I'm new with towing, we recently bought a 24' camper, weight around 5600 lbs. To get used to towing, I took a 30 mile ride up the highway. Noticed the tranny stayed in 5th gear, sometime downshifting to 4th to gain speed/uphill. That part I understand. I have a 2017 xlt, 2.7 eco. My question, is this normal to stay in 5th?

 

Most of the time you should probably lock sixth out

 

Can't speak to your particular truck, but when towing with my 2014 XLT with 3.5L EB and HDPP, I always lock out 6th gear (6 sp tranny) and turn on Tow/Haul mode. If I left it in 6th gear, there would be way too much downshifting to suit my taste.

 

5th and 6th gear are both overdrive. Your 4th gear is comparable to the highest gear available with old school trucks. With that much weight I'd use the tow/haul mode and lock out 6th gear every time. And when approaching even a slight incline I'd lock out 5th as well. On a steep hill, or even a moderate one that runs for long distances expect to drop to 3rd or even 2nd gear. That is perfectly normal.

If you're at 5600 lbs, that is a lot of weight for that truck. Especially if it's 5600 lbs with an empty trailer.

 

If you have access to some scales, it's always a good idea to know EXACTLY how many pounds your towed load is...weigh your truck without the trailer, then weigh it with the trailer.
Use Tow Mode and make sure your trailer brakes are working properly. That's a pretty significant WEIGHT load but more importantly a HUGE aerodynamic load, lots of frontal area and you need to find out how it all acts in heavy wind, Interstate/high speed towing, etc. You have to adopt a completely different mindset when towing, you can't be in a hurry...ever. Turning and braking are much different. It takes years to get really comfortable with towing...but once you are there, it makes it far more enjoyable, or at least less of a "pucker factor". Everyone who routinely tows has "that story" about the time they nearly bought it...

 

Why do you say that? There's a guy on here that gives us updates about towing a jeep on his trailer and he has NO issues with his 2.7, and his weighs several 1000lbs more.
Just hauled 13.4k lbs GCW with 2.7 ecoboost for 1400 miles - Ford F150 Forum - Community of Ford Truck Fans

 

I'll use the analogy of working in a scissors lift 30 feet off the ground. Some of my apprentices took years to get comfortable, others had no issues from day one. The platform you're on moves a bit unlike standing on the ground, no different than your truck feeling the trailer behind you. Perfectly normal.

Been towing since '85 my only "pucker" has been a light changing to red but that happens both with and without a trailer.

 

thank you, I was wondering the same. Before I bought my camper, I researched what gearing I have, talked to others on camper forums operating same truck and engine, and everyone said I'd have no issues with my trailer weight. My truck/trailer package capabilities are above 7k, so even fully loaded, I'm under. I guess everyone has an opinion, just a matter of me learning my truck through experience

 

5600lb is a lot of weight for ANY light duty truck, you're towing more weight than the truck for almost all trucks built. Saying it's a lot of weight isn't the same as saying you're close to your max or you've stepped over a boundary or you're beyond the limits. It is a lot of weight, OP is a new tower, he should take his time getting comfortable with the tow.

 

GEEZ the naysayers...............I'm towing 7700GVWR and forget it's behind me. My 150 weighs between 6900 and 7100 when towing.