F150 Ecoboost owners, check in

[Lester Polfus]

Depends on how much you've got loaded up in the truck as well. Don't forget humans, fuel, camp gear, water, etc.

It's funny you should mention that, as I was just doing that math. The kiddo is only six, but even adding in weight for her to grow into an adult, if I add that to me, my wife, one German Shepherd Dog, the tongue weight of the trailer, and 400 lbs of personal gear stowed in the truck bed, I still come in a few hundred under max payload for the truck.

We started out as backpackers, so we travel pretty light. The new trailer is only 20' long, but it feels like a goddamn palace compared to what we are used to.

Hell, we could kill an elk, quarter it out and still be under weight I think.

I had to redo those numbers a couple times to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

I guess 20 years of technology really does make a difference.

[TOTS]

After driving both, and noticing there’s only one mpg difference in practice, I’m not really seeing where the 2.7 becomes an option. My friend has the same truck as mine with it and it feels really strong, any is very capable, but I’m not seeing any benefit. Willing to be taught something though.

[LittleLebowski]

It's funny you should mention that, as I was just doing that math. The kiddo is only six, but even adding in weight for her to grow into an adult, if I add that to me, my wife, one German Shepherd Dog, the tongue weight of the trailer, and 400 lbs of personal gear stowed in the truck bed, I still come in a few hundred under max payload for the truck.

We started out as backpackers, so we travel pretty light. The new trailer is only 20' long, but it feels like a goddamn palace compared to what we are used to.

Hell, we could kill an elk, quarter it out and still be under weight I think.

I had to redo those numbers a couple times to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

I guess 20 years of technology really does make a difference.

What about the hills where you are driving?

[GNiner]

It's funny you should mention that, as I was just doing that math. The kiddo is only six, but even adding in weight for her to grow into an adult, if I add that to me, my wife, one German Shepherd Dog, the tongue weight of the trailer, and 400 lbs of personal gear stowed in the truck bed, I still come in a few hundred under max payload for the truck.

Since you are former backpackers, you may not know that the listed trailer weight is usually the DRY weight. When doing your calculations, you have to add in the weight of the water, battery, and propane tanks. A 20 ft trailer usually comes with a 25-30 gallon water tank. 30 gallons of water is an extra 240 lbs, plus a twenty pound propane tank. If you are going to a campground with services, you don't have to haul the water. Just mentioning it, because being a backpacker myself, I prefer to boondock with a trailer and therefore have to haul water.

[Lester Polfus]

Since you are former backpackers, you may not know that the listed trailer weight is usually the DRY weight. When doing your calculations, you have to add in the weight of the water, battery, and propane tanks. A 20 ft trailer usually comes with a 25-30 gallon water tank. 30 gallons of water is an extra 240 lbs, plus a twenty pound propane tank. If you are going to a campground with services, you don't have to haul the water. Just mentioning it, because being a backpacker myself, I prefer to boondock with a trailer and therefore have to haul water.

Yes. We own a 2000lb pop up A-frame right now, so we have some trailering experience. I assumed a max tongue weight in our calculations, considering the new trailer to be fully loaded, as we do quite a bit of boon-docking as well.

My current 5.4L Screw 4x4 can tow that trailer with our stuff and a full load of water up Mt. Hood with nary a problem. The gas mileage sucks worse than it already does, but that's to be expected.

The new trailer doesn't fold, so we'll be pulling that through the air.

It sounds like the day to day MPG between the 2.7 and the 3.5 isn't that different, so maybe the 3.5 is the way to go.

[whomever]

"Separately, apparently, there is storage behind the driver side rear seat that’s hard to access as there’s no pull to activate the latch like on the passenger side. Builtright makes this latch."

For the cheap bastids^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hfrugal a loop of zipcord works fine as well.

[whomever]

"Yep; that’s my point. I was stating that just about every car would benefit from one. "

Can you elaborate on what the benefit is (other than the few engines with direct only injection)? I like to keep my vehicles until I have to pay someone to haul them away, and I'm not aware of any problems caused so far by a conventional PCV setup. What have I been missing?

[Lester Polfus]

After driving both, and noticing there’s only one mpg difference in practice, I’m not really seeing where the 2.7 becomes an option. My friend has the same truck as mine with it and it feels really strong, any is very capable, but I’m not seeing any benefit. Willing to be taught something though.

And I'm certainly willing to concede that the 3.5 is the way to go.

I tend to buy something, use it until it really should have been replaced a few years previous, and do a deep dive into the latest technology. I've been putting off replacing our truck for three or four years because I hate buying vehicles.

While I was paying attention to other things, the technology has changed. My benchmark was the 5.4L V8, and I'm a little at sea trying to figure out where the new benchmark should be. I don't want to overbuy on a new truck, but I don't want to wish I'd bought a little more either.

What kind of mileage are you seeing out of the 3.5L?

[Lester Polfus]

And while I'm sucking the brain trust dry:

I hate payments. On anything.

I could get into a 2017 to maybe 2019 in a cash deal, or almost cash deal.

Is there a compelling reason to buy new, and finance the delta, technology wise? I don't really care about the warranty.

[LittleLebowski]

And while I'm sucking the brain trust dry:

I hate payments. On anything.

I could get into a 2017 to maybe 2019 in a cash deal, or almost cash deal.

Is there a compelling reason to buy new, and finance the delta, technology wise? I don't really care about the warranty.

I'd go at least 2017 and get the 2nd Gen Ecoboost with the 10 speed tranny. Otherwise, I don't see a compelling reason to go newer than say 2018.