dherod

acdii - Are you happy with the 3.5 Ecoboost or do you wish you had a diesel?

pilotpip

I got 9 in my 18 eco with 3.55gears pulling a Rockwood Mini Lite 2509S on our first outing this year. The trailer weighs just over 6000lbs.

acdii

The EB is an awesome engine. I thought the Gen 1 was good with it getting around 20 in the summer. Now with the Gen 2, and getting 20 in the winter and 22 now, I can't see a justification for a diesel in the F150. Now when I go to upgrade my trailer, then I more than likely will go big of go nowhere and get a Superduty(or Ram) Diesel.

That little Diesel in the F150 just can't compare to what the 3.5 EB can do when pulling, it's only advantage would be better fuel economy. I tow less than 3K a year, so towing fuel economy isn't that big an issue, and the diesel would need to get near 30 MPG for it to be worth the extra cost and loss of HP.

acdii

It's not the weight killing the MPG, it's the frontal area or drag. Stick a big parachute on the truck and you will get pretty much the same MPG.

dherod

Thank you, acdii - I appreciate the response. I don't put on a lot of miles pulling either. Plus the Ford dealer told me it would be a lot easier to park a 150 than it would a diesel. Prior to talking to our local Ford dealer a few months ago I had my mind set on a RAM 2500 diesel. Now, all things considered - I think an F150 with a 3.5 EB is the way to go. I still have some things to learn about the rear axle ratio, but I have some time before I'm going to purchase - at least a year or two. We're at about 7,500 fully loaded.

chimmike

don't use regular gas. There's a reason the manual recommends premium. I did regular gas once. 7.5mpg-8 tops.

it's not the weight that kills you, it's that you're towing a wall.

93 allows the engine to run better ignition timing, making for better power at all loads and rpm ranges, meaning you can cruise in a higher gear at lower rpm because it makes more efficient power than on 87.

I've gotten as high as 12-13mpg on 93. Virtually same conditions as 87.

Air up the rear tires to the max pressure, too. That helped a lot.

FWIW, I have a 4x4 SCREW with 3.31 gears on my 2017. Would I go 3.55 next time? Maybe. But if you look at the differences with the 10sp between 3.31 and 3.55.....it's not much. Can't go wrong either way. The 10sp is the great equalizer.

Bryan M

I'm about to tune my 3.5 with a set of tunes from MPT. They offer a Performance / Tow tune with or with out trans tuning. I don't tow much of anything except for a 16' ft flat bed with 3 yamaha 700 4x4 grizzly Atv's. Granted, it's not more than 5k with the trailer and my gear but im hoping for better mpg's. IM about 14.5 mpg empty and around 10 - 11 with my trailer & ATV's. Im hoping for more power and better fuel economy. Anybody here already tried the MPT Performance / Tow tune? If yes, what are your thoughts?

Kurt Dahl

Dherod - The ecoboost has had no issues going over I-70 with the trailer. Of course, it only got 4 mpg climbing up to the Johnson tunnel from this Silverthorne.

reeac

Interesting I tow a 6500 lbs tt and get 8.5 to 11.5 mpg depending on winds hills and traffic. I have a 2.7 turbo with a 3.55 rear end.

5.0GN tow

It's funny, the mileage won't change with the SD, you just get a bigger trailer lol! I got 10 to 11 with the first pictured combo, pretty much no matter what as long as I stayed at 72mph or less. The second one gets 9mpg always. Definately a bigger rig, but mpg very close. Just info, first rig was appx 14k GCW in pic, second is pushing 28k easy.

2013 STX 4x4 SCAB 5.0 3.55gears. 2004 Sooner 3H 16800 max GVW, as pictured 9k 3 horses and loaded for a show, 1200 on pin. Not sure how to get 7k more in it, but it could haul it. Two 7k axles plus pin weight.

2016 f350 SD 4x4 XL 6.7 3.73 gears. 2018 Bison Ranger 19800GVWR 4800 on PIn.