5.0TA puller: F150 3.5 vs F250 7.3 gas

[Rossue]

For a Bigfoot maybe.

[cpaharley2008]

Yes, the Ram can tow but can not carry....I learned that a long time ago. BTW, check your spare, mine was a temporary, unfit to use while towing!!

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Yes, the Ram can tow but can not carry....I learned that a long time ago. BTW, check your spare, mine was a temporary, unfit to use while towing!!

and if you swap that temporary for a full sized spare, weigh both, and take the difference off your payload...

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

and if you swap that temporary for a full sized spare, weigh both, and take the difference off your payload...

Yes, I just left the temp underneath and carry my full sized spare in the bed, which now has a cap over it/...best of both worlds, my mpg increased also;....

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by Centex

Just to note that the F150 can be equipped with a 6.5 foot box (with a SuperCab up through Lariat trim, with a SuperCrew up through Platinum trim; only the aptly-named "Limited" omits the 6.5' box option)

The 'cool factor' associated with owning / driving a truck that far exceeds one's functional needs truly escapes me

The 5.0 was / is designed for a '1/2' ton truck; the far vast majority of folks enjoying their 5.0's pull with a '1/2' ton truck.

IF one already owned a 250 / 2500+ truck, or IF one had other bona-fide need for one, that'd be a different story. But if procuring for the purpose of pulling nothing larger than a 5.0 Escape, and doing that comfortably in every sense of that word, IMO the prudent choice for so many good reasons is obvious.

IMO / YMMV

Hit the nail on the head. Add who knows where gas/diesel prices will be over the 10 yrs. Was at a station with the $100 limit at the pump, weeks ago. The F150s ride almost like a car, F250s can rattle your teeth empty. #ell the new ones, need a step ladder to get in!!

I owned an gas F250 for 14 yrs(8 yrs only vehicle). (11/12 mpg, & owned 2008, when I figured it was costing me $18+ just to go into town). But I built 3 houses & moved myself twice(cargo trailers, tractor even) & my parents once, with it. As SOON as I thought I could get rid of it I did.

2 Tacomas now, 4 & a 6 cly(for Escape). I'll be sell the 4 cly & going to a hybrid car soon. I have always owned a truck since 1980, so it has more use than just to tow the Escape. Still working on the house, 5 acres to care for, trailer for tractor, riding lawn mower repairs, big dump runs, etc. will always need a truck.

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by TheHandyCamper

Although my plans just evaporated because I see the 5.0TA is not delivering until April 2024. I would need it June 2023 for my plan to work. We're flying from Japan to Seattle and I was hoping to have a new truck waiting for us, drive up to Escape and pick up a trailer. I'll have to plan something else.

ETI are moving up built times all the time. A few drop out after every price increase, & more & more used are out there to be grabbed(me). Not sure as often with the 5.0s. But I'd say into 2023.

[Paul B]

We have a 2021 F-250 Tremor, and the bed rails are too high for a 5.0, even with the trailer lifted. We had to switch to a 21NE (because we didn't want to buy a lower truck). IMO, on uneven ground many modern 4x4 3/4 ton+ trucks can possibly twist in such a way, on uneven ground, to hit the trailer (a 5.0).

[Joan W]

You are smart enough to know that you can get a 250 is just a little more money. It will have everthing you need and have a better body and engine. We realized this and went with the 250 for easy of mind. No worries on weight!!! The payload is an issue if you do the math. It doesn't matter that everyone says you can use the f150. Gas cost a lot but you are saving so much money not being in hotels. And if you are in any traffic issue that needs to make a claim on the insurance and they find your payload in overloaded, the insurance can reject your claim. Go with the safer F250. We just got our truck and love it. It is all rev up with not place to go because we await our 5.0 but we are moving up on the list Yeah!!! Remember safety first!!

[Doug2000]

I wouldn't buy the F250 7.3L gas. All you need is the F150 3.5L EcoBoost and that is still massive overkill! Guy I work with had a F250, his wife said the ride was too rough and hated the truck. Overkill for an Escape.

My friend sold his Silverado Duramax for a Silverado 6.2L gas, huge mistake. He said it cost $1 a KM to tow his enclosed trailer with his Razor side by side.

[Keith3]

Originally Posted by Joan W

You are smart enough to know that you can get a 250 is just a little more money. It will have everthing you need and have a better body and engine. We realized this and went with the 250 for easy of mind. No worries on weight!!! The payload is an issue if you do the math. It doesn't matter that everyone says you can use the f150. Gas cost a lot but you are saving so much money not being in hotels. And if you are in any traffic issue that needs to make a claim on the insurance and they find your payload in overloaded, the insurance can reject your claim. Go with the safer F250. We just got our truck and love it. It is all rev up with not place to go because we await our 5.0 but we are moving up on the list Yeah!!! Remember safety first!!

Is your 250 a 4x2? Just trying to think about bed rail height with a 250.

Our 5.0 was a bit tight to the rails before we lifted it. With a lift it fits well. But we have a 4x4 F-150.

We love our 5.0. I think you will be really happy with it.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Joan W

You are smart enough to know that you can get a 250 is just a little more money. It will have everthing you need and have a better body and engine. We realized this and went with the 250 for easy of mind. No worries on weight!!! The payload is an issue if you do the math. It doesn't matter that everyone says you can use the f150. Gas cost a lot but you are saving so much money not being in hotels. And if you are in any traffic issue that needs to make a claim on the insurance and they find your payload in overloaded, the insurance can reject your claim. Go with the safer F250. We just got our truck and love it. It is all rev up with not place to go because we await our 5.0 but we are moving up on the list Yeah!!! Remember safety first!!

Sorry, but I must disagree. After having F-250's and F-350's for 25 years it was sooooo nice to downsize to an F-150 to tow my 5.0TA. The big pickups were great for work, often towing heavy dump runs and material pickups. The 3.5L has an huge excess of power and though I have brought the cargo weight up to nearer the limit it tows just beautifully. That, and a lot more comfortable to ride in and nicer to drive without a trailer. IMO, and not that there really is a problem, just no real need for a work truck to tow a lightweight trailer.

I even towed a load of soil to dispose of in my dump trailer that just exceeded 13,000 lbs with trailer and load. Fortunately this was a short trip, but the truck towed it with ease.

[brroberts]

Don’t have a 5.0, but I have a Chevy 2500. I bought a Ranger for my new Escape, and if I wanted a 5.0, although the Ranger would tow it, I would have bought an F150 in whatever combination would give the most payload because any of them would tow it. A 3/4 or larger truck is simply more than you need for an Escape. I use the 2500 for other stuff. Even my Ranger has 1823lbs payload.

[Joan W]

Keith 3 Our 250 is a 4 by 2 and we think with the lift kit we will be fine.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by Joan W

You are smart enough to know that you can get a 250 is just a little more money. It will have everthing you need and have a better body and engine. We realized this and went with the 250 for easy of mind. No worries on weight!!! The payload is an issue if you do the math. It doesn't matter that everyone says you can use the f150. Gas cost a lot but you are saving so much money not being in hotels. And if you are in any traffic issue that needs to make a claim on the insurance and they find your payload in overloaded, the insurance can reject your claim. Go with the safer F250. We just got our truck and love it. It is all rev up with not place to go because we await our 5.0 but we are moving up on the list Yeah!!! Remember safety first!!

We pull with a well researched 2019 F150. You do realize we’re pulling light campers. On our 2nd trip I weighed our 5.0 at 4,900#’s, so that’s not an issue, with a 700# pin weight, so that’s not an issue, leaving us with 1,000#’s of payload, so that’s not an issue. As time goes on we also remove items we no longer need, so I’m guessing we’re closer to 4,700-4,800#’s today.

I’ll also take our 3.5 Ecoboost over either a V8 or diesel. And the body, I’ll take our aluminum over steel, since we no longer need a work/farm truck. That’s why we can have over 1,700#’s of payload (1,000#’s after deducting the pin weight).

I’ve had a number of F250 trucks in the past because most 1/2 tons were light trucks with weak suspension. Today’s high end 1/2 tons are a whole different breed of cat from what I saw in the past. Our 2019 Lariat F150 rides like a dream, not like the 250’s I tried out in 2015 and 2019 when we purchased our last two trucks. There’s a trade-off when purchasing a F250 with payload we don’t need or want.

Yes, there are some F150’s that have a low payload, but I also found some F250’s with low payload too. Many of us who chose the F150 did our homework, and are driving perfectly safe trucks, that are well within the limits.

Food for thought,

Perry

[azjack]

When we ordered the 5.0 we had to switch vehicles, we had such good luck with 3 dodge hemis 5.7 that we looked. at dodge (RAM). I like the club cab, 6.5 bed and I really like the ride with full coil suspension and 1800# capacity. Our son with a 2018 f150 claims my RAM rides better than his 150. Maybe so?
We hope to be using its all again soon.
AZjack

[cpaharley2008]

Always been a hemi owner but I had to add air bags in my rear coil springs to keep the truck level while towing

[Keith3]

Originally Posted by Joan W

Keith 3 Our 250 is a 4 by 2 and we think with the lift kit we will be fine.

That could do the trick. I’ve never measured the bed rail height of a 4x2 F250.

I travel a lot with someone who uses a 4x4 F250 and it would have a hard time hooking up to our 5.0, even with the lift kit. I think it could do in a pinch for emergencies, but not a long tow.

[Keith3]

Originally Posted by azjack

When we ordered the 5.0 we had to switch vehicles, we had such good luck with 3 dodge hemis 5.7 that we looked. at dodge (RAM). I like the club cab, 6.5 bed and I really like the ride with full coil suspension and 1800# capacity. Our son with a 2018 f150 claims my RAM rides better than his 150. Maybe so?
We hope to be using its all again soon.
AZjack

I’ve heard the same and will be looking closely at Rms when that time comes around.

[Tom&Joan]

I wish I had precise payload and pin weight numbers for our 2022 Ranger and 5.0, but I don't All I can say is that the trailer barely pushes the truck down. Our previous Ranger's Timbren axle stops showed no obvious evidence of contacting when encountering bumps, but may have. The empty truck rides very well. Seems to be one of those cases of a lighter? (4000#) truck having more spare carrying capacity. By the way, our spare is a full size.
In the end you are happy with what you are happy with!

[TahoeRob]

We used these forums a ton when ordering our trailer so just wanted to add our experience regarding 5.0TA tow vehicles. We use a 2021 F250 6.7 4x4 to tow our 5.0. As others have said, the F250 is -way- overkill for the 5.0 (we have it for heavier loads) but it has worked well for us for the 5.0 with the trailer lift kit. The truck bed rails are tall but we have adequate clearance between them and the trailer. If you use the Anderson Ultimate trailer hitch, you might need to use blocks under the front trailer stands to get the trailer king pin high enough to drop over the Anderson hitch when hitching. We had the factory puck kit in the bed of the truck and use the B&W Companion 5th wheel hitch. It takes up less bed space than the Anderson Ultimate but it’s heavier (though manageable for 60 year old me). Also, we ordered a Ford trailer camera and tire pressure monitoring wiring harness kit (LC3Z1A189A) that we sent to escape after ordering the trailer and they installed during the trailer build for a nominal fee. After we got the trailer I installed the rear camera and TPMS sensors in the wheels and if you have the Ford Trailer Backup Assist option package you can access the trailer camera and TPMS through the normal in-dash ford screens. It was a bit of a pain and seemed like a lot of $$ for the harness package, but I’m really happy with the results. Not that you get these trucks for the gas mileage (diesel mileage in this case), but I get about 22 mpg on the highway empty at 70 to 75 mph, and 14 to 15 mpg towing the trailer at about 65. I swapped out the Ford OEM gas tank for a 60 gallon S&B aftermarket tank and the truck range is a bit better than 1200 miles empty and 800 towing the trailer. Just posting in case someone is wondering if a F250 will work - a F150 is certainly more appropriate for the 5.0, but the 250 has worked out well for us. Rob