Seriously considering a new tow rig....input?

[rusty ol ranger]

Heres the deal....

I have 3 trucks, and it seems lately i cant keep any of them on the road, even the wife is pushing me to upgrade. My plan is (well, if i decide to go this route) is sell both my F250s for a down payment on either...

1- A superduty
2- A 12+ F150
3- A Chevy/GMC 1/2 or 3/4ton.

My biggest concern is towing my 7-7200lb 32 ft travel trailer.

Right now, my 97 F250 HD (460/E4OD/4.10) tows it great. Up hills, stoplights, whatever, that big 460 just cranks along without a care...

What i want, is a V10 superduty. I feel the V10 should be pretty comparable to the 460, with just a bit more up high, and a bit less down low. Which i could deal with. But the V10s are hard to find.

Theres a few 6.2s in my price range (22k max), but after reading power curves and things i see no way in hell these will tow even close to a 460 even with 6 gears.

Now, seein as how i only tow the thing a few times a year, ive considered getting a 5.0L F150. (Do not want an EB), lots of nice ones in my price range/area, BUT, how much of a turd will this be towing when i ask it to?

The GM junk, well, its on my radar. Possibly something 6.0 powered unless i found a nice 8.1. Whats the take on the newer GM stuff?

 

[Dirtman]

I'd stay away from the V10. We have 2 super duties at work, one is a 5.4 and the other is the v10. The V10 gets half the gas mileage of the 5.4 with barely any power difference. They both tow our 10,000 pound trailer fine. Not to mention the v10 has been in the dealer twice for spitting out spark plugs and maintenance costs are insane. Just my humble opinion based on my experience.

 

[07nhbpsi]

Buddy of mine has had 4, 3.5 ecoboost F series and swears by them.....btw he does lots of towing, 8k boat no issue....:icon_ And let’s not forget, if u still want a little more from it there are aftermarket tuners that’ll really make it run like a scalded dog.....

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Buddy of mine has had 4, 3.5 ecoboost F series and swears by them.....btw he does lots of towing, 8k boat no issue....:icon_ And let’s not forget, if u still want a little more from it there are aftermarket tuners that’ll really make it run like a scalded dog.....

You gotta understand, i didnt even fully accept EFI and overdrive in a fullsizer untill a few years ago. No way i want that much tech wizardry under my hood.

 

[adsm08]

You gotta understand, i didnt even fully accept EFI and overdrive in a fullsizer untill a few years ago. No way i want that much tech wizardry under my hood.

So you are willing to completely ignore a very viable option for getting the result you want because you think that technology shouldn't ever advance?

 

[Dirtman]

So you are willing to completely ignore a very viable option for getting the result you want because you think that technology shouldn't ever advance?

Seems to work for the amish?

 

[adsm08]

Seems to work for the amish?

1) I think they are a bunch of religious nutbags.

2) The Amish I know find almost any way they can to skirt those rules.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

1) I think they are a bunch of religious nutbags.

2) The Amish I know find almost any way they can to skirt those rules.

Mennonites around me have nice new high end stuff... but they have to take the radio out.

My brother had a retired judge bring his 6.2 in for an oil change and had to compliment its power.

He blew a tire on his fifth wheel camper and it went until it halfway ripped the side off the camper, lost insulation and everything. Somebody flagged him down, the engine didn’t downshift or give any indication anything was amiss.

And now Ford trucks can talk to tire pressure sensors on your trailer to let you know if you have a flat... enough people apparently can’t tell now.

 

[07nhbpsi]

You gotta understand, i didnt even fully accept EFI and overdrive in a fullsizer untill a few years ago. No way i want that much tech wizardry under my hood.

I see, well then u better just stick with anything prior to the 90s’ There are options out there, but u can’t be so narrow minded...The ecoboost 3.5 is a great motor for towing I’m sure u would be surprised if u drove one..... In the meantime enjoy the horse and buggy routine..

 

[07nhbpsi]

Mennonites around me have nice new high end stuff... but they have to take the radio out.

My brother had a retired judge bring his 6.2 in for an oil change and had to compliment its power.

He blew a tire on his fifth wheel camper and it went until it halfway ripped the side off the camper, lost insulation and everything. Somebody flagged him down, the engine didn’t downshift or give any indication anything was amiss.

And now Ford trucks can talk to tire pressure sensors on your trailer to let you know if you have a flat... enough people apparently can’t tell now.

Well, u know they gotta Idiot proof the world from the Idiots........Just maybe if he would’ve ever looked in his mirror the moron would’ve seen something???? I mean what’s next Auto mirror check? stupid ass people with no sense that’s just great...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Well, u know they gotta Idiot proof the world from the Idiots........Just maybe if he would’ve ever looked in his mirror the moron would’ve seen something???? I mean what’s next Auto mirror check? stupid ass people with no sense that’s just great...

My inlaw's Mazda has an alarm that freaks out of you turn the signal on while moving if there is a vehicle beside you.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I like the 5.0/6.2 because it seems like things under the hood are much esiser to access. Plus the only 6 cylinder IMO that belongs in a fullsize has the cylinders in a row and hasnt been installed factory since 96.

What im asking is, has anyone towed that kinda weight with a 5.0?

Also, didnt the V10 spark plug issue get corrected after 03 or so?

 

[Dirtman]

Also, didnt the V10 spark plug issue get corrected after 03 or so?

Ours is a 2002 so they may have, the band aid fix on ours was essentially just helicoils.

 

[adsm08]

I like the 5.0/6.2 because it seems like things under the hood are much esiser to access. Plus the only 6 cylinder IMO that belongs in a fullsize has the cylinders in a row and hasnt been installed factory since 96.

What im asking is, has anyone towed that kinda weight with a 5.0?

Also, didnt the V10 spark plug issue get corrected after 03 or so?

I personally haven't towed anything with the newer trucks. At my last dealership we had a guy who ran landscaping, and all but one of his work trucks was a 3.5. The 3.5's can put down the same power as a 5.4 3V when you get them spooled up. We had plenty of guys who traded their V10 super duties on a 3.5 F-150 when they came out and said that the Ecoboost engine felt like it pulled better with their camper or their boat.

Access to anything under the hood of a new 5.0 is a clusterf*ck. Complete and total. I have had to replace one 3.5 EB and one 5.0 in an F-150. The 3.5 leaves much more room to work. Nothing about working the post-5.4 trucks is nice, but the 5.0 makes a much tighter package.

Turbo/exhaust manifold removal was not bad on the 3.5s, which we had to do a few times in the early days for waste gate issues. I don't see how removing the exhaust manifolds on the 5.0 would be possible with the engine in the vehicle, and the exhaust manifolds make getting the engine out a problem because they sit right on top of the mounting hardware.

I never worked extensively on the 6.2 because they didn't have a lot of roll-out issues (they are basically an over-bored 5.4 with 16 spark plugs). I do know that the most common thing I saw on work orders as a concern was "poor fuel economy". Well you are lucky to get 12 MPG in that thing if you only go down hill.

The Triton spark plug issue was supposed to be an issue with the plugs themselves, and not the heads. The threaded section wasn't long enough to give a good hold in the aluminum heads. The plugs were revised to have a longer shank, but still need to be torqued correctly. Too loose and they can still spit, too tight and you strip the hole.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I like the 5.0/6.2 because it seems like things under the hood are much esiser to access. Plus the only 6 cylinder IMO that belongs in a fullsize has the cylinders in a row and hasnt been installed factory since 96.

Cummins?

Also, didnt the V10 spark plug issue get corrected after 03 or so?

Kinda sorta.

On 3V engines the plugs didn't blow out anymore, they are a two piece crimped together thing where one part twists off when you change them and other part gets stuck in the head. Around '08 they figured out if they make it all one piece it can't twist apart.

IF I was to get a new truck I would lean 5.0. Sounds good, plenty power. My tractors are not getting heavier and it is supposed to tie my 5.4 in a knot. 100% chance it will NEVER have a problem with a turbo.

In reality you can hardly go wrong with either but I do like the sound of a V8 battle cry. My brother has a 3.5EB and he loves it and it is an incredible truck, with 4.10's it really motates.

But then for like a grand or two more than a 150 you can get a 6.2 Super Duty...