f150ecoboost.net/forum/17...-ecoboost.html

I browsed through a bit, found this to be very interesting:

"The nice thing about the High Country is that Keystone uses "Helium" technology in the construct of their 5th wheels which drastically reduces overall weight and in our case 1975 pounds"

So, Keystone fills it with helium and it just floats down the road

-Brian

[jonnyaiks]

So I have a Montana HC, and I've been interested in what that was. It turns out that most of the weight loss comes from lighter (cable) slides, using Italian poplar instead of luan, and light-weight versions of interior furniture, and overall more aluminum less wood. The helium must come in where they suck it in on the assembly line and talk in funny voices. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but sales gimmicks just annoy me.

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[notanlines]

Brian, I had never heard the term until you mentioned it. This is what I came up with on a short search: http://www.allaboutcampers.com/heliu...untry-campers/
Yep, sounds a little like gimmick to me.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

The situation is, I think, that many novice (and too many experienced) RV'ers tend to either confuse (or use as evidence) the half ton specs to equal trailer capacity. In other words, payload equals tongue/pin weight and max trailer weight equals trailer GVW. Where that falls short is that many omit other cargo, trailer cargo/equipment weight, passengers, and additions to the truck such as running boards, bed liners, heavier tires, and other mods that "eat up" the payload.

Just because a truck has a payload of 1600 pounds doesn't mean you can tow a trailer with a 1300 pound tongue weight and say you have a 19% safety margin. By the time you add the 100 pound hitch, mom, the kids, the pooch, two ice chests, firewood, the bikes and that tool chest.... well, hopefully you get the point I'm trying to make......

I agree, half ton truck can tow safely, in fact, nearly any vehicle can "tow safely" if they are properly equipped and the trailer is within that vehicles capacity and specifications. But nobody can "tow safely" by following "all the maximums for the truck" and applying them to the trailer while ignoring "the rest of the stuff we all carry on every trip. There are two or three current threads on the forum that "apply that concept" to "well, the brochure says the truck payload is 3,000 pounds and Keystone's website says the fifth wheel I want has a pin weight that's only 1700 pounds, so I'm only about half of my payload". It just don't work that way......

Really sometimes no reason to explain ~~ my Cougar had a published PW of 1705 and the Montana HC is 600# higher. Scaled weights loaded are just under 400# different. Same "stuff" same 2 people. 8' longer... only major diff is a larger RV fridge and extra sofa.

[fraleywp]

I think what people are saying here is accurate. Also, if you are towing with an F150, the Ecoboost is far superior to the V8. If you are well under 5k it likely won't matter but as you approach the 7k Mark, the difference in towing between the V8 and Ecoboost is very apparent. The V8 will struggle far sooner than the Ecoboost.

Simply put, the Ecoboost engines, both of them, have a far better performance curve. Too often people get caught up on max hp and max torque. How it delivers this power, up to and including max, is what really matters.

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[jonnyaiks]

I'm not sure I agree. I had the V8 and my father had the ecoboost. He regretted his choice pretty quickly. He had to run hard to pull heavy, I didn't at all. Despite advertisement, in the real world his fuel mileage hauling heavy was garbage and mine just hummed along. After he blew his first 2 turbos he got rid of it for a V8. He was 80 so he wasn't out there WOT'ing it for fun. I have neighbours with similar experiences. Maybe it's skewed because I have a small sample, but certainly the love affair for the ecoboost is not universal.

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[fraleywp]

Originally Posted by jonnyaiks

I'm not sure I agree. I had the V8 and my father had the ecoboost. He regretted his choice pretty quickly. He had to run hard to pull heavy, I didn't at all. Despite advertisement, in the real world his fuel mileage hauling heavy was garbage and mine just hummed along. After he blew his first 2 turbos he got rid of it for a V8. He was 80 so he wasn't out there WOT'ing it for fun. I have neighbours with similar experiences. Maybe it's skewed because I have a small sample, but certainly the love affair for the ecoboost is not universal.

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It must be skewed. It also depends on the year. The newer Ecoboost has a different transmission and there are now three generations of Ecoboost as well. Anecdotal evidence aside, the numbers don't lie. The new Ecoboost (not sure when it starts shipping) only ups the ante. There is now a 10-speed transmission on some models and it will be on all soon.

If you need more anecdotal evidence just head over to F150forums and there is a ton of it there. Most of the conversations are by people who tow on a daily basis. If you tow constantly it seems a nearly universal belief that the 3.5 Ecoboost is the best. There are a few threads that state for daily towing the V8 is better than the 2.6 Ecoboost for the reasons you state. But the 2.6 still has a better power curve. Another odd fact is that the 2.6 Ecoboost with 3.31 rear end is the fastest from 0-60 of all the options. That will likely change when the new 3.5 is out as it has a substantial power increase.

Also, it is not common for people to blow out these turbos unmodified. I think your Dad had a defect. What year was his truck?

The biggest complaint on the Ecoboost has to be the lack of good sounding exhaust upgrades.

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[jonnyaiks]

His was 2012, mine (non ecob) was 2013. Edit - neighbours' were 2012-2013.

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