Mg05

Back story, in late 2013 I bought a 14 ram 2500 diesel. I didn't have anything to tow just wanted the big truck. I had several problems with the truck and dumped it about 6 months later for my current 14 f150. Since I didn't have anything to tow, I didn't even take that into consideration when purchasing. I love the f150 with the 5.0, but the wife and I decided to purchase a travel trailer and we have already scheduled some long range vacations. Now I bought the camper to be within the specs of my current truck. Only problem is I didn't care for the high revving( I understand why just don't care for the experience).

So I've been looking for new ram 2500s and can't help but remember all the reasons I got rid of the last ram and fear them all over again.

My trailer is around 4800 dry gonna guess 5500 loaded(no water). I know the diesel is probably overkill but like the comfort.

Would a new ecoboost with 3.55 or 3.73 gears make for a more comfortable tow? Or would it make enough difference to pay the extra cost?



Anyone go for a 3.55 5.0 to an eco to tow?

hellrzor

I just came from a 2011 5.0l screw 5.5 box to a 2016 screw 3.5eb 6.5l box 28 ft Starcraft trailer - 4800 lbs empty No comparison - 5.0l did well but was always downshifting and revving high 3.5eb pulls harder and doesn't need to rev near as much Both great motors but totally different towing experience

Mg05

That's good to hear. Do you know the gear ratios in both trucks?

5.0GN tow

Not sure what you consider high rpms, but rarely does my 5.0 pulling 8k see 4th gear let alone 3rd unless I am on a very steep 6% grade for long periods. To avoid downshifts you have to go diesel or ecoboost. All V8s will downshift to get to their power band as the load requires.

Mg05

What gears are in your truck? I saw 3rd a couple times on some smaller rolling hills trying to maintain 65 on the highway.

Yes, that is kinda of the question. Just not sure if the ecoboost is enough difference to spend the money or just settle in with what I have.

5.0GN tow

Mine is a 3.55 geared STX SCAB 4x4. We're you using tow haul? I pull my GN with the cruise set at 70 with 6th locked out, it pulls pretty steady in 5th at 2250 or so. Hills it drops to 4th sometimes.

Norotso

I'm pulling 6200# loaded, 3.5 w/ 3.73. I lock out 6th and in a headwinds I'll see 4th which puts me at 2500-2800 rpm pending speed. I've pulled down as far as south CO.

Mg05

I used tow haul and locked out 6th also. Im not saying my current truck won't get the job done, I would just like to have some excess especially for the 8-10 hour trip this summer. I'll be traveling I77 through wv to South Carolina

smokeywren

If you plan ahead and order the right F-150, then it can be worth the cost. Dealers won't have any in stock, so plan on at least a 6-week wait for yours to be produced and delivered to your dealer.


Required is the heavy duty payload package (HDPP). That means 3.73 axle ratio and 3.5L EcoBoost drivetrain, along with the max tow pkg and the 6.5' bed. Plus the wonderful elephant-ears tow mirrors are no longer included with the max tow package, so be sure to order those too.


HDPP is available with Lariat trim with the base Lariat equipment group, or with the plainer XL or XLT trim, but not with the fancier Lariat equipment groups or fancier trim levels such as King Ranch or Platinum. So if you want a luxury liner then you need to move up to a heavier-duty chassis. If you want a 5.5' bed, then an F-150 is not for you because HDPP is not available on a shorty.


You need HDPP because you'll probably be like me and be overloaded without it. My Lariat EcoBoost SuperCrew is overloaded with my small TT that grosses 4,870 when wet and loaded on the road. So hold out for the HDPP on a new F-150. If you can keep the gross weight of your trailer to less than about 6,500 pounds, you won't have any problems of overloading your HDPP tow vehicle. And that 3.5L EcoBoost drivetrain can drag a skyscraper over a mountain, so you'll be pleased with the power and torque of the 3.5L EcoBoost for towing a 6k trailer.


(Yes, my severely-overloaded 3.5L EcoBoost drivetrain has been known to drag a 20k trailer across the Texas Hill Country, so it can pull a lot heavier trailer than it can haul the hitch weight of that trailer without exceeding the payload capacity of the F-150.)

humblerb

I've got a 2012 EB with 3.55.
I pull a 29' travel trailer that is about 7200# loaded (5900# dry).
The EB tows like a champ. most of the time I am in 5th, with a pull to 4th on an incline. Haven't pulled any steep hills at speed, so when I am in 3rd, it is because of my speed, not the drag.
Occasionally, on a long straight stretch, I end up in 6th. As long as you gradually accelerate for a small hill, you can maintain 6th at 2000-2200 RPM.
The ecoboost is the beast it is advertised to be. WIll pull the trailer you are looking at with little effort.