troutspinner

I am towing a 6700lb trailer with my 2010 XLT Screw which is rated for 7700lbs. We pack light, the family is light and I know I am within the limits of the manufacturer's guidance in total weight. The truck handles great, I credit this towards a properly setup WD hitch BUT.......

My truck is definitely working hard! I love my 4.6 3v as a daily runner to Wawa to get a cup of coffee, or around my little town for the dentist or whatever but besides that I don't use it for much else. My main use is camping/towing, hunting and fishing.

I work at home so I don't "daily drive" and it has me thinking that maybe I should consider a better solution. One better suited for towing that trailer which has become a big portion of our life and maybe even get me better than 9.5 MPG running around the Pennsylvania hills.

In no way do I ever want to depart with money but everything has it's value, right? So, the question finally is, what Ford to buy? After all of the reading, an XLT or FX4 with 3.73 w/electronic locking, Max Tow and Eco-Boost seems to be the right path but am I on target? The Eco-Boost models are 3.55 axle ratio with the Max Tow (I think) and the 5.0 models seem to be 3.73? Is this statement correct? Is 3.73 really needed with the new 5.0 or Eco-Boost?

Should I skip the F150 altogether and go F250? My towing needs will never change. The trailer is huge for my family and after this trailer and kids off to their own, it will be a motor home traveling the country till health does not allow it.

Or, keep my current setup til I kill it? Like I said, it handles great. I am very comfortable with this truck and the load, it just works very hard and will obviously shorten it's lifespan. Am I just giving into the commercials of <sarcasm> a truck accelerating 0-60 in 2 seconds up hill with a 10k load </sarcasm>

Sorry for the long post. When I bought my F150 I knew a Trailer was in our future but I did not know a lot about weights. I knew that a truck could handle X lbs and as long as the trailer I was eventually going to buy was under X lbs I'd be ok.

Thanks for any and all help.

Hondafan

FX4 EB with 3.73 diff. Best "tower" of the lot.

Platinum_Sean

The 7700 lb is the PULLING limit. You also need to consider the weight of the truck, plus occupants, cargo, PLUS the weight that the trailer puts on the ball of the truck. Add all that to the weight of the truck alone with fuel, are you within the GVWR of the truck?

Also, what about GAWR? What's the weight of the truck on the rear wheels when loaded and towing? Is it less than the GAWR (r) of the truck?

Saying that, I am pertty sure you are okay, but if you would be towing a lot, and anything heavier, a 3.73 rear end is something to consider. A 3.55 would be okay for the occasional tow, and best if most of your running around is highway based.

Either of the new engines is fine for your weight. Of course, kids get heavier over time, so do us, dogs, clothes get larger and heavier, ...

srsfunk

If I could change anything on my set up, 2010 5.4 with trailer tow and factory brake controller, I'd have 3.73's. 2 things that bugged me on my truck, were cheap P-metric tires which I changed and the 3.55's. Guess I shouldn't have settled on a lot truck. Its not that the truck cant do it, but now that its almost every weekend to the track I might step up to a PS Super Duty.

If you stay F150, EB with 3.73's for sure

ilandem

Stupid question maybe what's p-metric tires.

ReducedBoost

I believe passenger tires (vs LT tires).

blueovelboy

p = passenger / metric
its just a car tire, like the LT is light truck.
i think p rated tires can have a high load rate but are way softer ride due to sidewall's are all ply-ed or layered the same direction. were as a LT switch every other ply's direction. witch gives a LT it's stiffer ride. now that what my brother in law who works for dunlop / goodyear tires told me.

troutspinner

Thank you for the replies guys. Just for yucks I test drove an Eco-Boost this evening. Yeah, it is night and day compared to my 4.6 3v. I could see that engine doing just fine for my needs.

I've found many Eco-Boost F150's locally with 3.73 axle ratios, which is going to be a must if I am going to make a move.

Last question is, I know I do not need the Max Tow Package, I will never nor will ever plan to tow anything heavier than the 6700lb trailer I currently have but if I am going to make this move, should I get the Max Tow?

The Eco-Boost with 3.73's is rated for 9300 lbs. Max Tow adds an upgraded bumper, bigger mirrors and additional transmission cooling. I can add my own mirrors later if I like and I don't see my current 4.6 3v transmission heating up at all.

Thanks,

GreenScrew

I can't comment on the max tow but I will caution about assumptions of the ecoboost given your intended purpose. If the trucks PRIMARY use will be strictly towing with little to no daily driving or untrailered use, I highly suspect the 5.0 might be the better choice. 5.0 might not have quite the torque but I bet it will get better mileage towing such a heavy trailer. I have an ecoboost, and it's great for my purposes. 90% of that use is as a daily driver or very light loads with no trailer. Just hunting gear, overnight bags, etc. When I trailer my 17' fish n ski boat and it's needing to boost a fair amount of the time, the mileage really suffers. I can't say for sure as I don't know anyone with a 5.0 to compare against but something to consider.

Hofmanns4rj

You can also look at the 2011 EB FX4 that you can get with 4:10 gears. If you ever decide to put larger tire on the truck the 4:10s are the way to go. With 35's it equals approximately 3.73s.