I'm short 5'7". I have a wash mop so I can get the whole truck w/o a ladder. The F250 is too tall so even with the mop I need the ladder.

 

I went from an F250 to an F150 then a Ram 2500 4X4 and now to another F150. The F250 had a 6" BDS lift and 38" tires Spartan tuned and lucky to get 12mpg. I swapped it when diesel was over $4.00 per gallon. Back to the F150 with a 5.4l. Towing with it back and forth to Michigan was a struggle. On to the Ram, very nice truck with good mpg (20 highway, 11 towing). $173 oil changes and $285 fuel filter changes and putting up with diesel smell every fill up gets old. This time another F150 and took the leap with the Ecoboost for towing. I won't get the economy of the Cummins on the road but I wanted to go back to a gasser with some pulling guts. It was between the F150 King Ranch and the GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate 4X4 6.2l. The F150 won because of the extras I was used to with the Ram Limited that the GMC was missing.

This was the last 4 of 30 some trucks I've had. If GMC gets caught up technology wise with their next generation and I get bored with this truck, I'll likely go with a GMC/Chevrolet variation half ton.

 

I had an F350 dooly,used it for towing,great truck even had it bullit proofed but no one wants a 6.0 no matter what you do to it ...I dont blame them.

 

Well, i had a 2004 F250 CC 4x4 with a V10 and a 6.5 bed- i put 210,000 miles on it and it was the most dependable rig i have ever owned. I did plugs, fluid changes religously, and i had to rebuild the front end at 150,000 miles. thats it.

I sold my 8' Camper that was 2100# and no longer needed it.

I just bought a 2016 F150 XLT sport CC FX4 with the 3.5Ecoboost.

WOW. this will tow my 4000# boat just fine. The ride is 5000% better. The truck is light on its feet and gets 20MPG on road trips. Ive got 750 miles on it as of this writing and i couldnt be happier. Id do it agin in a minute. ZERO regrets.

Nothing against the Super Duty- Especially the diesel. For me the cost of upkeep, oil changes, fluid changes, Etc, wasnt worth it for as little as i would need its capability.

These new F150's are SOOOOO much more truck than 1/2 tons were 15-20 years ago.

 

Had a 04 sd cc v10.
Then 06 Sd cc v10
Then my wife's 99 Durango
Then 06 Honda Ridgeline.
Now. 15 f150 cc

I never "needed" a SD but always wanted one since they came out. I lifted the 04 and while I loved it, the ride quality doesn't compare

I do miss the "trunk" on the Ridgeline.
I miss having an 8ft bed, sometimes the 5 1/2 foot bed is a PITA, but I get pretty creative with ratchet straps and don't haul enough too really complain about it.

The mpg on my current one destroys the mpg on all of the previous vehicles I listed . I love the interior. I love "sport mode"

 

I just downsized as well. Came from a Ram 3500 dually crewcab. Before that I had Superduty crewcabs; 2005,2007,2009, and a 2011. This is my first half ton since June of 2005 when I leased my first Superduty.

 

Please do tell what you have that nets you 2400# of payload in an F150. Do you have a Heavy Duty Payload Packaged F150?

I have been researching this downsizing game for months, after being burned 2x before. I like loaded trucks, and it has been impossible to find an F150 over 1,750 pounds of payload around here. The secret I found is the 36 gallon extended fuel tank sucks over 100 pounds of payload out. Trying to find a truck with a 6-1/2 foot bed (higher payload per order guide), 23 gallon tank, tow mirrors, and either trailer package has netted ONE within eight states! I find there is no big deal between the Max Tow and the Trailer Tow Packages, except the 12,200 pound vs. 11,100 pound tow ratings respectively... And a heavier bumper on the Max Tow.
I want to downsize, but a 6,000 travel trailer will net a realistic tongue weight of 800-900 pounds. With a family of four, a dog, and NOTHING in the bed, I'm left with 0-100 pounds. Hardly a real truck the F150, or ANY half ton is. Why must we need 3/4 tons or better to drag a travel trailer for a family weekend?

 

If you go to the long wheelbase supercab or crewcab with a 3.5 Eco or 5.0 you can get up to 2950 payload.

 

You don't. People have been pulling larger trailers with more occupants and cargo for years without issue. The truck isn't going to burst into flames the second you exceed GVWR by a few pounds.

 

Most do not. GCWR is probably around 15k depending on configuration. I definitely wouldn't worry about a few hundred pounds in the truck. I would always suggest 10ply tires too.(stock on F250).

 

Just for the record...nobody actually makes a 10-ply highway tire anymore.

Tire Tech Information - Load Range / Ply Rating Identification

 

Thanks for the info. While I'm not ready to say when I get my new Cooper Maxx next month they won't be 10 ply, I will say that I should now suggest Load E rated tires. (80psi). thanks!

 

My experience is with older vehicles, so I can't speak to the merits of the current generation Ford trucks, but...

I come from a large vehicle family. When I was born, my dad was driving a 1986 F-250 extended cab diesel, and my mom was driving a 1989 3/4 ton Suburban. Fast forward a few years, those were upgraded to a 1997 F-350 dually, Powerstroke, 4x4, manual tranny, 10 foot flatbed. Coolest truck Dad's ever owned, in my opinion. Mom upgraded to a 1995 1/2 ton Suburban. First new vehicles either of them ever owned.

My first vehicle was a '99 Grand Cherokee in near factory/new condition, but I promptly wrecked it and bought my first truck, a '95 F-150. I loved it, but it was obviously not in the same class as the old man's one ton.

To get to the point of my story, I'm used to big vehicles. I drive an '88 F-250 now, and I love the "truckish" feel of it. The stiff suspension, rowing through the five speed, there's just nothing like it. I have a 2005 Suburban (250k miles, owned since new, and still damn near every piece is factory original, what a reliable vehicle) for long unloaded trips or when I want to relax a little. It's certainly more comfortable on long trips than my truck is.

But there's still a lot to be said for the solid ruggedness of a real truck. It gives you capabilities that you simply don't have otherwise. Before I owned this '88, I drove a '96 K1500 GMC pickup. It was a nice rig, but I was always on the ragged edge of its capabilities. Whether it was towing a boat, a work trailer, whatever, it always left me feeling just a little skeptical when I worked it. With the bigger truck I have now, those worries are gone.

That's why I'll never consider the new F-150's. They're built like a car, and styled like a truck. In my opinion, they're designed for the urbanite pavement pounders who could, realistically, get by just fine with their wife's SUV, but want the "truck" image without sacrificing the creature comforts. In my eye, they just can't stand up to the wear and tear that real trucks are subjected to by the men and women who really work them.

 

An interesting perspective, but I suspect one shared by many.

What about the new F150s do you think suggests that they won't hold up to those who work them? I'm not trying to call your opinion right or wrong, just get some better perspective.

 

Guilty as charged, HOWEVER, I have hauled almost 3000lbs of rock on occasion (in the bed) as well as pulled 10000+ lbs of lumber and drive it off road regularly (construction).

I would say that 90% of ALL trucks are underutilized unless they are fleet vehicles. Does someone that pulls a 5th wheel 3x/year need a $80k truck to pull it? Nope. The demographic that buys these trucks has changed. Also, anyone that has a large lift - what exactly is the intent? Rarely do those trucks see the mud.