People that have actually towed heavy with a ford F150

[jbetzelb]

I would like to hear from people that have towed 5000 to 7000 pound boats down the highway with a 2017 / 18 F150. I have towed 7K with my 2011 F150 5.0 It did it but it wasnt comfortable. Has anyone pulled this kind of load with with a 17 or 18 5.0 or 3.5 TT? If so would love to hear how well it towed.

 

[jbetzelb]

Sorry all. I thought i was in trailers and towing when I posted but guess I wasnt.

 

[GA_Boater]

It is now.

 

[MTboatguy]

Explain how it was uncomfortable, that might help us narrow down some answers for you

 

[tpenfield]

I towed 6700 lbs with my 2004 Ford Explorer. Does that count? :noidea:

 

[DeepCMark58A]

What do you have for trailer breaks, going usually is not the problem it is stopping that causes problems.

 

[jbetzelb]

Description of uncomfortable would be things like a six speed trans that wanted 3rd gear at 65 miles per hour on most any hill, a fair amount of bounce in the suspension and a general feeling it was pretty hard on the truck. Shifted a lot with any touch of the throttle and dropped two gears (kind of hard shift) usually if you needed to pick up any bit of speed. Things like engine and trans temp stayed completely in the normal range and it seemed to control the load well. Trailer and brakes on it worked well. I ask because the newer 5.0 has a little more horse power and torque and everyone I know with a 3.5TT swears it is the greatest thing around but none of them are towing more than 4K loads. My plan it to upgrade to a larger boat and it will weigh around 7K with the trailer.

 

[tpenfield]

If the load is bouncy, check your tongue weight. Add as necessary.

the new F-150’s with 3.5 TT (Ecoboost) can go up to 13k lbs, which is unreal. Anything around 1/2 that should be fine

 

[Alan Lloys]

Not and F150 but a 2015 Ford Expedition.
Same engine and transmission.
I really like the 3.5 turbo engine. Plenty of power and during towing it will boost the pressure before it downshifts.
It has the HD towing package.

I tow a Bayliner 2750. Fully loaded with trailer it is probably around 8,000 lbs.
It will pull it just fine but I do use a load equalizing hitch with anti sway bars.
When I first got the boat I towed it home without equalizing hitch and it was pretty scary with the tail wagging the dog at anything above 50 mph.
With the hitch properly adjusted it tows fine up to 70 mph.

I only tow for short to medium distances up to 2 hours each way.
I have a scan gauge to monitor transmission temperature and even at towing it stays well within acceptable range.

 

[bruceb58]

I have actually towed with the vehicle you are asking about.

My truck is a 2018 F-150 Lariat Super Crew with 3.5L Ecoboost and Max tow package. Tows both easily. The 10 speed transmission is awesome for towing.I tow the boats in my signature and a 6000# travel trailer. I use a WDH on both the travel trailer and the Wellcraft. I wouldn't tow anything over 5000# without one.



I chose the 3.5 ECO over the 5.0 because of the fact that I tow over 7,000' mountain passes. I will never buy another normally aspirated engine for towing. At 7,000' you lose around 35% of your power with the 5.0...not with the 3.5

 

[82rude]

Ford now has a 3 litre diesel for the f150 and a high output 3.5 with 450hp and tons of low end torque.Maybe the 450hp eco is only raptor?The 5 litre is now 395 hp.

 

[bruceb58]

Ford now has a 3 litre diesel for the f150 and a high output 3.5 with 450hp and tons of low end torque.Maybe the 450hp eco is only raptor?The 5 litre is now 395 hp.

The 3.0 diesel is only available in Lariat and above trim and costs an extra $5k to $4k or so over the base engine. You can't get the 36 gallon fuel tank(It only has 26 gallon). I personally would never get that engine. I was looking into it.

The Raptor is the only one that gets the 450HP engine. It also has miserable tow ratings.

 

[SDSeville]

I have the same truck as Bruce, except mine is an XLT and not a Lariat. Just got it a few weeks ago and haven't towed yet, but I am looking forward to towing my Sea Ray about 350 miles each way to Lake Mohave next week.

 

[bruceb58]

They are awesome trucks. I am a GM guy and used to work for the electronics division of GM. Wasn't too happy about buying a Ford but I really like how it tows.

 

[jbetzelb]

Thanks all. I am hearing the half ton with a 3.5 will handle it. I have pulled lighter loads with the 3.5 and was very impressed. For all of us over 40 I suspect if someone said 20 years ago that to tow heavy with a half ton in the future you want the Ford with a 6 cyl we would have laughed and said get lost fool.

 

[Harritwo]

Towing with a 16 F150 Supercrew with the 2.7L. Routinely tow at 5800 lb utility enclosed trailer with trailer brakes. No issues at all. Have towed a 28' bumper pull travel trailer with 7000# full load weight. 70 on the interstate, tow haul mode engaged and it will shift down from 6 to 4 on a pull. Towed thru stevens pass running 70 with no issues. My 13 F150 SuperCrew with the 3.5 is rated at 11000# and pulls as easy as the 2.7 but drinks a little more gas doing it. It has the 6 speed also but not the sport package the 16 has.

 

[Leardriver]

I towed 8000 with a Tundra. It did great, but drank the gas. Now that I have an F350 diesel, I am even more firmly in the "right tool for the job" camp. It is so effortless.

 

[bruceb58]

I towed 8000 with a Tundra. It did great, but drank the gas. Now that I have an F350 diesel, I am even more firmly in the "right tool for the job" camp. It is so effortless.

Too bad the Tundras have such low payload specs. It would have been on my list of possible trucks if it had more than their measly 1250# to 1300# or so.

Payload is the deciding factor on how much these 1/2T trucks can tow.

 

[pullin]

I've towed heavy with e Ram half ton. 2011 1500 quadcab short bed (5.7L). I'll try to upload a pic of the rig. It was 67 feet long (including the truck) and weighed 15,000 on the CAT scales. I had brakes on all 12 wheels so stopping wasn't a problem. I only towed in the relative flatlands of Texas and Arkansas though.

 

[sportsman47]

Folks, there is a lot more to towing than having power to go up the hill. I pulled many 73k to 80k loads with a 250 Cummins back in the day. Going up 6% grades at 15mph. But I always got there and back.