Ford F-150 EcoBoost v. Ram 1500 Hemi

[EverElite]

Hi all - I’m in the market for a new hauling vehicle (very part-time hauling of a 2H aluminum bumper in flat valley areas). I just assumed I’d go for the Ram 5.7L V8 hemi, but I took a look at the Ford F-150 3.5L V6 ecoboost numbers and they looked enticing, especially considering the truck will be my daily driver.

Would love to hear from EcoBoost owners how the V6 feels while hauling. I haven’t been in the market for a hauling vehicle since the mid-2000’s and so never considered a V6 for hauling horses - but from what I’ve read, V6’s now rival V8’s in hauling.

Thanks!

[Sfbayequine]

Look at the 2020 ram eco diesel. 32 mpg highway and can go to 12,500 hauling. I would do this hands down over a gas engine if you are using it for a daily driver too.

[clanter]

@Sfbayequine

Look at the 2020 ram eco diesel. 32 mpg highway and can go to 12,500 hauling. I would do this hands down over a gas engine if you are using it for a daily driver too.

The Ram 1500 diesel adds $4,995 to the price tag,…then the added cost for the fuel… an EPA estimate of 26 mpg combined (22 city/32 highway)… really would take a Lot of miles to offset the cost

Ram’s available 5.7-liter V8, can tow a little more than the diesel ”• 12,750 pounds ”• but it gets an EPA estimate of just 19 mpg combined (17 city/23 highway) and requires mid-grade gasoline.

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/light-duty-diesel-pickups

personally due to the complicated Eco Bust engines, I would stay away from them

[hokiekat]

The 3.5L Ecoboost engine is just a twin turbo set up. A diesel engine will also be turbocharged. Complexity wise, diesel engines tend to be more complex and also have additional emissions equipment for particulates (ie - DEF fluid, etc). The 3.5L Ecoboosts have proven to be reliable engines since they were introduced in 2010 (Second generation of these engines in 2017). The main concern with Generation 1 was timing chain stretch - this problem was corrected with a hardware material change and the move to a two-chain system in Generation 2.

You’re going to get better fuel economy with a diesel, yes.
Your towing fuel economy will also be significantly different than what the window sticker says.

I just recently upgraded my 2011 F150 5.0L to a 2017 F150 with the 3.5L Ecoboost. Its wonderful and just easily hauled my 2H bumperpull with two horses last weekend. Zero issues - had plenty of power and torque to get up to speed on the highway. Honestly felt lighter than with my 2011 V8. The 10 speed transmission on the 2017+ models does take a bit to get used to. Really easy to get into the boost range, and therefore eat gas. I’m averaging about 21 mpg daily driving (mostly city driving with a 20 min highway trip to the barn). Towing with two horses last weekend, I averaged about 12 mpg. (I have the upgraded 36 gallon tank which allowed me tow 4 hours on about 1/2 a tank of gas). With the change in 2015 to an aluminum body, the payload capacity on these trucks went up significantly (which is the main reason I upgraded). The 2015+ F150s are ~1,000 lighter than the previous generations. My 2017 has a towing capacity of >10,000 lbs and payload ~2,000 lbs with the max tow package, supercrew/FX4. Be sure to double check all the specifications before purchase, of course. On any truck, towing ratings vary by cab size, engine, gear ratio, etc.

Happy to answer any other questions you may have.

[ArabDiva]

Owner of a 2015 3.5L Ecoboost.
Use it as my daily driver and tow vehicle.
It tows my GN trailer very capably – good stability and good power.
I live in the midwest, so I’ve never had to (and don’t anticipate) scaling mountain ranges or intense hauls like some people have out west. I did haul through the mountains of VA and PA once, and felt great even in a snowstorm.
Be careful of your configuration – I had to search high and low and ask a lot of questions to find a used one that had the heavy duty towing package and other bells and whistles. The way my truck is configured, it can tow 12,000.
MPG when towing is around 12.

As a daily driver it does OK. I work downtown in a mid-sized city and have to be careful about where I park – back it in, avoid certain parking ramps, etc. I get 19.7 MPG average (mostly highway and I’m a leadfoot on the open road - if I drive conservatively I can coax it up to 25).

I’m on the verge of buying a Nissan Leaf as my daily driver and keeping the truck for hauling and recreation only.
I did the math and the payment on a used leaf, costs for electricity, and insurance/registration will actually be about equal to my gas and maintenance costs for using the truck as a daily driver. I’m sick of putting so many miles on such an expensive vehicle (I do about 50 a work day between home>work, work>barn, errands, home.) and I feel bad about the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels.

[EverElite]

@hokiekat

The 3.5L Ecoboost engine is just a twin turbo set up. A diesel engine will also be turbocharged. Complexity wise, diesel engines tend to be more complex and also have additional emissions equipment for particulates (ie - DEF fluid, etc). The 3.5L Ecoboosts have proven to be reliable engines since they were introduced in 2010 (Second generation of these engines in 2017). The main concern with Generation 1 was timing chain stretch - this problem was corrected with a hardware material change and the move to a two-chain system in Generation 2.

You’re going to get better fuel economy with a diesel, yes.
Your towing fuel economy will also be significantly different than what the window sticker says.

I just recently upgraded my 2011 F150 5.0L to a 2017 F150 with the 3.5L Ecoboost. Its wonderful and just easily hauled my 2H bumperpull with two horses last weekend. Zero issues - had plenty of power and torque to get up to speed on the highway. Honestly felt lighter than with my 2011 V8. The 10 speed transmission on the 2017+ models does take a bit to get used to. Really easy to get into the boost range, and therefore eat gas. I’m averaging about 21 mpg daily driving (mostly city driving with a 20 min highway trip to the barn). Towing with two horses last weekend, I averaged about 12 mpg. (I have the upgraded 36 gallon tank which allowed me tow 4 hours on about 1/2 a tank of gas). With the change in 2015 to an aluminum body, the payload capacity on these trucks went up significantly (which is the main reason I upgraded). The 2015+ F150s are ~1,000 lighter than the previous generations. My 2017 has a towing capacity of >10,000 lbs and payload ~2,000 lbs with the max tow package, supercrew/FX4. Be sure to double check all the specifications before purchase, of course. On any truck, towing ratings vary by cab size, engine, gear ratio, etc.

Happy to answer any other questions you may have.

Thank you! This is incredibly helpful. And go hokies.

I tried hard to make an EcoDiesel make sense but in my case, the fuel savings don’t justify the higher up-front cost and maintenance. I work from home, so when I mean “daily driver” I’m referring to tinkering around town and barn - less than 200 miles per week.

[mlb722]

I have an eco boost and a hawk 2H no dress. I’d say if I was trailering two full sized horses on a regular basis I’d think about something else more substantial like a 3/4 ton (or maybe a lighter trailer) . More due to stability and braking than power. It’s a factory tow package but I’m not sure off the top of my head the ratings. But since I’m usually trailering one horse it’s great. It’s also a daily driver truck and we’ve been super happy with it. The turbo gives it a lot of power for mpg.

[Texarkana]

Well, you didn’t ask to hear from me, but I adore my 2015 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi as both a daily driver and towing vehicle. :yes:

[hokiekat]

@EverElite

Thank you! This is incredibly helpful. And go hokies.

Go Hokies! You’re very welcome! When looking for F150s, just be aware that they also sell them with the naturally aspirated 3.5L and a 2.7L Ecoboost (the 3.5L Ecoboost or the 5.0L V8 is what you’d want for towing horses). I completely understand, it was difficult for me to justify the added cost of a diesel as well. Even more so when you look at how much more capable gas trucks have become in the last 5 years!

Texarkana, I have nothing against a 5.7L Ram! The 5.7L has been around for a lengthy period of time and it pretty well regarded as a solid engine. You can find some great deals on used Rams, but payload capacity on them is much lower, I believe, than the newer F150s. I think for pulling a bumper bull they’re a great choice. For me, it was easier to find the options I wanted on a used F150. (adjustable pedals, large fuel tank, 4wd, >2000 lb payload so I can upgrade to a gooseneck at some point and >9000 lbs towing)

[Unfforgettable]

I’ve got a 2019 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi, and it tows like a dream. 2 horse trailer (Hawk w/ dressing room), 18’ dovetail with 10k lbs of hay bales, equipment trailer with a trackhoe…all no problem. It is an amazing truck. Fuel economy isn’t the best, but it’s a good balance between the need to tow stuff and being my daily driver.

I went with the airbag suspension, which is awesome…it automatically levels the truck to the trailer, and I bought it loaded with everything since it was my 60th birthday present to myself. The Laramie Longhorn is beyond amazing.

[Sweetums_Mom]

I have a 2015 F-150 Eco Boost V6 3.5L with a 2-horse aluminum BP trailer with dressing room. I don’t haul very often but when I do, it’s usually larger horses. I’m a weenie hauler but feel confident with this combination. Also, I use my F-150 as my daily vehicle and usually manage about 20 mpg.

I could not find the exact F-150 at any dealership that met my needs so I went with actually customizing it with the tow package, heavy duty everything and some bells and whistles. Had to wait about 6 weeks but it was worth it. I don’t remember thinking it was any more expensive than finding something on the lot ready made.

[asterix]

We have a 2017 3.5 eco boost with as many bells and whistles for towing (4wd, longer bed, crew cab, tow package) as possible. It’s rated to nearly 12 k tow capacity, which is way more than enough for our XL equispirit 2hbp with dressing room and 2 big horses. It hauls beautifully. The 10 speed transmission means you always have power when you need it, and the tow/haul mode engages engine braking aggressively - took some getting used to but it makes braking on hills and coming to lights much easier. With the zoom back up camera (hitch up in 3 minutes flat!) and the extra large gas tank it has really been a terrific towing vehicle.

[Fleet_Skipper]

Schoolmaster, you have also exactly the towing situation that I have–a two-horse bumper-pull EquiSpirt with a small tack room, so thanks for that information. Just one point of clarification, if you please–you’ve got a 150 truck, not a 250, correct? I would love to get a 150 4-door, used, 2015 Ford, although I’m not averse to a RAM.

Does anyone reading this have a Chevy towing truck–what’s your experience been, please?

[Samondel]

I have a 2013 3.5L Ecoboost. I used to have a 2h stock style slant with dressing room, hauled it all over Alberta (including into the mountains), no trouble. Pulled that trailer to Ontario with everything I own in it, probably 6000lb easy, rock solid. Now I use my mum’s 2h slant Featherlite with extended dressing room. I added helper springs because of squat, but pulling it? No issues. I know the trailer is there but I never have felt under powered, even going from a dead stop up a steep hill.
BUT.
Both wastegates seized at 106000km (warrantied to 100000). I basically yelled at Ford until they covered 3/4 of the replacement cost of the whole turbo assembly*2, which was about $5000CAD.
Two years later, 160000km? Another seized wastegate. No one can give me a good reason why this is happening.
I love my truck but I don’t think I’ll buy another Ecoboost.

[Nikki]

Got a brand new (a month ago) 2019 F-150 XLT 5.0L V8, super cab, 6 1/2 bed with extended gas tank. Sport package, center consul, towing package, back up assist, trailer brake option, tail gait assist, 301A power package etc and I love it! Was able to get 20% off the price too. Truck rides like a Cadillac and is very powerful for what I need. I can start my truck with my phone (aka, the Princess Start).

I named him Henry

You can still get new 2019 in what you want and color. Have the dealership look for you and if they say they can’t find it, go to another dealership. The first two I went too said I couldn’t find that truck but the third dealership found it for me in 2 minutes. Talk them down 20% and settle on a price out the door. So if it’s a 52K truck, offer 40K out the door. They will sell it.

[Equestrianette]

I have a 2016 expedition eco boost which sits on the frame of a 1500. I haul a 3 horse Trails west adventure. It hauls great, stops fine. To be fair I’ve never hauled in any other vehicle so I have nothing to compare it to. When not pulling I get about 19mpg and when I’m hauling (1 horse) I get 13mpg.

Its #1 in its class for towing for SUVs. I think it was 9600 or something.

[allons-y]

I would love a new(er) truck than my 99 ram 5.7. But my GN trailer is also old. The newer trucks are too tall or have too tall siderails to tow my trailer. Maybe as I get older I will consider going back to BP, but for now I can’t give up my 2+1 4 Star. My truck hauls like nothing is back there and was my daily driver for many years. Plus the thought of a car payment again after so many years of not having one really puts me off.