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Old 01-25-2019, 10:14 PM   #1
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F250

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I would appreciate input from those with experience.
We are pulling our 21 with an F150. It works ok, but when we go onto really steep inclines and mountains, it lugs down. Since I hate that feeling I was wondering if a F 250 would remedy that or is it just really over kill.
We would appreciate input from anyone towing with a larger truck.
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Old 01-26-2019, 12:47 AM   #2
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Ginger, can you give more specifics on the truck? (Year, engine, etc).

The reason I ask is, it depends on which F150 you're talking about. For example, my F150 with just a 2.7L EcoBoost V6 can easily tow a loaded 21 up a steep grade with no lug at all.

Properly equipped, an F150 is a great match, and I see no need for a heavier truck to tow a relatively light load like a 21. It's even possible to equip an F150 to tow up to 12,300 lbs - way beyond the roughly 4500 lbs an Escape 21 owner would be towing.
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Old 01-26-2019, 07:17 AM   #3
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I know, we are probably expecting too much.... no slow down, no engine sounds. The truck is 2011 v8, tow package with only 120,000 miles. We've done big mountains and it makes it. Guess we were just wondering if more was better.
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Old 01-26-2019, 07:32 AM   #4
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We started towing our 2015 5.0 TA with a 2014 F-150 5L V8 extended cab. The truck had adequate power but was at or above the truck's payload limit. It was slow on the big mountain climbs in the Rockies. Then upgraded to a 2016 F-250 crew cab gas engine. This gave us plenty of payload capacity with additional inside room. But, no better in the mountains and worse gas mileage. Forty thousand plus miles towing over two years gave 11 mpg. The F-150 towed at 13-14 mpg, neither very good.
Anyway, The 3/4 ton F-250 doesn't address the mountain climbing (& descending) issues unless it has the expensive diesel engine option, overkill for any Escape. That said, I will be towing with a Silverado diesel this spring (to the Escape Rally!) for the easier towing and added fuel mileage and range.
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Old 01-26-2019, 09:25 AM   #5
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That v-8 is the same motor I have in my Mustang and there are lots of modifications you can do to make it more powerful. That motor can produce a lot of torque and horsepower. For my Ram 1500, I installed a CAI with a ram air hood, makes it hum at 15 mpg towing at 1800 rpm. Think of making your motor happy, it will make you happy.
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Old 01-26-2019, 09:49 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ginger View Post
I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I would appreciate input from those with experience.
We are pulling our 21 with an F150. It works ok, but when we go onto really steep inclines and mountains, it lugs down. Since I hate that feeling I was wondering if a F 250 would remedy that or is it just really over kill.
We would appreciate input from anyone towing with a larger truck.
Our experiences towing our 21 with a small V8 are similar , it feels like we are always towing right on the edge . If we upgrade to a 3/4 ton truck , it will include the Diesel engine option

Truck= R1500 —5.7 liter V8 - 8 speed - 3.92 rear end
I have towed with a 2500 diesel and the driving experience is totally different .
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Old 01-26-2019, 10:06 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Ginger View Post
I know, we are probably expecting too much.... no slow down, no engine sounds. The truck is 2011 v8, tow package with only 120,000 miles. We've done big mountains and it makes it. Guess we were just wondering if more was better.
Besides the motor the next biggest factor would be your axle ratio. The transmission is also a factor. For instance an F150, 2.7 Ecoboost with 3.31 axle is rated 7600lbs tow. Same truck with 3.73 axle is rated 8500 lbs tow.
My 2016 F150, 2.7 Ecoboost with 3.55 axle is rated 7500lbs tow. Have not gone over the Rockies yet but up through the hills of Vermont, New Hamshire, Pennsylvania and North Carolina have never travelled in the slow lane towing my 5.0TA. And the ride is way more comfortable than a 3/4 ton truck. That’s my 2 cents😎
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Old 01-26-2019, 03:07 PM   #8
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I know, we are probably expecting too much.... no slow down, no engine sounds.
That isn't "too much", that's wildly unreasonable. You can buy a Class 8 heavy highway tractor with a 14-litre engine and capable of towing 60 tons and it won't climb a grade without a noticeable change in engine sound.

More engine might be "better", but when in comes with much more truck weight, it doesn't necessarily improve performance.
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Old 01-26-2019, 05:23 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Ginger View Post
I know, we are probably expecting too much.... no slow down, no engine sounds. The truck is 2011 v8, tow package with only 120,000 miles. We've done big mountains and it makes it. Guess we were just wondering if more was better.
Does your f150 have tow/haul mode? Does that help?
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Old 01-26-2019, 06:02 PM   #10
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Does your f150 have tow/haul mode? Does that help?
Tow/Haul mode changes the automatic transmission's shift behaviour. If anything, it will likely cause the engine to operate at higher speed, which will have the opposite effect of what is wanted here, which is to make the effect of working hard to climb a grade inaudible.
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Old 01-26-2019, 06:11 PM   #11
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I find as I age my motor gets quieter...............
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Old 01-26-2019, 06:44 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
I find as I age my motor gets quieter...............
Ditto.

The other issue when choosing a tow vehicle is how important to you is it to be the first guy to crest the mountain?

When towing I’m the turtle ; not the rabbit.
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Old 01-26-2019, 06:52 PM   #13
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I have a F250 with a 6.2L V8 gas motor and yes I have to downshift going up steep grades. For example, leaving Riverton Wy after the eclipse in 2017, we were traveling on Hwy 135 heading SE. There is a section that has an 8% grade at around 7000 feet. I was in 3rd around 50 mph. That was the speed of the traffic (a lot of traffic), and I was not going to slow anyone down behind me. Just let the engine rev. That 5.0L has 360 hp @ 5500 rpm and 380 lb-ft of torque at 4250 rpm. Again, let it rev.
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Old 01-26-2019, 07:28 PM   #14
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ditto, I let my f250 7.3L diesel downshift on steep grades.... its rare 3rd isn't good enough as long as the speed is around 50-55. mild grades, it can stay in 4th(OD) at 55 or 60 but it can't accelerate very fast. One trick I found with this truck, if it downshifts while you're hard on the throttle going up a hill, the torque converter probably won't lock up, unless you let up on the throttle for just an instant, then the TC locks, the RPMs drop some, and you can resume the heavy foot to maintain speed up a grade. You can definitely feel that more torque is being applied to the rubber when tthe TC is locked, plus of course, the transmission won't overheat.
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Old 01-26-2019, 07:38 PM   #15
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Does your f150 have tow/haul mode? Does that help?
Yes, factory installed. I’m sure it helps and on level or small mountains it does fine. We like the Rockies
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Old 01-26-2019, 08:07 PM   #16
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It does have tow/haul and it does change the transmission shift to 1st or 2nd gear on downhill coasting. Very annoying. This is posted by Art her husband. I try to drive at 65 or 70 to keep control of everything and this is probably why we get the engine whine when we hit the tall mountains ib Colorado and New Mexico.
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Old 01-27-2019, 03:31 PM   #17
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It does have tow/haul and it does change the transmission shift to 1st or 2nd gear on downhill coasting. Very annoying.
If the current F-150 tow-haul mode works like my 2008 SuperDuty, engaging both cruise control and tow-haul causes the transmission to downshift as required to avoid exceeding your set speed on descents... which can be a pretty low gear (although it's hard to imagine first gear at highway speeds ). To avoid that (if that's all that's happening) you can either turn cruise off or cancel tow-haul during the descent, and downshift manually as desired.

Quote:
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I try to drive at 65 or 70 to keep control of everything and this is probably why we get the engine whine when we hit the tall mountains ib Colorado and New Mexico.
That's on the fast side for trailer towing, so if you try to climb any significant grade at that speed you need a lot of power, and engine sound will be noticeable.
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Old 01-27-2019, 06:14 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by Ginger View Post
It does have tow/haul and it does change the transmission shift to 1st or 2nd gear on downhill coasting. Very annoying. This is posted by Art her husband. I try to drive at 65 or 70 to keep control of everything and this is probably why we get the engine whine when we hit the tall mountains ib Colorado and New Mexico.
🤔I think if you get a newer F150 with an Ecoboost motor equipped with a 3.55 or 3.73 axle and the proper payload rating you would be amazed at the performance. The Ecoboost motor not only makes more power than the v8 they make that power at a lower rpm. When towing my 5.0TA I put it in tow mode and drive that’s it. My truck a 2016 has a 6 speed and it works. The newer 10 speeds are supposed to be even better.
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Old 01-28-2019, 10:06 AM   #19
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Towing with Expedition

We have a2018 Expedition with 3.5ecoboost and 3:31 gears 10speed tranny we haven’t hooked it up yet but at 70 mph it’s rpm is 1600 it’s less then 1500 rpm. At 60 mph I’m wondering towing the E21 what rpm at 60 mph what do you get with your F150 s with 3-5 eco boosts ?
I’m hoping for 15mpg with Expedition better then 10-12 on my 07 Sequoia Jim
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Old 01-28-2019, 12:38 PM   #20
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I find as I age my motor gets quieter...............
Mine has a tendency to back fire a lot more!
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