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I might be crazy but I just reached out to my dealer regarding ordering a 17, nearly identically option to my recently purchased 16, to add three things, the new 3.5 ecoboost, tow mirrors, and the front camera/tech package. I want to keep everything else exactly the same. Same color (int/ext) and same other options. To 99% of those who see it, it would be the same truck.
The main reason is for towing. The V8 just feels so lethargic pulling up hills with a 8000 pound enclosed car trailer. Granted I tow at 75-80 mph with what is effectively a parachute attached to the back of the truck (24' v-nose enclosed car trailer) but the motor is constantly in 4th and often 3rd gear to maintain speed. I know the higher output eco motor should pull better and I would think the new 10 speed transmission would keep the motor in its happy place better, although it might hunt for a gear more often.
Does this seem reasonable to do? I don't really want to step up to a 3/4 ton truck as I don't believe it would fit in my garage, I know first world struggles. I did added the Road Master helper spring, and changed to Fox 2.0 shocks on the rear of the truck, both of which helped greatly in towing.
Guess it will come down to what sort of deal I can get on a 17 and how much of a bath I would take on my 6 month old 2016.
The other options is a magnuson blower....not sure I want to venture down that path though.
Depends on your financial situation I guess. For me, I 'upgrading' to a new truck for lets just say somewhere around $10,000 is not worth it. But if you have that type of disposable income more power to you.
FYI you can add a front camera and tow mirrors, but you can't add an EB.
Depends on your financial situation I guess. For me, I 'upgrading' to a new truck for lets just say somewhere around $10,000 is not worth it. But if you have that type of disposable income more power to you.
FYI you can add a front camera and tow mirrors, but you can't add an EB.
How often do you tow? And how far?
While you are correct on the front camera and mirrors, I am not adding those to this truck as the OEM integration on the mirrors is not worth it, and I am not aware of the ability to do the front camera outside of something like lock pick.
Regarding towing, not regularly but once or twice a month. Last weekend I was in Bowling Green and had to take my car up to Indiana to drop it off and back home to Atlanta. I will head to Road Atlanta next month, not far or worth upgrading in and of itself. I have a track day in Savannah in December (4-5 hour drive). I will do 3 or 4 USCA events next year, each 5+ hours away and who knows how many other track days. I don't tow enough to justify a daily driver diesel, but when I do the V8 is borderline for me. I think I am right in that middle zone where this truck is really slightly too small to tow the trailer I use but I don't want a 2500/250.
8,000 pound trailer puts 1,040 on the tongue with 13% tongue weight. What's your payload?
I believe what you're describing with the V8 is exactly what it's supposed to be doing. With the turbo, you'd constantly be in turbo in the same setting, and yielding little difference, probably worse MPG.
8,000 pound trailer puts 1,040 on the tongue with 13% tongue weight. What's your payload?
I believe what you're describing with the V8 is exactly what it's supposed to be doing. With the turbo, you'd constantly be in turbo in the same setting, and yielding little difference, probably worse MPG.
Correct, I have a tongue scale to keep the weight in check but I am all of 1000 pounds on the nose of the trailer with all the crap in the cabinets, generators, etc.
My payload is 1716 and I don't put anything in the truck outside of my weekend duffel bag. Even my wife generally stays home so it is just me the truck and my trailer.
MPG isn't my biggest concern as I only get 7 towing currently. I use the Fuely app to track every fill up and I got 7.2 and 7.4 on the way home from Indiana and 17.2-17.5 daily commuting. The power band of the ecoboost motor and sheer amount of power it makes would lead me to believe it tows at speed, with a heavy load, better than my V8. Maybe it is wishful thinking, but these questions are part of what I need to determine before changing trucks. Note, I am not unhappy with my truck and if I slowed down to 60-65 mph while towing, the motor would be much happier. However, doing 60 mph on the interstate will get you run over by semi trucks, and I don't have the patience or time to spend putting down the road.
470ft of torque is pretty tantalizing as well as a 10sp tranny.
FWIW, both the ECO and the tranny are new, maybe you want to wait out a model year to fix bugs.
If your really frustrated, check out the Omega tune. What Ken Osborn is doing with the 5.0's and VCT is supposed to be ridiculous. upwards of 100ft of torque improvements at 2500rpm allegedly
[QUOTE=fleming23;5003204]While you are correct on the front camera and mirrors, I am not adding those to this truck as the OEM integration on the mirrors is not worth it, and I am not aware of the ability to do the front camera outside of something like lock pick.
It's definitely a hassle to get the OEM mirrors to work and front camera there is a couple options but all of it is aftermarket such as lock pick. So wasn't saying there was an OEM way, just that it can be done.
I think the grass is always greener... And in this case the grass is definitely greener, but I don't think it is by as much as you think.
Bottom line is truck will tow a little better, get about the same gas mileage. I don't think that is worth the price of upgrading. In 2019 they are going to have the 3.7 eco and that is going to tow better than your 2017 if you trade up (not actually making that engine, just getting a point across). No matter what truck you have, something newer that tows better is out there.
Before I would trade up at that cost, I'd try to increase the power of the modular 5.0L engine. There are engine tuning geniuses out there that can write you a new program for your powertrain control module (PCM = drivetrain computer) that can result in more power and torque than the 3.5L EcoBoost puts out. The PCM tune would probably require premium gas, but my 3.5L EcoBoost engine requires premium gas when towing heavy.
One time when severely overloaded on a 270-mile trip cross the Texas Hill Country northwest of Austin, I achieved a whooping 6 MPG at 65 MPH. Yeah, those twin turbos did the job, but they sucked a lot of go juice to getter done.
Am I the only one who thinks that a 4.10 rear end is the answer? Drop it in and then reprogram at Ford using Ford programming since they already use this gearing in the F150. Best of all its a known quantity and you can research it and talk to people who already have this set up.
Am I the only one who thinks that a 4.10 rear end is the answer? Drop it in and then reprogram at Ford using Ford programming since they already use this gearing in the F150. Best of all its a known quantity and you can research it and talk to people who already have this set up.
Do we even know what gears he has? If he has 3.31's, 3.73's might be an option too...not sure he can even go to 4.10's if he has the 8.8.
As for Smokey's mention of a tune, no tune out there is going to make the 5.0 generate as much torque down low as the 3.5EB does...and that is where he needs it.
10-19-2016, 12:04 PM
Considering trading my 16 5.0 for 17 3.5.
