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Old 07-19-2016, 09:57 PM   #41
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Originally Posted by rbryan4 View Post
I would only add that it's better for a 5th wheel - not a bumper pull.
Yes and no. I was referring specifically to the box preference for a fifth-wheel because that's the thread topic and the current discussion topic; however, for a different reason the longer box also has advantages (and disadvantages) when towing a conventional (or bumper pull) trailer.

With a conventional trailer the longer box means longer wheelbase (with the same rear overhang), which improves stability of the combination and reduces load transfer from the truck's front axle to the rear. It also makes the truck more difficult to maneuver, including when the front end swings further from side to side when steering the trailer in reverse.

Of course, even the shortest pickup truck is about as long as the longest non-truck (SUV, van...) tug you can buy, so with Escape-sized trailers it's not usually necessary to maximize the wheelbase of the truck.
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Old 07-19-2016, 10:08 PM   #42
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F150 Advice re: 5.0TA

Precisely. I was just being nitpicky with the use of "trailer". The short bed (and slightly shorter resulting wheelbase) does an amazing job with the 19 or 21. Then again, I have the supercrew, so it's not that short.


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Old 07-19-2016, 10:09 PM   #43
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Originally Posted by padlin View Post
I used the kit you listed, had to drill one hole in the frame for each bracket. Think the rails were one item, RVR3200, the appropriate brackets for ones truck were another, RVR3201 in my case.
Thanks Bob. What threw me was that you said the holes were already there - it sounded like you meant all of the holes.
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Old 08-11-2016, 09:29 PM   #44
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
You can handle more trailer width with a short box by shifting the hitch further back, so a slightly wider trailer doesn't completely preclude the use of a "short box" (which could mean anything in today's truck market, but means about five feet for an F-150)... it just makes the pin weight harder to handle and the trailer less stable.

Reace's personal truck is an F-150 with a 5.5' box; he tows a 5.0TA by mounting the hitch further back than normal... so even the current 5.0TA is too wide for a Ford short-box without resorting to this non-standard pin placement. There is at least one current 5.0TA towed by a Frontier with a 5-foot box, with the pin well behind the axle line for clearance, so there are precedents for this approach.


The first generation 5.0TA could be a lot narrower at the front corners, too, but it's not.




There's no taper at all in the current 5.0TA (or original 5.0) loft area. The current loft area is slightly narrower than the rear part of the body only because its widest point extends the line of the body at a level well above the waistline, where the body has reduced in width by a couple of inches due to the inward slope of the walls. If the same design is used with the vertical walls of the second generation, the loft area will be the full 88" (2.2 m) width of the rest of the body.

Introducing a taper (narrowing toward the front as seen from above) of the loft area seems like a good idea to me, but I have no idea if Reace is actually doing that. I suggested it in the last round - the 2013/2014 replacement of the 5.0 with the 5.0TA - but Reace chose to go another direction...

There's more, but it's getting into the change to the 5.0TA design, rather than choosing an F-150. I only mentioned the potential width increase as a "heads-up", since it could be relevant to truck selection and might not have occurred to people.

I have a 5.0 TA 2017 on order. I also have a shot bed 2014 F150 (5.5 ft.) . To start, a 6.5 ft bed would be best; but, in my case it is what I have. There is uncertainty about the specifications (width, weight, etc.) and we will not know until October. Concerning turning, the issue is maximum width and distance from the kingpin to the furthest point forward. This leads to the second issue maximum load.

A Reese hitch placed over the center of the axel with a sidewinder pin-box will work, if the width is limited to a 4 inch increase (with some room for error). If you pack carefully and limit yourself to a hitch weight of 800 pounds with an 100 pound hitch you have about 300 pounds to play with for passengers and stuff. ( I have a "max tow package" not the "heat duty package".) You could choose an automatic sliding hitch, but they are very heavy.

If you are purchasing a new F150, it looks like a 6.5 inch bed with the "Heavy Duty Tow Package" is much more flexible. But if your do this you might want to consider an f250. But, but, but... in these two cases, it is no longer a car, which is what many use it for most of the time.
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Old 08-11-2016, 09:37 PM   #45
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That last "but" is an important one Richard. We love the fact that our F150 is easy to drive and gets 26 mpg not towing. No interest in a HD truck at this point - even if we owned a 5.0TA.

"But", since we bought the trailer and the truck about the same time, if I had a 5.0 on order, my truck would have had the 6.5 bed.
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Old 08-11-2016, 10:28 PM   #46
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I'm like you, I have a 2010 F150 SCREW cab with the short bed and I plan on using it for a 2017 5.0 TA. I am VERY interested in the rail mounted Anderson Ultimate Hitch, not the gooseneck version, and I'm hoping there will be an aluminum version out sometime in the next year. Still the steel one is very lightweight. I'm hoping that mounted backwards and the added length of the pin to ball adaptor might let me self mount the rails without needing to drill extra holes in the frame. I haven't started measuring anything yet as I have a whole year to ponder it.
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Old 08-11-2016, 11:12 PM   #47
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I have the Anderson ultimate hitch installed in my truck with a 5'5" bed. I absolutely love it!
I can hook it up and unhook it all by myself without any problem. Mine is the steel version.

I originally had the Reece 15k pro slider for my 5.0 ta. The videos from Reece that I watched said it needed to be be straight and level for hooking up and unhooking. For me I had nothing but trouble with that hitch from the moment I got it home from Chilliwack and tried to unhook the trailer. My driveway is neither straight or level. When I returned home after my first real trip I ordered the Anderson hitch. I have never regretted it.
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Old 08-21-2016, 11:35 AM   #48
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Axle Ratios

First, thanks to everyone who helped me configure my soon-to-be-ordered F150! Couldn't have done it without your generous help. Last (heard that before?) question:

The standard rear axle ratio is a 3.31 non-limited slip. The next lower offering is a 3.73 electronic locking axle. Does/has anyone towing a 5.0TA consider the 3.31 insufficient at any point in their towing experience? I'm ordering the 2.7 EB with tow package and am really attracted to the improved mileage performance and I'd hate to reduce it with the lower rear end ratio.

Again, MANY thanks! Off to ETI today and will (hopefully) put-down my deposit tomorrow morning.
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Old 08-21-2016, 12:03 PM   #49
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The standard rear axle ratio is a 3.31 non-limited slip. The next lower offering is a 3.73 electronic locking axle. Does/has anyone towing a 5.0TA consider the 3.31 insufficient at any point in their towing experience? I'm ordering the 2.7 EB with tow package and am really attracted to the improved mileage performance and I'd hate to reduce it with the lower rear end ratio.
The 2.7L with the standard 3.31 axle ratio does a superb job towing our 19. Not a 5.0 TA of course, but close enough. There is always plenty of torque and pulling power, even on extended upward grades in the mountains.

That's not to say you wouldn't benefit from the 3.73, but it would be perhaps more beneficial to someone towing a much heavier trailer.

Expect about 1 to 2 mpg reduction in fuel economy with the higher ratio - but significantly higher towing power as well.



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Old 08-21-2016, 01:31 PM   #50
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I bought my 2013 F150 used and didn't have choices on what it had. I upgraded the mirrors to the manual extend towing mirrors and I love them... sort of. I love the view they give me. The manual extend is fine. But I REALLY miss not having power fold! I often feel more comfortable folding my mirrors in. That's easy. But I can't count the number of times I've come back to my vehicle, started off and realized the passenger mirror is folded. (Driver's sides can be fixed by reaching out the window.)

So my biggest regret is not spending more on my mirrors and getting power fold.

I also don't have a back up camera, which I really miss. But I'm going to fix that.

I also love my Anderson Ulimate Hitch. There is a extensive discussion in a current thread about the Ultimate. See http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...ra-8408-2.html. Scroll down to about the middle of the thread.

I can't speak for a 5.0 TA (I get mine in Sept 2017), but I can tell you that with my 1987 Bigfoot, when going forward I can make the tightest turn my truck can do without any problem. The trailer can only touch the cab when I'm making a sharp turn backing up.


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Old 08-21-2016, 01:35 PM   #51
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I tow a 2016 5,0 TA with a 2015 F150 Supercrew equipped with 3.31 axle and 2.7EB and it does TERRIFIC! We picked the trailer up in May and towed it 3500 miles back to North Carolina with outstanding performance. Our route went through the Trinity mountains on CA 299 and up to Yosemite in the Sierra Nevadas.

I chose the 3.31 ratio for the MPGs and I'm glad I did.
(I also got the electronic locking differential but haven't needed it yet.)

I feel you are going to LIKE THE TRUCK!
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Old 08-21-2016, 01:57 PM   #52
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There is also a 3.55 offered which is what is on my truck with 2.7EB.
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Old 08-21-2016, 02:00 PM   #53
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There is also a 3.55 offered which is what is on my truck with 2.7EB.
Good point Brenda. The 3.55 is probably a good compromise between the higher capability and the MPG. If I were ordering one today, I'd probably go with the 3.55 axle. Slight increase in towing capacity - about 100 lbs, unlike the 3.73, which adds 900 lbs capacity compared to the 3.31. Not that the 3.31 can't handle our trailer - it tows it like a beast.
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Old 08-21-2016, 02:16 PM   #54
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Originally Posted by ClemsonFan View Post
I chose the 3.31 ratio for the MPGs and I'm glad I did.
(I also got the electronic locking differential but haven't needed it yet.)
Same here, and if I had to do it over, I wouldn't change a thing.
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Old 08-21-2016, 03:05 PM   #55
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Originally Posted by ReagentGrade View Post
I can't speak for a 5.0 TA (I get mine in Sept 2017), but I can tell you that with my 1987 Bigfoot, when going forward I can make the tightest turn my truck can do without any problem. The trailer can only touch the cab when I'm making a sharp turn backing up.
I think that this is a very sensible and reasonable basis for evaluating turn clearance. Any setup can be jackknifed in reverse, so there's no point in trying to design around that. On the other hand, the trailer should not limit the maneouverability of the rig in forward motion, so the tightest turn that the truck can do should work without interference between the trailer and any part of the truck.

I know that with my conventional (pull-behind) trailer it is valuable to be able to turn in forward without worrying about trailer clearance.
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Old 08-22-2016, 11:14 AM   #56
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Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
I never realized you were going to the 5/0TA.....nice!

For starters you would do fine with the 2.7 litre EcoDiesel engine.

I went to the 3.5 to be able to get the 6.5' box, as with a Supercrew and the 2.7 you can only get a 5.5' box. If you go with the Extended cab, then the 3.7 and 6/5' box length is available. This will depend on your priorities there, and maybe there are different combos available in the US.

With the Surpercrew the back seat area is massive, lots of room to store stuff there.

I love my towing mirrors as opposed to the smaller ones. A much bigger better field of view, and they extend out too.

The 120 litre fuel tank will get you lots of range.

The one option I don't have (I bought off the lot) is a tailgate step. I did install an aftermarket one that goes on the rear corner. The bed is fairly high, and my legs don't stretch as good as they used to. Maybe I need to go back to yoga.

The integrated brake controller works great.

I would also get the payload package, tow package (though included with my Lariat which does have a lot of nice options, though not all are needed)
The integrated brake controller works great.

I would also get the payload package, tow package (though included with my Lariat which does have a lot of nice options, though not all are needed)

Lots of good aftermarket options too. As I use mine for work too, I installed Carhartt seat covers right away, and am very glad I did. I had the bed sprayed with Line-X, which I highly recommend. I also added 3M protectant to the front of the body, something maybe more useful up here where they sand the roads in the winter, and lots of rock chips are to be had. I also installed a Fold-a-Cover Tonneau cover and toolbox, which works very well.
Any sage advice to offer on the differential ratio? Thanks?
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Old 08-22-2016, 11:38 AM   #57
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2.7L "EcoDeisel" Jim?

Who knew?

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Old 08-23-2016, 12:26 AM   #58
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Originally Posted by SFDavis50 View Post
I'm like you, I have a 2010 F150 SCREW cab with the short bed and I plan on using it for a 2017 5.0 TA. and I'm hoping there will be an aluminum version out sometime in the next year. Still the steel one is very lightweight. I'm hoping that mounted backwards and the added length of the pin to ball adaptor might let me self mount the rails without needing to drill extra holes in the frame. I haven't started measuring anything yet as I have a whole year to ponder it.
There will not be an aluminum version of the Anderson Ultimate Rail Mount Hitch as the shear strength of the tabs that drop into the rails wouldn't have a great enough safety factor. Also, Anderson doesn't have a bracket or rail mount kit as there are already many companies offering them. Still, at 34 lb. it is the lightest hitch on the market. It is what I plan to get.
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Old 08-23-2016, 10:39 AM   #59
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Good point Brenda. The 3.55 is probably a good compromise between the higher capability and the MPG. If I were ordering one today, I'd probably go with the 3.55 axle. Slight increase in towing capacity - about 100 lbs, unlike the 3.73, which adds 900 lbs capacity compared to the 3.31. Not that the 3.31 can't handle our trailer - it tows it like a beast.
Unless I'm reading the options list incorrectly, the only rear ens available with the 2.7 EcoBost is the 3.31. Sort of renders my question moot..
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Old 08-23-2016, 10:46 AM   #60
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$470 option on my 4WD Lariat w/tow pkg(not max tow).
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