Have 27 ft., 6,600 lb. (dry weight) Camper, need truck--which one?

[Osky]

I currently have a 2015, 4x4 3.5 V-6 Eco-boost Lariat supercrew 5.5 ft. box with 78,000 miles. I have the 502A pkg. with 3.55 axle and trailer tow pkg., with tow haul and 145 in wheelbase, spray-in bed liner. I have pulled the above trailer for 12,000 miles over the past 6 years and it has done well with some slight sideways drift in stong winds. Did okay in mountains. Due to the miles and end ofl Maintenance Agreement, I'm ready for a new truck. 80% of driving is in-town and not towing. I love the way my current truck drives and rides. Really don't want a 3/4 ton due to the size. Researching same 1/2 ton Lariat F-150 truck with 5.0 L V-8 and 3.73 axle ratio with Max tow and heavy duty payload pkg. Before the big investment, I'm wondering the following:
1. Shouldn't this truck pull easier and better with the bigger engine and tow and payload pkg.?
2. What will my payload be? I'm thinking my tongue weight is about 1,000 lbs. Trailer sticker has 9,000 lb. GVWR.
3. I have 20 in. tires now, should I keep them or go with 18 in. for a smoother ride?
4. Any other options I could add to improve the ride and payload?
I know I will be right on the edge of the ability of the truck to pull the trailer safely and the payload may be thin, but just looking for some feedback. Thanks.

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[NVanRVer]

I have just taken delivery of my '21 HDPP (EB 4x4), and don't have enough miles on it yet to have towed the trailer, so can't give you a report. That said, you are definitely into HDPP territory and/or 250/350 territory. I am obviously far more conservative than most, as I have a 5800lb dry (7600 lb GVWR) trailer that i used to tow with a '08 2500HD 6.0 gas. Towing was great with that truck, but I have decided to give the HDPP F150 a go for lots of reasons.

What is your passenger load like? Its me, wife and 3 kids (700 lbs), so when you add hitch (100 lbs), tongue (1000 lbs), 5 x bikes and camp stuff (400 lbs), I am pushing beyond what a non HDPP truck can handle. BTW my yellow sticker is 2536 lbs payload -- I have probably already eaten into that by 140 lbs with post delivery add ons (10 ply tires, running boards, bed liner).

Really depends on what you are carrying in addition to the tongue weight and hitch.

 

[Osky]

Thanks for replying. The more input the better for me. Could be a $70K thrill or mistake.

 

[F150Eh]

I was considering a V8 at first too, then after research the 3.5L V6 is actually better on towing and on payload its on par with the V8 (see page 29 for all the charts at The All-new 2021 F-150® (ford.com) , thanks again @Vulnox for sharing this!). Apparently the V6 is better in higher altitudes as well (this from a friend that does a lot of RV towing).

The payload bit was a huge eye opener for me, and it was really hard to find any info on what base payload (no options) was for 2021s! There's a payload chart on page 29 in that document linked above as well. To get the really good payloads in a SuperCrew, the F150 needs to have the 157" wheelbase otherwise you're sitting around 2100lbs before options are factored in. My XLT is just over 1800 lbs for payload, and that's with towing package and bed liner as the only main options. I looked at a Platinum which had moonroof, powered tail gate, fancy tires, some other bells and whistles, and it was just over 1200 lbs for payload - pretty , but not a towing vehicle (my trailer is similar in size and weight to yours).

Let me know if you have any other questions, just went through all this with purchasing my 2021 and love talking about it.

 

[Zyvin]

3.5 is the better engine for towing.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Consider waiting a year and getting a Lightning?

 

[Whiskey]

Just recently acquired the 2021 Power Boost Hybrid, specs claim it has more Hp and Torque than any other Ford Motor except the 5.0 in the Raptor. Payload is 2120 and tow capacity at 12,700. Excellent fuel mileage, 16 while towing, 24-26 when not. Mine has the 5.5 ft box but I would of got the 6.5 if it were available. If your interested in the zero to 60mph? 5.9 seconds quickest truck in my circle of friends (and that includes a 2020. 3.5 Ecoboost twin turbo)??

 

[HawkeyeOD]

Consider waiting a year and getting a Lightning?

Yeah, maybe if he wants to drive 100 miles maximum before he needs to pull over and attempt to charge his truck with a solar panel when he’s out driving through the mountains.

As for the original question. You should be fine if you get the 3.5 EcoBoost and the max tow package with no other fancy options. Get a weight distribution hitch with sway control if you don’t have one.

My truck has the power tailgate and running boards and my cargo capacity number is 1743.

We just bought a travel trailer with around 6,000 GVWR and a tongue weight of around 800 pounds or so. My truck pulled it easily.

Edit: my number was actually off by a couple hundred pounds. Not sure how I got it wrong but it’s actually 1543. But it’s still plenty to pull our trailer and have enough left over for some cargo.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Yeah, maybe if he wants to drive 100 miles maximum before he needs to pull over and attempt to charge his truck with a solar panel when he’s out driving through the mountains.

Remember that the OP said 80% of his driving is around town. The Lightning is targeted to have 300 mile range when carrying a 1000 pound payload (extended range battery). The charging infrastructure already makes travel along most interstates simple. Charging frequency is more likely every 200 miles highway without a trailer and 150 with a trailer. Charging only takes 40 minutes. The charging infrastructure today is the worst you will ever see. New public chargers (DCFC and L2 are being installed every day).

What the OP hasn't indicated is where he is pulling the trailer. You are right that there are remote areas and some states that aren't well served by DC Fast Chargers. However, campground 240v is more than adequate for overnight charging.

I've reserved a Lightning and am looking at a very similar use pattern and towing as the OP. The 80% of driving around town will be at a cost 1/3 that of gas for home charging and you can start every morning with a "full tank". DCFC is 1/2 - 3/4 the cost of gas. For remote camping, the onboard battery will provide over a week of power for a campsite.

The Lightning isn't for everyone but is a very good option. For others, the EcoBoost Hybrid is a good option as well.

 

[HawkeyeOD]

Sorry, but you are drinking the Kool Aid.

For one thing, there are no real world numbers on what those trucks can actually pull. 150 miles with how heavy of a trailer?

And even if there are charging stations, who says they can accommodate travel trailers while you charge the truck?

 

[12Lariat21]

I have a 30' 6,100 lb travel trailer I currently tow with a 2012 Lariat (157" wb) EB 4x4, never had any issues towing. The extra length on the wheel base and tire selection are going to have the biggest impacts on your towable performance. I bought the '12 Lariat used, and the tires that came on it felt like marshmallows when towing the camper. I switch to 8-ply BFGoodrich tires, and that improved tow ability a lot.

I'll be waiting on my 2021 Lariat for a while it seems, so no idea when I'll have the opportunity to compare the two, but one of the first things I'll be doing with the new truck is putting better tires on it.

 

[F150Eh]

I'm excited about the Lightning, but agree with @HawkeyeOD - need to see real world performance numbers first on towing. Like anything new, might be a "wait for the 2nd or 3rd model year" to let them figure out the issues that arise in v1.

 

[Vulnox]

Just recently acquired the 2021 Power Boost Hybrid, specs claim it has more Hp and Torque than any other Ford Motor except the 5.0 in the Raptor. Payload is 2120 and tow capacity at 12,700. Excellent fuel mileage, 16 while towing, 24-26 when not. Mine has the 5.5 ft box but I would of got the 6.5 if it were available. If your interested in the zero to 60mph? 5.9 seconds quickest truck in my circle of friends (and that includes a 2020. 3.5 Ecoboost twin turbo)??

What trim level do you have? I don't know how you can get that payload on a PowerBoost, I would have to see that door jam sticker. The only PB capable of that payload is a 2021 XL PowerBoost with 6.6 bed and ZERO options added to the truck. If that's you, great, but please don't use that chart to determine payload of YOUR truck. That number is the absolute best payload possible on the lowest trim truck with no options.

For example, my Lariat 502a PowerBoost payload is 1400, NOT the 1830 on that chart, because my truck is a higher trim and has options added. You need to go by the door sticker, not the advertising material that very clearly says maximum payload, not standard.

 

[ChasingCoral]

I'm excited about the Lightning, but agree with @HawkeyeOD - need to see real world performance numbers first on towing.

I agree it will be good to see what towing numbers are. We should know a lot more when they reach ordering stage in the fall.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Sorry, but you are drinking the Kool Aid.

For one thing, there are no real world numbers on what those trucks can actually pull. 150 miles with how heavy of a trailer?

And even if there are charging stations, who says they can accommodate travel trailers while you charge the truck?

As an EV driver I've seen lots of charging stations. Some will accommodate travel trailers just fine. Some will be more problematic. Some will only work if you drop the trailer. I agree that is an infrastructure issue that needs to be improved. Again, it really depends on the use case. The convenience, cost saving, and environmental benefit of driving electric can overcome occasional inconvenience.

No Kool-Aid here. Just discussing an option @Osky could consider. It might work for his needs or might not. However, I seem to recall he asked for input.

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