I am loosing my company truck so I have to buy my own.


I tow a 26ft 8000lb RV or my 21ft inboard V8 jet boat.


I am looking for a supercab, 4x4, long box F350 or F250.


I have driven a 2012 F250 for the last 2.5 years so am very familiar with the 6.2. Before that I had a 2006 6L diesel and don't want to go down the diesel road again.


I have been focusing my search on a V10 or 6.2 truck but began to think a 5.4 powered truck may be ok.


This truck will not be a daily driver, weekend toy hauler only.


My question is, how is the 5.4 for towing a rig like I have?
What years 5.4, if any, should a guy stay away from?


Thanks for any input.

 

I have a 99 f250 extended cab short bed truck. I have 3.73 gears in it and 315 tires on it. I bought it new and wish I would have gotten the 4.10 gears in it. When I had the stock sized tires it did just fine towing my 20 sea ray boat. THen I lifted it and put on the bigger tires...the tires obviously changed the final drive gear ratio and I lost some torque for hill climbs. The 4.10's would have offset that loss. But water under the bridge now. I installed a SCT tuner from 5 Star and it REALLY helped it out. Mine too is mainly my tow vehicle not DD. I currently pull a 26' trailer loaded with 4 quads and hills will slow it down but it does okay. Now I made reservations to go to W. Va this summer and will trst it on those hills with the load and I expect to not run up hills at 60..thats a given so as long as I go into it accepting that I will not be too uppset. Your big RV will test the truck on bigger hills but if you keep the tires stock size with 3.73 bears or have the 4.10 gears you will be ok...but know 70mph up hills will not happen. Maybe the newer models with the 3 valve 5.4 motor will do bettter then my 2 valve motor but it cannot really make that huge of a difference. Overall for the price difference and depending on where you plan to travel I think a 5.4 will be fine...as long as set up as I described. Any deviation on itres and gears will upset your towing ability. Hope this helps and its just my experience.

 

I tow with the 5.4 daily, granted it is only about 4k but i have pulled 8k with it and it will pull it just fine. Your not going to win any races with it but it will go just fine. We don't have a lot of huge hills here in Michigan so I can't really comment on that part of it. I have an 08 crewcab with the 3.73 gearing in it.

 

03 f250 here with 4:30 gears, Love my 5.4 and it does all I ask it to do.

 

I tow 8000+ pounds with my truck (see signature) without any issues.

You're not going to win any drag races, but a 5.4L will get the job done.

 

Just dont be in a hurry to get there and the 2v 5.4 will get the job done..heaviest load i have hauled was 2 cords of hardwood in my big trailer..my trailer sways alot too which makes towing suck with that particular trailer loaded

 

You won't know the boat is back there. Rv will, but only on big hill climbs. I'm happy with 5.4, but 2005 has 40 more hp....than older 2v.

 

After driving a 6.2 you won't like the 5.4 at all. My advice would be to go V10.

 

I have an 2010 F-250 5.4, I tow a 27 foot travel trailer up the mountains in New England without an issue. The trailer is 5500 pounds and I bet my wife loads another 1/2 worth of stuff. I don't think you'll be unhappy with the 5.4

 

I tow between 6,000 to 12,000 lbs with mine with no issues at all. I like it better than any of the obs trucks I have owned or towed with(460 and 7.3 included). It's no v10 or 6.2, but it's no slouch either.

 

I think for daily driving and weekend towing you'll be fine with a 5.4L. I pull a 21' Hydra-sport 202DC boat, 2-horse Gore tag along, and 16' car/utility trailer with various loads. Mine is an '03 2v and does great, but I have added some mods since this picture last summer.

 

I have an 02 5.4 and I tow with it just fine and I also plow with it also. as others have stated you wont win any drag races but it will get the job done

 

Hey StewB

I run an 03 350 with the 5.4l 2v. Like a lot of the other members are saying, if will handle the boat no problem and will be fine with the rv, again you won't be leading the pack but it'll do just fine. If you're able to come across a v10 that's what I would get, about the same mpg, solid motor, and more power. Good luck. Let us know what you decide.

 

I have a 2004 regular cab 4x4 with the 5.4 and it has served me well. It has 3.73 gears and does just fine pulling our tractor and the occasional car around. I wish it had 4.10 gears for a little more grunt but overall I have been happy with it. I have never owned a v10 so I can't compare em but as far as mpg goes I'm knocking down 17 in town and 20+ on the interstate and it's stock other than exhaust.

 

In a super duty???? I have a bare bones xl, reg cab, etc, don't run it over 2,500 rpm unless towing on a hill and run 55 mph to and from work and 15.8 is the best it has gotten.