Chase truck options....will a Ford do the job?

[steve0we]

Will the new 2009 f150 4x4 ss crew cab 5.4 L, 6 speed pull my race trailer like Ford is telling me it will. They are saying it will pull 12K pounds. I am guessing im looking at 7,500 pounds with the car, trailer and parts total.

I am debating stepping up to the F-250 but have mixed emotions about going diesel. We have a 2500HD for the really long hauls if needed but its 2 wheel drive.

I would really like to stay in the 35k range, and plan on using my Ranger with almost 300k on it as part of the trade in since its on its last leg and you nice people on RDC are helping with the $4500.00 trade in.

Anyone have one? How do you like it?

Thanks!

 

[J Caster]

The question you have to ask yourself is how often will you tow with it?

I have a 06' F-150 I use for my around town truck as well as my chase truck. When I tow it is around 7,500 lbs and I get around 8-10 mpg but I've never been easy on the go pedal. It pulls great but I wouldn't want to use it often for towing.

On the other hand when driving around and chasing in Mex the 1/2 ton rides so much nicer than the other bigger trucks.

 

[offroadracer516]

F250 or F350 for shure
its nice to not feel the trailer with the race car on it

 

[racer56]

How big and heavy is the trailer?

 

[steve0we]

My trailer is a 26 foot enclosed. My dads 2500hd with the Alison doesnt even know its back there. I just dont want a dog.... We will only do 3-4 trips to the west coast a year but from Texas that a long haul.

 

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

My trailer is a 26 foot enclosed. My dads 2500hd with the Alison doesnt even know its back there. I just dont want a dog.... We will only do 3-4 trips to the west coast a year but from Texas that a long haul.

Id go for the diesel if you can afford it

 

[Laurie]

Five of our chase crew drive f250 super duties with diesel engines. You don't even know the trailer is there. My husbands former F150 could pull it but really slowed down going up hills. And the tow haul is awesome.

 

[racer56]

F250 or 2500 minimum for long distance hauls. You will end up running the f150 into the ground towing that trailer and it will end up costing you more in the long run.

 

[5racer]

buy two airplane tickets and show up with helmet and driving suit .and be home to watch sunday nite football.

 

[motoman29]

it's all a numbers game to sell trucks.

DO NOT TOW 12K with an F150. It is dangerous! It can pull it, but it can't control or stop it.

If you are going to tow more than a small boat, buy a 250/2500 or larger.

 

[loufish]

I think you are at about the max I would tow with any 1/2 ton truck...
Are you sure it's only 7500 lbs? or are you just guesstimating...

Remember one thing about 1/2 ton truck is most don't have that much payload, so a 7500 lb trailers tongue weight will eat up around half your payload rating, doesn't leave much left over for driver, fuel and passengers...

Far as towing speed, it's starting to get out of hand, now it's like if you can't tow 60-65 up the Grapevine, then you need a diesel...
I say BS!...It's only in the last 10 years or so that reasonable diesel power has been available in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, prior to that people have totally forgotten how many F-250's with 390 cid gas engines were pulling trailers like that, just in second gear and yes only 42 mph up the Grapevine...

If your weights are correct and you have all the tow bells & whistles, for 3-4 times a year you should be fine...

 

[racer56]

I say BS!...It's only in the last 10 years or so that reasonable diesel power has been available in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, prior to that people have totally forgotten how many F-250's with 390 cid gas engines were pulling trailers like that, just in second gear and yes only 42 mph up the Grapevine...

If your weights are correct and you have all the tow bells & whistles, for 3-4 times a year you should be fine...

And everyone had a spare transmission or two, for the tow vehicle in the race car trailer.

 

[nimrod]

The Ford 6.0 is a scary scary thing.........Some guys love theirs and some guys hate theirs........

I'm a Ford guy but if your set on a diesel get a GMC or Chevy

If your set on a Ford get the V-10.........Or wait until 2011 when Ford dumps the International 6.0 and uses their own engine that was supposedly designed by Cummins.....

I don't think you'll be disappointed in buying the bigger truck.

You ought to check out the new Tundra too.

I slept in a Holiday Inn Express last night so you know I'm spot on!


PS. I absolutely LOVE my V-10 F-350!

 

[<Cody Agee>]

pounded the crap out of our ford this weekend and then drove it home no problemo

 

[BoothPacific Films]

get an older 7.3 powerstroke. there are plenty of nice used rigs. then throw the banks turbo-intercooler package at it and your good to tow anything, up anything for 400,000 miles.

 

[BajaFand]

If you are stuck with a half ton I would be going between a new Chevy or a new Tundra, Tundra being the better choice. As far as gas motors I believe the GM 5.3 and 6.0 are great engines, but the 6.0s are not good for gas mileage. The new Tundra's are faster, have more HP and torque, and can stop better than any other half ton truck, plus they come with a 10.5" rearend. Almost 400hp stock in the new Tundra's is a good feature, plus if you get a truck with the tow package they come with a transmission temp gauge. Unless Ford gave the 5.4 some more power for '09 I would not even consider an F-150, the 5.4's from '04-'08 are gutless. I have not driven a new one so I don't know what they are like.

For the 3/4-1 ton trucks I would get a new Chevy/GMC with the Duramax/Allison combo, you can't go wrong. I have known so many people with the 6.0 Ford's that blow head gaskets, just happened to two of my friends in the same week, one of them was left stranded in Utah. If you get a 6.0 make sure you have a 100k mile warranty, cause the bill ain't cheap when the dealership has to pull the cab off of the frame to change the head gaskets. I don't know of major problems with the new twin turbo motors but I have heard they get horrible gas mileage for a diesel, like 10-12mpg. I know the 7.3's were very good engines but I know people who have gone through multiple transmissions on the same truck, they just don't seem to last, could be the driver. I do have to agree that the Ford V-10s seem to be very good engines as well, not many problems that I have heard with them.

 

[harleys dad]

F250-350, it dont mater if a f-150 will pull it, the car brakes wont stop it on a 150 no mater what the dealer says. you will not be happy if you go for the smaller truck

 

[Forty1Racing]

Ford is correct, the f150 will tow it. But the real question you must ask yourself is what kind of MPG do you want to get while towing the trailer??

 

[steve0we]

The dealership is telling me at 7500lbs I should get about 12 MPH with the new F-150. I just dont see it. The hard part is I plan on buying a new truck instead of a used truck. I was pricing new 2500HD and its gonna run close to 50k.

uuuuugggggghhhhhh what a headache. Guess I will shop F-250s today too.

Maybe I will get a aluminum open trailer and that would solve the problem. Then I can use 5RACERS tools at the race!

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

The dealership is telling me at 7500lbs I should get about 12 MPH with the new F-150.

Sounds like an honest dealer to me. But, just how much vacation time DO you get?