F150 3.5 Eco Boost. Is it enough...

[billrice]

Is it enough for pulling a 3000lb trailer and a 3000lb racecar and all the extras. It’s rated for 10,500lb but most folks have HD trucks I’ve noticed. Tx.

[Mick]

That will do just fine. I towed for several years with an X5 4.8 that made 350/350 hp/torque and it did great. With the longer wheel base and 470 pound-feet from the eco boost you'll have no problem.

The upside of having an HD truck with a diesel is that it's fuel economy will be less affected by the load.

[SquidInk]

I pull an 8000lb trailer with a 215HP truck. It's an original powerstroke 7.3 with 3.55 "highway gears". You should be just fine with the ecoboost. My car has bigger brakes, wider tires and more power...

[paultg]

I’m no expert. Towed once and just purchased a new truck.
But its not all about weight towed and engine power as far as I can tell.
If you are talking about towing an open car trailer it will do just fine.
I towed a steel open trailer with 2600 lb car with my 5.7l Ram with 3:21s and 4WD. My Max Tow rating is ~8300lbs and payload is ~1400lbs. It did great.

If you want to tow an enclosed trailer then it might not be as fun, even if it is within the tow rating for weight.
Also make sure your truck is rated to tow as high as you think. My truck as configured with options is lower than what Ram publishes.
Same Ram with option 3:92 gears would be rated closer to 10000lbs.

Paul G.

[billrice]

Thanks all. The truck is the tough decision. Diesel seems seemslike the way to go for better mpg while towing.

[SandyClam]

Having bought 2 diesel trucks for towing; it is definitely a better towing option than a gas motor, but it's significantly more expensive and might not be a good idea overall.

The heavy duty diesel premium is anywhere from $4500 to $7500 on a new truck, and the used diesels seem to command a premium as well. Both trucks I bought (new) barely depreciated when I traded them in after a couple of years, and the retail values seem to hold steady.
With fuel prices being what they are, diesel is a premium over gas in most areas, so you pay more up front AND over time. If you use the truck for more than just towing to the track, or you put a lot of miles on it, or you want to be 'that guy' roll coal in your brodozer, it might still make sense to buy a diesel. Shoot, just the chance to get a vehicle with 1000lb-ft of torque ticks a lot of boxes. But I digress. Even with a full COM schedule, you might tow 3500 miles a year, if you go to the Glen and Tremblant. Say you get 3mpg better mileage while towing, it'll still cost more to tow with a dirty deez than a gassy lassie.

For the occasional tow, and with a smaller car on an open trailer, I'd think you are better served with a gas truck. It might not be as torquey, but it'll be better financially and less of a hassle to drive daily. For all their power, a heavy duty diesel pickup isn't the most comfortable ride out there.

I haven't towed with one of the medium duty diesels (think the Ram EcoDiesel), but my Cayenne has basically the same kind of motor, albeit in a lighter chassis. Having towed for years with the CD, you can do just fine with the medium duty diesel, and that's not as costly or stinky as the heavy duty trucks, so I would do the math on that and see if your overall use would benefit from the economy over a gas motor.

[joncowen]

Don't buy a diesel for fuel saving, unless you do a huge amount of miles. You'll never make back the premium. It's pretty much $10k premium, used or new. They will 'run forever' in a perfect world, but it's never a perfect world. They don't like to sit, they like to be run full time.

Buy a diesel for the fun, or because they have tons of power, but not for fuel saving.

I chose a 3/4 ton gas when I switched to an enclosed trailer. It's surprisingly easy to overload a half ton truck, which is why I chose 3/4 ton. That, and I don't daily drive it. I chose gas for the initial cost savings (10k), plus maintenance (gas is cheaper to maintain), and repair - Gas is SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper to repair. If you have a serious problem with a diesel, it could cost more than a gas engine swap.