Ecoboost

[Derek700]

This is a friendlier forum on the truck subject than the other "RV" forum out there. My trailer is 7500 GVW and I have never weighed it. As much as I would love to get a diesel, the money just isn't there to do it. I am thinking an ecoboost would suit me. My current f150 works well for towing my trailer but I would love to have more power at times. My truck is my daily driver with a 70 mile round trip commute to work. 7500lbs seems to fit well within the specs of the f150 max tow specs. I would have to get about an 08 diesel to get the truck in the ecoboost price range. I guess should I stick with what I have, or start looking at an ecoboost? How are those that have them towing their trailers?

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Derek700

snip.....I guess should I stick with what I have, or start looking at an ecoboost?.....snip

Derek700,

Before you spend any $$ on an up-graded TV, a little more information about your existing F150 would be helpful:

* Body style/engine/rear gear ratio
* GVWR
* GCVWR
* Published Tow Rating.
* Payload/cargo capacity

For reference:

2010 Eagle Superlite 256RKS Weights:

Unloaded Vehicle Weight 5,570 (lbs)
Hitch Weight 625 (lbs)
Gross Vehicle Weight 7,350 (lbs)
Cargo Carrying Capacity 1,780 (lbs)

With the additional TV information we can crunch some numbers and see what they tell us.

Bob

[Derek700]

Ok hopefully I can get some of this on here for u. We are more want than need right now for a truck.
05 XLT Supercab 6.5 ft' box max tow package.

GVW 7200 lbs
tow rating 9900 lbs
5.4 3v engine
3.73 gears
4spd auto( I always turn off od when towing)

I couldn't find GCVWR rating on the door.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Derek700

snip...... I couldn't find GCVWR rating on the door.

Normally it will be in the "Specifications" section of your owners manual with all the other weights and capacities.

Appreciate the added information......., I'll take a look at it and reply back shorty.

Bob

[Derek700]

GCVWR is 15000lbs and max trailer weight for my model is actually 9300lbs.

[Rustic Eagle]

Derek700,

The good news first; Based on the information you supplied about your F150, and what we know about the 2010 256RKS, I agree with you that your F150 is a nice fit for the 256RKS. IMO up-grading your TV now isn't required unless you plan to upgrade your TT in the near future .

The following data may be a little overkill, but may be helpful for those reviewing your thread......,

I thought we would first work with your 2010 256RKS under two different loaded conditions, one at the GVWR of 7,350lbs (Jayco website).

RV and WDH manufactures recommend the loaded TT tongue weight to be 10% to 15% of the loaded TT weight...., however, 13% to 15% will enhance TV handling of your 28ft long TT. Knowing the potential loaded tongue weight one can than confirm that the TV's receiver is rated correctly in the WD mode, and for sizing the correct WDH spring bars.

Jayco 256RKS:

Under "maximum" TT loaded conditions: 13% to 15% of 7,350lbs = 955lbs to 1,102lbs.

Under a hypothetical loaded condition: 13% to 15% of 6,720lbs = 874lbs to 1,008lbs. 5,570lbs (UVW) + 200lbs (added for actual ship weight) + 150lbs (battery, WDH, etc.) + 800lbs (cargo, stuff) = 6,720lbs Loaded TT weight.

Ford F150:

GVWR 7,200lbs
GCVWR 15,000lbs
Towing Capacity 9,300lbs
Payload Capacity ?

The 5.4L with the 3.73 gear ratio is a nice drivetrain for towing a TT. As you may know, usually the first weight limit that can be max'd out with many 1/2 tons is the payload capacity. What many folks overlook is the fact that the TT's loaded tongue weight is subtracted from a TV's payload capacity.

Weight comparisons:

15,000lbs (TV GCVWR) - 7,350lbs (TT GVWR) = 7,650lbs for TV.
15,000lbs (TV GCVWR) - 6,720lbs (TT hypothetical) = 8,280lbs for TV

In both cases above the TV weights remaining are higher than the TV's GVWR of 7,200lbs, this is good as long as you don't exceed your F150's GVWR.

The only unknown is your F150's specified payload capacity. The sum total of the TT loaded tongue weight, TV passenger weights, and TV cargo weight must not exceed the specified payload capacity (reference tongue weights above).

Your "actual" tow rating is less than published tow rating of 9,300lbs, to get your actual tow rating you subtract the sum total weights of TV options, TV passengers, and TV cargo. http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthread.php?t=3866

In cases where actual weights aren't known (or to avoid number crunching), some folks will use 80% of the the published tow rating as a "not to exceed" GVWR for a TT choice. Using this ball-parking method 80% of your 9,300lbs = 7,440lbs maximum TT GVWR....., so you are still good.

If you get a chance, for fun hit a CAT scale if the opportunity arises: http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthread.php?t=3871

Summary; watch that you don't exceed your TV's GVWR (overloading TV box, etc.) and/or payload capacity (which includes tongue weight). Also confirm that your receiver is up to the task as well (it should be fine).

I apologize for the information overload, I was on a roll this evening

Bob

[mcfarmall]

I'm not going down the arithmetic road, I'm just going to answer your question. I bought an XLT SCREW 4x4 6.5' box 3.73 LS gears Max Tow package equipped EB truck last spring and towed with it all summer. I pulled a 23B, had 5 mountain bikes in the back plus a small grill and firewood packed into every available spot. My wife and 3 kids aged 11-16 rode in the cab.

The truck tows awesome! It definitely has 90% of the diesel-like performance qualities such as acceleration and lots of torque. The truck rarely downshifts when negotiating overpasses, etc. A really long or steep hill will get a downshift but not much else. Passing a slower vehicle is impressive and easy with the EB as well as merging into traffic. No problem getting up to speed.

Towing mpg is 10. City and Highway mpg is for me a bit hard to report unless you reset the computer when you reach cruising speed and then read the results before your next stop. Your averages drop quickly when you start varying your speed. Over the last 8000 miles my overall average has been 15.3. That includes towing for 28 days of camping all last summer.

Bottom line is buy it for the power, acceleration and performance not the EPA estimated mileage sticker. You are buying a truck...period. It will burn gas like one.

[Derek700]

This is all great info for me , we are going to use the truck this summer and then the 7 year itch may set in. As far as epa mileage goes I look at it but that is all. I am happy with my current truck but would like some more power on some of our mountain passes. I think an ecoboost will be in tjef future. My other choice in a diesel today would probably be a duramax, but that adds close to $20,000 to the truck which buys a heck of a lot of gas.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Derek700

snip...... I am happy with my current truck but would like some more power on some of our mountain passes....snip

Derek700,

A friend of mine (dale2629 @ RV.NET) purchased a F150 EcoBoost last year, and I found it to be an impressive truck when looking it over during a camping trip last summer. You may find his review of his TV/TT combination at RV.NET interesting relative to mountain towing.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...4.cfm#25353964

Bob

[Quahog]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

Derek700,

A friend of mine (dale2629 @ RV.NET) purchased a F150 EcoBoost last year, and I found it to be an impressive truck when looking it over during a camping trip last summer. You may find his review of his TV/TT combination at RV.NET interesting relative to mountain towing.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...4.cfm#25353964

Bob

That is well worth reading!

[Derek700]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

Derek700,

A friend of mine (dale2629 @ RV.NET) purchased a F150 EcoBoost last year, and I found it to be an impressive truck when looking it over during a camping trip last summer. You may find his review of his TV/TT combination at RV.NET interesting relative to mountain towing.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...4.cfm#25353964

Bob

This was the information I was looking for was some real world towing experience. The extra data makes me confirm I am looking in the right place now. I seem to rmember that I did weigh my truck and trailer once, we were fully loaded for a week of camping that time. I will see if I can find it in my truck.

[Derek700]

Ok ran out and found the weights. They are in kilograms so I will times by 2.2 for pounds.

Front 3256lbs (1480kg)
Rear 4532lbs (2060kg)
Trailer 6336lbs (2880kg)
Total 14124lbs (6420kg)

That is me, wife, 2 dogs, usually we pack way too much food, all camping gear.

[Rustic Eagle]

Derek700,

I assume that the weights are with the TV/TT hitched, WD spring bars engaged, and you were on a three platform scale.

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

snip....... watch that you don't exceed your TV's GVWR (overloading TV box, etc.) and/or payload capacity (which includes tongue weight).....snip

Your F150 has a GVWR of 7,200lbs, and your loaded axle scale weights reflect a weight of 3,256lbs + 4,532lbs = 7,788lbs gross TV weight, which tells us we are exceeding the TV's GVWR by 588lbs. Also remember that the 7,788lbs includes the loaded TT hitch weight. This is where the limited payload capacity (and/or GVWR) with 1/2 tons can become an issue. Is there a way to reduce the cargo weight in your TV...., possibly move some weight into the TT?

Also, knowing the loaded TT tongue weight (would have involved another scale weigh-in process) would have told us how much of the TV's payload capacity it was using.

The scaled gross weight of your hitched TV/TT combination of 14,124lbs is below your TV's 15,000lb GCVWR, good here.

The scaled loaded TT weight is 6,336lbs (hitched, doesn't include tongue weight) is below the TT's GVWR of 7,350lbs.

So, it looks like the scale weights provided tell us that we have an overloaded TV, but this can be corrected if you can reduce/relocate some TV cargo weight, and/or tongue weight (maintaining a 13% to 15% tongue weight of the loaded TT weight).

Please check my math, just in case I misapplied a weight.

Bob

[Derek700]

We were loaded for a week and we had way more stuff than we needed that trip. I could move a couple things into the trailer and possibly tighten the bars up a link or two as well. That trip wasn't our usual load. Good to know if I need to that I could move some things around to carry on(scale was closed by the way that day). With this much info the last thing I am going to do in question your math

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Derek700

snip....... I could move a couple things into the trailer and possibly tighten the bars up a link or two as well.....snip

Derek700,

Yeah, I know what you mean about way to much stuff...., I'm guilty of taking more than I need even for an over-nighter!

Sounds like you know what you need to do about shifting some cargo around...., but I wouldn't change the WDH's number of chain links under tension unless you go through a proper WDH adjustment to confirm the weight distribution effect to your TV's front axle. Helpful guide: http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...d/17730894.cfm

Spring is just around the corner, and now they are forecasting 5"-7" of snow here Friday morning!

Bob

[Crabman]

Spring is just around the corner, and now they are forecasting 5"-7" of snow here Friday morning!

65* here today Bob, I was out in a tee shirt again painting boats, tuning lawnmower, etc. 70* predicted Thursday and Friday.

[clutch]

Sorry to hear about the comming snow Bob. You need to move about a thousand miles South.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by clutch

Sorry to hear about the comming snow Bob. You need to move about a thousand miles South.

Clutch,

Yeah, all that's on the local news today is the "Winter Storm Watch". Heck, I can remember the days when 7" was nothing!

Anyway, I hope to be spending next winter in the deserts of Arizona with the smart campers

Bob