Help me with a Ford Tow Vehicle

So say your favorite uncle wanted to give you a Ford truck in the $50-60,000 range. You want to be able to tow your boat. What would you get?

I don't know much about trucks. (My buddies tow my boat with their trucks). I really dig the way the Raptors look and am looking at a Supercrew. It comes with the 6.2L V8 engine. Would this be good for towing? Should I be looking at something else?

Thanks!

Neither.

I'd get a Cadillac Escalade EXT or a GMC Sierra Denali 2500 w/ the Duramax option. Both will be nicer than the Fords.

Go with the raptor you wont regret it. Tows the xstar like nobodys business.[IMG][/IMG]

Do you have many favorite uncles with your choice of free trucks?
If it is to tow your 88 Ski Nautique any full size truck will do.

Buy Raptor, use Raptor as intended, enjoy bent frame:

Go with the F250 Diesel. You won't have to worry about bent Frames like the pic above

no brainer. 2012 F250 Diesel crew cab loaded out!

If you have 50-60K to spend I wouldn't waste it on a gas engine.

You need to get in touch with Hate N Pain on here.He's a big Ford guy.

Originally Posted by nitrousbird

Buy Raptor, use Raptor as intended, enjoy bent frame:

Shouldn't this be covered under warranty though?

I drive an 08 F250 6.4L King Ranch. I love it. It is Spartan Tuned and will pull a house down if needed. Not to mention do the 1/4 mile in about 14 sec.

Tell your uncle to donate that money to a good cause, work hard and buy something with your own money.

my biggest pet peeve ever, you ask a question about ford and the 1st person says "dont buy a ford i have this" (yeah man that wasnt what he was asking)

i have had a 4x4 Ranger, a 2004 FX4 supercrew, 2006 XLT 4x4 and have test drove a few V8 Explorer Eddie Bauers.

my favorite truck was by far the FX4 supercrew, tons of space, rode nice the V8 had tons of power never even noticed a boat behind it.

but with that said i think you should def go diesel not for the more "pulling power" because a V8 will be able to do just fine, just for the fuel. Just watched a documentary on using Bio-Diesel and i wish i would of got a diesel engine now.

i wouldnt recommend the raptor while i used to have a SVT Lightning and loved it, i think the ride in the raptor is terrible.

Ecoboost!!!!!!!

Sorry, I havent had the pleasure of driving one but had to do it since people seem to passionately chime in recommending it in every truck thread.

It depends what you're average use is. I it's commuting without a lot of highway towing I'd take a look at the F150 ecoboost. If you have a heavier boat and tow it far regularly then I'd go for the diesel F250. 4x4 either way if the uncle is picking up the bill.

Just bought an 11 ecoboost platinum and am very happy so far. Averaging 18.5 mpg so far and it's just getting broken in

Originally Posted by readyaimfire

Shouldn't this be covered under warranty though?

Ford is not covering them.

I have a 2001 F250 diesel. I love the truck and diesel technology. But if I were to buy a new ford it would be the eco-boost F150. Better miles per gallon than the diesel and the cab is just as big. So now the question is what size bed do you need? I would just get the long bed F150. I think it is 6.5 feet. Plenty for me. Good luck.

I have had a 00 F250 short bed, 06 F350 long bed - both diesels. Now I have an 10-F150. They have all been really good trucks. The 250/350 can pull anything almost makes you forget that you have something behind you. Towed by 21' Sanger up the Cuesta grade in Central California and used to pass cars - the 350 would just cruise right up it.

The F150 is a better everyday truck. The crew cab interior is more comfy than the 350 crew cab. The truck runs great - it tows the Sanger pretty darn good but it doesn't have the hp to go up the grades like the 350. It also isn't as stable. I can feel the boat pushing and pulling on the truck alot more than I did with the 350. All this is to be expected because its not an HD.

If I was buying the truck just for the boat, I would get the F350 diesel. The fuel cost difference (almost 40cents per gallon) won't be the impact as it is for a daily driver, like mine. For a daily driver and towing a boat - you can't go wrong with the F150.

I used to own a 2005 f350 with the 6.8L V10 (gas) and I have a 2000 5.4 expedition and a 2005 f-150 crew with the 5.4 as well. The 5.4, even the later ones with more hp, just doesn't have enough grunt to keep up highway speeds over long grades. I towed a Sanger v210, a family of 6, and all our junk for a 1-week trip over snoqualmie pass here in WA with my f150 and it wasn't that fun. Speed limit is 70 and I had to go about 55 or 60 when going up the long grades otherwise it would downshift two gears and be wrapped up like a ricer. It tows great for around town or long trips without a lot of elevation gain. I'd definitely go with something that has more powert han the 5.4 or the new 5.0. I would definitely recommend the diesel or v10, or maybe the ecoboost but I won't be convinced on that until I tow over a pass with it. We only go over the pass a couple of times a year which is why I settled for the f-150, but if I hadn't been on such a tight budget I would have gone with a v10 ford or a dodge diesel (new one).

I'd get an ecoboost if I were going to get a new truck. The engine is awesome. It won't even feel like a boat is behind you like i does in my 5.4 and the gas mileage is better. Why pay more for diesel fuel when you won't have to pay what you will for the diesel engine and get around the same performance? You will have more than enough power to tow anything just ask anyone that has one.

2008 F250 Diesel…! My next truck will be the new 2011 F250 Diesel…! The only way to go… just my two cents… 
I’ve driven a lot of trucks and test drove just about every truck this year when looking for a new one. For towing and long hulls with all the toys and the crew… (the back seat in this thing is BIG) this was the only way to go after test driving all the others… Dodge, Chevy, GMC, Toyota, Nissan, Hummer (H1…  just because) I went back and forth for over 3 months looking and test driving. I was coming out of a 2010 F150 fully loaded with out 4x4. Ended up with a 08 F250 for a great price, fully loaded, in great condition, the motor just getting to the broken in stage,,, I couldn’t be happier!

Any Ford truck? That's a tough one as they never made what I'd really want. Ideally I'd love a '76-'77 F-350 Supercab 4x4 bare bones but + the side in-bed tool box with a 7.3 turbo and ZF6 swapped in.

If I had to settle for an off the shelf truck If I had to settle for an off the shelf truck, nothing custom and intended use was lots of towing I'd have to go with a '92-'97 F-350 Supercab with a 7.3 and ZF5, no frills, manual everything. Not crazy about the newer '92-'97 body style but it's the absolute newest I'd go. Definitely wouldn't want the newer cookie cutter soccer mom trucks, they're fugly, can't get a bare bones truck, and they dropped the 6.9/7.3.

I just bought the F-150 with the Ecoboost, 3.55 gears, 2 WD and towed my 2010 SAN 210 and thought it did great. I doubt it compares with an F250 Diesel but that is the real choice along with the big 6.2 gas in the F-150. The Raptor for some reason has a limited tow rating, not sure why. The 6.2 gas and the 3.5 Turbo have the same tow rating but the 6.2 has higher HP, slightly higher torque but the Ecoboost has a Diesel like torque peak at 2500 RPM. The 6.2 torque peak is around 5000 RPM.

An F250 would not fit in my garage so that's a non-starter for me.

As a GM guy, I was won over by what Ford offered in the F-150. Hope it holds up well.

I got a 2011 F-150 SCREW 6.5' bed 3.73 gears Ecoboost 4x4 tow package etc. Tows our Tige amazingly well even on a 2,800 mile trip last month for vacation, yes 2,800 miles Texas to Pennsylvania and back. I avereged 10 mpg in the hills and 12 in the flats. While no boat in tow I get about 17-19 around town. I think though that the 3.73 gears are really hurting my mpg's. I do plan on lifting it and putting on bigger tires to compensate for the gears sometime soon. (ordered it that way)

Here's my rundown of the Fords. I own Fords so this is not knocking them.

1) 2012 F-150 5.4L V8 : Staple F-150, been around for years. Nice truck, will tow alright, should last a long time as the engine has been tested for years.

2) 2012 F-150 V6 Ecoboost: Believe it or not, this is the new hot F-150, not the Raptor. Same as above truck in amenities and comfort. Will tow better than the 5.4L, but with better MPG. This is the final step before stepping into a diesel. Engine has been tested according to Ford rigorously (see the videos), but it's still a somewhat new engine in the trucks. This truck would be my number two pic.

3) 2012 F-150 Raptor......aka Penis truck. This is a fun truck, with TONS of power and wheelspinning torque. But it's not a tow machine. Wasn't designed for it. The engine and transmission were set up for fast wheel spinning running. This truck will be the worst of the gas guzzlers. Don't drive it like it was designed as it will snap like a twig. Which leads me to believe again, it's not setup for hauling. Looks great, totally pimp, but it's not very usefull after that.

4) 2012 F-250. This would be my first pick, but I tow a boat, and also tow about 8,000lbs of rockcrawler and trailer, plus another 1,000 in gear. Diesel engine is the new 6.7L which I am thoroughly impressed with. A dually we have for our plant has been hauling 12,000lb loads daily and it doesn't phase it. It's going to top out the budget for sure, so you may not be able to get a fully loaded one like you could an F-150. But if you want a long term hauler, this is your truck, no question.

5) A pre-owned F-250. Don't do this. The older gen Superduties each have their major headaches. While many people have been thrilled with them you would hate to see what kind of work has to be done for minor maintenance or parts repair. Ever seen the cab off a truck in the shop? You will with the 6.4L trucks. Fuel pumps, exhaust maintenance, and any kind of coolant or turbo repair requires the trucks cab to be lifted off the frame for access. Good times. They are great trucks, but their engines are a possible problem. And don't even consider a 6.0L. They are 10 times worse. If you choose diesel, get new, or don't get a diesel in the Ford line.

6) Navigator. While I'm sure I'm getting scoffed at. Don't knock them entirely. Imagine an F-150 with the 5.4L like above. Now imagine it pimped out to the max. That's the Navigator. A family member has one and it tows surprisingly well. Not as good as the EcoBoost or Diesel, but good enough for light towing from time to time. And it's a great alternative to having a pickup truck.


Good luck with this problem you're having. Feel free to step aside, and let me handle this burden for you.

I think there have been some unfair assumptions on here about the raptor. Its definitely not built to be a towing machine, but it certainly has enough power and as long as you are not driving across the country with your boat should be fine. As far as it breaking when driven as intended, this has not been my experience. I've had my truck for 16 months and, as u can see from where my pic was taken above, has been run in the desert. THIS IS NOT A TROPHY TRUCK! If u drive it like that, it will break. It is a very capable off road vehicle though. If u r lookin to dump the boat and ride in the morning and do a little wheelin when the wind picks up, this might be the truck for you. If you want to haul a ton of weight and get hybrid like gas mileage, look elsewhere.

Originally Posted by nitrousbird

Buy Raptor, use Raptor as intended, enjoy bent frame:

how does the frame bend that way without seriously high centering the truck? If you were just jumping it I'd expect it to bend the other way (sag in the middle).

Originally Posted by nitrousbird

Buy Raptor, use Raptor as intended, enjoy bent frame:

If this was me, and I'd tried a few different dealers and had no success, I would definitely get a lawyer. Go to court with the some of the ford promo videos. This should be covered in my opinion.

Originally Posted by davenk

I got a 2011 F-150 SCREW 6.5' bed 3.73 gears Ecoboost 4x4 tow package etc. Tows our Tige amazingly well even on a 2,800 mile trip last month for vacation, yes 2,800 miles Texas to Pennsylvania and back. I avereged 10 mpg in the hills and 12 in the flats. While no boat in tow I get about 17-19 around town. I think though that the 3.73 gears are really hurting my mpg's. I do plan on lifting it and putting on bigger tires to compensate for the gears sometime soon. (ordered it that way)

I must say those numbers are pretty disappointing. My old lifted 1 ton with carbed big block gets 10.8 MPG towing at 65-70 MPH even through some pretty decent hills. Total weight truck+boat+misc stuff approx 13,000 lbs. Your lift and big tires, when you do them, will not help MPG but definitely decrease it. Before the lift I could get 16 MPG highway and a bit less around town. So I am impressed with the mixed town/highway MPG of your ecoboost but I don't know how much that truck weighs. Mine tips the scale at over 6000 lbs, I'd bet the ecoboost truck is a lot lighter which would account for a fair amount of that MPG around town.

I guess I'm just surprised that the first I hear of real numbers on the ecoboost is disappointing compared to all the hype.

Originally Posted by shawndoggy

how does the frame bend that way without seriously high centering the truck? If you were just jumping it I'd expect it to bend the other way (sag in the middle).

People are putting them through a lot more than they were built for. Several of the ones that you see like that have also been modified and have had the rear springs replaced with deavers. They are bottoming out the rear suspension to the point that the bump stop fails and the impact dimples the frame just above the axle. That area is also a crumple zone to absorb energy from rear impacts. The result is that the frame from the axle back droops which shows up in the bed alignment.

Originally Posted by LD50

People are putting them through a lot more than they were built for. Several of the ones that you see like that have also been modified and have had the rear springs replaced with deavers. They are bottoming out the rear suspension to the point that the bump stop fails and the impact dimples the frame just above the axle. That area is also a crumple zone to absorb energy from rear impacts. The result is that the frame from the axle back droops which shows up in the bed alignment.

I'm not sure if that is the case here, but people are doing this. Everyone keeps telling me to adjust the front shocks to the top perch. I just want to leave everything stock to avoid any warranty issues. When it comes down to it, you could build a better pre runner on your own, but not with a factory warranty. If ford isn't going to back these trucks up, they r pointless.

Look how weak Ford's frame is, even on their 3/4 and 1 ton stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKMQj...eature=related

Originally Posted by readyaimfire

I'm not sure if that is the case here, but people are doing this. Everyone keeps telling me to adjust the front shocks to the top perch. I just want to leave everything stock to avoid any warranty issues. When it comes down to it, you could build a better pre runner on your own, but not with a factory warranty. If ford isn't going to back these trucks up, they r pointless.

It's a great truck. I'm waiting for them to start taking orders on the 2012's to get mine. I'm not the least bit worried about the issue. It is what it is. It's the only factory built truck out there that's does what it does. That being said, there are always limits and people will always push those limits. I've heard both sides of the story behind issue and came to the objective conclusion that it's abuse that is causing the bent frames. There's a difference between using it the way it's intended and driving it hard enough that you're consistently bottoming out the rear end. The harder you drive it the more likely you are to break it. It I was bothered by it, I'd run out and buy the SDHQ braces and the aftermarket bump stops kit they've made for it as my first purchase. The only down side is that mine will probably be carrying my family around in it a lot and I'd rather not reinforce an area that is intended to absorb energy during a crash.

Most of the guys I've seen are just going to the middle perch to give it a flat ride. The top perch makes it look a tad nose high. I also believe that most of the guys doing the top perch need to have cammed bolts installed to get it back in alignment, but that's not that big of a deal.

Originally Posted by cadunkle

I must say those [Ecoboost] numbers are pretty disappointing.

Yeah, the more "real world" numbers I see on them the more I realize that it maybe gets 1 MPG better than my '04 Hemi Dodge w/ 3.92s under all circumstances (City, highway, towing). I'm a bit of a Paw Paw most of the time though so who knows? Maybe I'd be the "poster child" getting 25 MPG hwy if I was in an Ecoboost. I usually can get 30.X MPG hwy in our Honda Odyssey which is several MPG in excess of the EPA rating.

I'm also a bit leery of "new technology" from Ford. They're last 2 diesel engines, even though I've not owned either, have put the fear in me. I know they were designed by International but Ford is the one that shoehorned them into vehicles that had to have the cab removed for relatively minor engine repairs and obviously didn't do enough "real world" testing. These new engines will have to prove themselves over the course of several years and several hundreds of thousands of miles before I'd invest my personal money in them.

I know it's GM promotional material but that YouTube video posted by nitrousbird is a bit scary if it's totally true.