Out with the F150 and in with the F250!

[Martsing]

I pulled the trigger on a 2016 F250 6.2l gasser! My F150 EcoBoost has served its purpose as a daily driver that could tow. With 193,000 miles she owes me nothing. The 2016 F250 has 26,000 and the 4:30 rear. Now to get it dialed in to the camper and the E4 Equilizer.

Marty

[Justice12t]

Congrats!! I got the 2018 with 4.30's and love it. Hope you enjoy yours!

[Ejs4029]

Congrats on the new truck Let us know how it pulls your 2703

[bikendan]

What year is your F150 and which engine?

[Martsing]

Originally Posted by bikendan

What year is your F150 and which engine?

It's a 2011 with the 3.5L Ecoboost. Now for sale

Marty

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Martsing

It's a 2011 with the 3.5L Ecoboost. Now for sale

Marty

193,000 is amazing and gives me hope for my 3.5 EcoBoost.

[Grapehound]

You'll like towing so much more with the more muscular F-250. More power, better brakes, more stability, better gearing. It's just a safer truck to tow with. Why we all skimp on the TV at the beginning I don't know but many if not most of us do it.

I started with a short bed F-150 with the 4.6 litre V-8 to an 8.1 litre Suburban 2500 to an Excursion (F-250 diesel) to my current Dodge RAM 6.7 litre Cummins Turbo Diesel Megacab dually. I guess I am a really slow learner!

[Maxwell D Pratt]

You will be glad you did. Makes towing so much easier . No more white knuckle towing. I tow with a K - 2500 Silverado Crew Cab . 6 Lit engine with a 3.73 gear. Did pull a 85 Yellowstone 23’ that weighted 5700 lbs. would run speed limit in mountains all day and didn’t have to worry about stopping. Now pull a Rockwood Freedom PU weight’s in at 3300 lbs loaded. It is now on vacation. Truck gets 17 mph not pulling and 13 to 14 pulling .

[Martsing]

Originally Posted by Grapehound

You'll like towing so much more with the more muscular F-250. More power, better brakes, more stability, better gearing. It's just a safer truck to tow with. Why we all skimp on the TV at the beginning I don't know but many if not most of us do it.

I started with a short bed F-150 with the 4.6 litre V-8 to an 8.1 litre Suburban 2500 to an Excursion (F-250 diesel) to my current Dodge RAM 6.7 litre Cummins Turbo Diesel Megacab dually. I guess I am a really slow learner!

I appreciate the response and vote of support. I will say for the record though that I didn't get the F150 because of it's towing capability. For me it was a daily driver that could tow. I used that truck to surf fish at Assateague, to haul a Boy Scout trailer, to haul scouts, to take LONG road trips, to take the family tent camping etc etc. The current camper is a recent decision (2.5 years ago) and to be honest the F-150 truck handled the camper just fine. I do have a calculator always rolling in my head though with payload and tongue weight along with fuel capacity (26 gal). I also was not a huge fan of the Supercab set-up. So for me, the F250 with it's 3,000lb payload, 36 gallon tank and crew cab are the major pluses. The fact that it's specs (wider, longer, heavier, rear gears etc) are all way in the green is gravy. I leave on a 1,000 mile round trip from Central MD to Pigeon Forge in 10 days and I am looking forward to the experience.

VR

Marty

[HangDiver]

Good luck with the new truck!

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Grapehound

You'll like towing so much more with the more muscular F-250. More power, better brakes, more stability, better gearing. It's just a safer truck to tow with. Why we all skimp on the TV at the beginning I don't know but many if not most of us do it.

I started with a short bed F-150 with the 4.6 litre V-8 to an 8.1 litre Suburban 2500 to an Excursion (F-250 diesel) to my current Dodge RAM 6.7 litre Cummins Turbo Diesel Megacab dually. I guess I am a really slow learner!

Just for the record, the 3.5L Ecoboost has more power and tows much better than the 6.2L V8. And, no, it doesn't have "better gearing". Gearing requirements are a function of transmission gearing, number of gears, torque curve, etc. Most people that have the 4.30 gears in a Tundra think they've got the best gears ever for towing- they don't realize that the final gear ratio (with transmission gearing accounted for) is almost identical to a Ford with 3.73's. An F150 Ecoboost with 3.55's will hold gears better than a 6.2L with 4.30's while towing. More weight and a longer wheelbase equate to more stability- so the F250 will obviously have an advantage there.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by bikendan

193,000 is amazing and gives me hope for my 3.5 EcoBoost.

My parents have a 2011 with over 180K on it now with zero issues. They bought it new and it was one of the first off the line- supposedly the most problematic.

[TwoMile]

Congrats on the new ride. How long and far did you have to look to find the 4.30's? Tough to find a used one with those gears. I wouldn't have it any other way with the 6.2L. Love mine! Perfect setup for towing 10-11K lbs and will be a lot more comfortable than the 150.

[Martsing]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

Just for the record, the 3.5L Ecoboost has more power and tows much better than the 6.2L V8. And, no, it doesn't have "better gearing". Gearing requirements are a function of transmission gearing, number of gears, torque curve, etc. Most people that have the 4.30 gears in a Tundra think they've got the best gears ever for towing- they don't realize that the final gear ratio (with transmission gearing accounted for) is almost identical to a Ford with 3.73's. An F150 Ecoboost with 3.55's will hold gears better than a 6.2L with 4.30's while towing. More weight and a longer wheelbase equate to more stability- so the F250 will obviously have an advantage there.

As far as I am concerned the "numbers" are so close as to be the same(EB/SD 365/385hp and 420/405fp). The difference in the rear ratios will be a big deal I think. I LOVE that F150 and already miss it. I have NEVER towed with a 3/4 ton and fully expect it to behave very differently. What I am looking forward to are the larger capacities, more stability and the quad cab! I already hate the difference in acceleration (zoom vs NOT zoom) and gas mileage (21mpg vs 16mpg) but I am 60 years old and a retired Fed so to say those things aren't as important as they used to be would be kind.

Marty

[Egghead]

Congratulations on the new truck. I will be looking for a 250 6.2 in the spring please give us a report of your towing experance when you get back from your big trip, I'm towing a 2018 2906 so probably very close to the same weight. Everything I have seen it sounds like a wonderful towing experance just might be a little thursty but we know this when we buy them.
Good Luck and Enjoy!!

[Canadiancrew]

Congrats on the new truck. I also will be interested in your results as we have the exact trailer you have in the Flagstaff line. We bought the f150 as a tow vehicle and a daily driver and use for work. The concerns over parking and gas milage are no longer a concern since we are now retired. The f150 runs so good right now that I can't justify trading but should it start to show its age an f250 could be in the sights.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Martsing

As far as I am concerned the "numbers" are so close as to be the same(EB/SD 365/385hp and 420/405fp). The difference in the rear ratios will be a big deal I think. I LOVE that F150 and already miss it. I have NEVER towed with a 3/4 ton and fully expect it to behave very differently. What I am looking forward to are the larger capacities, more stability and the quad cab! I already hate the difference in acceleration (zoom vs NOT zoom) and gas mileage (21mpg vs 16mpg) but I am 60 years old and a retired Fed so to say those things aren't as important as they used to be would be kind.

Marty

I think you'll love the new truck- almost went that route myself. The peak torque is what you should be considering, though. Ecoboost torque curves is wide and flat, with peak torque at ~2500RPM on that gen. New gen is 470@3000. The 6.2L in yours is 405@4500. Just looked at the new 6.2 and it is supposedly 430ftlb@3800. That rivals the old V10 and is a HUGE improvement! Just wanted to point out that you aren't actually stepping up in power like someone else inaccurately stated- you're actually losing a little bit of your "towing power" (high torque at low RPM), but I'm sure it will still perform well. Congrats!

[Brewhedd]

Congrats, you will love the added capacity of the 250, world of difference towing with a HD truck.

[clarkbre]

I'm subscribed and would love to hear real world feedback. I bought my truck with 43k on it long before a trailer was even a thought. Now, we have 71k on the truck, have towed our trailer 4100 miles and the truck is currently in the shop getting new turbos, exhaust manifolds and vacuum pump. Can you say CHA-CHING!!!? This current issue is making me second guess owning and towing with the first year ecoboost. I'm very strongly going against what others are saying ("Just get a 3/4 ton diesel") and leaning towards the 6.2 F250. Not concerned about MPG, I like the idea that the F250 w/6.2 would have the most payload and the truck would handle our 7500 lbs (loaded/wet) travel trailer with more confidence.

Please let us know how it goes!

[ronheater70]

Did the same thing last year, different truck though. Went from a 2013 f-150 ecoboost I loved and bought new to the 2500 Ram with the 6.4. You'll love the towing experience with the larger truck. The ecoboost has power galoer, but is kind of softly sprung. And Yea that f250 with the 4:30s will certainly Pull as well as the ecoboost in terms of pulling power, and all things equal (hitch etc,)Definitely handle a load much better. Plus you now have all kinds of room for extras or a bigger camper!