VeloMello

Howdy,

I am researching a tow vehicle for a future travel trailer such as either an Escape 19 foot fiberglass egg http://escapetrailer.com/Products/19FootEscape.aspx with an approximate dry weight of 2510 pounds or a 16 foot Scamp Deluxe http://www.scamptrailers.com/showroo...-trailers.html with an approximate dry weight of 2200 to 2600 pounds

I'd get a regular cab 4x4 F150 with an A.R.E Fiberglass cap, 3.73 rear end with limited slip and am debating between a 3.7 liter V6 or a 5.0 V8. I'd be carrying a portable generator, extra fuel and other items in the cap to go boon docking and hope to travel all over the US and Canada so I'd being in the mountains too.

I'll be driving this truck until it dies. The Ecoboost is a great engine but I'm just not interested in it. Will the 3.7 liter V6 be ok without the engine screaming at 7k rpm? It seems to be well within the specs but I don't want to cause future issues by working this too hard at high rpms. I baby my vehicles and the fiberglass egg campers are known to be easy to tow being very aerodynamic, lightweight and economical to pull.

brettd4x4

When I have to pick and choose, I never settle on the lessor. That way I can not say "I should've gone bigger" and have to live with it. if money isn't a factor 5.0 all the way.

isthatahemi

I tow a 17' Hybrid that weighs 3800#, is over 10' tall, 8' wide, and flat on the front. I am very happy with how it tows, and on flat ground I usually tow in 5th gear, 65mph around 2300rpm. It handles the trailer well, and we took it across numerous mountain ranges on our way to Yosemite last year. In the mountains it will rev, how high is directly proportional to how fast you want to go.
It will handle what you are looking at no sweat at all.
The exceptional unloaded mileage with the 3.7 is a bonus when not hauling as well.

VeloMello

Thank for your replies. Both are excellent engines but I would hate to eliminate the 3.7 v6 if it were to pull this trailer just fine. Toyota Tacoma's are towing these travel trailers I mentioned. I'm a very conservative driver and try to take care of what I have. Why spend the extra money of I don't need to and what if the this particular v6 is under rated among the general public?

What kind of towing mileage did you get with the 3.7? I realize going up a grade, type of trailer, weight and wind will make a difference.

I've read one person on a rv forum who has a f150 regular cab 4x4 5.0 v8 gets 21mpg pulling one of these trailers on a regular basis.

I figured when the travel trailer is parked that 3.7 would be pretty economical running around.

Growing up we had inline 6 cylinders in our 1/2 ton work trucks and worked them pretty hard but they were good on gas and very reliable. They just kept running and never let us down. I realize a v6 is different regarding torque and these new engines get their power at higher rpm's these days.

Wanted33

Velo, the 3.7 is a tough little engine. It should cover your needs quite well. I owned one for two trouble free years. As far as mpg's the 5.0L I own now is now that much different than the 3.7L. As said if the 5.0L is affordable IMHO go with that one. As brett says, it's better to have the power and not need it than the other way around. Who knows, you may want a bigger trailer in the future.

BTW, before you go with the Reg. Cab check out the bigger ones. The extra space may be something you need when camping.

djxealot

I have this engine, and have towed a 3500lb boat and trailer with it. There are no problems whatsoever with doing it. The RPMs do get a little loud, but unless you're flooring it, it's not bad. Cruising on the highway it settles into a nice 2000-2200 RPM. It'll downshift on the hills if you're passing, but even then you can accelerate no problem. You won't be screaming at 7000RPM unless you're flooring it -- which you shouldn't do while towing anyway.

It'll do the job no problem -- you're not straining it by doing so. 4000lb+ you'd probably start to push it some, but even that would be probably be OK.

For me, the truck gets used mostly as a commuter and a gear hauler, and only occasionally tows anything. The 3.7L engine is absolutely PERFECT for this, because you have enough power to tow, but you're saving gas money the rest of the time when you aren't.

If you think you'll regularly tow more than 4000lbs, or you have an addiction to horsepower though, I'd go 5.0L. I am doing neither, so the 3.7 was the perfect engine choice for me. 300+ HP in a little V6? Not bad, man, not bad at all.

schizbomb

I've towed a 6000# camper with my 3.7L and never felt underpowered. MPG while towing it was like 11 though haha

But I get close to 20MPG tank averages unloaded with a roll-x tonneau

Rob1334

21mpg pulling his trailer??? C'mon......

djxealot

Something a lot of people forget is little crossover SUVs with small engines often have 3000lb towing capacities or more. We're talking a truck with 300HP... it's not going to struggle unless you get stupid and tow something well beyond the rated capacity (I think my capacity is 6800lbs).

iFord

[QUOTE=VeloMello;2796960] I've read one person on a rv forum who has a f150 regular cab 4x4 5.0 v8 gets 21mpg pulling one of these trailers on a regular basis./QUOTE]

Yep, got to get me one of them kind of trailers.