Just got my new 2014 F150, 3.5L ecoboost V8, 3.55 electronic lock rear axle, 7100 lb GVWR package.
The manual (under "Breaking In" section) says do not tow anything the 1st 1,000 miles.
We had planned a camping trip with our 17' Casita that I figure might go approx 4,000 lbs loaded (ROUGH estimate)? Probably would be a 300 mile roundtrip.
Should I go by the book or is this trailer light enough not to worry about the 1,000 mile towing restriction.
I look forward to your comments and thanks in advance!
Don

 

I'd certainly go by the book. While it may not directly impact any engine or other component, it may affect any warranty issue. Or worse it does affect part of the breakin process and you end up prematurely wearing something to pop up just after warranty is out.

 

Going by the Casita web site the heaviest 17" Casita comes in at about 2300lbs so a 4000lbs estimate is probably way too high unless you are loading it with bricks.


Pulling 3000lbs while inside the break in period is not going to harm your truck but you can play it safe by driving at reasonable speeds (below 60mph) and taking it easy while accelerating. You could also let it rest every 50 miles or so.


FORD has absolutely no idea what it is that you are doing with your truck and have a hard time believing that they could legally void your warranty even if they did. You could hook on to 10,000lbs and pull it to China and back and the only way that they would know what you did is if you told them.

 

I'd pull the trailer and not think twice about it.

 

X2. The Super Duty trucks have the same prohibition. Can you really imagine a commercial outfit paying an employee to drive a truck for 1000 miles without the trailer required for the job. Do all the new semi's drive aimlessly for a 1000 miles without pulling a trailer? I buy a truck to work it and if a break in period were really necessary maybe the manufacturer should pay for it.

 

With less than 500 miles on my new 2014 Eco SCrew and having owned it a grand total of 2 days, I loaded up #2000 of wood pellets and drove it home. I even drove it to work today just for grins.......you paid for it use like a pickup and have fun camping......

 

I did 1000km/621 miles....lol... before towing my 18ft car hauler with my jeep comanche...no engine or tranny problems to date....

 

I towed over 9000 lbs behind my FX4 when it had about 23 miles on the odometer. Only went maybe 12 miles but still lol. Runs like a champ.

 

Hi, Don, and WELCOME! to F150Forum.



Well, yeah, it says that, but you have to use your head. What they really mean is don't stress the mating components of the truck, and don't allow anything in the drivetrain to get too hot before the mating of metal surfaces has process completed. Piston rings to cylinder walls, brake pads to rotors, numerous parts inside the tranny and differential, wheel bearings, etc.


4,000 pounds trailer is not an insignificant weight for an F-150. So you don't want to drive faster than necessary to not get run over. Try to keep the sped down to 55 to 60 until after 500 towing miles. And you want to watch your tranny temp gauge like a hawk. Also be very, very nice to the brakes.


I hope you have a digital tranny temp gauge that gives you degrees and not just green/yellow/red zones. If you have the digital gauge like the one in my 2012 Lariat, then normal towing temp is anything up to around 210°. 210° to 220° is getting hot, so watch the temp gauge even closer. DO NOT allow over 225°. If you get up to 220°, then look for a wide spot in the road to pull over and cool off the tranny with the engine running and engine RPM elevated to over 1,200.


If you don't have a digital tranny temp gauge, then you really have to watch the analog tranny temp gauge closely. Green means go, but yellow means stop immediately and cool off - with engine running and engine RPM elevated to 1,200 or so. Red means your tranny is probably already toast. So the instant the gauge jumps from green into yellow, it's time to shutter down.


The analog tranny temp gauge is not really analog. It's controlled by the truck computer, and jumps in ranges of several degrees. So it will literally jump from the high end of the green zone into the low end of the yellow zone.


For a gas engine, frequent deceleration from highway speed to stop is not required the way it is to quickly break in a diesel engine. But if towing on a freeway, you still need to take every exit and gently brake to a stop. GENTLY to allow the brake pads to mate to the rotors. DO NOT slam on the brakes. Just gently come to a stop using light brake pressure.

 

Thanks to all you guys! I think we'll hook up and go... Please don't tell Ford
We had dinner with a neighbor who is a retired coast guard helicopter pilot - he said the exact same thing as Smokeywren. Again, thanks for all the replies - neat forum here!