Anyone towing with an F-150?

[MikeS]

May replace the Excursion. It's for sale, anyway, if anyone wants to take a look at it at TWS.

It looks like the F-150 has come much closer in towing capacity and overall dimensions to the Superduty trucks. And it seems it would be a better daily driver than a Superduty.

Anyone towing with the F-150? My trailer is an open Featherlite with a box. Total weight with car and gear is probably 6K-6500 lbs. Though if I had to guess I'd say that I'll get an enclosed trailer at some point.

What I like about the Excursion is that I can barely tell I've got a load behind it. Seems the F-150 would be less likely to give me that feeling, no?

[HoustonNW]

Are you looking at new or almost new? The new F150 with the ecoboost V6 should pull that combination without any strain at all. The engine is rated at 420lb-ft at 2500 rpm, that is diesel torque! Just for comparison the 5.0 is 380 @ 4250 and the 6.2 is 435 @ 4500.

I wish they would bring out a bigger version and I would dump this POS Powerstroke in a heartbeat!

[Wade]

I tow with a 2004 F150 FX4. It has the 5.4L 3 valve and 4 speed auto. I have been very happy with it towing for the last 4 years. I also daily drive it. BUT...You can definitely tell that you are loaded when you have a race car back there. I have a steel rollback trailer, CMC car, and all of the gear, so I am probably pretty close to the load that you estimated. If it is very flat, I will use cruise, but most of the time I regulate the throttle going up and down hills to try to keep the transmission from constantly going into and out of overdrive. I don't like it shifting all the time, and am told that process generates a lot of heat and is bad for the transmission.

Jeff Tilton (CMC35) and I often caravan to events. He has an Ecoboost F150 and I know that he just sets the cruise and leaves it. When in tow/haul mode, his truck regulates the boost rather than always shifting. I'd probably opt for this if I was buying a new one.

[edrock96GT]

I have a 2005 FX4, 5.4L 3V, like Wade's. It definitely tows with no problem.

[Waco Racer]

I pulled a 8k travel trailer with a truck similar to Wade and Eddie. It wasn't ideal but it did the job. A newer truck should do better. If you don't have one, consider a load leveling hitch.

[Waco Racer]

Are you looking at new or almost new? The new F150 with the ecoboost V6 should pull that combination without any strain at all. The engine is rated at 420lb-ft at 2500 rpm, that is diesel torque! Just for comparison the 5.0 is 380 @ 4250 and the 6.2 is 435 @ 4500.

I wish they would bring out a bigger version and I would dump this POS Powerstroke in a heartbeat!

My diesel truck has 650lb of torque ;-)

[BlueFirePony]

Anyone towing with the F-150? My trailer is an open Featherlite with a box. Total weight with car and gear is probably 6K-6500 lbs. Though if I had to guess I'd say that I'll get an enclosed trailer at some point.

What I like about the Excursion is that I can barely tell I've got a load behind it. Seems the F-150 would be less likely to give me that feeling, no?

Our 4.6 2008 F150 has been good with our heavy ass car and gear with open trailer. It would struggle with much more weight though.
Dec get the larger engine package.

[edrock96GT]

FWIW, Friday before last, I watched an ecoboost F150 run a 13.99 at Little River Dragway

[kbrewmr2]

Chassis is what will make the difference in towing feel, engines just make noise and blow up if you push them too hard but otherwise bfd. Open trailer is likely to not push around an F150 very bad though. Take the trailer with you for a test drive...

BTW - Specs on the Excursion (year, miles, engine)? I've got a friend that's looking.

[BryanL]

If you are going to get an enclosed then I would keep the Excursion. I don't recommend towing an enclosed with a 1/2 ton. If you are going to stick with your Featherlite then you will be fine with the F-150 and will probably enjoy the better ride. Why get rid of the Excursion though? Is it a 7.3? If you get rid of your Featherlite let me know.