chimmike

The 2.7 will tow that trailer, it has plenty of power for it.

Philbq

I also have a 2.7. It'll tow it, no worries there.
Mileage while towing? That's a whole different beast!
I average 20-21 around town.
Towing my 18', 3800 pound RV? 10-13.
I know better now, but it freaked me out watching the average drop and drop some more!

NC F150

What makes you think towing a 18 foot, 3800 lb TT easily will equate to the original poster being able to tow a 6800lb trailer comfortably?

If I recall, this TT will be at the upper end of all the design ranges of the truck. It's been my experience that when using a tool this way, you get marginal results.

acdii

I've already come to the conclusion that the weight isn't a factor, but the frontal area will be, combine the two and it will tax that little motor and shorten it's life.

old_programmer

Based on my experience with the 2.7L I would think you are near the physical max towing capacity and above what I consider its practical maximum with that trailer. I'm currently towing a 21 ft trailer that depending upon type of trip comes in between 4950 lbs and 5300 lbs loaded. It still performs well in the mountains but I have noticed a difference compared to our previous 3100 lbs more rounded trailer. The truck does not struggle and is stable but it is not as zippy when passing uphill as it use to be. Back to my practical maximum remark. I think I am near what I would consider the practical maximum for my F-150 and if we ever decide to go over 5500 lbs would need to look at a larger engine to balance the weight and sail effect even though it might work mathematically on paper.

revhead347

I haven't ventured into the towing section much until recently, but I am kind of taken back by the questions in here sometimes. Here is a good perspective to put it in. If you have to ask yourself "Will my truck pull that?" then ask yourself, were people pulling carhaulers, campers, yard trailers, etc, with their pickup trucks in the 70s and 80s? The answer is, yes they were. If you bought a top of the line 1/2 ton in 1985, say a Chevy with a 350, or a Ford with a 351 (largest engine you could get), they were all making around 200hp, and were paired with a 3 speed, maybe even a 4 speed not so great transmission. I have an old beater F150, and I would hook up a 7000lb trailer without batting an eye. It's an old V6 that had 205hp new (I guarantee it doesn't have that now), and a near worn out clutch, on top of that fact that it's as short as an F150 can get, and it has no options, so it doesn't weigh anything (4180lbs last time I had it on the scales at the scrap yard). Honestly the truck seems equally slow unloaded or with a huge trailer on it. I live in the piedmont of North Georgia, and have to go up and down hills all the time.

The power of the engine is not the most important factor in towing. Does the trailer have good brakes? Do you have proper load rated tires on your truck? Does the tongue weight of the trailer push the nose of your truck into the air? How are the bearings and tires on the trailer? If I have the choice, I would much rather have everything working properly and not have a huge amount of power, than to have a lot of power on crummy stuff.

On another note, the tow capacity ratings Ford advertises are just absurd. Somehow my truck goes from 3300lbs to 8800lbs with the addition of an extra 1.2L of engine displacement and an automatic transmission. It's clearly written to sell options.