HD F-150 or 3/4 ton truck?

[Diamondpilot]

Big difference in the mountains of WV and IN.

We have 7 miles of a 7% grade going tp our lake on 101 just outside of Brookville. Its as tough as I have driven.

PS, I have driven every state but Idaho, Hawaii, and Alaska. But what do I know...

 

[gladehound]

This is exactly why I traded my F150 EB on a GMC 2500 6.0. Couldn't be happier.

By "this" do you mean component size? because that seems to be the only advantage mentioned over an F150HD. Which would beg the question... has anyone who tows a lot with an F-150 burned out rear hubs, differentials, transmissions, transfer case? and if so, what were the circumstances?

 

[coobie]

By "this" do you mean component size? because that seems to be the only advantage mentioned over an F150HD. Which would beg the question... has anyone who tows a lot with an F-150 burned out rear hubs, differentials, transmissions, transfer case? and if so, what were the circumstances?

YEP! Lost the rear end gears(3.73) on my 2006 F150 at 120,000 miles cost to replace $1,900 bucks.My truck has always been well maintained to boot.Maybe I just got a bad one? No sense trying to over think your choice.Sometimes you get a good vehicle sometimes a bad one.ROLL THE DICE..LOL

 

[Steppenwolfe]

All this back and forth seems to reinforce what most of usl thought to begin with - if you buy a truck mostly for towing and heavy hauling and drive a lot, get a 3/4 or 1 ton with a diesel. If you are a more normal user and run the truck unloaded a lot (and a lot of business owned trucks seem to run around empty most of the time) you will come out ahead in the long run with a gas truck because of the lower initial cost and low gas prices. With 3K miles on my ecoboost, I have only recorded about 300 towing miles. I may be on the low side but I don't think I'm that much of an exception.

Also, for those who say their EB didn't get good mileage even unloaded, there must be something wrong. Mine recorded a hand calculated 21+ on the highway at over 75 mph with only 1000 miles on the clock. I expect better when its really broken in.

Down hill all the way ???

 

[sd455dan]

I have owned both and the Ecoboost will out pull ten+ year old diesels. It won't hold a candle to the new ones. My problem with the ecoboost was there was nothing eco about it. If the truck is completely stock and empty it gets good mileage. Any load and the turbos spool up and it sucks fuel. My 2012 EB I bought new got horrible mileage especially when towing. I was towing a 18' utility trailer with an ATV and a UTV on it and was getting 4-5 MPG. With a 26 gallon tank if I recall correctly I had to fill up every 100 miles. I went to the dealer multiple times and they could find nothing wrong. They blamed it on my mud tires which were slightly larger (but no lift), my grill guard, and my tool box and air compressor in the bed. I traded the truck. Pretty sad when I was traveling with a 2008 F-250 with the 5.4 gas pulling a trailer that weighed three times what mine did and he was getting double the mileage.

I have a friend with an ecoboost that is bone stock and he drives around with an empty bed all the time. He gets around 20 mpg. I never saw over 14 mpg even without a trailer. I hate the ecoboost. I lost a lot of money buying that truck. I wanted to like it. It was the first brand new truck I ever bought,

Wow!!... the best unloaded mileage on your ecoboost was JUST UNDER what I just got hauling 4 full loads of hay on the 20ft fifth wheel being pulled by my diesel 2003 4x4 Ram 3500

best hand calculated full tank hi-way run 24.4 mpg.

the ride getting hay was rough enough that the wife had to sit on a pillow for the last 2 runs,
these older Ram 1 tons do ride a bit rougher...:laughing:

There had to be something wrong with that F-150...

 

[not2old]

I don't know if this is relevant today, but I took off the 16" tires and wheels on my 1990 F250HD which required 80psi and installed new 16.5 wheels with 33x12.50 tires that I run at 45 to 50 psi. This made a HUGE improvement to the ride quality. This was my daily driver work truck and would have been unbearable without this change.

 

[gladehound]

Wow!!... the best unloaded mileage on your ecoboost was JUST UNDER what I just got hauling 4 full loads of hay on my 20ft fifth wheel being pulled by my 2003 4x4 Ram 3500

best hand calculated full tank hi-way run 24.4 mpg.

the ride getting hay was rough enough that the wife had to sit on a pillow for the last 2 runs,
these older 1 tons do ride a bit rougher...:laughing:

There had to be something wrong with that F-150...

Unfair! You can't buy new pick-ups with a pre-emissions 5.9 Cummins anymore. If you could, I never would have started this thread. The 10+ year old 5.9 trucks that are for sale are going for super high prices for old vehicles with a lot of miles! Didn't want to get something that old but maybe I should be considering it.

 

[gladehound]

I don't know if this is relevant today, but I took off the 16" tires and wheels on my 1990 F250HD which required 80psi and installed new 16.5 wheels with 33x12.50 tires that I run at 45 to 50 psi. This made a HUGE improvement to the ride quality. This was my daily driver work truck and would have been unbearable without this change.

I had 315x75-16s on my 1999 F-350 and very heavy springs on the back (heavier than an F350 SRW but lighter than a DRW) and it rode like a sedan. It does make a difference!

 

[gladehound]

YEP! Lost the rear end gears(3.73) on my 2006 F150 at 120,000 miles cost to replace $1,900 bucks.My truck has always been well maintained to boot.Maybe I just got a bad one? No sense trying to over think your choice.Sometimes you get a good vehicle sometimes a bad one.ROLL THE DICE..LOL

Thanks coobie. That's the kind of info that is really helpful to know about. Do you know if that was an 8.8" or the 9.75" rear that you had? What type of towing and how often?

 

[gladehound]

I think he is also referring to the first paragraph of the quote. Remember that the tongue weight is considered payload, and many 1/2 tons don't have that much payload capacity left once you subtract the tongue weight of a large trailer, fuel and passengers.

Thanks, that's probably what he was referring to. Yes, many half tons have crazy low payloads (some Rams are under 1,000 pounds!).

However, this thread is comparing the F150 HD which has a 2,780 pound capacity (GVW minus curb weight) in crew cab, 4WD, "long bed" (6.5 ft). And that is why I didn't understand what point he was trying to make. The GM 2500 he used in his example has less payload (based on his own numbers) than the F150HD. My guess is he was thinking of most 1/2 ton pick-ups and not specifically an F150HD. Many F-150 crew cabs are only rated for 1,300 - 1,500 pounds.

 

[gladehound]

Down hill all the way ???

Down hill and with a tail wind across the plains states my Jeep was towing my TT at 65mph getting 13 mpg

Going the other way I got 7 !!!

 

[sd455dan]

Unfair! You can't buy new pick-ups with a pre-emissions 5.9 Cummins anymore. If you could, I never would have started this thread. The 10+ year old 5.9 trucks that are for sale are going for super high prices for old vehicles with a lot of miles! Didn't want to get something that old but maybe I should be considering it.[/QUOTE


Well mine has been a good truck but not perfect.
since breaking 100K miles Have replaced a $50 water pump, the clutch master/slave cylinder, front brake pads and both front axle U joints
the Only item before 100 k - needed a new clutch fan-warrantied

Problem Items at about 125K miles window switch for passenger side needs replaced, Dash top has cracked (Badly), turn signal multi switch is acting up when switching between high and low beam- right power seat is stuck for some reason, truck needs to go in for recall replacement of those Takata air bags.

Like some people say the Ram trucks do have nickle and dime items go as they age over the years, But the entire drivetrain seems to be pretty darn bullet proof - mine has the NV5600 6 speed manual, mixed reports on the autos, including Ram doing a buy back on my nephews 2012 over an automatic trans problem.
The second 2012 he got with the G 56 6 speed was trouble free, but neither 2012 diesels got even close to the mileage of my early one. Nephews fiance bought a new 2016 gas Ram 2500 and it has been great so far, pretty good mileage and trouble free with good power.

It seems your needs are as others have said -right at the towing vs. empty and a payload point making it a hard choice as to what to buy.

1 thing you do get with a new truck is a full warranty.

Good Luck with whatever you end up with-

I hope it is (One of the Good Ones) regardless of New or Used Or Brand
-a trouble free truck that puts a smile on your face every time you drive it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

By "this" do you mean component size? because that seems to be the only advantage mentioned over an F150HD. Which would beg the question... has anyone who tows a lot with an F-150 burned out rear hubs, differentials, transmissions, transfer case? and if so, what were the circumstances?

I use mine hard and its just had a battery, a set of plugs, 2 sets of tires.

I did need a $83 fan speed control module but thats it.

Chris

 

[KennyG]

Down hill all the way ???

Michigan to Philadelphia and back.

 

[coobie]

Thanks coobie. That's the kind of info that is really helpful to know about. Do you know if that was an 8.8" or the 9.75" rear that you had? What type of towing and how often?

Not sure on the size of the rear end.My bumper pull 20 ft PJ (14,000 lbs)axles loaded 40hp Kioti tractor front end loader,5 ft brush hog and loaded tires to our cabin up north quite a bit.Haul 8,000 lbs of wood pellets.I believe the trailer weight is around 3,300 lbs empty.

 

[check]

All this back and forth seems to reinforce what most of usl thought to begin with - if you buy a truck mostly for towing and heavy hauling and drive a lot, get a 3/4 or 1 ton with a diesel. If you are a more normal user and run the truck unloaded a lot (and a lot of business owned trucks seem to run around empty most of the time) you will come out ahead in the long run with a gas truck because of the lower initial cost and low gas prices. With 3K miles on my ecoboost, I have only recorded about 300 towing miles. I may be on the low side but I don't think I'm that much of an exception. Also, for those who say their EB didn't get good mileage even unloaded, there must be something wrong. Mine recorded a hand calculated 21+ on the highway at over 75 mph with only 1000 miles on the clock. I expect better when its really broken in.

That is what I get with my 2016 F150 Supercrew with a 5.0 liter gas engine. So where is the "eco"?

 

[gladehound]

That is what I get with my 2016 F150 Supercrew with a 5.0 liter gas engine. So where is the "eco"?

The 5.0 coyote is already a slick engine internally and breaths really well. I would never expect the EcoBoost to do better than the 5.0 on the highway. Around town with a light touch it should do a little better and run more like a naturally aspirated v6. But there is never going to be a big difference because they are both moving the same truck.

The reason to get the EcoBoost is not for the Eco. It's for the boost! The EcoBoost has a lot more low end torque than the 5.0 and can probably pull a higher gear in many situations resulting in less shifting and more consistent speed on cruise control.

 

[gladehound]

Not sure on the size of the rear end.My bumper pull 20 ft PJ (14,000 lbs)axles loaded 40hp Kioti tractor front end loader,5 ft brush hog and loaded tires to our cabin up north quite a bit.Haul 8,000 lbs of wood pellets.I believe the trailer weight is around 3,300 lbs empty.

That's quite a bit more weight than I'll be moving regularly. My equipment trailer is 9,500 with my tractor and a bucket. I only move it about 30 miles a year. My TT is 6,600 gross and tow it several thousand miles a year. My boat is 4,000 and tow it about 1,000 miles a year.

With those weights you're definitely in 3/4 ton / 1 ton territory. With my weights I feel like I'm on the cusp (mostly due to frontal and side area of the TT and miles towed) of either an F150 with the HD springs, axle, and coolers or a 3/4 ton or 1 ton SRW. Either option will probably last many years without wearing out. The heavier trucks have a better chance of making my 200,000 mile target without drive line issues. But the heavier trucks are also more expensive up front in my area. My first choice is an F350 SRW short bed diesel if I can find one slightly used at a good price (still need to be able to park in the underground garage at work and it would be tight with a long bed).

 

[coobie]

That's quite a bit more weight than I'll be moving regularly. My equipment trailer is 9,500 with my tractor and a bucket. I only move it about 30 miles a year. My TT is 6,600 gross and tow it several thousand miles a year. My boat is 4,000 and tow it about 1,000 miles a year.

With those weights you're definitely in 3/4 ton / 1 ton territory. With my weights I feel like I'm on the cusp (mostly due to frontal and side area of the TT and miles towed) of either an F150 with the HD springs, axle, and coolers or a 3/4 ton or 1 ton SRW. Either option will probably last many years without wearing out. The heavier trucks have a better chance of making my 200,000 mile target without drive line issues. But the heavier trucks are also more expensive up front in my area. My first choice is an F350 SRW short bed diesel if I can find one slightly used at a good price (still need to be able to park in the underground garage at work and it would be tight with a long bed).

When pricing new trucks back in 2016 I considered and drove all of the big 3 Chevy Ford and Ram.Wife did not like the chevy so went with ford/Ram 1/2 & 3/4 tons.I was **** bent on the ford f150 in 1/2 super crew lariat with the 5.0 engine but bought a comparable Ram Laramie 3/4 ton 6.4 hemi engine 410 hp pretty much same options that I wanted for about same $$.No brainer went with the Ram..

 

[WilliamBos]

Unfair! You can't buy new pick-ups with a pre-emissions 5.9 Cummins anymore. If you could, I never would have started this thread. The 10+ year old 5.9 trucks that are for sale are going for super high prices for old vehicles with a lot of miles! Didn't want to get something that old but maybe I should be considering it.

Find a first gen or second gen, get an LMC catalogue and rebuild it from the ground up.