Thoughts on Ford F150 FX2 V8 (NOT Eco Boost)

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abi2001

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Posts
10
Location
Florida
I'm new to the community, but not really to RVing. I RV'd with my folks when I was little, and my husband, our two boys, and I have been camping out of our 24-foot travel trailer (during holidays, vacations, weekends, etc) since 2011. Our current TV is maxed out and we're starting to feel and hear the struggle, so now we're looking for a new (well, pre-owned) TV.

Right now we're eyeing a 2011 Ford F150 FX2 V8 (this is not the Eco Boost and is not a 4WD). It's maximum towing rating is 10,000#, and the trailer we're looking to upgrade to in the next year or so will be under 8,000# GVWR.

Any thoughts on this particular F150? We're new to Fords and actually planned on buying a Chevrolet Silverado (we've had Chevy's in the past), but the only way we'd find a Chevy that could comfortably and safely tow our future TT is if we got a Silverado HD. Since the TV will also be my husband's primary vehicle to-and-from work, an HD is overkill right now.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!  8)
 
As long as you are sure that particular F150 is configured for the 10,000 tow rating, it should be OK. Just be aware that the two rating varies with wheel base (which is related to cab style & bed length), rear axle ratio and tire size as well as engine & tranny, so two F150's with the same V8engine may not have the same tow rating.

You need a tow rating well above your trailer weight because the weight of you and the kids, plus any gear stowed in the truck, has to be subtracted from the tow rating, so the 10,000 is actually somewhat less.
 
Thank you, Gary. Yes, this particular one is rated at 10k#. There are others that are much more and others that are much less. We are trying to look for a truck that can tow at least 10k# because we would move up to a trailer just under 8k#. We figured it's safest to consider a truck that can tow 20% more than the GVWR of the TT, and since the TT would be under 8k# and this truck's max tow is 10k#, it sounded like a comfortable pairing. And the truck is such a nice, strong ride too!  ;D

In addition, this particular truck comes equipped with the tow package, including sway control. :)

I was really bummed out by the numbers on the Chevy and GMC 1500's, but in about 10 years or so we'll move up to an HD...and a Chevy.  ;)

Thanks again!
 
I towed with an 09 F-150 and just upgraded to a 2013 F-150 EcoBoost. Both are great tow vehicles, and you should be just fine with the 5.0L.

You should be fine with the truck you're looking at, so long as you're within all the limits specified by Ford. You'll probably max out the rear axel weight rating before the tow or GVWR.

All the newer F-150's tow quite well. As Gary mentioned about gearing, the truck will feel much more powerful with lower gearing (4.10/3.73 is low, 3.31 is high).

I've never felt the integrated sway control kick in while towing. The integrated trailer brake controllers work just fine.
 
Remember, if you're truck isn't super/turbo charged, there will be a power penalty at high elevations.  This doesn't apply (or it's minimal) with the EcoBoost or a turbo diesel, but it will with a naturally aspirated engine.  You lose roughly 3% of your HP for every 1000' in elevation.  Not sure where you're towing, but in the high country, you will feel the power loss without a force fed engine.

As mentioned above, it isn't just the engine in the equation....transmission and rear gearing play a very heavy role in tow rating.  Ensure you are getting the correctly configured truck.  If you do that, you should be OK with the F150....but if you're planning on upgrading to an HD truck later, why not just do it now?  Then you will have no worries with your current setup, and will have room to grow without having to go through the hassle of truck shopping a second time. 

Remember....every ounce of cargo you carry in the truck reduces your tow capacity accordingly. 
 
The Silverado 1500 with the 6.2L engine has tow ratings in the range you want, but dealers generally don't order those on their sales lot. Probably a fuel economy penalty, plus you can only get the 6.2L with the LTZ trim level, so it's an expensive set of options.  However, the Silverado with the 5.3L can be configured for 9500-9600 lbs towing, so that's pretty close. If you really want a Chevy or GMC, I would consider those as well.

A Silverado HD has the same frame as the 2500, so a much sturdier truck. Probably ok for a daily driver with the 6.0L engine, but some fuel economy penalty due to weight.
 
Thank you, all! We are in Florida and may venture up to Tennessee or North Carolina at some point, but for the most part we will be towing in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. If we were in mountainous areas mostly, we'd go with an HD, no doubt. Thank you for those pointers, though!  8)

Well, we went back yesterday to start the process of purchasing this truck...only to find out it had just been sold. :p

So now we have another truck that we found online last night and it seems to be a better fit with better towing. Any thoughts on the Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie with the 3.92 bore and Hemi V8? ;D
 
abi2001 said:
Any thoughts on the Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie with the 3.92 bore and Hemi V8? ;D
Click to expand...

I had an '06 1500 Hemi. I drove nicely and had plenty of power. Pay attention to gearing though, and as long as you're within specs on the trailer, you'll be fine. The 2500 can come with the Hemi, which will give you more towing/caring capacity if you need it.
 
I have always found it too difficult to find a used truck that had the options I wanted. If you could get the number to work you might want to order the truck with the options you need. This has always worked for me. I have a 2009 F-150 that I ordered and I love it.
Jeff
 
tnriverside said:
I have always found it too difficult to find a used truck that had the options I wanted. If you could get the number to work you might want to order the truck with the options you need. This has always worked for me. I have a 2009 F-150 that I ordered and I love it.
Jeff
Click to expand...

I can't find one used that's been taken care of the way I want.  Yes, I'm anal about the care of my vehicles....which is why I have a 24 year old truck that I would trust coast to coast.  And why I'm saving my pennies for a new one....I do not want someone else's problem.  Which strengthens my argument to buy more truck than I need....given the way I care for them, I may wind up driving the new one 20 years also.  I doubt I'll keep the trailer that long, and will probably want a bigger/heavier one down the road.  The 2500 Cummins will be up to the task.
 
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