Need advice on Ford F150

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IriteI

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Dec 26, 2016
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Hi all - I've just retired and am considering buying an UltraLite 5th wheel so I can pull it with a half ton pickup.  Am very interested in the Ford F150 with the 3.5L 6 cylinder turbocharged EcoTech engine.  Does anyone have any experience with this engine?  Any comments, complaints, or suggestions would be extremely welcome!
 
The engine has plenty of power as long as you don't mind revving it up to produce the hp.

The biggest issue with a half ton truck and a 5W is the lack of carrying capacity (payload). Even an "ultralight" 5W puts 20% of its GVWR weight on the hitch pin, so even a modest size 5W will likley load the truck with 1500-2000 lbs. Few F150's have that much payload.
 
Possibly the worst idea put forth this week.  1500 series trucks simply are not suited.  To get towing ratings sufficient to even consider a fiver you will need the HD package.  Meaning single digit towing MPG.  Any you still get weak semi floating rear axle, weak P metric tires, soft springs.  If you really want a 1500 eco boost then get a properly matched TT.  If you want a fifth wheel, especially for more than weekend travels then get a correctly matched truck.
1500= not suitable for fifth wheels
2500= good for fivers up to about 10,000 GVWR
3500 SRW= good for fivers up to around 13,000 GVWR.
3500 duallies= good for fivers up to around 16,000 GVWR
 
I'm not a 5th wheeler...but I have an observation.

Every now and then I'll see some rather small 5th wheel trailers.  Usually, perhaps always, they are a bit on the "classic" end of the age scale
Many of these look very much to be within the realm of a properly equipped half ton. 

Looking at the more modern 5th wheels I see on the road, I'd say easily 90% of them are about the size of my first two houses combined.

Maybe he's got his sights set on something a bit smaller than most folks now days think about when they picture a 5th wheel.....
 
Another issue with an "ultralite", what has been scrimped on to make it ultra light? Thin frame, thin roofing and flooring, etc.? I'm not saying someone can't be perfectly happy with an ultra light, but they should be aware of what they are getting for their money.
 
And PLEASE......PLEASE, don't be fooled by the manufacturer's "Dry weight" numbers or the advertised pin weight.  Both of those numbers are totally useless.  No one goes camping with an empty trailer.  The number that you need to look at is the GVWR of the trailer....then multiply that number times 20% and you will have a fairly close representation of the real world/actual pin weight of the trailer you are looking at.  If your F150 for example has a 1750 lb payload capacity, even a 5ver of only 7000 lbs GVWR will put you to the very edge of your payload capacity.  7000 lbs times 20% = 1400 lbs.  Then add on your bed hitch....maybe another 175 lbs and you've got 1575 lbs.  That leaves you with an extra 175 lbs for EVERYTHING else that goes on or in the truck before you are overloaded.  And even if you make it under that number, do you really want to spend your "towing time" right on the ragged edge?  I know I don't.  The best advice I can give you is to educate yourself with all the info that you can find about towing and towing capacities, don't believe the sales brochure, and certainly don't listen to the trailer salesman when they start their sales pitch with......"Yea, that truck of yours can tow most any trailer around"!!  Run, don't walk, away from that guy or gal....they want a sale first and generally don't have any regards for your needs and your safety.
 
donn said:
Possibly the worst idea put forth this week.  1500 series trucks simply are not suited.  To get towing ratings sufficient to even consider a fiver you will need the HD package.  Meaning single digit towing MPG.  Any you still get weak semi floating rear axle, weak P metric tires, soft springs.  If you really want a 1500 eco boost then get a properly matched TT.  If you want a fifth wheel, especially for more than weekend travels then get a correctly matched truck.
1500= not suitable for fifth wheels
2500= good for fivers up to about 10,000 GVWR
3500 SRW= good for fivers up to around 13,000 GVWR.
3500 duallies= good for fivers up to around 16,000 GVWR

donn,

Where does your info come for for a 350/3500 dually. Per Ford 2017 towing specs the F350 4X2 LB with a 4.10 rear axle ratio is rated to tow up to 32,200#GVWR goose neck trailer and 27,500#GVWR trailer for a 5th wheel and GCWR of 40,000#

Here is a  link to Ford towing specs, take a look at page 6 for goose neck/5th wheel towing.

https://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/17RV&TT_Ford_SuperDtyPU_Sep9.pdf

Now I'm not saying someone should tow that high but that is what the manufacturer is rating the truck for. My 2017 Ram with 3.42 rear rating is rated for a 16,000 GVWR 5er and Rams run just a little shy of the Ford ratings for lower geared 3500 DRW with the Aisin trans .
 
Over on the Grand Design site there is a fellow that tows a Reflection 303 5er with his F150 EB with the heavy tow package. He travels every year from Canada south. This is a very knowledge person and he loves how his truck pulls the 5er. I have the same trailer and use a Ram 3500 Mega cab dually to pull mine, but I know I'm over trucked for what I'm towing.

There is another one pulling on if the lighter Reflection 150 series and is very happy with his handling and he used to have a bigger truck pulling the Reflection 303 but downsized to the new truck and trailer.
 
95 % of the time, towing ANY FW  with a ? ton truck is a very bad idea.  The rare exception is a F150 special ordered with the HEAVY TOW package.  This gets the payload up into the range it can tow a SMALL FW.

Manufacturers claims of ? ton towable should be a criminal offense, as they put unsuspecting customers in grave danger!  Their excuse is the DRY, or empty weight is within the payload range of SOME ? ton trucks, IF they are carrying no passengers or other cargo.  The truth is that nobody goes camping with an empty camper or an empty truck.

I had a conversation with a friend recently.  He had just bought a new lightly equipped reg cab ? ton pickup, with a larger than usual Payload, and said it could pull a FW.  The truck dealer also sells campers and he had a ? ton towable that only weighed 7,000#.  I said, OK, now add 1,000# of gear to the trailer, makes 8000#.  20% is 1600# pin wt.  Add a 200 # FW hitch.  We are at 1800#.  Then I opened the driver door, pointed at the yellow placard, showing a max load of about 1850#.  I added, as soon as you sit down in the cab, without passengers, you are overweight.

DO NOT DO IT!!!
 
butch50 said:
donn,

Where does your info come for for a 350/3500 dually. Per Ford 2017 towing specs the F350 4X2 LB with a 4.10 rear axle ratio is rated to tow up to 32,200#GVWR goose neck trailer and 27,500#GVWR trailer for a 5th wheel and GCWR of 40,000#

Here is a  link to Ford towing specs, take a look at page 6 for goose neck/5th wheel towing.

https://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/17RV&TT_Ford_SuperDtyPU_Sep9.pdf

Now I'm not saying someone should tow that high but that is what the manufacturer is rating the truck for. My 2017 Ram with 3.42 rear rating is rated for a 16,000 GVWR 5er and Rams run just a little shy of the Ford ratings for lower geared 3500 DRW with the Aisin trans .

Towing spec doesn?t always consider the pin weight. I suspect if you had a trailer where the weight was pretty much over the axels, then the towing capacity would be the gating item. For RV trailers, more weight is on the pin. Heck, subtract the axel capacities from the gvwr and you will see that some simply has to be on the pin.
 
Any comments, complaints, or suggestions would be extremely welcome!
Everyone has a opinion. Some based on actual vehicle specs and others based on personnel bias against 1/2 ton trucks.

Any 1/2 ton truck can pull a 5th wheel trailer that fits within its ratings.

Looking at Fords fleet body specs show you can get a F150 with gvwrs ranging from 6200 up to 8200 lbs and several rawr numbers from small 3600 lbs up to 4800 lbs. RAWR is of major concerns as its carrying all the load in the bed.
Don't be fooled by Fords max tow packages as its based on towing instead of load carrying ability.

The best package is the F150HD 7850-8200  GVWR and 4800 rawr which is good for up to around 2400-2500 lbs before exceeding rawr.

Next down is a 7500-7600 gvwr and 4550 rawr good for around 2000-2100 lb in the bed.

Worst is the 6800-7050 gvwr with small 3800-4000 lb rawr good for 1400-1600 lbs in the bed.

Which size F150 3.5 eb engine cab selection 2wd vs 4wd bed length have to be considered also. Those that tow a 5th wheel trailer or a TT with the 3.5 EB engine seem well pleased with its performance.

You didn't say if your looking at new or used but a used higher capacity F150HD is all but impossible to find. Owners are hanging on to these trucks.

Fifth wheel trailers come in sizes from 5k up to 25k so let the trailers dry weight and GVWR determine which size F150 you need.


 
This forum is great!  I've been trying to read up on so much stuff, my head is spinning!  I'm hoping to get a 5th wheel, about 27-32 foot - seen some pretty nice used ones advertised that are in the 10K GVWR range.  I have been told to get a truck first, then buy a FW that I can tow with it.  The 2015 F150 specs I had been looking at show the 3.5L V6 can tow from 10,500 to 11,800 lbs depending on cab/bed size.  Now it looks like I need to consider the rear axle weight rating, is that right? 
Right now, my girlfriend and I are not planning on being full-timers but we would sure like to take some 2 or 3 week trips.  Lots to see and do, and never enough time to do it all!  Thanks, Larry
 
grashley said:
95 % of the time, towing ANY FW  with a ? ton truck is a very bad idea.  The rare exception is a F150 special ordered with the HEAVY TOW package.  This gets the payload up into the range it can tow a SMALL FW.

My advice is to buy an F350.  They are virtually the same price as a similarly equipped F150, yet are 10x the truck.

Look at the payload, not the towing capacity.

Let your wife and daughter drive the F150 to the grocery store.
 
IriteI said:
I have been told to get a truck first, then buy a FW that I can tow with it. 

I would never buy the truck first unless you buy something that will haul anything like a 4500. 
I would find the RV with the floor plan that is best for me and my DW. That's the most important thing is make sure she's happy. Then buy a truck to match it.
 
IriteI said:
This forum is great!  I've been trying to read up on so much stuff, my head is spinning!  I'm hoping to get a 5th wheel, about 27-32 foot - seen some pretty nice used ones advertised that are in the 10K GVWR range.  I have been told to get a truck first, then buy a FW that I can tow with it.  The 2015 F150 specs I had been looking at show the 3.5L V6 can tow from 10,500 to 11,800 lbs depending on cab/bed size.  Now it looks like I need to consider the rear axle weight rating, is that right? 
Right now, my girlfriend and I are not planning on being full-timers but we would sure like to take some 2 or 3 week trips.  Lots to see and do, and never enough time to do it all!  Thanks, Larry

Did you read my post up above ^^^^^....the one by xrated...me?  I clearly explained the payload issue that you are going to encounter with a F150 towing a 7000 lb GVWR trailer.....and you are still thinking about something in the 10,000 lb GVWR?  Can you say O V E R L O A D E D?
 
Where does your info come for for a 350/3500 dually. Per Ford 2017 towing specs the F350 4X2 LB with a 4.10 rear axle ratio is rated to tow up to 32,200#GVWR goose neck trailer and 27,500#GVWR trailer for a 5th wheel and GCWR of 40,000#

Sure they can pull that much trailer weight, but they can't carry anywhere near that much 5W pin weight. A 27,500 lb 5W RV would load the truck down with a 5500 lbs pin weight!  Further, the stated tow ratings do not fully account for frontal area resistance either. The base assumption in the Ford Tow Guide is a max of 75 sq ft of 5W frontal area, but a typical large 5W RV will be more like 100 sq ft.  Ford has an entire page in their tow guide on frontal area considerations and says "Exceeding these limitations may significantly reduce the performance of your towing vehicle".
 
We started out with a smal fiver and a truck that according to the specs should have handled it. It was not a pleasant experience in the mountains, two trips were enough to convince us. A 10,000 lb fiver is the most I am comfortable with behind my 2500. It's overkill for the current one but I am happy with it. Larry, you and your lady either need to consider more truck or scale back your expectations for the trailer.
 
I have no personal experience but have 2 friends who pulled approx 9,500 lb 5ers with F150 EcoBoosts for 2 years and they both hated it. One added air bags to level things out but that ironically reduced his available CCC. Both traded up. One for a 2500 GMC and the other for an F350.
 
FORGET PUBLISHED TOW RATINGS!!!

Pick the FW FIRST!  Then and only then, you know how much truck / PAYLOAD /RAWR  you need to haul it.

A 27 - 32 ft FW is not a small FW.  Unless you get the F150HD as X rated said and I referenced, and buy on the smaller end, no ? ton truck will carry that heavy of a load.

Calculate how much weight is on the rear end.  Simply add 200# for a hitch to 20% of the FW  GVWR.  That will sit directly above your rear axle.  This MUST be less than net axle capacity.
Now add the weight of all passengers and cargo in the truck to the number above.  This MUST be less than the yellow placard Max Capacity of the truck.

To pull the camper you want, you really need a F250 / F350.  These two trucks are virtually identical twins.  The difference is in the rear spring pack and rated capacity.  For the very small, less than $1000 new, price difference, get the extra capacity F350.  Do not let the dealer change your mind, based on what he has in stock!
 
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