Should I Upgrade to F250?

[bw-xplor]

Hello all! I'm new to the forum and fairly new to pulling a travel trailer.

I have a 2018 F150 5.0 V8 with 3.31 gears. My travel trailer is 6000# dry so I would guess maybe 6500# when pulling. Technically this falls well within the capabilities of my truck and the truck does fine in perfect conditions on a flat road. But when you add in wind, hills, overpasses, bridges, or needing to pass my truck feels underpowered. If I need to accelerate to go up a hill, I have to floor it, and it will hit over 5k RPM until the top of the hill still only making it to 60 MPH. I feel like the truck is struggling and I'm going to end up wearing it out stressing it this much.

We are part time RVers only going 5 - 8 times per year. I know the F250 will resolve my issue but just not sure I want to move to a larger truck for my daily driver. I was hoping to get some opinions on the F250 as a daily driver. I'm also curious to know if the 3.5 EcoBoost with 3.73 gears would solve my issue.

I appreciate any help you can provide.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I understand that if you slow down some, the RPM also drops!

Torque is what you want, not hp, that depends of course on your real life needs whether or not you need to upgrade. Personally, I just slow down!

 

[GTS225]

Ummmm......a 5.0 in a 2018 F150? I'm thinking more like a 5.4 Triton 3-valve. And no....don't drop to a smaller engine.
I'm in the market for an F250 with the 6.2 gas, but I want a two-wheel drive. They're a little hard to find in Iowa.

Roger

 

[Rosy]

My trailer is a little lighter than yours empty but probably similar when loaded up. I don't ever want for power with my halfton but I'm concerned that I'll be over payload when my kids are bigger, if I'm not already.

 

[Rosy]

As to your question, for daily driving, you'll probably prefer a GM 2500 with IFS to the Super Duty's death wobble.

 

[Rosy]

Ummmm......a 5.0 in a 2018 F150? I'm thinking more like a 5.4 Triton 3-valve. And no....don't drop to a smaller engine.
I'm in the market for an F250 with the 6.2 gas, but I want a two-wheel drive. They're a little hard to find in Iowa.

Roger

They haven't offered the 5.4 in an F150 since 2010.

 

[GypsyR]

Son in law had a largish pull behind and a 3.5 EB F150. He changed out due to financial issues and downgraded. The camper he felt was just too big/heavy for the truck as far as handling a stability and he found it nerve wracking. 26 foot, I think? I know I helped him install two different anti-sway setups in pursuit of stability. But he did brag on the engine. He never felt lacking for power going through Blue Ridge. Turbos are indeed good for making torque, some 3.5's I believe make more torque than some 5.0's even. In his case, going with a less expensive older truck and a smaller camper turned out to be what made him more comfortable towing. And less in debt. He and family are incidentally at the beach in it now, having a great time.

Me, I bought a class A. Largely figuring into buying it is that the trailers I really wanted were too big for my daily driver F150 even though it has the full tow package. I did NOT want to trade up to a larger/different truck and didn't want another smallish camper. So...big gawky old class A I got a really good deal on was my happy solution. You have to find your compromise.

 

[GTS225]

They haven't offered the 5.4 in an F150 since 2010.

Didn't know that.
FWIW, my current '04 F150 with the 5.4 has towed a 24' standard trailer from Iowa to Arizona and back without problems, and my current 27' 5th wheel to western Iowa and into Michigan without problems. I do think the truck is marginal for for my needs, but it does do the job.
I suspect your difficulty is the engine/trans and gearing. It might be that the combo you have wasn't really intended to be towing as much as you want to with it.
Maybe I'm a bit conservative, but there's no way I'd let that engine spin at 5 grand for any length of time, let alone as long as you'd need to get over the summit of a hill. My 5.4 hit 3,000+ a few times, and I put a stop to that real quick. I'd rather sacrifice a little speed rather than risk my engine at those RPM's.

Roger

 

[Rosy]

Didn't know that.
FWIW, my current '04 F150 with the 5.4 has towed a 24' standard trailer from Iowa to Arizona and back without problems, and my current 27' 5th wheel to western Iowa and into Michigan without problems. I do think the truck is marginal for for my needs, but it does do the job.
I suspect your difficulty is the engine/trans and gearing. It might be that the combo you have wasn't really intended to be towing as much as you want to with it.
Maybe I'm a bit conservative, but there's no way I'd let that engine spin at 5 grand for any length of time, let alone as long as you'd need to get over the summit of a hill. My 5.4 hit 3,000+ a few times, and I put a stop to that real quick. I'd rather sacrifice a little speed rather than risk my engine at those RPM's.

Roger

My 5.7 will turn 4000+ RPM all day every day for a million miles with no complaints. Gas engines need to rev to make their power, especially when they're naturally aspirated.

 

[John&Andrea]

Slowing down on a grade is ok. Maybe increase your speed a little approaching grades. Did I read that correctly 60mph up the grade? If that’s your speed seems good. We all slow on the grades, even a diesel. As I was once told. “You don’t need to be first to the top.”

 

[GTS225]

My 5.7 will turn 4000+ RPM all day every day for a million miles with no complaints. Gas engines need to rev to make their power, especially when they're naturally aspirated.

That may be, but as I said, I'm on the conservative side. I figure, when I'm 800 miles from home, I REALLY don't want the towing vehicle to crap out on me for my own mistakes.

As an industrial maintenance tech, (retired), I learned one very important fact.........if man can build it, it WILL break, and most likely when you're trying to use it. That's why I don't get onto carnival rides.

Just sayin'.....Roger

 

[bw-xplor]

Slowing down on a grade is ok. Maybe increase your speed a little approaching grades. Did I read that correctly 60mph up the grade? If that’s your speed seems good. We all slow on the grades, even a diesel. As I was once told. “You don’t need to be first to the top.”

Yeah, was trying to keep some speed so I would not be a speed bump for 18 wheelers. Speed limit on this hwy was 75 and if I took my foot off the gas, I would quickly be at 45/50 MPH. But I agree, I'm certainly not trying to speed while pulling my trailer. Just concerned that I'm having to work my truck so hard on hills and overpasses. I'm new to pulling a travel trailer so maybe this is the norm?? I've pulled plenty of mid-sized boats, but they don't have as much wind drag as the trailer. Thank you for your feedback.

 

[bw-xplor]

As to your question, for daily driving, you'll probably prefer a GM 2500 with IFS to the Super Duty's death wobble.

Haha... that is also being considered. I had bad luck with a GMC few years back and has left me with a bad taste for GM trucks. But... I'm open to trying again because of the IFS.

 

[Joe Hogan]

You might want to research the Ford EcoBoost engine some. It is my understanding that these engine have had issues.
But I am a big proponent of Turbos for torque.

Ford Recalls 90,000 SUVs and Trucks Over EcoBoost Engine Failures

2.7 and 3.0L EcoBoost V6 issues mean a big Ford recall and possible engine replacement.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Rosy]

You might want to research the Ford EcoBoost engine some. It is my understanding that these engine have had issues.
But I am a big proponent of Turbos for torque.

Ford Recalls 90,000 SUVs and Trucks Over EcoBoost Engine Failures

2.7 and 3.0L EcoBoost V6 issues mean a big Ford recall and possible engine replacement.

www.yahoo.com

If the headline is correct and that recall only covers the 2.7 and 3.0, I wouldn't be concerned. The 3.5 is the one you'd want for towing anyway.

 

[Aimnhi]

Hello all! I'm new to the forum and fairly new to pulling a travel trailer.

I have a 2018 F150 5.0 V8 with 3.31 gears. My travel trailer is 6000# dry so I would guess maybe 6500# when pulling. Technically this falls well within the capabilities of my truck and the truck does fine in perfect conditions on a flat road. But when you add in wind, hills, overpasses, bridges, or needing to pass my truck feels underpowered. If I need to accelerate to go up a hill, I have to floor it, and it will hit over 5k RPM until the top of the hill still only making it to 60 MPH. I feel like the truck is struggling and I'm going to end up wearing it out stressing it this much.

We are part time RVers only going 5 - 8 times per year. I know the F250 will resolve my issue but just not sure I want to move to a larger truck for my daily driver. I was hoping to get some opinions on the F250 as a daily driver. I'm also curious to know if the 3.5 EcoBoost with 3.73 gears would solve my issue.

I appreciate any help you can provide.

Ford has historically always oversold their tow ratings. Literally max is max. I had a Triton F-150 that didn’t pull my 7000lb trailer as much as got manhandled by the trailer. Scary. Went to Tundra and literally night and day difference. The built-in to frame receiver, built in sway control and huge brakes make it a breeze. Toyota tow ratings are based upon competent, comfortably tow capacity vs ‘well, it pulled it!’
Sure, it’s not a 250/super duty BUT at least it’s not a 250/ super duty! For infrequent towing, I wouldn’t want to suffer the overall literal and figurative pain in the a55 and extra cost that a super duty is.

 

[Rosy]

Ford has historically always oversold their tow ratings. Literally max is max. I had a Triton F-150 that didn’t pull my 7000lb trailer as much as got manhandled by the trailer. Scary. Went to Tundra and literally night and day difference. The built-in to frame receiver, built in sway control and huge brakes make it a breeze. Toyota tow ratings are based upon competent, comfortably tow capacity vs ‘well, it pulled it!’
Sure, it’s not a 250/super duty BUT at least it’s not a 250/ super duty! For infrequent towing, I wouldn’t want to suffer the overall literal and figurative pain in the a55 and extra cost that a super duty is.

Definitely true for the 2007-2021 Tundra. Probably true for the 2022+ as well but I'd be too worried about my engine eating its main bearings while I'm towing my trailer up a mountain.

 

[Rich W.]

So from another perspective, I just went through the “build and price” thing on the Ford website and for the same cost of a V6 F150 base Lariat with no options, you can get a well appointed fairly high optioned F250 Super Duty Lariat with the gas 7.3 which is far more capable and has a much higher GCVW. Both were $65k. Perhaps this is because there is more demand for the F150 - it seems doubtful that it costs more to produce the lighter duty truck.

 

[rvkev]

just slow down!

I am with you MR. PEM

 

[Kevin D Pem]

My trailer is a little lighter than yours empty but probably similar when loaded up. I don't ever want for power with my halfton but I'm concerned that I'll be over payload when my kids are bigger, if I'm not already.

Something you might consider!

Payload is a little misunderstood. Payload is assumed to be hitch weight added. Although this is true when using a standard coupler, the dynamics change when an equalizer type hitch is used!

If you question this weigh under both conditions and see for yourself. If you want an analogy, consider a tag axel, or a 10, vs. 14 wheel tractor. With equalizer, you have linked all axles! Into a uniform load bearing structure. This however shifts weight back onto the trailer axles lowering trailer weight carrying capacity!