E Rated tire? or overkill?

[Heavishot]

Someone needs to just sell their crummy Powerboost and get an F250 Powestroke instead of posting the same rant all over the forum.

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[chrisp993]

Dave, I'm well aware that boat trailers don't use WDH or electrics, but I can't find anywhere in the Owner's Manual where it says "here are the specs but if its a boat trailer, never mind, just hook up whatever you feel OK with". Your argument is that those specs don't anticipate boat usage but unless Ford has put this in writing, at risk of offending you, that is really just your opinion- the frame and rear axle just feel tongue and tow weight, they don't distinguish what is hitched up i.e. the spec is the spec, and I'm sure its conservative but you should accept that if you exceed it, that's on you?

Even at 8% your tongue weight is over 750lbs i.e. more than 50% beyond what Ford states as a limit. In your post I think you are saying that by moving the boat you somehow managed to place weight on the front axle of your truck? Since the hitch ball is behind the rear axle, wouldn't any tongue weight be a lever (with rear axle as fulcrum) acting to take weight off the front axle? To put weight on the front axle you'd need to add weight forward of the rear axle, or use a WDH - I thought that's the whole point of needing / using a WDH and so I'm confused by what your setup achieved? How did you increase the weight on the front axle by adding weight behind the rear axle?

I'm really not trying to insult but (a) I would question your multiple statements that suggest Ford told you it was OK to ignore their written specs - they have lawyers for a reason and (b) the 5.5mpg would have been my clue that I needed a bigger engine for that load! No argument the F150 is not the truck to tow a big boat, but to conclude therefore it's a "total fail" as a tow vehicle is a wild overstatement? In my experience its fine provided you respect the limits it was designed to .... an F350 will always be better and safer, no doubt!

 

[jperry5835]

I should have mentioned that the replacements on my truck are "LT285/60R-20 MICHELIN AGILIS CROSSCLIMATE SYMMETRICAL TREAD PATTERN E" from Tire Rack. Very quiet, running at 50 PSI, no issues, tracked well. Just not the right truck to tow with. At least this type of rig.

You are correct its just not the right truck for that load. I towed a SeaCat with my half ton once and immediatly traded it for the 3500. I found those Cat boats have a lot of wind resistance going down the road. I would imagine you are within spec for weight on that truck but not when you factor in the wind resistance.

 

[satchamo]

….anyways back to tires.

im curious here too. Been thinking of trying the nitto terra grappler in 275/65/20 that’s XL load rated (4ply). They are literally the only good looking AT available in that size in a 4 ply.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

Someone needs to just sell their crummy Powerboost and get an F250 Powestroke instead of posting the same rant all over the forum.

I have one at my farm in Virginia, work version. But have to keep it in Virginia and had to trade in the fancier F-350 here in FL due to HOA rules on pickup ownership - so went with Ford's upsell of the PB as having near-Superduty towing capabilities. And found them to be BS. Just sharing real word experience. Technology that is truly edge case to meet a design spec but which falls off a cliff when used as specified (i.e. - when accelerating hard, or towing a 10k trailer, it becomes the least efficient vehicle with the worst mileage to do either thing in Ford's lineup). You don't think it's worth folks knowing that from actual experience and real data? Okay then, move along.

 

[Heavishot]

I have one at my farm in Virginia, work version. But have to keep it in Virginia and had to trade in the fancier F-350 here in FL due to HOA rules on pickup ownership - so went with Ford's upsell of the PB as having near-Superduty towing capabilities. And found them to be BS. Just sharing real word experience. Technology that is truly edge case to meet a design spec but which falls off a cliff when used as specified (i.e. - when accelerating hard, or towing a 10k trailer, it becomes the least efficient vehicle with the worst mileage to do either thing in Ford's lineup). You don't think it's worth folks knowing that from actual experience and real data? Okay then, move along.

I absolutely want to hear people's real experiences. However you started hijacking multiple threads complaining about your truck in ways that have nothing to do with the thread subject matter. Nowhere have you seen Ford imply that you'll get great fuel mileage while pushing a powerboost to it's limit. That misunderstanding is on you. Kinda like complaining that my Corvette gets terrible mileage doing ¼ mile runs at the track.

Now can we get back to what guys think about tires???

 

[Norris McCarty]

Well, I’m not near as knowledgeable about everything as Dave is, but I do know about our trucks and tires.
I have 3 sets of tires and wheels for my truck:
The original Lariat chrome 18” wheels with Wranglers…..SL rated…..providing awesome fuel economy and comfort.
Next, 17” Raptor beadlocks with 295/70/17 E rated Cooper Discovers…….fuel economy dropped an honest 3 MPG, but damn they look good.
Next, a set of 17” factory steel wheels with 255/80/17 Falken Wildpeak A/Ts.…E rated. These I use for backcountry overland excursions pulling my Opus OP15.(really hard off-road use). The fuel mileage sucks with these too…..but, unlike Dave, I fully expected it.
Taller than stock, E rated tires work fine on our trucks. They look good and are much “tougher” than the stock SLs, but don’t expect good fuel economy or as smooth a ride.
It‘s all about priorities.
if someone tells you that their 1-2” taller, 15-20lb heavier E rated tires deliver as smooth a ride and as good of fuel economy as their original tires, go ahead and tell them that they are full of s__t……because they are.
Again, it’s all about priorities.
And yes, every time I change tires and wheels on my truck I have to reset the TPMS, but I have the tool to do it.?

 

[Roger1108]

Upgraded to E-rated tires immediately on delivery last month and discarded the garbage Scorpions. Boat & trailer weigh 9,750 at CAT scales with a couple kayaks and gear, half fuel. Just towed 1,500 miles from South FL to upstate NY. Terrible, awful tow vehicle. Made a dumb decision to downgrade from '17 F-350 Superduty due to HOA restriction. This is within towing spec, but beat its little Powerboost heart out and got 5.5 mpg all the way up here this week, compared to 9.5 for identical trip in the F-350. Can it do it? Yes. Should it? No. It was not safe and the tires were the only part right for the job. I have the new airlift airbags, which helped some, but this is NOT recommended. Third pic is a section in North Carolina where I got 5.0 mpg for a full tank. Fuel range is running 150 miles per fill with this truck. Ridiculous - half the range of my Tesla. Anyone want to buy a PowerBoost KR? 3,000 miles.

very nice boat!! and truck too!!

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