2013 f150 ecoboost 3.55 towing capacity

[bck4911]

Hi everyone! We're new to the forums here and hoping to get some advice on our tow vehicle. We are in the process of buying a 2013 Freedom Express 320bhds Liberty Edition TT. We are also going to buy a new 2013 F150 Ecoboost 3.55 truck to tow it with but we're hoping to not have to get the max tow package (3.73 w/ 11k# towing capacity) to save a little money and get better MPG when not towing. The towing capacity on the 3.55 is 9800#. I have been communicating with another forum member with the exact same TT and his loaded weight on the TT is 9220#. Obviously that is pretty darn close to the max towing capacity for the 3.55 so we're very concerned. Does anyone have the 3.55 and tow roughly 9000#? If so, how does it tow and do you wish you would have went with the max tow package? Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much!!!

[TURBS]

Welcome to the forum !
And good luck with both your purchases !

Just a quick look and I can see if your uvw of your trailer is 9220# your going to be over weight when towing !

Others that love to do the math " I certainly don't" will be along soon .


Turbs

[bck4911]

Thanks for the reply! I'm sorry, I meant that the forum member I've been communicating with said his identical TT "weighed 8640 dry and 9220 loaded on our last trip." According to the literature that we have from the dealer on our soon to be TT, the dry weight is 7,912 lbs and Coachmen's website says that the base weight of the TT is 7,015 lbs.

[dalford]

There is a lot more to consider than towing capacity. There is payload (look at sticker on driver side door and it will tell you the max cargo you can add to the truck.) This will include all passengers, tongue weight of your trailer and cargo actually in truck. You also have a gvwr for your truck. I am sure you will get a wealth of advice from this forum but 9200# is way to much for your truck. Tongue weight alone will be between 900 and 1300#. Does not leave much room for passengers or cargo. Good luck with your research.

[bck4911]

Thanks for your advice, we are leaning towards just getting the max tow package just to be safe. I see that you have a 2013 f150 ecoboost, did you get the max tow package. If not, how much weight are you towing with it?

[dalford]

Originally Posted by bck4911

Thanks for your advice, we are leaning towards just getting the max tow package just to be safe. I see that you have a 2013 f150 ecoboost, did you get the max tow package. If not, how much weight are you towing with it?

No, I have the 3.55 tranny but just the 9800# towing capacity with a payload capacity of 1600#. (FX2 Sport). Our trailer (on order) has a dry weight of 5600#.

Since you have not purchased anything just do your homework and listen to the advice given here.

There are 4 stages of learning:
1) You don't know you don't know. (bad place)
2) You know you don't know. (you are there now)
3) You don't know you know. (uncertain)
4) You know you know. (get there before you decide)

[Dave_Monica]

You'll need the max towing package as a minimum as it also adds 400 lbs of payload capacity (7600 lb GVWR). The max payload option would be nice (8200 lb GVWR).

Dave

[bck4911]

I am definitely going to pass this info onto my husband who will be driving the truck and towing the TT. The problem is, there are some major rebates expiring this Monday so we have to make our decision, and find the truck, within the next few days!!

[joelek]

Buy a certified preowned F250 and stop worrying about tow capacity. You will save thousands of dollars compared to a brand new F150. If you make a spreadsheet or just do match calculations manually showing difference in driving 15,000 miles per year at different mpg ratings you will be suprised at how little the gas cost really changes. Difference between 15 vs. 20 mpg is around $1,700 bucks per year if you drive 15K miles a year. Yet people will spend 5-10 grand on a brand new vehicle upgrade to get better gas mileage. It takes 5+ years to recover your upgrade costs.

Best bank for the buck is to buy a low mileage lease return truck that is factory certified. Tell your dealer what you want to buy and they will go find one for you. Dealers also will roll in for about 1500-2500 bucks a bumper to bumper extended service/warranty package that will cover you for years and many thousands of miles. All this will save you 10-20 grand off the price of a new one. But damn I had to buy used instead of new.

[GASPEDDLER]

I agree. the F-250 is a good choice. Please don't rush this decision.

[BicycleMark]

No one I know has ever regretted getting too much truck, on the other hand ...

[Cajun Po-Boy]

Originally Posted by BicycleMark

No one I know has ever regretted getting too much truck, on the other hand ...

X2

[Swaggler]

I don't think you will notice a significant difference in fuel economy with the max tow package. I wouldn't let that be the deciding factor. I would recommend getting the max tow option if you can squeeze it into your budget. I'm sure that the more experienced drivers on this forum will tell you that you will never have too much towing capacity with a 1/2 ton truck. When I was active duty reservist I drove 5 ton trucks that didn't seem to have enough grunt to carry their own weight uphill. lol.

[HorseyHauler]

We have a 2012 F-150 ecoboost with the 3.73, HD towing package and tow a 5K Flagstaff 21FBRS TT and a Trailet 2-horse w/dressing room. The horse trailer with two large horses and lots of stuff is 7K and we put another 1K in the truck. We have a fiberglass cap on the bed which blends into the truck cab. Towing both trailers is a breeze with WD hitches.

We see 16 mpg stop & go driving, 23 mpg highway, both with no trailer. This is light foot driving.

Also, see 14-16 mpg with the TT and 10-14 mpg with the horse trailer. Better in the flat lands, worse in the hills.

The truck provides more than sufficient power to accelerate on-ramps without the pedal to the floor.

Now, in conclussion, believe you will observe worse mileage because of the lower 3.55 gear and the heavier load. The ecoboost is comfortable towing at very low (less than 1800 rpms) and gives the best mpg.

The heavier weight with the lower gears will require higher rpm, give worse mileage and require more shifting.

Finally, we traded our F-250, 5.4, 4.10 for the ecoboost, so familiar with a real work truck. The mpg and ride comfort were brutal and the truck had the same towing capacity.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by bck4911

The problem is, there are some major rebates expiring this Monday so we have to make our decision, and find the truck, within the next few days!!

Big rebates are great, but you really need to look carefully at what vehicle is needed to pull that trailer.

That trailer is almost 37' long. The GVWR is in the 10,500 lb. range. The empty tongue weight is listed at 841 lbs., and that will (and should) grow significantly. Even if you can keep the weight on the trailer at 9000 lbs., with an ideal 12-15% tongue weight, that is gonna be 1080 to 13,500 lbs.

At a minimum with the Ecoboost, the maximum tow package in addition to the maximum payload package would be necessary. Typically with a bunkhouse model that means kids. Kids, plus mom and dad and Fido add up quickly as payload. Hang a 1000 lb. trailer tongue on the bumper, and a standard 1/2 ton truck is gonna be way over the GVWR, and probably the GCWR. Even with the Ecoboost maximum payload package, it may be over those numbers.

Also, even though many 1/2 ton truck receiver hitches might be rated to pull the the maximum towing capacity, they will sometimes not handle but 10% of the tongue weight. A 12-15% tongue weight is better, and that might overload the hitch.

The wheelbase. With that trailer, you need as long as you can possible get. If sticking to the Ford F150s, that means a crew cab, 6'5" bed that has a 157" wheelbase.

IMHO, that trailer should be towed with 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck, big gas engine or diesel, lowest final drive (highest number) available, with a crew cab and 8' bed (172" wheelbase).

[debarymjm]

Make sure you also check the towing specs against the body style of the truck. Short bed, regular bed, regular cab, extended cab, crew cab. All the different configurations change the towing specs. debarymj

[acadianbob]

I have an Eco with Max Tow and I wouldn't even consider pulling that trailer with it. The F150 is a great truck but I think you are in F250 territory. I wholeheartedly agree with MtnGuy on the wheelbase issue. A 6.5 bed with full crew cab is a necessity IMO.

[BicycleMark]

Finally took a look at the specs of your trailer. That is a big beast. Personally I wouldn't consider an F150 in any configuration. There is no headroom for safety. Do yourself a favor and move up to a F250 or F350.

The rebates you are considering may be expiring, there will always be more. Do not let a sales person pressure you into making a bad decision.

[acadianbob]

Originally Posted by BicycleMark

Finally took a look at the specs of your trailer. That is a big beast. Personally I wouldn't consider an F150 in any configuration. There is no headroom for safety. Do yourself a favor and move up to a F250 or F350.

The rebates you are considering may be expiring, there will always be more. Do not let a sales person pressure you into making a bad decision.

^ What he said! X2.

[wyo700]

I gotta agree with everyone else that is a lot of trailer to be hanging off the back of a half ton.