Wannafbody

Someone here used a Cobra hood vent on their f150, it looked sharp.

Spittybug

Sorry to hijack the thread in my very first post, but HOURS of reading have led me to believe this is a great place to ask very similar questions.

In reading the 2013 Ford source book, it would appear that there is a 10 row of tubes difference between the standard and the super cooling radiator for the 3.5 l V6 ecoboost. 51 instead of 41. This is the max tow vs. regular tow respectively. Odd thing is that the frontal area, height, width, thickness and fins per inch are identical. There is a .5 quart increase in the max tow. This sounds like nothing to me........ Both the normal and the max would appear to have the same 4 channel auxiliary transmission oil cooler too. So, what the heck is it that differentiates between maximum of 11,300 lbs towing achievable with my ecoboost 3.73 axle and my rated 9,600? As close as I can decipher it is because I only have the 7200# GVWR package. If I'm reading the charts right, I would need an additional 1,400# of GCWR to get the 11,300 lbs towing. What's different in the higher GVWR packages?

What is my limiting factor? I can add the bigger radiator (although I question the extra performance). I could add an oil cooler (though not a Ford upgrade for heavy duty payload). Is the rest attributable to the heavy duty package items; heavy duty shocks (that's comfort....), upgraded springs (this MUST be it). I don't know what gear set I have, 9.75" or 8.8". How can I tell, it isn't on sticker. I do know I'm a 3.73 ratio however. Could this be it? Could this be THIS much of a difference?

The reason I'm asking all this is the same as everyone else, towing. I know very well that Ford like all others doesn't maximize the specs to sell trucks, they minimize the specs to avoid warranty claims. I want to tow a UVW 8000# ish TT (add 600# for stuff) with a tongue weight of 1200#. I come up short using the calculators as you can imagine. Everything I read is telling me that the truck pulls like crazy, but those damned numbers get in the way! I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to get closer to that 11,300 tow and 1,900 payload! Me & wife & truck stuff < 500 lbs.

Again, sorry for the tangent but I'm pretty sure others are in the same boat. BTW, 2013 SuperCrew, Lariat, 3.5 eco, 3.73. Thanks for the insights.

smokeywren

Right.


Probably wrong.

The regular tow pkg includes the super cooling radiator. The F-150s with EcoBoost engine in the lesser trim levels (XL base, STX base, and XLT base) do not have the regular tow pkg standard - it's an option on those trucks. So if the F-150 does not have the trailer tow pkg (535) then it has the lighter-duty radiator.


Same as above. The F-150s without the trailer tow pkg don't have an oil-to-air (OTA) tranny cooler. The OTA tranny cooler comes with the trailer tow pkg, either regular trailer tow or max tow. Some say the OTA cooler is different for F-150s that have max tow or HD payload, but there is no hint of any difference in the order guide.

I don't know what they did for max tow go give it 500 pounds more GVWR than the regular GVWR. But HD Payload is a bunch different. Tires, wheels, springs, shocks, and some other bits and pieces to get the GVWR up to 8,200 pounds. And with EcoBoost engine it requires the max tow pkg too.

Nothing you can do to change the GVWR of your pickup, except jack it up and run a heavier-duty pickup under it. TT UVW of 8000 means a GVWR of around 10,000. That's too much trailer for any F-150 that doesn't have the HD Payload pkg. So you need to look for either a lighter trailer or more truck.

I towed my 8,000-pound 5er from Austin to Midland, across the Hill Country. I have 3.15 axle and 7,100 GVWR, and that EcoBoost powerhouse had no problem at all in dragging that much weight up and down the hills at 62 MPH. No problems with tranny cooling or engine cooling. But that was a one-time emergency and I won't do it again. I was severely overloaded over the GVWR and rear GAWR of my F-150. So your F-150 EcoBoost drivetrain with 3.73 ratio would have even less problem of pulling the trailer. But with a TT that has a dry weight of 8,000 pounds, you'll be overloaded too.

But your configuration mystifys me. According to Ford.com, if you order an EcoBoost engine with 3.73 e-locker axle, you automatically get the max tow pkg that has 11,300 tow rating. Or if you order 3.73 limited slip, you automatically get HD Payload as well as max tow. There are no other 3.73 ratios available with the EcoBoost engine. So how did you get a 3.73 ratio without also getting max tow?

Or if you have the tow mirrors, then you have max tow, and your GVWR should be over 7,500 pounds. Do you have the tow mirrors? If not, then I suspect you don't have the 3.73 ratio. What is your axle code on the Federal Certification Label (the label that includes GVWR, GAWRs, tire size and PSI, paint code, etc.)

Spittybug

Thanks for the quick reply. We bought a left over 2013. The sticker says it has the optional equipment of the 3.73 axle e locker, select shift tranny and the 7200# GVWR package. Added a la carte to the 4x4 Lariat screw with the eco 3.5. Has off road package.

When you bump UVW of 8,000 to 10,000, what are you assuming is in that weight? It will just be the wife and I so I've been budgeting on +600 lbs. No boat, no toys, etc.. 60 lbs of propane, 100 lbs for an equalizing hitch, 100 lbs of clothes apiece (that's like 6 suitcases worth)... dishes, pots,pans. I thought 600 was a pretty fair number.

Thanks again.

smokeywren

That's it. For 2013 model year, Max tow is not available with the Off Road pkg, but 3.73 e-Locker is. (For 2014 model year you can get Off Road and Max Tow both.)

First, your trailer will weigh more than the UVW with nothing added. Just the propane tanks will increase it to more than 8,000. Any CAT scale will prove that point.

Second, folks that try to guess how much weight they will add to their RV trailer invariably underestimate the weight. You may not reach 10,000 pounds GVW at first, but by the middle of your third RV trip you'll probably be way over your estimated trailer weight. With years of experience, I've learned that the best way to estimate the weight of a wet and loaded TT is to use the GVWR of the TT. Then buy enough truck for that weight and tongue weight. Then you won't be surprised when the CAT scale shows you very near the combined GAWR of your trailer.

The CAT scale won't show you the GVW of your trailer. GVW = combined axle weight plus wet and loaded hitch weight. The CAT scale will show you the combined GAW (gross weight on the trailer axles), but the best way to determine hitch weight is with a tongue weight scale, such as a Sherline tongue weight scale.
http://www.etrailer.com/Tools/Sherline/5780.html


Another way to determine wet and loaded tongue weight is to weigh the rig on a CAT scale twice, once without the trailer and once with the trailer (but without the spring bars tightened). Compute the weight on the two truck axles from both CAT scale tickets. The difference in combined weight on the two truck axles is the approximate tongue weight. I prefer to use my Sherline tongue weight scale. It's more accurate, and I can use it every time the TT is loaded and ready to tie onto the tow vehicle. (CAT scales can be off by 50 to 100 pounds, which is a drop in the bucket compared to the 80,000 pounds they often measure, but a healthy error for a small TT with 800 pounds tongue weight.)

So the trailer's GVWR is not a limiter. It's useful only for sizing the tow vehicle required to tow that much trailer without being overloaded. After you own both the tow vehicle and the trailer, then GVWR of the tow vehicle and combined GAWR of the trailer are your limiters. Both those numbers are available on the CAT scale ticket. GVW of the tow vehicle is the combined weight on the two axles of the tow vehicle.

jcain

how slow was your ascent? did your fans go into high speed? this is one downfall of an A2A intercooler, no air flow, temps just keep climbing under full load and all the coolers packed so tight, fans won't cut it. Was your traction control on or off? (if on, you were fighting the brakes then too)

jcain

Guess his response is as slow as the ascent...

Spittybug

LOL. Update on my questions and I'll bow out.... We bit the bullet and traded the F-150 back for a F-350 in the same color, same trim but BEEFY and with the diesel engine. We didn't want to be "on the edge" and by all appearances, the mileage will not be a lot different with this engine. Sure, it was an additional ~$10K, but it's nice to know that I can now move a mountain if I need to. It already has the gooseneck kit and I'm getting ready to buy the Andersen ultimate 5th wheel kit. Came highly recommended by the Grand Design RV people whose 5th wheel we are seriously considering (Reflection 317RL)

schuflea

I see you know have a new truck. However, I think there is something wrong with your truck (ecoboost). After all I have seen many pull 10k lbs without a problem. Also watch the fast lane truck on YouTube on their ike gauntlet stock ecoboost pulling 10k lbs trailer with three dudes up the steepest paved road in the nation, a 7 % grade in colorado. No issue of overheaing etc.

I am wondering if your payload of the truck was overloaded?

Wondering if you had some cooling issues? Like needed tyranny flush or coolant flush.

Just some thoughts.
Fletch

schuflea

Also I have a 5 star 87 tow tune. My fans kick on at 205 deg of engine coolant temp.
When does your fan come on for a stock truck?