I had a 2011 F150 with the 5.0 and a '13 F150 with the Ecoboost. The 5.0 is more suited for a Mustang with it's higher reving engine. The 3.5 has more low end torque like a diesel. I'd give the nod to the 3.5 even though the 5.0 is also a good engine. On my second 3.5 Eco in a '21 FX4 Expedition and I love it.

 

the 5.0 is in my sister's F150 with the 10 speed. We or I advised that setup for her as she only tows about 6K max at any one time.

Setup works well for her.

 

An F150 or Expedition with max towing package pulling a travel trailer should limit weight to around the 6K pound mark. Sidewinds play hell when towing a travel trailer. Payload and hitch weight's play a big part too!!

 

That's why the manual indicates a maximum trailer frontal area in sq/ft when towing. Even the Super Duty has a maximum.

What people don't realize is that the F-150 is limited to only 3,000 lbs. I believe unless you use weight distributing hitch. It's in the manual. Super Duty doesn't have that restriction.

 

The Expedition we have has the max towing package and a payload of 1769 lbs. The F250 I have now only has a payload of close to 2200 lbs. Diesel engine eats up a lot of payload. The Grand Design Solitude that was totaled in a hurricane was 8'-6" wide and 13'-5" high. Gross wt was 16,800 Lbs. Camper we have now is 8' wide and 29-10 long. Height is 12-5 gross wt of 8800 lbs. Didn't feel too much stability problems on the highway when I had my dually pulling the big 5th wheel. Pulling a smaller travel trailer using a 12K pound Equalizer hitch sidewinds take a toll on the tow vehicle. Expedition with the independent rear suspension amplifies the sidesway. The little 3.5 Ecoboost with 3.73 gearing tows the travel trailer with no problem but the F250 with the exhaust brake stops a lot better. Tow haul mode with the gas engine the transmission helps slow down the camper. I'm sure most people don't look at the square ft frontage specs in the manual. I'm guilty also but at least I remember pulling dry van trailers in heavy sidewinds that would almost flip you over if lightly loaded or empty. Fuel tankers were fairly low and oval shaped so winds were not that much of a problem. Never pulled too many flatbeds or dropdecks so I imagine the loads put on them made the difference.

 

That square footage thing makes no sense because it reads Total, so whats the square footage of the truck? Not mentioned, so how much frontal area is left over and how is it measured? Manual states 60 square feet. So an area of 8' by 7 1/2' makes up the 60 square foot section. BTW its the same for the F150 as it is for the Superduty, 60 sq ft, except for 5th wheel and goosneck, being 75 sq ft.

If the trailer is 8' wide, then the max height would be 7 1/2' of the trailer. The 5th wheel would have a max height of 9 3/8'. Yeah, that aint gonna happen, not when the trailer is 13' tall. Thats more than 75 SQ FT of frontal area.

So, who actually looks at Frontal area for a trailer? It takes complex math to determine actual frontal area due to the compound curves of 5th wheels and travel trailers.

 

Since everyone has kept the hijack going, here's my favorite Coyote equipped F150 video... because if I bought one, I'm keeping my 2016 6.7 to pull with and play around the F150...

 

Ah, just doing it to throw off the EPA Snoopers.

 

This one is pretty entertaining too

 

that channel is fantastic.

 

If you want to spend 2K replace the CP4 fuel pump with the DCR pump before it becomes a problem.. better spend of money on a ford..