Alberta Bound

Please forgive me if this has been covered by any-thread/anybody. I am a new member of less than a week, but I have been reading through over fifty pages for a couple of weeks. Please bare with my wordiness. I have seen many similar topics, but have not seen my question, or maybe just misunderstood the responses I have read through.
I am currently looking at three possible 2016 F-150 3.5L EB SCREW 157"WB 4x4 7050# GVWR. One is the color I love, with a minimum of unwanted "junk" (and therefore weight, IMHO) and the other two are colors I could tolerate.
In no particular order (and without knowing Maximum Payload as each is configured at the dealerships - yet):
1) 3.31 ratio regular axle - trailer tow package - integrated trailer brake - Ford brochure says Conventional Tow 10,700#
2) 3.55 ratio ELock - MAX Tow package - integrated trailer brake - Ford brochure says Conventional Tow 11,700#
3) 3.55 ratio ELock - trailer tow package - "no" integrated trailer brake - Ford brochure says Conventional Tow 10,700#
All three units are within $650 MSRP of each other.
Regardless of the rear axle ratios, the Eco"Beast" puts out the impressive 420lb-ft of torque.
My dream TT (in about five years) UVW 6,176# - GVWR 8,500# - Dry Hitch 700# as configured today 2016.
All three axle ratio's are said to be capable of this load (with room to spare) according to the FORD brochure ... 3.31 v/s 3.55 in the threads that I have read through, say that the un-loaded advantage is several 100 rpm and that bit of fuel saved. All fine and dandy.
Some say to stay away from a tow capable truck, if it does NOT have the FORD factory installed integrated trailer brake.
Can I still happily/comfortably tow my dream trailer with the 3.31 axle or should I pay for the 3.55 axle ?
In advance, I thank you for patiently being able to read through all of my post, and I await your real-world experience and knowledgeable replies.

marshallr

Either engine/axle combo will pull an 8500 lb trailer. But I'd always err on the side of lower gears; get 3.55's or 3.73's especially if mountains are in the plans.

Payload is the number you need to be looking at. An 8500 lb trailer will have over 1000 lbs of tongue weight. This truck may pull the trailer, but the suspension may be overloaded with more than just a driver in the vehicle and an 8500 lb trailer.

If you really want to pull 8500 lbs you, and the truck will be happier if you buy an F-250. Especially if you want to carry passengers and cargo in the truck as well.

smokeywren

The key is that 3.5L EcoBoost engine. With that engine, regardless of 3.31 or 3.55 axle ratio, any of the three can pull an 8,500 pound trailer with no problem





With only that info, I would choose the one with Max Tow. But Max Tow no longer gives you the increased payload capacity it did in the pre-aluminum days. Now all it does is stiffen up the front stabilizer bar and include a slightly stronger receiver hitch.



None of those three would be a good choice for dragging an 8,500 pound TT. They will all three PULL it, but they'll all three be overloaded over the payload capacity of the F-150 when loaded with normal family, tools, and stuff. As a minimum you need the heavy duty payload package (HDPP) to drag that much trailer without concerns of exceeding the payload capacity of the F-150.


Dry hitch weight is meaningless. You're not going to tow a dry trailer. For estimating purposes, assume the tongue weight will be 13% of the GVWR of the trailer, then add another hundred pounds for the weight of the WD hitch. IOW, count on 1,200 pounds hitch weight when estimating the total hitch weight your tow vehicle will have to carry.



There are lots of uninformed idiots in the world, and whoever said that is an uninformed idiot. If the F-150 has the regular towing pkg, then the integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC) can be added by your Ford dealer. You can even buy the ITBC parts from a discount online source, DIY, then have your Ford dealer flash the computer to tell the F-150 that the ITBC is now installed. That aftermarket ITBC will be identical to one installed by the Ford assembly line, so there's no downside other than cost. Here's one source
http://parts.autonationfordwhitebear...d/fl3z19h332ab



Axle ratio is not your problem. With the 3.5L EcoBoost engine, either will do the job without any sweat. Your problem is payload capacity available for hitch weight after you load the F-150 with people, pets, tools, options such as tonneau cover or camper shell, campfire wood, cooler full of cool, bed rug, and any other weight you want to haul in the pickup.


My F-150 4x2 with 3.5L EcoBoost engine and 3.15 axle has towed a 20,000-pound gooseneck trailer 300 miles at 65 MPH across the Hill Country of Central Texas with no problems other than awful MPG on premium gas. Severely overloaded over GVWR, GAWR and GCWR, but I was lucky and made it without burning up or breaking anything.


So I would not worry about pulling power of any axle ratio Ford offers. Instead, worry about minimizing the weight in the truck and trailer so you don't exceed the GVWR (and related payload capacity) of the F-150.

ecobeast95

Pulled over 7k last labour day weekend for about 700km road trip with my 13 eco,3.31 geared. Was amazed how well it pulled up hills,pulled in general.rpms were never higher then 3500 and rarely downshifted past 5th except a few 4th's up some steep ones at 95km/hr. I got offset rims and 33" shoes(i know not a huge difference then stock). Overal fuel economy wasnt to bad either at 19-20L/100km. Could have done abit better if i was easier on the gas from a stop. I was happy with how it did anyways. Lots of low end with these ecos

Dirttracker18

As noted, both gears will do the job.

However, I also opt for deeper (read higher numerically) gears. For the minor drop in MPG for me it would be a no brainer to go for the deeper set of gears. There are so many pluses and very few disadvantages.

That is just me though.

Alberta Bound

My first attempt to a "reply", so I hope I do this right.
Thank-you, but an F-250 is not a real option for a couple of reasons - this truck will be my daily driver for the next ten + years (15 has been an average for me unless it has been one of my lemons) - I want a comfortable ride plus reasonable fuel economy when not towing (note it might be up to 5 years before I purchase the TT) and I live in Northern Alberta where neglect of road upkeep has been very low priority

Alberta Bound

That didn't come through properly.
Thank-you to all the replies to this point.
So it sounds like, most likely, that I may have to down-grade my TT choice...unless...

What if I luck out (once again, according to the Ford brochure) and get a reasonably equipped truck with Max Pay 2,010# ? Me/wife/son/dog currently about 520#, plus two of your replies put tongue weight anywhere between 1,000# and 1,200#. Therefore, maybe only using 1,720# of the available 2,010#, or am I just being ridiculously foolish ?

smokeywren

What's the big hurry? Do you have to have a new pickup right now, this week? if not, then why not sit down with the Fleet Manager at your Ford dealer and order exactly the truck you need, with only those options you are willing to pay for?


The new truck order guide is different for Canada than for the good part of the continent, so you need to go to Ford.ca and "build and price" your truck.
http://shop.ford.ca/build/f150/#/con...WD.446.LAR.%5D


I did that using the zip code for Sarnia ON and built this as a 2016 model. It's too late to order a 2016 now, so your Fleet Manager would order you a 2017 model instead. Prices below are MSRP, so you won't pay that much.


Your F-150
Model
$57,399 2016 Ford F-150 LARIAT SuperCrew®,
6-1/2' Box, (req'd for HDPP)
3.5LEcoBoost® Engine, (req'd for HDPP)
4X4,
3.73 Electronic-Locking Axle (req'd for HDPP)
Equipment Groups
$0 500A (req’d to get HDPP)
$900 Heavy-DutyPayload Package
$950 Max Trailer TowPackage (req'd for HDPP)
$250 LED Side-Mirror Spotlights (req'd to get trailer tow mirrors)
$570 Power Trailer Tow Mirrors


You can add other options, but be sure that anything you add or change does not delete the 3.73 axle or the HDPP.

Boulevard

3.31 regular axle....ignore. I do not know anyone foolish enough to buy an open axle rear end. E-lockers are what people dream of.


3.73 with no brake controller.....ignore. Good aftermarket controller is worth 600 bucks and is no where near as good as the factory stuff.

3.55 e-lock, max tow with FORD brake controller...you would be stupid not to buy this.

Alberta Bound

What's the big hurry? Do you have to have a new pickup right now, this week?


Sort of, smokeywren. Thank-you for all your great advice. I have seen your wisdom on many threads. I am not sure the status south of the 49th, but up here in Alberta (probably all of Canada) September 30th ends the "Employee Pricing" program and the Costco membership extra $1,000.00 discount.
Plus, my current ride is 19 years old and if I don't find something before the snow flies, it will be approximately $1,100.00 for new rubber, a price that I would never recover on trade in. My book value is zero and dealers won't give me more than $750 here in northern Alberta.