2018 F150 3.5 Ecoboost

[hshovic]

Before buying a tow vehicle, you might consider running some numbers: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...tml#post456088.


And looking at some problems:


http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...ml#post1645004.


And another one...
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...ee-171608.html.


Just sayin....

[hshovic]

Just last week, I never thought I would see a "blood moon"... But I did. I guess you just wait around long enough. And who would have known I have been around long enough to wear a shoulder out?



But some things have never happened in 120 thousand Safari trailer miles, I have never had the trailer try to drive the truck. Never had sway problems. Never overturned. Never broke a hitch. Hard to say why..


However, I guess I never got close enough to the limits of my equipment. A 2500 (3/4 ton) truck right in the middle of its towing capacity and weight loading. A 6.0 liter engine that never had to be driven to the max even over 12,000 ft. passes. Large 3/4 ton brakes that never heated up to fade. A 1.5" hitch, with 12,000 lb capacity, well beyond my 7,500 lb trailer. Just sayin'.....

[ForestStranger]

Originally Posted by BigGrey

I am considering buying an F150 3.5 , will it tow a 25 foot flying cloud ok ?

Make sure you get the Max Tow option and the extendable mirrors. The max tow will give you a 36 gallon tank, extra cooling, and the engine/transmission TowMode is nothing but extraordinary. Turbo power is amazing. 14mpg on recent trip over four mountains in the 1,500 foot range, for 500 miles.

2018 F150 4x4 3.5L 3.55 Max Tow
2018 27FCFB (5,900 pounds loaded)
ProPride 3P-1300

[Castaway]

Originally Posted by Paprika

I second what DKB_SATX said. I've been towing an International 27FB for a year now with a 2017 F-150 Lariat (3.5 L EcoBoost, Max Tow, 36 gallon tank, Trailer Backup Assist, etc.). Gas mileage is about what DKB_SATX cited: 18-19 mpg around town, 12 mpg when towing. I've had zero problems since day one, and it pulls like a champ up hill and down.

My only complaint about the truck is that the tow mirrors (electric retractable) should be longer. I don't have as good a view behind the trailer as I'd like. I'm having a Voyager rear-view camera installed next week to at least partially remedy that.

Thats what I get with my Ram 1500 5.7 , 3.92 rear end pulling a 25 FB FC. I would have expected more from a 3.5 ecoboost.

[Daquenzer]

On everyday driving I get 22 to 23 mpg with my eco boost

[tbashin]

It will tow it but you will have to add weight distribution hitch to keep the tail end from sagging and to help control the trailer since you will be borderline on weight ratings. I wouldn't think of towing something that heavy with anything other than a 3/4 ton minimum.

[Daquenzer]

It is why I use a pro pride hitch.

[ForestStranger]

Originally Posted by Hiho Silver

Originally Posted by Hiho Silver View Post
My dealership then called the dealership with the similar truck and asked them to send a picture from the door jam showing the payload .

I was trying to say have the dealer where you are going to purchase your truck, locate a truck with the options you want at a different dealership, somewhere in the U.S. We have done this more than once. So that way you can get a very close estimate as to what your payload will be before you special order a truck. It would be like one dealer helping out another dealer, not a situation where a customer calls the dealer for a picture. It probably did't hurt that the owner of my Ford dealership is a friend of mine and personally called the other dealerships for me. Any sales manager should be able to do this, especially if it helps them sell a truck.

Sell your used truck yourself. Order exactly what you want thru the dealer and … wait. We ordered a 2018 Lariat loaded @ $62.5K msrp and got it for $52.5K with incentives & dealer discounts.

[joanbob27]

We have a 2017 Ford F-150 XLT with the Next Generation 3.5 cu. in. Ecoboost motor, 2WD, HD tow pkg, 10 speed trans, tow mirrors, electric locking 3.55 differential and a Reese weight distribution hitch. We've been towing our 2011 Flying Cloud 27FB (6700 LB.) for 11 months, and have had no problems. The truck climbs easily up steep grades, much better than our old 2010 Lariet with the 5.4 cu. in. V8 ! On a recent tow from Cheyenne, WY to Loveland, CO, we recorded 17 miles to the gallon ! The only drawback we have noticed is that the V6 doesn't provide as much engine braking as our old V8, but knowing that one can adjust their driving technique to compensate. We are very impressed with this new truck, and if you don't mind the truck-like ride, we think the 2018 F-150 should have no trouble towing your rig. Check out the spec's !

[dford77]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

I'm not sure what you mean by "this truck isn't really offered with towing mirrors." Perhaps you're trying to say lots of dealers don't stock trucks with towing mirrors? *THAT* would be true, since lots of people are buying trucks today just to drive to their white-collar jobs and never tow anything, but these trucks are in fact offered with towing mirrors. You can see mine in the photo, power mirrors with power fold and power telescoping, option code on my truck is 59S, a $250 option (there are different codes for the manual-folding ones and the ones without cameras in them.)

Yes, you are clearly correct. I should say that I could not find a single dealer in my Seattle area region that stocked this configuration with tow mirrors. My truck is loaded with everything else you could ever wish for, but tow mirrors were part of the package. Thanks for the correction.
----------------
Daniel

[Daquenzer]

I have a Bliss system with a rear camera. The rear camera is a big advantage. I drive through Milwaukee and Chicago to get anywhere to the East. That rear camera is a lifesaver. The Bliss is nice as well. Great warning. Then I just put on mirror extenders.

[Geojim]

Originally Posted by BigGrey

I am considering buying an F150 3.5 , will it tow a 25 foot flying cloud ok ?

Just purchased a 25 Flying Cloud in Wisconsin and pulled it back to Texas with a
2017 F150 with 3.5 ecoboost. No problems at all. Going 23.5 mpg and returning 13.5 mpg. Going speed was 70 - 75 mph and returning 60 - 62 keeping rpm around 2000. Hope this helps.

[Beavers]

I have a 2018 F150 Lariet with a diesel engine. It pulls a 2017 AS 27 ft. International FB with ease. The eco boost has better towing specs than the diesel..

[billrector]

Originally Posted by Beavers

I have a 2018 F150 Lariet with a diesel engine. It pulls a 2017 AS 27 ft. International FB with ease. The eco boost has better towing specs than the diesel..

You have a diesel F150? Thought those weren’t out until next year?

[gsp_]

Not sure why you thought that the f150 diesel isn’t out - I found 50+ near me

https://shop.ford.com/inventory/f150...Order=Distance

[ForestStranger]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

I'm not sure what you mean by "this truck isn't really offered with towing mirrors." Perhaps you're trying to say lots of dealers don't stock trucks with towing mirrors? *THAT* would be true, since lots of people are buying trucks today just to drive to their white-collar jobs and never tow anything, but these trucks are in fact offered with towing mirrors. You can see mine in the photo, power mirrors with power fold and power telescoping, option code on my truck is 59S, a $250 option (there are different codes for the manual-folding ones and the ones without cameras in them.)

We ordered the telescoping tow mirrors on our 2018 Lariat. They are electric telescoping, but manual folding. No big deal, but you'd think they would do both. I did not know that the 59S option provided both…

[ForestStranger]

Originally Posted by billrector

You have a diesel F150? Thought those weren’t out until next year?

What is the $ premium for the diesel and how much are oil/filter changes? Our Jeep GC diesel had a $4,500 premium and oil changes at $160! Ouch. Nice mpg, though.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by ForestStranger

We ordered the telescoping tow mirrors on our 2018 Lariat. They are electric telescoping, but manual folding. No big deal, but you'd think they would do both. I did not know that the 59S option provided both…

Hmmm....

I don't think that's a valid combination. I think all the power-telescoping are power-fold. When you press the lower-left button to set the controller to the telescope and fold settings, the left and right arrows on the d-pad extend and retract the mirrors (respectively) and the down arrow should fold them, and the up arrow should unfold them. If that doesn't work, your dealer should be able to fix them.

The difference with 59S is that it's the one with the LED "spotlights" and the built-in cameras for the 360-degree camera system, vs the option for power telescope-and-fold without the camera option.

[BigGrey]

Just some FYI, returned from my trip with the 150 over 6000 miles round trip truck did very well averaging 14.2 mph

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Hmmm....

I don't think that's a valid combination. I think all the power-telescoping are power-fold. When you press the lower-left button to set the controller to the telescope and fold settings, the left and right arrows on the d-pad extend and retract the mirrors (respectively) and the down arrow should fold them, and the up arrow should unfold them. If that doesn't work, your dealer should be able to fix them.

The difference with 59S is that it's the one with the LED "spotlights" and the built-in cameras for the 360-degree camera system, vs the option for power telescope-and-fold without the camera option.

Correct. They are power folding but you have to manually activate the process on the keypad shown. Same for repositioning them for driving.