dave91gt

OK my forum friends. I will start by saying this is not meant to be a 5.0 vs EB bash. Lets play civil. I will also say I love my 5.0. 14K after I bought it new it has been trouble free, delivers good fuel mileage, and has effortless power-unloaded. I enjoy driving it more than any other vehicle I have ever owned save for my 03 F250 7.3 that was tuned, lifted, etc. and my old Fox body.
Now, here is my real assessment of my first tow with this truck. Gonna ramble for a bit here to paint the picture. Last Saturday, the wife and I ventured to the ATV store 20 miles from our house. One of those kid less days (grandparents) and we were just out enjoying the day. Next thing I know, I am sitting in the passenger seat of a Teryx 4 side by side. For those that don't know what this is, it is a 4 seater monster of a RUV (I believe they call it). Anyway, wife is in love with the thing. She has wanted another TJ Wrangler since she gave up her 06 Rubicon when we had our 2nd kid. I have had to endure the "you have a new truck, 4 wheeler, Mustang, riding mower, etc" guilt trip and "all I want is a Jeep" for a few years. But, she also realizes her cushy Expedition is a perfect ride for her to shuttle the kids around, vacation vehicle, etc. So here I am with her wanting this Teryx. We came home and talked off and on for a week about it and she wont commit- but she wants it. I finally just call the place and make the deal. Now mama is happy she has a "mini" Jeep (me too- new toy-shhhh). Worked up a plan to pick it up today and had a coworker bring his 14ft trailer to work so I could go get it on my lunch break (25 miles to the store). Hooked up the trailer and hit the interstate. Trip there had me paying attention to everything. My truck NEVER downshifts unloaded on this drive. With the trailer a couple of hills had it drop to 5th. Took some pep out of the 5.0 but no big deal. Noticed my MPG went from 15 mpg to mid thirteens pulling just the trailer. Got to the place and loaded up the Teryx and pulled it up towards the front of the trailer and strapped it in. Return trip left me feeling like I was pulling a parachute. Granted the stupid thing is 77" tall and has a windshield and top and when loaded on the trailer, hovers over the truck. I ran 70 mph on the way back to work. Couldn't really hold 6th at these speeds as it wanted to lose speed on the slightest hill (even with this weight, it still doesn't downshift as much as the Expedition unloaded) so locked out 6th and ran 5th and set cruise. One decent hill had it shift down to 4th for a bit. When I pulled in at work, mpg was mid 11's. Now, it looks like I am painting a disappointing picture. I am not meaning to. Under aggressive throttle, I yanked the weight easily gaining speed. Also maintained any speed pretty easy if I was in the right gear. This motor has a different personality for sure. I have never felt midrange feel soggy until I loaded it down. In the end, just wanted to give a real assessment of my experience. Total weight was probably no more than 3000 lbs. Brakes, handling, etc were superb. I literally forgot at times I had anything on the rear from a handling perspective. The kicker? I got home and decided to check the air in the trailer tires. All had 10 lbs or less. That may have something to do with it. I plan on looking into a programmer to fatten up the mid range a bit. Full throttle had plenty of go. I will admit, although I hardly will ever tow anything heavy, this has me second guessing the level and bigger tire thing. It feels like a hot rod unloaded. Seems Ford found a perfect balance from the factory. And yes, I love my wife.

rdkev

I towed a similar side by side last weekend... I never went 70 but was cruising at 60 in 6th and got 14.3 mpg. I have an Eco with 3.55... Looking at the torque curves of the 5.0 it certainly makes sense and seems pretty accurate from your description. I came from a FJ cruiser and never wanted to feel under powered towing toys, that's why I went with what I went with.

Edit: mine is leveled with raptor wheels and tires too

93Cobra#2771

iTrader: (2)

You are darn lucky you didn't experience a blowout with the tires that low in air pressure.

Tires that low definitely would make a difference.

rdkev

Yes, I forgot to say that in my post... Def makes a difference.

100

What gears do you have? I pull my 3500 lbs jeep on a 16 foot car trailer with ease. Loaded down with all of the gear, total package weighs about 8,000 lbs. no weight distribution hitch. I have a supercrew fx4 with the 5.0 (3.73 gears). No issues or lack of power when pulling my setup. It pulls as hard as any other newer half ton v8 that I've driven. Pulls way better than the gm 5.3 or hemi in comparable trims. The handling is very impressive when pulling with these newer f150s. I love mine. I considered a new f250 diesel before buying mine. After pulling my jeep for the first time, I realized that I had no need for a diesel. Overall mileage for 200 mile round trip to the trail starting at sea level and ending at 7700 ft was 12.6 mpg.

eye.surgeon

you got lucky with pressures that low...and did I miss something or did you state what gearing you have.

BobLobLaw

It has to be the tires on the trailer. I've towned 5500 lbs with my 3.7L and it had no problems holding 6th gear. I was surprised at how well it pulled the trailer and felt it could pull another 1000 lbs. The trailer empty weighed 2300 lbs and I couldn't tell there was anything back there.

dave91gt

Truck has 3.73's. As an update, I aired up the trailer tires last night and brought the trailer back to work this morning. Sad to say but not dragging 4 flat tires made a pretty big difference. Truck didnt know the trailer was there. Literally. Stayed in 6th the entire interstate drive-even on the hills. I told my buddy about it and he has had the trailer 2 years and has never even checked the air pressure. Both of us are lucky! Anyway, part of me wanted to actually load up the Teryx again but Im not that ambitious. Like I said, I will know when I tow my Mustang this summer on a car hauler. Also, the trailer I used to get the Teryx was a 16ft not 14ft as I stated. When we unhooked from my truck and hooked to his, he commented how much his Chevy Z71 with 5.3 struggles pulling just a Polaris RZR. His truck squats with just the trailer.

11screw50

I can't say I am surprised that the low tire pressure made such a big difference. Averaged 10.5mpg towing our TT last summer and that weighs quite a big more than a flat trailer with a teryx on it.

EcoboostKev

I think your trucks hitch is only rated to 5000lbs without a WDHitch?? I find it very hard to believe you towed 8000lbs with a 5.0, had no lack of power and averaged 12.6mpg??? Either your exaggerating about the power and mpg or the amount of weight you were actually towing. Something doesn't add up?