Perrett

I have a 2015 Lariat with the 2.7 engine and 3.73 deferential. I got it last winter to tow a 19' Airstream (roughly 5,000#) and have gone about 5,500 miles (Washington, Oregon, Idaho & Montana) this year. I have second guessed myself a bit regarding a 3.5 but the 2.7 has been great for me!

smokeywren

DO NOT buy an F-150 with 2.7L engine unless it has the 2.7L Payload pkg. The 2.7L Payload Pkg includes the 3.73 axle ratio, so that other one wirh 3.31 is not to be considered for towing more than a rowboat.


You're apparently looking at 2016s to take advantage of year-end prices. Don't do that unless you can find one with the 3.5L drivetrain and max towing pkg. Rear end ratio with max tow pkg will be 3.55 unless you find the very rare F-150 with heavy duty payload pkg (HDPP), and the HDPP comes with 3.73 axle ratio. You cannot order the 3.73 axle with 3.5L Ecoboost engine without also ordering the HDPP.


So if you find a leftover 2016 with the max tow pkg (which requires the 3.5L EcoBoost engine), it will have 3.55 ratio unless it also has HDPP, then it will have 3.73 ratio.


The 2.7L EcoBoost engine is a powerful little engine, but you will exceed the payload capacity - even with the optional 2.7L payload pkg - if you want to tow the typical small TT that has GVWR of 7,000 pounds. Take it from an old retired guy that has been towing RV trailers while retired for over 20 years, you will love the 3.5L EcoBoost engine, and if you settle for the 2.7L you'll be kicking yourself in the butt for not insisting on the 3.5L EcoBoost engine.


If your only choice is those leftover 2016s, then be sure the one with the 3.73 axle ratio also has the 2.7L payload pkg. If it doesn't, then do some more shopping. And if you do more shopping, find one with the max towing pkg and 3.5L EcoBoost engine.


What would I do? Slow down. Order exactly the 2017 F-150 you want, with HDPP. That means you have to wait 6 to 8 weeks after you order it for it to be delivered. Then you can drag that 7,000 pound or heavier TT without concern over being overloaded.


I just ordered a 2017 Flex for our family car. It should be delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Maybe I'll put one of those giant red bows on the roof and tell DW "Merry Christmas".

Nighthawk87

He will not exceed payload capacity. I have one and tow a 30' TT at about 7200 pounds. I have a 2.7L with the payload pckg and a payload of 1716 pounds. Family of five.

My numbers:
1716
-936 toungue weight @13%
-100 WDH
-500 passengers
-100 bed cargo
=80 pounds leftover other stuff

So it can be done.

PapaRoe

Thanks so much for all the advice. I have completely dropped the idea of the 2.7 and solely looking at 3.5's.

RevStarscream

I know you have made your choice, but my $0.02 is that it would be just fine for a small trailer with the payload option checked. Here is my 2.7 hauling a 30' TT. 6000lbs or so. But I will say that this is the top end I'd want to pull and I am very cautious with how much I load.

smokeywren

What does the CAT scale say in the middle of an RV trip with everybody and everything including a full tank of gas in the tow vehicle? Add the weight on the front and rear axles of the tow vehicle and compare the total to the GVWR of the tow vehicle.


My F-150 is overloaded with my smaller TT that grosses less than 5,000 pounds when wet and loaded on the road. Just me and DW and Puppydog plus a few tools.

RevStarscream

I'm not interested in any kind of debate. Just sharing my two cents.

bubbabud

You ask for experience. I have a 2015 2.7 with the 3.31 axle With the torque of even the small EB it pulls my 20' car hauler with Jeep and gear just fine 6800 lbs and my "small" 15 ft' Jaco swift TT 2500 lbs. When I tow in he mountains I simply lock out 6th gear keep speed at or below 65 and while the 95% of the time I'm not towing I enjoy the better MPG offered by the taller gear. That being said you are talking a lot more than small TT and with the frontal area+ the weight you talking about IMO you would be better served with the 3.5 EB and a 3.55 gear. Don't be fooled the taller gear will net improve MPG the lifetime average of my truck [indicated] is 25.2 [actual]23.78 this is per tip 2 never reset from delivery 8 miles to current 25,802 The actual MPG was average of 10 fill up's same station same pump.

bound4doom

I would honestly take Smokeywren's advice. If you know your going to tow, and you haven't got your specific RV yet, just go with the 3.5 and 3.73 gears HDPP.

It cost me quite a bit to learn this lesson. Cheaped out on first truck, bought a smaller RV that it could tow. It was overloaded and yeah I had trouble towing through hills and on interstate. Hey, I wanted to go. RV was too small and cramped. I ended up trading in my truck after 3 years. A little bit of a loss, to get the max tow. Oh what a huge difference towing that little thing. You didn't know it was there. So, yeah I upgraded my RV as well to something more comfy. Yeah I took a loss there. So it cost me a few thousand to learn. You know already your going to be towing. Buy the truck that will tow and tow well.

I am looking at getting a new truck, just cause, it is now 5 years old. First thing I did was look at max towing specs. Then buy the rest of the truck around that.

Karbean

PapaRoe: Ok....there has to be one in every crowd, so I guess it'll be me. I like my 2016 2.7EB just fine with 3.31 lockers. I pull a 23 ft, 4800# FunFinder and go up and down hills without complaint. Plenty of power to pass uphill if I need to but comfortable to go 65 all day @ 11-12 mpg. (Had a 2011 3.5EB SCREW that I traded for this one so I have some comparative data) It's just me, wife and the dog and we don't carry a Camping World inventory display in the bed of the truck so we can boondock...KOA is fine, so I consider us "normal" campers. The benefit is when I get home and run for groceries, I'm doing it at 23-24 mpg.