To Ecoboost or Not Ecoboost? That's the Question.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Wheels Down

I am looking to configure the truck for max tow capability. The model I am considering has a tow rating of 11,400 lbs.

Configuring your truck for max tow capability, is more than just towing capacity.

It's the payload capacity where 1/2 tons often fall short, especially when compared to the towing capacity amount.

Most run out of payload WAY before they even get close to the max towing amount.

And finding an Ecoboost with the HD Payload Package AND the Max Tow Package is not easy.

[Jim42]

We researched a lot of trucks and trailers before we finally purchased our EB and last month our Grey Wolf. The truck pulls like a dream but I thought I would get better mileage when towing. This is also my daily driving and I really cannot complain about the close to 20mpg I get when commuting back and forth to work.

[tragusa3]

Wanted to join the party! We've loved ours so far. We're at 31k miles with about 10k of those towing.

We did a 6k mile trip with our old trailer at #4000. That was an absolute dream! Completely stress free tow. Our new trailer is about #6500 and there is a difference. I imagine most would still call it "effortless". It is, but the truck is "working" now.

We're heading out for another 6k miles this summer. Going to upgrade to a 10 ply tire before the trip. We get a bit more "suck in" than I'd like, and hoping a stiffer tire will help.

[GaryS502]

Indeed...I couldn't find a F150 that was configured with max tow (engine, transmission, gear ratio, suspension, mirrors, etc.) capability, so I gave my dealer my specifications and they had Ford build it. It took about 4 weeks to build and deliver it to California.

[Martsing]

I have a 2011 EB SCAB 6.5' bed and 3.55 rear with tow package. It is completely stock although I have added heartthrob exhaust and Airlift 5000's. I have been camping, beaching, 4x4ing, long distance trips, and heavy Scout troop trailer towing. It's my daily driver. I get 22/23 back and forth to work (50 miles round trip). Recently we bought a 2016 RW 2703WS and expect zero problems. The truck has 125,000+ miles on it and gets regular maintenance. No issues.

Just saying.

Marty

[D. J. Schuler]

Happy to see by Marty's post the 2011 is good for 125,000 miles. I have the HDT 11,200, HDPL 2,393 and 3.73 so I lost a couple mpg. So I finally got a 5r, what a difference when passing trucks or getting passed.

[binnova]

I was hesitant about the ecoboost because of the image in my head of the v6 being in constant boost while towing.

• 2015 4x4 Supercab, 6.5' bed, XLT, with 3.5 ecoboost engine, towing package, brake controller, few other options.
• No boost gauge!! Oops, should have looked into that option. Wanting to know when the engine was being pushed, I got myself an OBD2 reader and the "Torque" app for my android phone so as to add a boost gauge.
• I'm towing a 27' TT, 6500 lbs empty. That's just for reference. I'm writing about the engine, not the truck's towing.

The ecoboost pulls inclines with no complaint. I live in Colorado. It's hilly here. Aside from downshifts and the boost gauge, there's little indication that the engine is nearing its limit. I like cruise control, and use it constantly on the highway. I noticed early on that the transmission would readily downshift from 6th to 5th in response to engine loading, but that the downshift from 5th to 4th would happen only when hitting max boost. I didn't like that, and started using the little +/- buttons on the shift lever to manually lock out higher gears when I saw boost rise. I'd rather spin the engine at higher RPM & lower boost than the reverse.

I find that downshifting to 4th is enough for all but the steepest hills. On hills so steep that I'm in heavy boost in 4th, I figure it's time to let up on speed. A few times "as a test" I've pulled steep (7%) grades at 60mph on cruise control, not backing off. What happened is that the engine worked hard, but pulled the hills as though nothing was wrong. The only signs of complaint were downshifts and heavy boost on the gauge. Only a few times on the steepest grades has the transmission downshifted from 4th to 3rd without my intervention.

A note about fuel mileage: I get 17mpg around town and 22mpg on the highway (75mph) when not towing. The figures when towing are, well, bad. If I limit myself to 55mph I get about 12mpg, but the dropoff at speed is dramatic. I did a 100 mile stretch at 70mph and got 8mpg. Yikes!! Backed off to 55mph and went back to 12mpg. Ouch. Maybe it's time to tell the Garmin to avoid the interstates.

[tragusa3]

Great post Binnova. I don't understand the apps and such for having a boost gauge. Can you explain the easiest way to have a boost gauge?

I have noticed that the transmission will usually hold a gear higher than I'd like it too. Lately, I always tow with 6th locked out and if going a little slower in the rolling hills, I will lock out 5th at times, just to keep the rpm's spinning.

[BooBoo23]

Changes coming to the Ecoboost engine. Starting sometime around July the Ecoboost will be 350 foot# of torque up 30# from present engines and there will be a new 10 speed transmission to go with it.

[4B11T]

Originally Posted by BooBoo23

Changes coming to the Ecoboost engine. Starting sometime around July the Ecoboost will be 350 foot# of torque up 30# from present engines and there will be a new 10 speed transmission to go with it.

Wrong its going from 420ft lbs to 450!

[harpman0824]

i'm pretty sure towing with the cruise on is not recommended ...causes alot of unnecessary shifts in the transmition

[BooBoo23]

Originally Posted by 4B11T

Wrong its going from 420ft lbs to 450!

I stand corrected, I knew it didn't seem correct when I wrote it but I didn't check it.

[tragusa3]

Originally Posted by harpman0824

i'm pretty sure towing with the cruise on is not recommended ...causes alot of unnecessary shifts in the transmition

Actually, if you lock out 6th, there are very rare occasions that it would shift. 5th gear handles my 7k pounds without shifts on anything up to 5%.

Still, I get your point.

[binnova]

Originally Posted by harpman0824

i'm pretty sure towing with the cruise on is not recommended ...causes alot of unnecessary shifts in the transmition

I've searched for Ford recommendations regarding cruise control & towing.

1. Ford does recommend turning off the speed control in hilly terrain. The reason stated is that speed control may turn off automatically if it's not able to maintain the set speed.
2. Ford also recommends turning off ADAPTIVE cruise control when towing, because that version of cruise control activates the brakes on its own and isn't set up to do so with a trailer.
3. Several non-Ford sites recommend turning off cruise control to save on fuel. Many forum posts say that slowing on uphills and regaining the speed on downhills will save fuel.

YMMV, I guess.

[madmaxmutt]

Originally Posted by harpman0824

i'm pretty sure towing with the cruise on is not recommended ...causes alot of unnecessary shifts in the transmition

Push the tow/haul button in and that won't happen.

[binnova]

Originally Posted by tragusa3

Great post Binnova. I don't understand the apps and such for having a boost gauge. Can you explain the easiest way to have a boost gauge?

I have a vent mount for my phone so it's in the same line of sight as the instrument cluster. My phone connects via bluetooth to the OBD2 reader.

I bought this from Amazon:
Fineed Super Mini ELM327 V1.5 Bluetooth OBD OBD2 OBDII Scan Tool
It plugs into the port under the dash.

I bought this phone app from the Google Play Store:
Torque Pro, $4.95 (Requires Android)

Torque pro is VERY customizable. There are hundreds of gauges you can have on the phone display - 0-60 time, battery voltage, fuel trim, horsepower at the wheels, exhaust gas temp, ... basically anything the truck's computer is tracking.

I set up my phone display to show gauges for Boost/Vacuum, absolute engine load, GPS elevation and Barometric pressure.

[fx2]

My 2016 has a boost gauge as an option in the instrument cluster

[rr retired]

2014 f 150 xl, 8 ft bed 373 gears 3.5 engine. max trow max haul. been up and down all kinds of mountains. good set up.

[thebrakeman]

Originally Posted by No more shoveling

What research was that ? Not consumer Reports I hope. There is no way the EB can match the Ram 1500 eco-diesel towing milage. My son in law pulls a 27 ft camper with his eco-diesel and still gets 20 mpg. When not towing he is in the 28 to 30 mpg range and it has plenty of torque. For the amount of money that you would pay for the F150 EB you can get the 1500 Ram Eco-diesel. I would take the Ram anyday better looking truck and a better ride and interior.

This sounds just like a Ram commercial:
-"Best towing" (while they are showing a 3500 diesel dually)
-"Best fuel economy" (while they are showing a 1500 Eco-diesel)
What a joke!!!
People want to know what a SINGLE TRUCK can do, without having to choose between strengths. Sure, the 1500 EcoDiesel beats the EB for fuel economy, but it carries a much lower MAX tow rating (and probably MAX payload, but I'm not sure there). And sure, a 2500 or 3500 Ram will tow more than an EB, but that's a different class.

The point of the EB is that it will tow as much or more than any other 1/2-ton. And no other 1/2-ton will get as good fuel economy without significantly reducing it's towing ability.

[thebrakeman]

Originally Posted by Snowsail

My 2011 EB has 3:73 trans. I have 75000 kilometers on the truck and have towed my 8200 lbs FW about 5000 kilometers with no problem. I'm very impressed with the performance while towing in the white mountains of Vermont. As for gas millage, who cares, if I want to save on gas I'll stay home.

Gas mileage discussions should be saved for what you get when NOT towing. That's why if you only tow occasionally, but need big towing ability, the 1/2-ton EB is a good fit. You can handle a load that the EcoDiesel may not be able to handle, but when you aren't towing, you'll get better mileage than a gas V8.
But if you tow a higher percentage, you lose the EB advantage, and might as well go to a 3/4 or 1-ton diesel.