rlm328

Compared to 40k for an XLT or 45k for a Lariat half ton vehicles? The diesel is a price point that will probably never pay for itself in the normal life span that we keep these vehicles, especially with the price of diesel now a days.

The trade off with the high capacity towing packages on the half ton trucks is ride comfort. They have heavy duty springs and rock hard tires.

BlueBarchetta

Here I will agree and slightly disagree.

My 2012 lariat f150 (admittedly loaded) actually stickered for 50k. After rebates/discounts it was 42.5 k. So, not cheap.

However, my max tow package truck rides quite nice. Noticeably nicer than the f250 I drove. I have not, however, driven a max payload package truck

Quinlan

I tow with an F150 ecoboost with the max tow package. I have a 24 foot steel enclosed, and when it is loaded with the car and all of my junk, the trailer is about 9500 lbs. Tongue weight is fairly high, around 1600lbs.
I have a weight distributing hitch and also installed airbags on the rear springs.
The truck has absolutely no problem on hills or stopping, but the half ton suspension seems to be straining in cross winds.
On the other hand, I also have an enclosed trailex which is about 6000-6500lbs. loaded (smaller trailer, so less room for junk). That tows like a dream behind the F150 - I don't even have to use the weight distributing hitch.

good hands

They must be getting ready to bring in the 15's cause I am looking at a 49k sticker on a max tow max payload Lariot today that they already told me on the phone they would discount 11k even before hard negotiations.


Good point. Hoping the max tow and max payload package isn't too harsh as a daily driver.

Do you have the max payload package ? Your review is making me feel cautiously optomistic.

BlueBarchetta

[QUOTE=good hands;11326992]They must be getting ready to bring in the 15's cause I am looking at a 49k sticker on a max tow max payload Lariot today that they already told me on the phone they would discount 11k even before hard negotiations.


That sounds like a good deal. They build a lot of f150's, and I bet no one wants to be stuck with the old ones when the '15 is out.

Is the truck in stock? If so, ask them what the payload # is on the door sticker, just to make sure you're happy with the number

good hands

[QUOTE=BlueBarchetta;11327107]In stock 8200# GVW package. I'll check that sticker.

good hands

Dealer says 2310 lbs. Is that decent ?

KaiB

T'aint much.

Put 1,000# on the tongue and now you have only 1,300# to max out the truck. Nobody wants to run at max so pick your safety margin and go from there.

I understand that space, $$ and uses differ, but don't understand why a guy would compromise when that compromise puts him right at the limit.

good hands

You're killing me Kai !!!!
What's a good safety margin? 10% 20% ?

Quinlan

Do you have the max payload package ? Your review is making me feel cautiously optomistic.[/QUOTE]

No, my payload is the standard 7,650. The max payload might make things more comfortable back there, assuming it consists of heavier springs.

KaiB

I'm sorry, but you'll get only one answer from me.

I grew up on a farm, do it still and have never had a time in my life (outside of Europe, where even then I remained as rural as possible) when I didn't own at least one truck which worked for a living.

I do not believe that we should consider towing a race car in an enclosed trailer up and down the interstates on summer days (at speed, none of us drive the 65 we should on ST tires) with anything less than a 3/4 ton truck.

Argue diesel or gasser all you like (I'll never give up my diesels), but my answer remains the same for all the rest of it.

KaiB

Quin, your payload is not 7,650#.

This may be your GVWR, from which you can subtract each and every pound you intend to put in the truck, on it and then the tongue (or pin) weight. Subtract your own weight and the weight of passengers, coolers, beer and everything else.

THEN subtract the weight of the truck itself, including a full tank of fuel.

Whatever remains is your leftover payload. If the number nears zero, you are at MAX for that truck with no safety margin.

BlueBarchetta

That's about 600 lbs more than mine. Compare that against your F250 (should be right on the drivers door jamb). In my manual, payload already accounts for full fuel, and the weight of the driver. What is the tongue weight of the trailer you pull? How long is the trailer? How much do you carry in the cabin or bed of the truck. These are the questions to ask yourself.

My dealer was happy to let me bring my trailer, and drive the new truck with it hooked up. Why don't you hook up your trailer to your current F250, pull down to the dealer, and hook up to the F150, and try it out.

9500 lbs is a lot if trailer, but if you test them back to back, you can get a good idea if its gonna work for you.

Quinlan

Correct you are. My brain said GVWR but my fingers typed payload

nathan1

I have a 2013 F150 4x4 with the standard tow package. I have put 30k towing miles on it in the past 8 months as I use the truck 98% exclusively for towing my trailer. I have a very light trailer(all aluminum, soft sided enclosed trailer made by Tommy's of Oklahoma) with a fairly small frontal area (cab height of truck and sloped front) that with P-car inside weighs about 5k give or take based on load.

In this scenario the truck pulls like a dream and the engine, suspension and brakes feel more than adequate even when dealing with significant winds and steep grades we have out Wast. It returns 12.5 MPG driven sanely at 65mph.

I also VERY occasionally tow a 24 foot enclosed steel trailer that when loaded weights ~8k lbs. This is a whole different story. The truck does it but feels noticeably "nervous" and doesn't inspire confidence. My prior truck was a 2007 Dodge 2500 Cummins and it LOVED pulling this trailer. I will only pull this trailer with my F150 in an absolute pinch, I know the truck is spec'd for it but it simply seems like too much trailer for the truck. I always think about the 1% where you might have an emergency handling situation and think more truck is probably worth it in that scenario. The truck returns 8.5-9 mpg pulling this.

Since 99% of the time I am pulling my light trailer I picked a 1/2 ton truck for the initial cost savings up front, the better ride quality, easier to park and fits in my garage. If my trailer were any bigger I would go back to a HD with a Diesel. Just my .02 worth