Which truck/options to tow a 5.0?

[Lorraine Pittsburgh]

Hello Uncle Tim, sky free, Erik65, TahoeJoe, advenas, Jack, & CADreamin,

I've been without internet for some days, so just now getting back here on the forum - sorry not to have acknowledged your input sooner. Your thoughtful comments have resulted in me adding several more notes to my growing list.

Will look at a couple more trucks tomorrow, hope to put together a "build sheet" this weekend, & plan to place an order on Tuesday. A month ago, that thought was completely intimidating, but all of the input here & elsewhere on this forum has guided my research & thinking until I'm excited to be making this purchase.

Can't thank you who responded enough. Wishing you all well,
Lorraine

[Lorraine Pittsburgh]

Hi All,

Just in case anyone checks back on this thread, thanks to all of the input here & lots of additional research, I confidently placed an order for a new F150 XLT, super-cab, 6.5' bed, 5.0L V8, 4x4. Hoping to take delivery in Jan or Feb.

So appreciate y'all be so generous with your time & advice,
Stay well, Lorraine

[Centex]

Congratulations on making a decision and moving forward, Lorraine!

As you discovered there's many viable vehicles out there, I'm sure your choice will prove to be a great tug for your 5.0, Have Fun!

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by advenas

Hi Lorrain,
I'm not sure of the weight you'll be towing with the Escape 5.0. But I'm towing my 17B with a 2021 F150 4x4 and the 3.5l Ecoboost and 10 spd transmission. Super rig, great gas mileage and very comfortable.

One consideration I had was the size of the dealer network. I'm on the road most of the winter and I didn't want to search for a dealership for an oil change or warranty work. The other consideration was driving range once I was unhitched. At 22mpg empty and a 36 gallon tank I can roam around and explore. So motor efficiency and a big gas tank might be worth looking at.

I've had a diesel and know the extra costs involved that increase your cost/mile and came to the conclusion that the differences between diesel and gas are basically a wash, even when including mpg. I didn't want the extra noise, def, or maintenance issues that diesels can have. They're all a gamble though.

Originally Posted by CADreamin

Good responses here. We had a 5.0 on order when we purchased our 2018 Tundra; however, after crunching the numbers (again and again) and consulting with members of this forum, we found we were uneasy with the relatively low payload rating of the Tundra so switched from a 5.0 to a 21. The 5.0 would have been nice but we're more than happy with our 21' AND our Tundra. Don't get a tow vehicle that "just gets by", don't listen to the dealers and do the math yourself.

Real estate agents and car dealers say what you want to hear to sell their product. I talked to actual owners and crunched my own numbers.

Our minimum payload for us was 1,600 pounds and we have over 1,700 with our F150 Lariat. I wanted a Platinum with sunroof, but the payload was only 1,500 pounds.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by Lorraine Pittsburgh

Hi All,

Just in case anyone checks back on this thread, thanks to all of the input here & lots of additional research, I confidently placed an order for a new F150 XLT, super-cab, 6.5' bed, 5.0L V8, 4x4. Hoping to take delivery in Jan or Feb.

So appreciate y'all be so generous with your time & advice,
Stay well, Lorraine

Just saw that you made your choice. We had a similar 2015 F150 and loved it. Great choice.

Enjoy your ride,

Perry

[uthorns]

We have a 2014 F150 XLT 5.0L V8 and it pulls our 5.0 with ease. I think you will be well pleased with your choice. Bought ours used so had to settle on the smaller gas tank, that's my only regret.

[Lorraine Pittsburgh]

Thanks Alan & Perry. So appreciate your input & interest!

[Lorraine Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by uthorns

We have a 2014 F150 XLT 5.0L V8 and it pulls our 5.0 with ease. I think you will be well pleased with your choice. Bought ours used so had to settle on the smaller gas tank, that's my only regret.

Thanks uthorns!

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Lorraine Pittsburgh

Just in case anyone checks back on this thread, thanks to all of the input here & lots of additional research, I confidently placed an order for a new F150 XLT, super-cab, 6.5' bed, 5.0L V8, 4x4.

Great news. Thanks for the update.

Do you know what the payload rating will be?

The base weight is of the F-150 SuperCab with 6.5' bed, 5.0 V8, and 4X4 is 4,810 pounds; the XLT will be heavier. The GVWR is 7,050 pounds; the 6.5' SuperCab with 5.0L does not appear to have a payload package option available. The resulting base payload is 2,240 pounds; with the XLT trim level and whatever options are chosen the payload will be less. As long as the XLT and options don't add too much weight, the payload should be reasonable.

[John in Santa Cruz]

in general, fully optioned crew cab half ton trucks mostly have pathetic payloads, all those options eat heavily into the GVWR. you should see how much one of those powered leather bucket seats weighs when you take it out of the truck, its a two man carry even to just lift it out. At least the newest Ford F150's have optional extra payload/tow capacities, but those heavy-tow trucks are special order and hard to get.

if you really want decent payload capacity from a crew cab (4-door) pickup, you should be looking at the 3/4 ton class, F250, Ram/Chevy 2500HD, etc.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

At least the newest Ford F150's have optional extra payload/tow capacities, but those heavy-tow trucks are special order and hard to get.

Not all F-150's. As I noted, the particular combination of cab, box, and engine which Lorraine ordered does not have a payload package, according to the online specs. Perhaps there is something that a buyer can only order through a dealer? That seems like an effective way to keep people from buying it.

For the F-150 there are some packages which affect the GVWR for a given cab/box/powertrain combination:

• 2.7L EcoBoost® V6 Payload Package
  • obviously only for 2.7L EcoBoost V6
  • the 5.0L V8 comes stock with a GVWR similar to the 2.7L EcoBoost with this option
• Heavy Duty Payload Package
  • for long-wheelbase configurations: only available with 8' box and regular or SuperCab, or 6.5' box and SuperCrew
• Max Trailer Tow Package
  • only available for SuperCrew 5.5' 5.0L 4X2 configuration
• Tremor
  • reduces GVWR

For the most common configurations of the F-150 there is no payload package available.

[Oldtimer]

Confused Here Brain. But they may have changed things up. Back in March was thinking about getting new truck. Looked at Ford 150 4x4 5.0 it came with max tow package had the 302 A package did they change the offerings


David

[Centex]

Perhaps the confusion because y'all are talking apples and oranges ....

The "Max Trailer Tow Package (53C)" is not a 'payload package' per se, it is targeted at increasing "towing capacity", distinctly different from "payload capacity". It does not include any spring upgrades among its many listed components.

In contrast, the separate "Heavy-Duty Payload Package (627)" is specifically targeted at increasing payload capacity. It does include "Upgraded springs" among its many listed components. It can be ordered in conjunction with, and in certain configuration combination requires the "Max Trailer Tow Package (53C)".

Unfortunately the "Heavy-Duty Payload Package (627)" is not available with 145" wheelbase (that's the wheelbase of a SuperCab with 6.5ft box OR a SuperCrew with a 5.5ft box). "Max Trailer Tow Package (53C)" lacks similar restrictions as to wheelbase.

My source for the above is the Ford Order Guide dated 09/15/2021 for the 2022 model year F150. In respect to the things mentioned the Ford Order Guide dated 07/15/2020 for the 2021 model year F150 is the same. It's possible that the Ford retail website configuration tools may conflict with the published Ford Order Guide in some respect at any point in time; FWIW I've found the latter to be the more reliable resource for such details (accurately reflecting configurations a dealer can actually enter in the Ford vehicle ordering / specification system).

BTW, "302A" refers to the "XLT High Level" trim and amenity package, which, though adding component weight that may detract from ultimate actual rated payload capacity (all other things being equal) is not directly related to either of the above.

Hope that helps clarify, it's a complex matrix with devilish details (the Ford F150 Order Guide / option bundling scheme rules).

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Centex

Perhaps the confusion because y'all are talking apples and oranges ....

The "Max Trailer Tow Package (53C)" is not a 'payload package' per se, it is targeted at increasing "towing capacity", distinctly different from "payload capacity"...

I'm not confused - while the purpose of the Max Trailer Tow package is to increase towing capacity, not payload, I listed it because in the one configuration noted it does increase GVWR.

Thanks for the confirmation that these packages are not universally available, and notably the payload package is not available in the most popular wheelbase.

While there might be some restrictions on what mechanical package might be available with what trim level, the GVWR affected by these mechanical packages and the weight added by "trim and toys" options are two different factors; since both affect payload I mentioned both.

[Oldtimer]

Lol still confused. My one brain cell that only works 1 % of the time. The truck I was referring to was on the lot ( should of bought it ughhhhh) but that is another story. Thanks Centex for the explanation.

David

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Oldtimer

... they may have changed things up. Back in March was thinking about getting new truck. Looked at Ford 150 4x4 5.0 it came with max tow package...

The website specs for payload don't show Max Tow for the 4X4; I should have said that while it may be available in various configurations, it only increases the GVWR (and thus payload) in the SuperCrew 5.5' 5.0L 4X2.

It does appear that the Max Trailer Tow package is widely available (for different box lengths and both 4X2 and 4X4) with the 5.0L... but it only affects payload in that one specific configuration.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The website specs for payload don't show Max Tow for the 4X4; I should have said that while it may be available in various configurations, it only increases the GVWR (and thus payload) in the SuperCrew 5.5' 5.0L 4X2.

Take care making any assumption about increased GVWR also resulting in an increase in payload rating (it may or may not).

As you know, if the increase in GVWR coincides with increased curb weight (due to additional equipment weight) the payload my not increase much if at all.

As you also likely know, the popularly advertised 'payload ratings' are typically the maximum possible for a stated configuration, which is very different (sometimes shockingly different) from the actual VIN-specific payload rating for any given vehicle with its specific options. That's just an artifact of the arena of competitive marketing and advertising.

It's very difficult if not impossible to accurately estimate the actual VIN-specific payload rating a vehicle will display using tools on the Ford retail website or even the Order Guide.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Centex

Take care making any assumption about increased GVWR also resulting in an increase in payload rating (it may or may not).

As you know, if the increase in GVWR coincides with increased curb weight (due to additional equipment weight) the payload my not increase much if at all.

As you also likely know, the popularly advertised 'payload ratings' are typically the maximum possible for a stated configuration, which is very different (sometimes shockingly different) from the actual VIN-specific payload rating for any given vehicle with its specific options. That's just an artifact of the arena of competitive marketing and advertising.

It's very difficult if not impossible to accurately estimate the actual VIN-specific payload rating a vehicle will display using tools on the Ford retail website or even the Order Guide.

True, the payload improvement of any package is no more than the GVWR increase, and possibly none at all. The net effect is that in the case of the selected configuration (SuperCab 6.5' 5.0L), there is definitely no option or package available to improve the payload - every available choice only hurts payload.

As I mentioned (back in post #49), the actual payload can only be lower than the payload shown in the published specifications, which is based on the lowest trim level and no options.

[Suregrip391]

Originally Posted by Oldtimer

For me it was the truck that supported my back the best. Is the lumbar support in the right place, does the seat portion support my legs all the way. Ford, Ram , and Chevy were the best and the Chevy had the best lumbar support for me so I went with the Silverado 1500 4x4 5.3. Max towing option. Love the way it handles and rides. I can tow for 10 hrs before back says stop. Lol. I get 18/19 mpg when not towing and 13/14 when towing. It depends on which make fits you the best. Good luck on your search and choice.

One note the tundra is a good vehicle but was not comfortable to sit in for me so don’t cont them out in your search .

David

I too have a Silverado extended cab, it’s older, it’s a 2010 with the small rear doors and a short 6.5’ bed. Can I just jump in and ask how well the turning radius may be when backing up? Would I be able to do a 90?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Suregrip391

I too have a Silverado extended cab, it’s older, it’s a 2010 with the small rear doors and a short 6.5’ bed. Can I just jump in and ask how well the turning radius may be when backing up? Would I be able to do a 90?

That truck has a 143.5 in (3,645 mm) wheelbase, so it will turn about as tightly as other trucks with similar wheelbase; examples include current Silverado or F-150 with

• regular cab and 8' bed or
• double cab / SuperCab and 6.5' bed or
• crew cab / SuperCrew with 5.5' bed.

You should be able to set up the hitch to allow a 90 degree angle between truck and trailer (with the 6.5' bed) - assuming that's what you mean by "do a 90" - but if you get it that tight you can't continue backward without jackknifing - the truck's front wheels can't turn anywhere near sharply enough (in any pickup) to sustain that angle.